`US005591368A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45J Date of Patent:
`
`5,591,368
`Jan.7,1997
`
`6/1994 Deevi et al. ............................ 131/194
`5,322,075
`5,353,813 10/1994 Deevi et al. ···--.. -
`........ 131/194
`2/1995 Counts et al. .
`5,388,594
`4/1995 Deevi et al ..
`5,408,574
`
`FOREIGN PATEN'T DOCUMENTS
`
`64-17386
`WO95/02970
`
`Japan .
`1/1989
`2/1995 WlPO .
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Fen et al., "Cyclic oxidation of Haynes 230 alloy", Chapman
`& Hall, pp. 1514-1520 (1992).
`Reinshagen and Sikka, "Thermal Spraying of Selected Alu(cid:173)
`minides", Proceedings of the Fourth National Thermal
`Spray Conference, Pittsburgh, PA USA, pp. 307-313 (4-10
`May 1991).
`Kutner, "Thermal spray by design", Reprint from Advanced
`Materials & Processes Incorporating Metal Progress, Oct.
`(1988).
`
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`Primary Examiner-Teresa J. Walberg
`Assistant Examiner-Sam Paik
`Attorney, Agent, or Finn-James T. Moore; James E.
`Schardt; Charles E. B. Glenn
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A provided heater comprises a supporting hub and a plural(cid:173)
`ity of electrically resistive heater blades defining a recep(cid:173)
`tacle to receive an inserted cigarette. Each blade comprises
`a first heater blade leg having a first end and a second end
`and extending at the first end from the supporting hub, a
`second heater blade leg 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 second end
`of the second leg extends toward the supporting hub and is
`electrically insulated therefrom. A resistive heating circuit is
`formed to heat the electrically resistive heater blade which
`in tum heats the inserted cigarette. The first and second legs
`are separated by a gap to permit entrainment of flavor
`substances into the heated cigarette upon drawing by a
`smoker.
`
`44 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`202
`
`201
`
`United States Patent [191
`Fleischhauer et al.
`
`[54] HEATER FOR USE IN AN ELECTRICAL
`SMOKING SYSTEM
`
`[75)
`
`Inventors: Grier S. Fleiscbhauer, Midlothian;
`Patrick H. Hayes, Chester; Constance
`H. Morgan, Chesterfield; Mohammad
`R. Hajaligol, Richmond; Michael L.
`Watkins, Chester; Walter A. Nichols,
`Richmond; David E. Sharpe,
`Chesterfield; Mary E. Counts,
`Richmond, all of Va.
`
`[73] Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated, New
`York, N.Y.
`
`[21) Appl. No.: 426,165
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Apr. 20, 1995
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 380,718, Jan. 30, 1995,
`which is a continuation of Ser. No. 118,665, Sep. 10, 1993,
`Pat. No. 5,388,594, and a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.
`943,504, Sep. 11, 1992, Pat. No. 5,505,214, which is a
`continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 666,926, Mar. 11, 1991,
`abandoned.
`Int. Cl.6
`................................. HOSB 3/58; A24F 1/22
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl. _ _ _ _ 219/535; 219/539; 338/310;
`131/194
`[58] Field of Search ................................ 219/535-6, 538,
`219/539, 260; 392/390, 391; 131/194, 197;
`338/306, 310, 318, 319
`
`[56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`10/1991 Counts et al. _ _ _ _ .. 131/329
`3/1992 Deevi et al. .
`3/1992 Losee et al. ............................ 131/194
`7/1993 Deevi et al ............................. 131/194
`7/1993 Sprinkel et al ......................... 131/194
`8/1993 Blackburn ......... _ _ _ _ 219/268
`10/1993 Morgan et al ..
`12/1993 Blackburn .. -~~-···· 219/268
`2/1994 Blackburn ............................... 219/268
`
`5,060,671
`5,093,894
`5,095,921
`5,224,498
`5,228,460
`5,235,157
`5,249,586
`5,274,214
`5,285,050
`
`(39
`
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`
`@
`
`47
`
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`
`
`5,591,368
`Page 2
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`"Characterizing Thermal Spray Coatings", Article based on
`presentations made at the Fourth National Thermal Spray
`Conference, 4-10 May (1991) and appearing in Advanced
`Materials and Processes, May 1992, pp. 23-27.
