MOUTHPIECE WITH INNER AND OUTER TUBULAR SECTIONS

Abstract

A mouthpiece for attachment to a hollow tubular filter portion of an aerosol-generating article is provided, the mouthpiece including: an inner tubular section having a minimum outer diameter, which is smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion; an outer tubular section having a maximum inner diameter, which is larger than an outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article; a central airflow channel arranged along a longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece, the airflow channel including a Venturi portion, the Venturi portion including an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the inlet portion being configured to converge in a downstream direction and the outlet portion being configured to diverge in a downstream direction; and a hinge section configured to attach the mouthpiece to an aerosol-generating device. A system including the mouthpiece, and a method for attaching the mouthpiece to the hollow tubular filter portion are also provided.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A mouthpiece for attachment to a hollow tubular filter portion of an aerosol-generating article, the mouthpiece comprising: an inner tubular section having a minimum outer diameter, which is smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article; an outer tubular section having a maximum inner diameter, which is larger than an outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article; a central airflow channel arranged along a longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece, wherein the airflow channel comprises a Venturi portion, wherein the Venturi portion comprises an inlet portion and an outlet portion, wherein the inlet portion is configured to converge in a downstream direction and the outlet portion is configured to diverge in a downstream direction; and a hinge section configured to attach the mouthpiece to an aerosol-generating device.

15. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the Venturi portion further comprises a central portion.

16. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, further comprising a stop arranged connecting the inner tubular section and the outer tubular section.

17. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the stop is configured to enable a maximum insertion of the inner tubular section of the mouthpiece into the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article of 6 millimeters.

18. The mouthpiece according to claim 16, wherein the stop is configured to enable a maximum insertion of the inner tubular section of the mouthpiece into the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article of around 4 millimeters.

19. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the inner tubular section has an outer diameter of between 3 millimeters and 5 millimeters.

20. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the inner tubular section has an outer diameter of around 4 millimeters.

21. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the outer tubular section has an inner diameter of between 5 millimeters and 8 millimeters.

22. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the outer tubular section has an inner diameter of around 6.3 millimeters.

23. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the inner tubular section comprises an upstream end, and wherein the outer circumference of the upstream end of the inner tubular section is rounded.

24. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the outer tubular section comprises an upstream end, and wherein the inner circumference of the upstream end of the outer tubular section is tapered.

25. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the outer circumference of the inner tubular section is conical, and wherein the outer diameter of the inner tubular section increases towards a downstream direction.

26. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the inner circumference of the outer tubular section is conical, and wherein the inner diameter of the outer tubular section decreases towards a downstream direction.

27. The mouthpiece according to claim 14, wherein the inner tubular section and the outer tubular section of the mouthpiece are configured to form a tubular slot between the inner tubular section and the outer tubular section, and wherein the tubular slot is configured to securely receive and hold the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article.

28. A system comprising a mouthpiece according to claim 14 and an aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a substrate portion containing aerosol-forming substrate and a hollow tubular filter portion, wherein a minimum outer diameter of the inner tubular section of the mouthpiece is smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article, and wherein a maximum inner diameter of the outer tubular section of the mouthpiece is larger than an outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article.

29. A method for attaching a mouthpiece to a hollow tubular filter portion of an aerosol-generating article, the method comprising: providing a mouthpiece according to claim 14; providing the aerosol-generating article comprising a substrate portion containing aerosol-forming substrate and the hollow tubular filter portion; and attaching the mouthpiece to the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article by inserting the inner tubular section of the mouthpiece into the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

[0058] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a mouthpiece according to the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 2 shows the connection of a hollow tubular filter portion of an aerosol-generating article with the mouthpiece;

[0061] FIG. 3 shows a hinge section of the mouthpiece for connection with an aerosol-generating device; and

[0062] FIG. 4 shows an aerosol-generating device comprising the mouthpiece and an aerosol-generating article inserted into a heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device.

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a mouthpiece according to the present invention. The mouthpiece has an elongate shape and comprises a central airflow channel 10 through which air comprising vaporized aerosol-forming substrate can be drawn. The top part of FIG. 1 shows a downstream end 12 of the mouthpiece, while the bottom part of FIG. 1 shows an upstream end 14 of the mouthpiece. Thus, air is drawn, in FIG. 1, from bottom to top.

