# US 12,214,123 B2 · Aerosol-generating device with integral heater assembly

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- Number: US 12,214,123 B2
- Document ID: US12214123B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/464,434
- Filed: 2023-09-11
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-31
- Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC
- Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC
- Inventors: Rui Nuno Batista; Laurent Manca
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214123B2

## CPC

- A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
- A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
- A24F 40/42: Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/46: Shape or structure of electric heating means
- A24F 40/485: Valves; Apertures
- A61M 11/042: {electrical}
- A61M 15/0036: {hollow piercing means}
- F22B 1/284: {with water in reservoirs}
- H05B 3/42: non-flexible
- H05B 3/46: heating conductor mounted on insulating base
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A61M 15/0028: {using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up}
- A61M 15/003: {using capsules, e.g. to be perforated or broken-up}
- A61M 2205/3389: Continuous level detection (A61M2205/3393 takes precedence)
- 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)}
- A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06)
- F22B: METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

An electrically heated aerosol-generating device is configured for use with a consumable cartridge including a storage portion containing an aerosol-forming substrate and having a fluid permeable internal surface surrounding an open-ended passage extending through the cartridge. The device includes a housing having a cavity for receiving the cartridge and a heater assembly positioned in the cavity. The heater assembly includes an electrically conductive hollow shaft portion connected to the housing and an electric heater positioned along the hollow shaft portion and having at least one heating element for heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The hollow shaft portion defines an airflow passage forming part of an airflow pathway through the device and is arranged to extend into the open-ended passage of the cartridge. The hollow shaft portion comprises a plurality of apertures, and the heating element is one or more narrow regions of the hollow shaft portion between adjacent apertures.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
a cartridge including a storage portion containing at least one aerosol-forming substrate, the storage portion defining an internal passage extending through the cartridge; and
an aerosol-generating device including a housing and a heater assembly, the housing defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge, the heater assembly positioned within the cavity of the housing and including a hollow shaft portion configured to extend into the internal passage of the cartridge, the hollow shaft portion having at least one heater integrally formed therewith, the at least one heater including at least one heating element configured to heat the at least one aerosol-forming substrate, the storage portion being compressible and a diameter of the internal passage being less than an outer diameter of the hollow shaft portion, the hollow shaft portion configured to pierce the storage portion of the cartridge during insertion of the cartridge into the cavity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one aerosol-forming substrate includes an aerosol-forming liquid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one aerosol-forming substrate includes an aerosol-forming solid.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 2, wherein the internal passage of the storage portion is fluid permeable and includes a capillary wick configured to transport the aerosol-forming liquid to the heater assembly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge and the aerosol-generating device are removably coupled.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The aerosol-generating system according to claim 1, wherein the storage portion includes a frangible seal configured to be pierced by the hollow shaft portion during insertion of the cartridge into the cavity.

### Claim 7

An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity configured to receive a cartridge containing an aerosol-forming substrate; and
a heater assembly within the cavity of the housing, the heater assembly including a hollow shaft portion including at least one heater integrally formed therewith and a plurality of apertures offset around or aligned around a circumference thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device of claim 7, wherein the hollow shaft portion
has a piercing tip and is configured to extend into the cartridge via the piercing tip when the cartridge is received in the cavity, and
defines an airflow passage that is part of an airflow pathway through the aerosol-generating device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the heater assembly is fixedly connected within the cavity defined by the housing of the aerosol-generating device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein
the at least one heater includes at least one heating element comprising one or more narrow regions of the hollow shaft portion between adjacent apertures of the plurality of apertures.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein a width of the plurality of apertures is configured to draw the aerosol-forming substrate into the at least one heater by capillary action.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of apertures is arranged in a plurality of groups of apertures spaced apart along a length of the hollow shaft portion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the housing of the aerosol-generating device further comprises a removable mouthpiece portion comprising at least one air outlet and one air inlet.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 13, wherein
the cavity of the housing is configured to partially receive the cartridge housing when the removable mouthpiece portion is removed, and
and the removable mouthpiece portion is configured to push the cartridge into the cavity until the cartridge is fully inserted when the removable mouthpiece portion is replaced onto the housing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one heater circumscribes the hollow shaft portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one heater extends along a length of the hollow shaft portion.

### Claim 17 (depends on 7)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one heater is in a form of a plurality of electric heaters spaced apart along a length of the hollow shaft portion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of electric heaters are electrically isolated from each other to permit independent heating.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The aerosol-generating device according to claim 17, wherein the hollow shaft portion is at least partially divided into a plurality of electrically isolated sections for coupling the plurality of electric heaters to an electrical power supply, the electrically isolated sections being electrically isolated from each other by one or more insulating gaps in the hollow shaft portion.