US 11,998,687 B2
Micropump for an aerosol delivery device
Rajesh Sur, Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Assigned to RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC., Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed by RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC., Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/077,571.
Application 18/077,571 is a continuation of application No. 16/203,069, filed on Nov. 28, 2018, granted, now 11,547,816.
Prior Publication US 2023/0097917 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 15/06 (2006.01); A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/48 (2020.01); A24F 40/50 (2020.01); A61M 11/04 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 15/06 (2013.01) [A24F 40/10 (2020.01); A24F 40/48 (2020.01); A24F 40/50 (2020.01); A61M 11/042 (2014.02); A61M 2205/13 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3331 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3653 (2013.01); A61M 2205/8206 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aerosol delivery device, comprising:
a housing enclosing a reservoir configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition;
a first power-source terminal configured to connect a power source to the aerosol delivery device;
a heating element configured to convert electricity to heat and thereby vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition;
a switch coupled to and between the first power-source terminal and the heating element;
a micro pump arranged to be operable between the reservoir and the heating element to deliver aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir to the heating element;
a driver circuit including a boost converter coupled to and between the first power-source terminal and the micro pump, the driver circuit being configured to drive the micro pump via the boost converter; and
a control component including processing circuitry configured to switchably control the driver circuit to drive the micro pump to deliver the aerosol precursor composition to the heating element, the processing circuitry also being configured to switchably control the switch to connect the power source to the heating element independently of the driver circuit and thereby power the heating element independently of the boost converter to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.