`
`Howes, Jr.; "Computerized Plasma Control for Applying
`Medical-Quality Coatings", Industrial Heating, pp. 22-25,
`Aug., 1993.
`V. Sikka, "Processing of Intermetallic Aluminides", Inter(cid:173)
`metallic Metallurgy and Processing Intermetallic Com(cid:173)
`pounds, ed. Stoloff et al., Van Mestrand Reinhold, N.Y.,
`1994.
`
`Ex. 2011-0002
`
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`Jan. 7, 1997
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`1
`HEATER FOR USE IN AN ELECTRICAL
`SMOKING SYSTEM
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`The present application is a continuation-in-part of com(cid:173)
`monly assigned patent application 08/380,718, filed Jan. 30,
`1995, which in tum is a continuation of patent application
`08/118,665, filed Sep. 10, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,
`594 issued Feb. 14, 1995 and is a continuation-in-part of
`commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 07/943,504,
`filed Sep. 11, 1992, now U.S. pat. No. 5,505,214 which in
`tum is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No.
`07/666,926 filed Mar. 11, 1991, now abandoned in favor of
`filewrapper continuation application Ser. No. 08/012,799,
`filed Feb. 2, 1993, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586
`issued Oct. 5, 1993.
`The present application relates to commonly assigned
`copending patent applications Ser. No. 07/943,747, filed
`Sep. 11, 1992; Ser. No. 08/224,848, filed Apr. 8, 1994; and
`Ser. No. 08/333,470, filed Nov. 2, 1994, and to commonly
`assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671, issued Oct. 29, 1991; U.S.
`Pat. No. 5,095,921, issued Mar. 17, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No.
`5,224,498, issued Jul. 6, 1992.
`The present application further relates to commonly
`assigned, copending U.S. patent applications Ser. No.
`08/365,952 filed Dec. 29, 1994, to Ser. Nos. 08/425,166 and
`08/425,837, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,636, filed concurrently
`herewith, entitled "Cigarette for Electrical Smoking Sys(cid:173)
`tem" (Attorney Docket Nos. PM 1759A and PM 1759B,
`respectively), and to Ser. No. 08/426,006, filed concurrently
`herewith, entitled "Iron Aluminide Alloys Useful as Elec(cid:173)
`trical Resistance Heating Elements" (Attorney Docket No.
`PM 1769).
`All of these referenced and related patents and applica(cid:173)
`tions are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Technical Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates generally to heaters for use
`in an electrical smoking system and more particularly to a
`heater having a free end for use in an electrical smoking
`system.
`2. Discussion of the Related Art
`Previously known conventional smoking devices deliver
`flavor and aroma to the user as a result of combustion of
`tobacco. A mass of combustible material, primarily tobacco,
`is oxidized as the result of applied heat with typical com(cid:173)
`bustion temperatures in a conventional cigarette being in
`excess of 800° C. during puffing. Heat is drawn through an
`adjacent mass of tobacco by drawing on the mouth end.
`During this heating, inefficient oxidation of the combustible
`material takes place and yields various distillation and
`pyrolysis products. As these products are drawn through the
`body of the smoking device toward the mouth of the user,
`they cool and condense to form an aerosol or vapor which
`gives the consumer the flavor and aroma associated with
`smoking.
`Conventional cigarettes have various perceived draw(cid:173)
`backs associated with them. Among them is the production
`of sidestream smoke during smoldering between puffs,
`which may be objectionable to some non-smokers. Also,
`once lit, they must be fully consumed or be discarded.
`Relighting a conventional cigarette is possible but is usually
`
`IO
`
`20
`
`2
`an unattractive prospect for subjective reasons (flavor, taste,
`odor) to a discerning smoker.
`A prior alternative to the more conventional cigarettes
`include those in which the combustible material itself does
`5 not directly provide the flavorants to the aerosol inhaled by
`the smoker. In these smoking articles, a combustible heating
`element, typically carbonaceous in nature, is combusted to
`heat air as it is drawn over the heating element and through
`a zone which contains heat-activated elements that release a
`flavored aerosol. While this type of smoking device pro(cid:173)
`duces little-or no sidestream smoke, it still generates prod(cid:173)
`ucts of combustion, and once lit it is not adapted to be
`snuffed for future use in the conventional sense.
