Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heater suitable for use in an electric smoking system. SOLUTION: The heater (39) for use in a smoking system having an electric energy source for heating a cigarette has a plurality of electric resister heater blades (121) which form a container for receiving the inserted cigarette and are extended along the inserted cigarette; each blade has the first heater blade leg (116A) having the first and second ends, the second heater blade leg (116B) having the first and second ends (122), and a connection section (118) for connecting the second ends of the first heater blade legs to the first ends of the second heater blade legs; the first and second heater blade legs of each heater blade are separated through each gap (125); the first ends of the first heater blade legs are disposed to electrically contact with an electric source; the first heater blade leg, the connection section and the heater blade leg are combined to form each resister heating route; each electric heater blade is heated along the first and second blades to heat the inserted cigarette; the first ends of the first blades have a common connector. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tobacco web suitable for the use in an electrical cigarette system. SOLUTION: The tobacco web wound so as to form a cylindrical tobacco rod 60 for a cigarette 23 operated by an electric cigar lighter 25 (figure 2) includes a base web 68 and a tobacco material 70 arranged along the first side of the base web. The base web comprises a combination of a tobacco fiber with a cellulosic fiber combined in a ratio of from about 2:1 to 4:1. The base web has a basic weight within the range of about 35 to 45 g/cm 2 , and the tobacco material has at least twice of the basic weight of the base web. The tobacco material contains finely pulverized tobacco and an extracted tobacco solid material in a ratio of from about 3:1 to 9:1, and further contains a humectant in a level of about 5 to 20 wt.% of the material. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for detecting, locating, isolating and controlling variations in the manufacturing process by transient thermography. A heat source (200) imparts heat to a surface which is radiated in the infrared region. Infrared sensors (204, 206, 208, 210) are coupled to a processor which tracks the physical characteristics of the sample, and provides feedback to a central process controller to make adjustments to the manufacturing process. The sample can be a continuous product such as a green powder metal sheet or tobacco product.
Abstract:
This invention is a cigarette identifier system (50) comprising a coil (1102) at a location along the cigarette receiving receptacle (27) of the lighter, an oscillation circuit (1106) in communication with the coil (1102), and a controller configured to activate or deactivate the lighter responsively to output of the oscillator circuit.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for detecting, locating, isolating and controlling variations in the manufacturing process by transient thermography. A heat source (200) imparts heat to a surface which is radiated in the infrared region. Infrared sensors (204, 206, 208, 210) are coupled to a processor which tracks the physical characteristics of the sample, and provides feedback to a central process controller to make adjustments to the manufacturing process. The sample can be a continuous product such as a green powder metal sheet or tobacco product.
Abstract:
A cigarette (23) comprises a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled portions arranged so that electrical heater elements (37) may overlap both portions. The rod includes a tubular tobacco web. The web is constructed by converting tobacco feedstock into a continuous sheet of tobacco web and converting the continuous sheet of tobacco web into one or ore bobbins of tobacco web suitable for automated manufacture of cigarettes. A heater (25) comprises a supporting hub and electrically resistive heater blades (37) defining a receptacle (27) for an inserted cigarette (23). Each blade comprises first and second heater blade legs each having a first end and a second end, and a connecting section connecting the second end of the first leg and the first end of the second leg. The blades (37) are heated by a resistive heating circuit and heat the inserted cigarette (23). The legs are separated by a gap to permit entrainment of flavour substances upon drawing.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses for cleaning an electrical lighter are provided. A sleeve, e.g., ceramic or metal, surrounds the heater fixture, and a resistive heating element (210) is in thermal proximity with the sleev e. The resistive heating element {210) is either a dedicated element or the cigarette heating elements (210). The sleeve serves as an aerosol barrier and condensate accumulator to protect other components. Periodically, e.g., substantially contemporaneously with a batte ry recharge, the heating element (210) is activated to thermally liberate condensates deposited on the sleeve during smoking and also heats, and thereby cleans, other components. Also, a cleaning element is optionally inserted into the cigarette receptacle of the electrical light er or placed at the exit thereof to absorb, attract and/or catalytically break down the thermally liberated condensates. The sleeve also directs a desired flow path for drawn air within an electrical lighter toward the cigarette.
Abstract:
A CIGARETTE (23) COMPRISES A TOBACCO ROD (60) HAVING FILLED AND UNFILLED PORTIONS ARRANGED SO THAT ELECTRICAL HEATER ELEMENTS (31) MAY OVERLAP BOTH PORTIONS. THE ROD (60) INCLUDES A TUBULAR TOBACCO WEB (66). THE WEB (66) IS CONSTRUCTED BY CONVERTING TOBACCO FEEDSTOCK INTO A CONTINUOUS SHEET OF TOBACCO WEB AND CONVERTING THE CONTINUOUS SHEET OF TOBACCO WEB INTO ONE OR MORE BOBBINS OF TOBACCO WEB SUITABLE FOR AUTOMATED MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTES. A HEATER (25) COMPRISES A SUPPORTING HUB AND ELECTRICALLY RESISTIVE HEATER BLADES (37) DEFMING A RECEPTACLE (27) FOR AN INSERTED CIGARETTE (23). EACH BLADE COMPRISES FIRST AND SECOND HEATER BLADE LEGS EACH HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, AND A CONNECTING SECTION CONNECTING THE SECOND END OF THE FIRST LEG AND THE FIRST END OF THE SECOND LEG. THE BLADES (37) ARE HEATED BY A RESISTIVE HEATING CIRCUIT AND HEAT THE INSERTED CIGARETTE (23). THE LEGS ARE SEPARATED BY A GAP TO PERMIT ENTRAINMENT OF FLAVOUR SUBSTANCES UPON DRAWING.FIG. 1
Abstract:
A novel controller in an electrical smoking system and method, wherein the method includes the steps of: establishing a preferred thermal pathway to be executed with each heater activation responsively to a puff on an electrically heated cigarette; configuring a power cycle in accordance with the desired thermal pathway; dividing the power cyc le into at least first and second phases each having a respective, predetermined time period and total energy input for each phase; and adjusti ng a respective duty cycle (or other power-adjusting factor) in each phase of the power cycle responsively to a voltage reading of the power source such that the established, respective total energy input of each phase is achieved during the time period of each power cycle.