Aerosol-generating device with leak prevention
AssigneePhilip Morris Products S.A.
InventorsRicardo Cali, Teemu Maattanen, Thomas Salvador
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aerosol-generating device has a receptacle configured to receive an aerosol-generating substrate; a heating element configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate; a power supply operably coupled to the heating element; a vessel comprising an interior configured to contain liquid; and a conduit in fluid communication with the vessel and the receptacle. A valve may be positioned between the conduit and an airflow outlet of the receptacle. The aerosol-generating device may have a tilt detector configured to detect tilting of the device, and a controller configured to shut off power to electrical components.
Claims18
An aerosol-generating device comprising:
- a receptacle configured to receive an aerosol-generating substrate;
- electrical components comprising:
- a heating element configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate;
- and
- a power supply operably coupled to the heating element;
- a vessel comprising an interior configured to contain liquid, wherein the vessel is positioned below the receptacle when the device is upright;
- a conduit in fluid communication with the vessel and the receptacle;
- and
- a valve positioned at an aerosol inlet of the conduit,
- wherein the valve is configured to prevent egress of liquid from the interior of the vessel through the valve, wherein moving the aerosol-generating device to a vertical position causes the valve to open itself and the vessel to be in fluid communication with the receptacle, and wherein moving the aerosol-generating device to a tilted position causes the valve to close itself and to close fluid communication between the vessel and the receptacle.
An aerosol-generating device comprising:
- a receptacle configured to receive an aerosol-generating substrate;
- electrical components comprising:
- a heating element configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate;
- and
- a power supply operably coupled to the heating element;
- a vessel comprising an interior configured to contain liquid, wherein the vessel is positioned below the receptacle when the device is upright;
- a controller;
- a conduit in fluid communication with the vessel and the receptacle;
- a valve positioned between the conduit and an airflow outlet of the receptacle,
- wherein the valve is configured to prevent egress of liquid from the interior of the vessel through the valve, wherein moving the aerosol-generating device to a vertical position causes the valve to open itself and the vessel to be in fluid communication with the receptacle, and wherein moving the aerosol-generating device to a tilted position causes the valve to close itself and to close fluid communication between the vessel and the receptacle;
- and
- a tilt sensor configured to sense a tilt of the device and to send a signal to the controller, when tilting is sensed;
- wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal from the tilt sensor and to control the electrical components in response to the signal.
A method for using an aerosol-generating device, the device comprising:
- a receptacle comprising an aerosol-generating substrate;
- electrical components comprising:
- a heating element configured to heat the aerosol-generating substrate;
- and
- a power supply operably coupled to the heating element;
- a vessel comprising an interior containing liquid, wherein the vessel is positioned below the receptacle when the device is upright;
- a tilt sensor configured to sense a tilt of the device;
- a conduit in fluid communication with the vessel and the receptacle;
- a valve positioned between the conduit and an airflow outlet of the receptacle,
- wherein the valve is configured to prevent egress of liquid from the interior of the vessel through the valve, wherein moving the aerosol-generating device to a vertical position causes the valve to open itself and the vessel to be in fluid communication with the receptacle, and wherein moving the aerosol-generating device to a tilted position causes the valve to close itself and to close fluid communication between the vessel and the receptacle;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the tilt sensor and the electrical components;
- the method comprising:
- receiving a signal from the tilt sensor indicating that the device is tilted;
- and
- shutting off one or more of the electrical components in response to the signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.