`In both the more conventional and carbon element heated
`15 smoking devices described above combustion takes place
`during their use. This process naturally gives rise to many
`by-products as the combusted material breaks down and
`interacts with the surrounding atmosphere.
`Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,093,894; 5,225,498;
`5,060,671 and 5,095,921 disclose various electrical resistive
`heating elements and flavor generating systems which sig(cid:173)
`nificantly reduce sidestream smoke while permitting the
`smoker to selectively suspend and reinitiate smoking. How-
`25 ever, the-cigarette articles disclosed in these patents are not
`very durable and may collapse, tear or break from extended
`or heavy handling. In certain circumstances, these prior
`cigarette articles may crush as they are inserted into the
`electric lighters. Once they are smoked, they are even
`30 weaker and may tear or break as they are removed from the
`lighter.
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/380,718, filed Jan. 30,
`1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594, issued Feb. 14, 1995
`describe an electrical smoking system including a novel
`35 electrically powered lighter and novel cigarette that is
`adapted to cooperate with the lighter. The preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment of the lighter includes a plurality of metallic sinusoidal
`heaters disposed in a configuration that slidingly receives a
`tobacco rod portion of the cigarette.
`The preferred embodiment of the cigarette of Ser. No.
`08/380,718 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594 preferably com(cid:173)
`prises a tobacco-laden tubular carrier, cigarette paper over(cid:173)
`wrapped about the tubular carrier, an arrangement of flow(cid:173)
`through filter plugs at a mouthpiece end of the carrier and a
`filter plug at the opposite (distal) end of the carrier, which
`preferably limits air flow axially through the cigarette. The
`cigarette and the lighter are configured such that when the
`cigarette is inserted into the lighter and as individual heaters
`are activated for each puff, localized charring occurs at spots
`50 about the cigarette in the locality where each heater was
`bearing against the cigarette. Once all the heaters have been
`activated, these charred spots are closely spaced from one
`another and encircle a central portion of the carrier portion
`of the cigarette. Depending on the maximum temperatures
`55 and total energies delivered at the heaters, the charred spots
`manifest more than mere discolorations of the cigarette
`paper. In most applications, the charring will create at least
`minute breaks in the cigarette paper and the underlying
`carrier material, which breaks tends to mechanically weaken
`the cigarette. For the cigarette to be withdrawn from the
`lighter, the charred spots must be at least partially slid past
`the heaters. In aggravated circumstances, such as when the
`cigarette is wet or toyed with or twisted, the cigarette may
`be prone to break or leave pieces upon its withdrawal from
`the lighter. Pieces left in the lighter fixture can interfere with
`the proper operation of the lighter and/or deliver an off-taste
`to the smoke of the next cigarette. If the cigarette breaks in
`
`40
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`45
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`60
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`65
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`5,591,368
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`3
`two while being withdrawn, the smoker may be faced not
`only with the frustration of failed cigarette product, but also
`with the prospect of clearing debris from a clogged lighter
`before he or she can enjoy another cigarette.
`The preferred embodiment of the cigarette of Ser. No. 5
`08/380,718 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594 is essentially a
`hollow tube between the filter plugs at the mouthpiece end
`of the cigarette and the plug at the distal end. This construc(cid:173)
`tion is believed to elevate delivery to the smoker by pro(cid:173)
`viding sufficient space into which aerosol can evolve off the 10
`carrier with minimal impingement and condensation of the
`aerosol on any nearby surfaces.
`Several proposals have been advanced which significantly
`reduce undesired sidestream smoke while permitting the
`smoker to suspend smoking of the article for a desired period
`and then to resume smoking. For example, commonly
`assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,093,894; 5,225,498; 5,060,671
`and 5,095,921 disclose various heating elements and flavor
`generating systems. Parent application Ser. No. 08/380,718
`and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594 disclose an electrical smoking 20
`system having heaters which are actuated upon sensing of a
`draw by control and logic circuitry. The heaters are prefer(cid:173)
`ably a relatively thin serpentine structure to
`transfer
`adequate amounts of heat to the cigarette and is lightweight.
`Although these devices and heaters overcome the
`observed problems and achieve the stated objectives, many
`embodiments are subject to mechanical weakening and
`possible failure due to stresses induced by inserting and
`removing the cylindrical tobacco medium and also by
`adjusting or toying with the inserted cigarette.
