Refillable aerosol delivery device and related method
The present disclosure is directed to an aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may include one or more fill ports. Thereby, a reservoir of the aerosol delivery device may be refillable. The fill ports may be defined in a base of a cartridge of the aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may further include a flow director. An atomizer may extend through the flow director transversely to a longitudinal length of the flow director. The atomizer may include a liquid transport element with a capillary channel extending therethrough, which may receive aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir. There aerosol precursor composition may be drawn through the liquid transport element to a heating element of the atomizer, which may vaporize the aerosol precursor composition.
1. An aerosol delivery device, comprising:
an outer body;
a base;
a flow director extending from a first flow director end to a second flow director end through the outer body such that a reservoir is defined between the flow director and the outer body, the reservoir defining an open space configured to receive an aerosol precursor composition; and
an atomizer extending through the flow director at a position between the first flow director end and the second flow director end, the atomizer including a liquid transport element and a heating element configured to vaporize at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to produce an aerosol within the flow director.
2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid transport element comprises a capillary channel extending therethrough.
3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 2 , wherein the liquid transport element comprises a porous monolith.
4. The aerosol delivery device of claim 3 , wherein the heating element comprises a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid transport element.
5. The aerosol delivery device of claim 4 , further comprising first and second connectors contacting the coils at first and second opposing ends of the heating element.
6. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the liquid transport element extends substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the flow director.
7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the outer body is sealed to the base.
8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the outer body engages the base via threaded engagement.
9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 8 , further comprising an O-ring is compressed between the outer body and the base.
10. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is sealed to the outer body and the flow director.
11. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises one or more fill ports configured to receive the aerosol precursor composition therethrough.
12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the atomizer is sealed to the flow director.
13. An aerosol delivery device operation method, comprising:
retaining an aerosol precursor composition in a reservoir defined between a flow director and an outer body, the flow director extending between a first flow director end and a second flow director end;
directing the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir through a liquid transport element of an atomizer extending through the flow director at a position between the first flow director end and the second flow director end;
receiving an electrical current through a heating element of the atomizer; and
vaporizing at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to produce an aerosol within the flow director.
14. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving the aerosol precursor composition through one or more fill ports defined in a base.
15. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 13 , wherein directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transport element comprises directing the aerosol precursor composition through a capillary channel.
16. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 15 , wherein directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transport element further comprises directing the aerosol precursor composition through a porous monolith to the heating element.
17. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 13 , wherein receiving the electrical current through the heating element comprises receiving the electrical current through a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid transport element.
18. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 13 , further comprising directing the aerosol out of the flow director through a mouthpiece.
19. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 13 , further comprising retaining the aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir with a seal between the outer body and the base.
20. The aerosol delivery device operation method of claim 13 , further comprising retaining the aerosol precursor composition in the reservoir with a seal between the mouthpiece and the outer body and a seal between the mouthpiece and the flow director.