# US 11,992,058 B2 · Liquid supply system for use in aerosol-generating devices

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- Number: US 11,992,058 B2
- Document ID: US11992058B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/278,825
- Filed: 2019-10-01
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-03
- Assignees: Philip Morris Products S.A.
- Applicants: Philip Morris Products S.A.
- Inventors: Irene Taurino
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992058B2

## CPC

- A24F 40/485: Valves; Apertures
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/42: Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/44: Wicks
- A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06)

## Abstract

A liquid supply system for use with an aerosol-generating device, the liquid supply system comprising a liquid retention material (136), a liquid flow channel extending from the liquid retention material and a barrier (125) disposed in the liquid flow channel, the barrier having a threshold temperature between 60° C. and 120° C., wherein the barrier is impermeable to liquid below its threshold temperature and the barrier becomes reversibly permeable to liquid above the threshold temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid supply system for use with an aerosol-generating device, the liquid supply system comprising:
a liquid retention material;
a liquid flow channel extending from the liquid retention material; and
a barrier disposed in the liquid flow channel, the barrier having a threshold temperature between 60° C. and 120° C., wherein the barrier is impermeable to liquid below its threshold temperature and the barrier becomes reversibly permeable to liquid above the threshold temperature, wherein the barrier comprises a polymer layer and a temperature reactive material dispersed therein, and wherein the temperature reactive material forms pores in the polymer layer above the threshold temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises material with a threshold temperature between 70° C. and 120° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A liquid supply system according to claim 1, the liquid supply system further comprising: a liquid transport material disposed on a downstream side of the liquid retention material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A liquid supply system according to claim 3, wherein the barrier is disposed on a downstream side of the liquid transport material, or between the liquid transport material and the liquid retention material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A liquid supply system according to any claim 1, wherein the liquid supply system further comprises: a liquid storage disposed on an upstream side of the liquid retention material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A liquid supply system according to claim 5, wherein the barrier is disposed between the liquid retention material and the liquid storage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises a deposited film, a coating, or a stacked layer disposed on the liquid retention material, on the liquid transport material, or both.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature reactive material comprises linear polymer chains, cross-linked hydrogel networks, microspheres, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A liquid supply system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature reactive material comprises a covalently cross-linked reversible polymer comprising poly(allylurea-co-allylamine) (PAU-Am), poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate), or a combination thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

A liquid supply system according to claim 8, wherein the temperature reactive material comprises poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEOx), poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazine) (PEOZI), PEO-b-PPO block copolymers, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC), or a combination thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A cartridge for use with an aerosol-generating device, the cartridge comprising:
a housing;
a liquid supply system according claim 1, disposed in the housing; and
a volume of liquid aerosol-forming substrate contained in the liquid retention material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An aerosol-generating system comprising:
a cartridge comprising a liquid supply system according to claim 1 disposed in the cartridge, and a liquid disposed within the liquid supply system; and
an aerosol-generating device configured to receive the cartridge; to heat the barrier to a temperature above the threshold temperature; and to heat at least a portion of liquid supplied from the liquid retention material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

An aerosol-generating system comprising:
a cartridge comprising a liquid supply system according to claim 3 disposed in the cartridge, and a liquid disposed within the liquid supply system; and
an aerosol-generating device configured to receive the cartridge; to heat the barrier to a temperature above the threshold temperature; and to heat the liquid transport material to a temperature of about 200° C. or greater to aerosolize at least a portion of the liquid once the liquid has transferred to the liquid transport material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 4)

An aerosol-generating system comprising:
a cartridge comprising a liquid supply system according to claim 4 disposed in the cartridge, and a liquid disposed within the liquid supply system; and
an aerosol-generating device configured to receive the cartridge; to heat the barrier to a temperature above the threshold temperature; and to heat the liquid transport material to a temperature of about 200° C. or greater to aerosolize at least a portion of the liquid once the liquid has transferred to the liquid transport material.