US 11,937,647 B2
Fluidic control for an aerosol delivery device
Rajesh Sur, Winston Salem, NC (US); Stephen B. Sears, Siler City, NC (US); and Eric T. Hunt, Pfafftown, NC (US)
Assigned to RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc., Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed by RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC., Winston Salem, NC (US)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2016, as Appl. No. 15/261,307.
Prior Publication US 2018/0070632 A1, Mar. 15, 2018
Int. Cl. A24F 40/53 (2020.01); A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/485 (2020.01); A24F 40/51 (2020.01); G01F 23/292 (2006.01); H05B 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC A24F 40/53 (2020.01) [A24F 40/485 (2020.01); A24F 40/51 (2020.01); G01F 23/2928 (2013.01); H05B 1/0244 (2013.01); A24F 40/10 (2020.01); H05B 2203/021 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aerosol delivery device comprising:
a housing defining a reservoir configured to retain aerosol precursor composition; and contained within the housing,
an atomizer controllable to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition;
a valve configured to control a flow of aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the atomizer;
a sensor configured to measure a reflectance or temperature of the atomizer and generate a corresponding signal; and
a control component configured to receive the corresponding signal and determine a volume of aerosol precursor composition at the atomizer, distinct from aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir, based on the reflectance or temperature so measured, the control component being configured to control the valve to decrease or increase a rate of the flow of aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the atomizer in response to the volume being respectively above or below a predetermined threshold volume.