Back to results
US 5,261,424 AGranted
Control device for flavor-generating article
AssigneePhilip Morris Incorporated
InventorF. Murphy Sprinkel, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control device for electrically heated flavor generators. Sensors detect user lip activity associated with taking a draw and trigger heating of flavor-generating materials.
Claims65
A lip sensor for an electric flavor generator, comprising:
- means for monitoring user lip activity provided at an end of the electric flavor generator such that during use it comes in physical contact with the user's lips;
- and
- means for producing an electric signal that corresponds to such activity, whereby the electrical signal produced in response to user draw lip activity differs from the electric signal produced in response to the user non-draw lip activity.
A control device for an electric flavor generator, comprising:
- means for monitoring user lip activity provided at an end of the electric flavor generator such that during use it comes in physical contact with the user's lips;
- and
- means for producing a first electric signal that corresponds to such activity, whereby the electric signal produced in response to user draw lip activity differs from the electric signal produced in response to the user non-draw lip activity;
- means for producing a second electric signal only when such first electric signal corresponds to user draw lip activity;
- and
- means for electrically heating a flavor-generating material in response to such second electrical signal.
3 more elements
A control device for an electric flavor generator comprising:
- means for sensing user lip activity;
- means for producing a first electric signal that corresponds to such lip activity;
- mean for converting the first signal to a digital HIGH, or 1, signal only when such first signal corresponds to user lip activity that is associated with taking a draw on the flavor generator;
- means for sensing a flow of air through the flavor generator;
- means for producing a second electric signal that corresponds to such air flow;
- means for converting the second signal to a digital HIGH, or 1, signal only when such second signal corresponds to air flow that is associated with taking a draw on the flavor generator;
- means for producing a third electric signal only when both the first digital signal and second digital signal are HIGH;
- and
- means for electrically heating a flavor-generating material in response to such third electric signal.
6 more elements
A control device for an electric flavor generator comprising:
- two or more means for sensing user lip activity;
- two or more means for producing electric signals that correspond to such activity;
- two or more means for converting such electric signals to digital HIGH, or 1, signals only when such electric signals correspond to user activity that is associated with taking a draw on the flavor generator;
- means for producing a final electric signal only when all digital signals are HIGH;
- and
- means for electrically heating a flavor-generating material in response to such final electric signal.
3 more elements
A control device for an electric flavor generator comprising:
- means for sensing user lip activity;
- means for producing a first electric signal that corresponds to such activity;
- means for sensing a flow of air through the flavor generator;
- means for producing a second electric signal that corresponds to such air flow;
- means for supplying electrical energy to heat a flavor-generating material in response to the first electric signal;
- and
- means for supplying additional electrical energy to heat the flavor-generating material in response to the second electric signal.
4 more elements
A control device for an electric flavor generator comprising:
- means for monitoring user lip activity;
- mean for producing a first electric signal that corresponds to such activity;
- means for producing a second electric signal only when such first electric signal corresponds to user draw lip activity;
- means for sensing a flow of air through the flavor generator;
- means for producing a third electric signal that corresponds to such air flow;
- means for supplying electrical energy to heat a flavor-generating material in response to the second electric signal;
- and
- means for supplying additional electrical energy to heat the flavor-generating material in response to the third electric signal.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.