Granted Patent B2

US 12,575,607 · App. 18/161,255 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Yannick Hourmand (Haslingfield, GB); Christopher Newcomb (Richmond, VA); Raymond W. Lau (Glen Allen, VA); Eric Hawes (Glen Allen, VA)

Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC

A24F40/42A61M11/04

Abstract

Claims (24)

1 . A non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:

a non-nicotine pod assembly configured to hold a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation, the non-nicotine pod assembly defining at least one upstream recess and at least one downstream recess; and

a device body defining a through hole configured to receive the non-nicotine pod assembly, the through hole including an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall, the upstream sidewall including at least one upstream protrusion, the downstream sidewall including at least one downstream protrusion, at least one of the upstream sidewall or the downstream sidewall configured to deflect during an insertion of the non-nicotine pod assembly so as to engage and retain the non-nicotine pod assembly within the through hole of the device body.

2 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the upstream sidewall and the downstream sidewall of the device body are configured to flex away from each other during the insertion of the non-nicotine pod assembly.

3 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the upstream sidewall and the downstream sidewall of the device body are resilient sections configured to transition from an unloaded state to a loaded state when the non-nicotine pod assembly is received by the device body.

4 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one upstream protrusion is urged by the upstream sidewall of the device body to interlock with the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly during the loaded state.

5 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one downstream protrusion is urged by the downstream sidewall of the device body to interlock with the at least one downstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly during the loaded state.

6 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the device body includes a bezel structure defining the through hole.

7 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 6 , wherein the bezel structure is a monolithic article.

8 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 6 , wherein the bezel structure includes a first upstream corner defining a first upstream slit, a second upstream corner defining a second upstream slit, a first downstream corner defining a first downstream slit, and a second downstream corner defining a second downstream slit.

9 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the upstream sidewall is between the first upstream slit and the second upstream slit, and the downstream sidewall is between the first downstream slit and the second downstream slit.

10 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the bezel structure has a length, a width, and a depth, the width being greater than the depth.

11 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 10 , wherein each of the first upstream slit, the second upstream slit, the first downstream slit, and the second downstream slit has a longest dimension that is at least 30 percent of the depth of the bezel structure.

12 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 6 , wherein the device body further includes a mouthpiece secured to the bezel structure.

13 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 12 , wherein the mouthpiece includes a male portion, the bezel structure includes a female portion, and the male portion of the mouthpiece and the female portion of the bezel structure are configured to mate as a bayonet connection.

14 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream recess and the at least one downstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly are in a form of a dimple.

15 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly includes two upstream recesses, and the at least one downstream recess of the non-nicotine pod assembly includes two downstream recesses.

16 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream protrusion and the at least one downstream protrusion of the device body are in a form of a spherical cap.

17 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstream protrusion of the device body includes two upstream protrusions, and the at least one downstream protrusion of the device body includes two downstream protrusions.

18 . The non-nicotine e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the device body is configured to produce at least one of an audible click or a haptic feedback in response to the non-nicotine pod assembly being seated within the through hole of the device body.

19 . A device body for a non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:

a device housing defining a through hole configured to receive a non-nicotine pod assembly, the through hole including an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall, the upstream sidewall including at least one upstream protrusion, the downstream sidewall including at least one downstream protrusion, at least one of the upstream sidewall or the downstream sidewall configured to deflect during an insertion of the non-nicotine pod assembly so as to engage and retain the non-nicotine pod assembly within the through hole.

20 . A non-nicotine pod assembly for a non-nicotine e-vaping device, comprising:

a pod body configured to hold a non-nicotine pre-vapor formulation, the pod body having a front face, a rear face, a first side face, a second side face, an upstream end, and a downstream end, the upstream end defining at least one upstream recess, the downstream end defining a pod outlet and at least one downstream recess.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (279)