`Further, undesired electrical shorts can occur if the shape
`of a heater assembly is altered, e.g., by adjusting or toying
`with the inserted cigarette.
`Also, the electrical smoking systems employ electrically
`resistive heaters which have necessitated relatively complex
`electrical connections which can be disturbed by insertion
`and removal of the cigarette.
`OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
`
`4
`It is another object of the present invention to minimize
`variation of an interface between the heating element and the
`cigarette to avoid changes in heat transfer.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide
`such a heater which is more economical to manufacture.
`It is another object of the present invention to accomplish
`the foregoing objects simply and in a straightforward man(cid:173)
`ner.
`It is another object of the present invention to provide a
`method of making such a heater to accomplish the foregoing
`objects.
`Additional objects and advantages of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion are apparent from the drawings and specification which
`follow.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`15
`
`The foregoing and additional objects are obtained by a
`heater according to the present invention. The heater com(cid:173)
`prises a supporting hub and a plurality of electrically resis(cid:173)
`tive heater blades defining a receptacle to receive an inserted
`cigarette. Each blade comprises a first heater blade leg
`having a first end and a second end and extending at the first
`end from the supporting hub, a second heater blade leg
`25 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 second end of the second leg extends
`toward the supporting hub and is electrically insulated
`therefrom. A resistive heating circuit is formed to heat the
`30 electrically resistive heater blade which in tum heats the
`inserted cigarette. The first and second legs are separated by
`a gap to permit entrainment of air to aid in evolving flavor
`substances from the heated cigarette upon drawing by a
`smoker.
`
`35
`
`40
`
`50
`
`It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
`provide a heater which generates smoke from a tobacco
`medium without sustained combustion.
`It is another object of the present invention to provide a
`heater for a smoking article which reduces the creation of 45
`undesired sidestream smoke.
`It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
`a heater for a smoking article which permits the smoker to
`suspend and resume use.
`It is a further object of the present invention to accomplish
`the foregoing objects while improving aerosol generation
`within the smoking system.
`It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
`a heater structure which provides a desired number of puffs
`and which is straightforwardly modified to change the
`number and/or duration of puffs provided without sacrificing
`subjective qualities of the tobacco.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`heating element for a smoking article which is mechanically 60
`suitable for insertion and removal of a cigarette.
`It is another object of the present invention to simplify
`connections of an electrically resistive heater to an associ(cid:173)
`ated power source.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`heating element for a smoking article which is mechanically
`stable during heating cycles.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a partially exposed perspective view of an
`electrical smoking system employing a heater according to
`the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of a cigarette used
`in conjunction with the present invention;
`FIG. 3 is a side, cross-sectional view of a heater fixture
`according to the present invention;
`FIG. 4 is a side view of a heater assembly according to the
`present invention;
`FIQ. 5 is a side, cross-sectional view of a heater fixture
`according to the present invention employing an electrical
`insulator coating;
`FIG. 6 is a side, cross-sectional view of a heater fixture
`according to the present invention employing an electrical
`insulator coating forming a hub;
`FIG. 7 is a side, cross-sectional view of a heater fixture
`55 according to the present invention having serpentine shaped
`heater blade legs;
`FIG. SA is front, cross-sectional view of a heater blade
`having a planar underside facing an inserted cigarette;
`FIG. SB is a front, cross-sectional view of a heater blade
`having an angled underside facing an inserted cigarette;
`FIG. SC is a front, cross-sectional view of a heater blade
`having a curved underside facing an inserted cigarette;
`FIG. 9 is a top view of a symmetrical arrangement of
`65 heater blades in a flat state prior to rolling;
`FIG. 10 is a top view of a non-symmetrical arrangement
`of heater blades in a flat state prior to rolling;
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`Ex. 2011-0016
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`5,591,368
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`5
`FIG. 11 is a radial cross-sectional view of the electrical
`smoking system of the present invention, showing an alter(cid:173)
`native heater embodiment;
`FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flavor
`cartridge receiving cavity of the electrical smoking system 5
`of FIG. 11, taken from line A-A of FIG. 11;
`FIG. 13 is a radial cross-sectional view showing another
`alternative heater embodiment; and
`FIG. 14 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the flavor
`cartridge receiving cavity of the electrical smoking system
`of FIG. 13, taken from line B-B of FIG. 13.
