# US 11,896,056 B2 · Aerosol-generating system with adjustable pump flow rate

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- Number: US 11,896,056 B2
- Document ID: US11896056B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/951,077
- Filed: 2020-11-18
- Published: 2021-03-11
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-29
- Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC
- Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC
- Inventors: Michel Bessant; Ben Mazur; Eva Saade Latorre; Alain Tabasso
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896056B2

## CPC

- A24F 40/48: Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
- A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
- A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring
- A24F 47/00: Smokers' requisites not otherwise provided for
- A61M 11/042: {electrical}
- A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
- H05B 1/0227: {Applications}
- H05B 1/0297: {Heating of fluids for non specified applications}
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A61M 2016/0021: {with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor}
- A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter}
- A61M 2016/0039: {in the inspiratory circuit}
- A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A method of generating an aerosol in an aerosol-generating system includes storing liquid aerosol-forming substrate in a liquid storage portion and delivering via a pump a liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to an atomizer. The method also includes sensing a puff via a a puff sensor in an airflow path of the aerosol-generating system and determining a puff intensity during the puff via a controller. The delivery flow rate of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the atomizer is adjusted in response to the determined puff intensity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aerosol-generating system, the system comprising:
a pump configured to deliver an aerosol-forming substrate to a vaporizer;
a puff sensor in an airflow path, the puff sensor configured to sense a puff; and
a controller configured to determine a puff intensity based on an output from the puff sensor and adjust a delivery flow rate of the pump in response to the determined puff intensity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 1, wherein the puff sensor is a pressure sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 1, further comprising:
a housing including,
an air inlet, and
an air outlet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 3, wherein the vaporizer is configured to vaporize the aerosol-forming substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 1, further comprising:
a storage portion configured to contain the aerosol-forming substrate, the pump configured to pump the aerosol-forming substrate from the storage portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer comprises:
a heating element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 6, wherein the heating element is a heating coil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 7, further comprising:
a channel through which the aerosol-forming substrate is delivered to the vaporizer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 8, wherein the channel has a diameter of about 1 mm to about 2 mm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 8, wherein the heating coil extends from the channel in a longitudinal direction.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 8, wherein the heating coil extends transverse to the channel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 8, wherein the heating coil overlaps with an open end of the channel for up to about 3 mm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 8, wherein the heating coil is mounted around the channel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 1, wherein the pump is a micropump.

### Claim 15 (depends on 6)

The aerosol-generating system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust electrical power supplied to the heating element in response to the determined puff intensity.