[0064] The mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1 is configured as a Venturi mouthpiece. This means that the central airflow channel 10 has a constricted portion, referred to as central portion 16. Leading towards the central portion 16 from the upstream end 14 is provided an inlet portion 18. Leading away from the central portion 16 towards the downstream end 12 is provided an outlet portion 20. The central portion 16 has a reduced diameter in comparison to the outlet portion 20, which diverges from the central portion 16 towards the downstream end 12. In the outlet portion 20, the airstream expands and cools down so that aerosol droplets can form.

[0065] The mouthpiece comprises, at its upstream end 14, a configuration for attachment to an aerosol-generating article, particularly to a hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article. At the upstream end 14, the mouthpiece comprises an inner tubular section 22 as well as an outer tubular section 24. The inner tubular section 22 is arranged inside of the outer tubular section 24. Between the inner tubular section 22 and the outer tubular section 24, a tubular slot 26 is provided for insertion of the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article.

[0066] The inner tubular section 22 of the mouthpiece has a minimum outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion. The outer tubular section 24 has a maximum inner diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of the hollow tubular filter portion. Preferably, the inner tubular section 22 is tapered towards the upstream end 14 and the outer tubular section 24 is tapered towards the downstream end 12. Hence, a conical shape of the tubular slot 26 is created for simplifying insertion of the hollow tubular filter portion. In addition, the inner tubular section 22 may comprise a rounded upstream end 28 for facilitating insertion into the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article to be attached.

[0067] The mouthpiece comprises a stop 30 configured connecting the inner tubular section 22 and the outer tubular section 24 so that the hollow tubular filter portion can only be inserted into the tubular slot 26 up to the stop 30. When the hollow tubular filter portion of the aerosol-generating article is fully inserted into the tubular slot 26, the aerosol-generating article is securely held within the tubular slot 26 and therefore connected with the mouthpiece. After full insertion, the hollow tubular filter portion may overlap with the outer tubular section 24 by around 5 millimeters.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows the operation of inserting the hollow tubular filter portion 32 of the aerosol-generating article 34 into the mouthpiece or, respectively, attaching the mouthpiece to the aerosol-generating article 34. In the left part of FIG. 2, the aerosol-generating article 34 is depicted before connection between the mouthpiece and the aerosol-generating article 34 is established. In the right part of FIG. 2, the hollow tubular filter portion 32 of the aerosol-generating article 34 has been pushed into the tubular slot 26 of the mouthpiece so that a connection between the mouthpiece and the aerosol-generating article 34 has been established.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows a hinge section 36 of the mouthpiece for pivotably opening and closing the mouthpiece for attachment or detachment from the aerosol-generating article 34. The hinge section 36 may be connected or may be configured connectable with an aerosol-generating device so that the mouthpiece may be provided as part of the aerosol-generating device. Before a use, the mouthpiece may be pivotably opened by means of the hinge section 36. Subsequently, the aerosol-generating article 34 may be inserted into a heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device. Then, the mouthpiece may be pivotably closed and a connection between the mouthpiece and the aerosol-generating article 34 established as for example depicted in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows two points in time during a joining operation. In the left part of FIG. 3, the hinge section 36 is closed, but not yet fully closed. In the right part of FIG. 3, the closing has not yet been completed, but the hinge section 36 is pivoted further towards a closing position in comparison with the left part of FIG. 3. After a smoking experience, the mouthpiece may again be pivotably opened and the spent aerosol-generating article 34 be removed from the mouthpiece and afterwards from the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows an aerosol-generating device 38 comprising a heating chamber 40 for insertion of the aerosol-generating article 34 as well as further components of the aerosol-generating device 38. Also, FIG. 4 shows the mouthpiece connected to the aerosol-generating device 38 by means of the hinge section 36 described in connection with FIG. 3. The aerosol-generating device 38 comprises further components such as a heating element 42, a power supply 44 for supplying electrical energy to the heating element 42 and electric circuitry 46 for controlling the supply of electrical energy from the power supply 44 to the heating element 42.