`
`10
`
`6
`A substantially cylindrical heating fixture 39 for heating
`the cigarette 23, and, preferably, for holding the cigarette in
`place relative to the lighter 25, and electrical control cir(cid:173)
`cuitry 41 for delivering a predetermined amount of energy
`from the power source 37 to heating elements (not seen in
`FIGS. 1 and 2) of the heating fixture are preferably disposed
`in the front 33 of the lighter. As described in greater detail
`below, a generally circular, terminal end hub 110 is fixed,
`e.g., welded, to be disposed within the interior of heater
`fixture 39, e.g., is fixed to spacer 49, as shown in FIG. 3. In
`the presently preferred embodiment, the heating fixture 39
`includes a plurality of radially spaced heating blades 120
`supported to extend from the hub, seen in FIG. 3 and
`described in greater detail below, that are individually ener-
`15 gized by the power source 37 under the control of the
`circuitry 41 to heat a number of, e.g., eight, areas around the
`periphery of the inserted cigarette 23. Eight heating blades
`120 are preferred to develop eight puffs as in a conventional
`cigarette and eight heater elements also lend themselves to
`20 electrical control with binary devices. A desired number of
`puffs can be generated, e.g., any number between 5-16, and
`preferably 6-10 or 8, per inserted cigarette. As discussed
`below, the number of heater blades can exceed the desired
`number of puffs/cigarette.
`The circuitry 41 is preferably activated by a puff-actuated
`sensor 45, seen in FIG. 1, that is sensitive either to pressure
`drops that occur when a smoker draws on the cigarette 23.
`The puff-actuated sensor 45 is preferably disposed in the
`front 33 of the lighter 25 and communicates with a space
`inside the heater fixture 39 and near the cigarette 23 through
`a passageway extending through a spacer and a base of the
`heater fixture and, if desired, a puff sensor tube (not shown).
`A puff-actuated sensor 45 suitable for use in the smoking
`system 21 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671, the
`35 disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, and is in
`the form of a Model 163PCO1D35 silicon sensor, manufac(cid:173)
`tured by the MicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc.,
`Freeport, Ill., which activates an appropriate one of the
`heater blades 120 as a result of a change in pressure when
`40 a smoker draws on the cigarette 23. Flow sensing devices,
`such as those using hot-wire anemometry principles, have
`also been successfully demonstrated to be useful for acti(cid:173)
`vating an appropriate one of the heater blades 120 upon
`detection of a change in air flow.
`An indicator 51 is preferably provided on the exterior of
`the lighter 25, preferably on the front 33, to indicate the
`number of puffs remaining on a cigarette 23 inserted in the
`lighter. The indicator 51 preferably includes a seven-seg(cid:173)
`ment liquid crystal display. In a presently preferred embodi-
`50 ment, the indicator 51 displays the digit "8" for use with an
`eight-puff cigarette when a light beam emitted by a light
`sensor 53, seen in FIG. 1, is reflected off of the front of a
`newly inserted cigarette 23 and detected by the light sensor.
`The light sensor 53 is preferably mounted in an opening in
`the spacer and the base of the heater fixture 39. The light
`sensor 53 provides a signal to the circuitry 41 which, in tum,
`provides a signal to the indicator 51. For example, the
`display of the digit "8" on the indicator 51 reflects that the
`preferred eight puffs provided on each cigarette 23 are
`60 available, i.e., none of the heater elements 43 have been
`activated to heat the new cigarette. After the cigarette 23 is
`fully smoked, the indicator displays the digit "O". When the
`cigarette 23 is removed from the lighter 25, the light sensor
`53 does not detect the presence of a cigarette 23 and the
`indicator 51 is turned off. The light sensor 53 is modulated
`so that it does not constantly emit a light beam and provide
`an unnecessary drain on the power source 37. A presently
`
`55
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`A smoking system 21 according to the present invention
`is generally seen with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and is
`described in greater detail in parent application Ser. No.
`08/380,718, filed Jan. 30, 1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594,
`which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
`The present invention is discussed in greater detail with
`reference to FIGS. 3-14.
