Cartridge with a capacity sensor
AssigneeAltria Client Services LLC
InventorTony Reevell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system includes a sensor including a capacitor with a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate, a storage portion for storing an aerosol-forming substrate, and a vaporizer. The storage portion is between the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate. The permittivity of the liquid storage portion changes upon a change of the volume f the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion. The sensor is configured to measure the capacitance of the capacitor. The measured capacitance relates to a corresponding permittivity of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion so that the amount of the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion is determinable from the measured capacitance.
Claims14
A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge comprising:
- a sensor including,
- a capacitor, the capacitor including,
- a first capacitor plate, and
- a second capacitor plate;
- a storage portion configured to store an aerosol-forming substrate, a permittivity of the storage portion configured to change upon a change of a volume of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion, the storage portion defining a central air passage, the central air passage extending perpendicular to the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate;
- a wick in communication with the storage portion and extending perpendicular to the central air passage, such that at least a portion of the wick is between the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate;
- a vaporizer in the central air passage and surrounding at least a portion of the wick, the sensor configured to measure a capacitance of the capacitor, the measured capacitance relating to a corresponding permittivity of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion;
- and
- a controller configured to, based on the measured capacitance, calculate a remaining amount of the aerosol-forming substrate.
An aerosol-generating system comprising:
- a main unit including,
- a power supply;
- and
- a cartridge removably coupled to the main unit, the cartridge including,
- a sensor including,
- a capacitor, the capacitor including,
- a first capacitor plate, and
- a second capacitor plate,
- a storage portion configured to store an aerosol-forming substrate, a permittivity of the storage portion configured to change upon a change of a volume of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion, the storage portion defining a central air passage, the central air passage extending perpendicular to the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate,
- a wick in communication with the storage portion and extending perpendicular to the central air passage, such that at least a portion of the wick is between the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate,
- a vaporizer in the central air passage and surrounding at least a portion of the wick, the sensor configured to measure a capacitance of the capacitor, the measured capacitance relating to a corresponding permittivity of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion,
- a controller configured to, based on the measured capacitance, calculate a remaining amount of the aerosol-forming substrate, and
- a memory, the capacitor, the controller, and the memory each included in one of the main unit and the cartridge.
A method of measuring a capacitance from which a volume of an aerosol-forming substrate held in a storage portion is determinable, the method comprising:
- providing a sensor including a capacitor with a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate;
- providing the storage portion that stores the aerosol-forming substrate, a permittivity of the storage portion changes upon a change of a volume of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion, the storage portion defining a central air passage, the central air passage extending perpendicular to the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate;
- providing a wick in communication with the storage portion and extending perpendicular to the central air passage, such that at least a portion of the wick is between the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate;
- providing a vaporizer in the central air passage and surrounding at least a portion of the wick;
- measuring the capacitance of the capacitor, the measured capacitance relating to a corresponding permittivity of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion;
- and
- determining, based on the measured capacitance, a remaining amount of the aerosol-forming substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.