`The smoking system 21 includes a cylindrical aerosol 25
`generating tube or cigarette 23 and a reusable lighter 25. The
`cigarette 23 is adapted to be inserted in and removed from
`an orifice 27 at a front end 29 of the lighter 25. The smoking
`system 21 is used in much the same fashion as a conven(cid:173)
`tional cigarette. The cigarette 23 is disposed of after one or 30
`more puff cycles. The lighter 25 is preferably disposed of
`after a greater number of puff cycles than the cigarette 23.
`The lighter 25 includes a housing 31 and has front and
`rear portions 33 and 35. A power source 37 for supplying
`energy to heating elements for heating the cigarette 23 is
`preferably disposed in the rear portion 35 of the lighter 25.
`The rear portion 35 is preferably adapted to be easily opened
`and closed, such as with screws or with snap-fit components,
`to facilitate replacement of the power source 37. The front
`portion 33 preferably houses heating elements and circuitry
`in electrical communication with the power source 37 in the
`rear portion 35. The front portion 33 is preferably easily
`joined to the rear portion 35, such as with a dovetail joint or
`by a socket fit. The housing 31 is preferably made from a
`hard, heat-resistant material. Preferred materials include 45
`metal-based or, more preferably, polymer-based materials.
`The housing 31 is preferably adapted to fit comfortably in
`the hand of a smoker and, in a presently preferred embodi(cid:173)
`ment, has overall dimensions of 10.7 cm by 3.8 cm by 1.5
`cm.
`The power source 37 is sized to provide sufficient power
`for heating elements that heat the cigarette 23. The power
`source 37 is preferably replaceable and rechargeable and
`may include devices such as a capacitor, or more preferably,
`a battery. In a presently preferred embodiment, the power
`source is a replaceable, rechargeable battery such as four
`nickel cadmium battery cells connected in series with a total,
`non-loaded voltage of approximately 4.8 to 5.6 volts. The
`characteristics required of the power source 37 are, however,
`selected in view of the characteristics of other components
`in the smoking system 21, particularly the characteristics of
`the heating elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,962 describes
`several forms of power sources useful in connection with the
`smoking system of the present invention, such as recharge(cid:173)
`able battery sources and quick-discharging capacitor power
`sources that are charged by batteries, and is hereby incor(cid:173)
`porated by reference.
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`10
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`15
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`7
`preferred light sensor 53 suitable for use with the smoking
`system 21 is a Type OPR5005 Light Sensor, manufactured
`by OPTEX Technology, Inc., 1215 West Crosby Road,
`Carrollton, Tex. 75006.
`As one of several possible alternatives to using the 5
`abovenoted light sensor 53, a mechanical switch (not
`shown) may be provided to detect the presence or absence
`of a cigarette 23 and a reset button (not shown) may be
`provided for resetting the circuitry 41 when a new cigarette
`is inserted in the lighter 25, e.g., to cause the indicator 51 to
`display the digit "8", etc. Power sources, circuitry, puff(cid:173)
`actuated sensors, and indicators useful with the smoking
`system 21 of the present invention are described in U.S. Pat.
`No. 5,060,671 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/943,
`504, both of which are incorporated by reference. The
`passageway and the opening 50 in the spacer and the heater
`fixture base are preferably air-tight during smoking.
`A presently preferred cigarette 23 for use with the smok(cid:173)
`ing system 21 will now be described and is shown in greater
`detail in parent application Ser. No. 08/380,718, filed Jan.
`30, 1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594, and Ser. Nos. 08/425,
`166 and 08/425,837, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,636, filed
`concurrently herewith, entitled "Cigarette for Electrical
`Smoking System" (Attorney Docket Nos. PM 1759A and
`PM 1759B, respectively), which are hereby incorporated by
`reference in their entireties, although the cigarette may be in
`any desired form capable of generating a flavored tobacco
`response for delivery to a smoker when the cigarette is
`heated by the heating elements 122. Referring to FIG. 2, the
`cigarette 23 includes a tobacco web 57 formed of a carrier
`or plenum 59 which supports tobacco flavor material 61,
`preferably including tobacco. The tobacco web 57 is
`wrapped around and supported by an optional cylindrical
`back-flow filter 63 at one end and a cylindrical first free-flow
`filter 65 at an opposite end. The first free-flow filter 65 is
`preferably an "open-tube" type filter having a longitudinal
`passage 67 extending through the center of the first fre