FLAVOR CARTRIDGE FOR AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a replaceable flavor cartridge for an aerosol-generating device. The cartridge comprises a housing and a flavor substrate. The flavor substrate is arranged within the housing. The housing comprises a proximal aperture in a proximal end face of the housing. The housing comprises a distal aperture in a distal end face of the housing. The flavor substrate comprises a substrate aperture. The proximal aperture, the distal aperture and the substrate aperture are aligned with each other to form a cartridge airflow channel through the cartridge. The invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. An aerosol-generating device comprising: a top portion and a main body, wherein the main body comprises a power supply, and a replaceable flavor cartridge, wherein the replaceable flavor cartridge is sandwiched between the top portion and the main body and wherein the cartridge comprises: a housing; and a flavor substrate, wherein the flavor substrate is arranged within the housing, wherein the housing comprises a proximal aperture in a proximal part of the housing, wherein the housing comprises a distal aperture in a distal part of the housing, wherein the flavor substrate comprises a substrate aperture, and wherein the proximal aperture, the distal aperture and the substrate aperture are aligned with each other to form a cartridge airflow channel through the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is removably attachable between the top portion and the main body.

16. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the cartridge airflow channel is straight.

17. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the cartridge comprises a removable fluid impermeable proximal foil covering the proximal aperture.

18. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the cartridge comprises a removable fluid impermeable distal foil covering the distal aperture.

19. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the flavor substrate is tobacco free.

20. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the flavor substrate is nicotine free.

21. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the housing is porous.

22. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the proximal part of the housing and the distal part of the housing are connected with a Luer connector.

23. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the flavor substrate comprises a high retention material impregnated with a flavoring liquid or a flavoring gel.

24. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the flavor substrate comprises an ambient temperature atomizable flavor substrate.

25. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the top portion comprises a top portion airflow channel, wherein the main body comprises a main body airflow channel, and wherein the main body airflow channel, the cartridge airflow channel and the top portion airflow channel are fluidly connected to form a common airflow channel through the aerosol-generating device, when the cartridge is attached between the top portion and the main body.

26. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the top portion comprises a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-generating article comprising aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the top portion comprises a heating element arranged in or around the cavity, and wherein the heating element is configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article.

27. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 26, wherein the heating element is arranged distanced from the replaceable flavor cartridge such that the flavor substrate is substantially thermally insulated from the heating element.

28. Aerosol-generating device according to claim 15, wherein the replaceable flavor cartridge is configured attachable between the top portion and the main body by placing the cartridge between the top portion and the main body and by rotating the cartridge.

Description

[0103] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0104] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a flavor cartridge;

[0105] FIG. 2A shows a cross-sectional view of the flavor cartridge in a disassembled state;

[0106] FIG. 2B shows a cross-sectional view of the flavor cartridge in an assembled state;

[0107] FIG. 3 shows an illustrative view of an aerosol-generating device;

[0108] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of attachment of the flavor cartridge to the aerosol-generating device; and

[0109] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the aerosol-generating device.

[0110] FIG. 1 shows a flavor cartridge configured to be used for an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device and the usage of the flavor cartridge in the aerosol-generating device will be described below in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4. The flavor cartridge comprises a proximal part 10, a distal part 12 and a flavor substrate 14. The flavor substrate 14 is arranged between the proximal part 10 and the distal part 12. The proximal part 10 and the distal part 12 together form a housing of the flavor cartridge. The flavor substrate 14 is sandwiched between the proximal part 10 at the distal part 12.

[0111] The proximal part 10 comprises a proximal aperture 16. The proximal aperture 16 is arranged in a proximal end face 18 of the proximal part 10. The distal part 12 comprises a distal aperture 20. The distal aperture 20 is arranged in a distal end face 22 of the distal part 12. The flavor substrate 14 comprises a substrate aperture 24. The proximal aperture 16, the substrate aperture 24 and the distal aperture 20 are aligned with each other. A cartridge airflow channel 26 runs through the proximal aperture 16, the substrate aperture 24 and the distal aperture 20.

[0112] Before usage of the flavor cartridge, the flavor cartridge is sealed to prevent evaporation of flavorant during storage. For sealing the flavor cartridge, a removable fluid impermeable proximal foil 56 may be provided over the proximal aperture 16. Further, a removable fluid impermeable distal foil 58 may be provided over the distal aperture 20. A user may remove the removable fluid impermeable proximal foil 56 and the removable fluid impermeable distal foil 58 before usage of the flavor cartridge. After removal, the cartridge airflow channel 26 is established and air may flow through the flavor cartridge.

[0113] When air flows through the flavor cartridge, the air contacts the flavor substrate 14. Flavorant contained in the flavor substrate 14 may be entrained in the air. To increase the contact surface between the air flowing through the cartridge airflow channel 26 and the flavorant, one or both of the proximal part 10 and the distal part 12 may be configured porous or comprise porous areas. The flavorant may then be wicked into one or both of the proximal part 10 and the distal part 12 or the porous areas of these elements.

[0114] FIG. 2A shows a state of the flavor cartridge before assembly of the flavor cartridge. It can be seen that the cartridge airflow channel 26 runs parallel to the central axis 28 of the flavor cartridge. In the area of the proximal aperture 16, the flavor cartridge comprises a female connection element 30. In the area of the distal aperture 20, the flavor cartridge comprises a male connection element 32. Of course, it is also an option that the female connection element 30 is arranged in the area of the proximal aperture 16 and that the male connection element 32 is arranged in the area of the distal aperture 20. The male connection element 32 and the female connection element 30 are configured to enable attachment of the flavor cartridge to the aerosol-generating device.

[0115] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device comprises a top portion 34. The top portion 34 is configured as a mouthpiece. A user may inhale the aerosol generated in the aerosol-generating device through the top portion 34. The top portion 34 is arranged at a proximal end or downstream end of the aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device further comprises a main body 36. The main body 36 may comprise further components such as a power supply 46 in the form of a battery and a controller 48. These components are shown in more detail in FIG. 5. The aerosol-generating device may further comprise a heating element 38 (the heating element 38 is not depicted in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, but is depicted in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5). The flavor cartridge is also depicted in FIG. 3. The flavor cartridge is sandwiched between the top portion 34 and the main body 36. Ambient air is drawn into the aerosol-generating device through an air inlet 50 (shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5), when a user draws on the top portion 34. The air is drawn through an airflow channel (shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5) and heated by the heating element 38 together with aerosol-forming substrate and an aerosol is generated by the aerosol-generating device. The aerosol may subsequently be inhaled by the user. In the airflow channel, the flavor cartridge is arranged. The flavor cartridge ads flavorant to the air such that the flavor of the generated aerosol can be modified by the user.

[0116] The attachment of the flavor cartridge to the aerosol-generating device is depicted in FIG. 4. The male connection element 32 of the flavor cartridge in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is inserted into a corresponding female part 40 of the main body 36 of the aerosol-generating device. After insertion of the male connection element 32, the flavor cartridge may be rotated to secure the flavor cartridge with the main body 36. Subsequently, the top portion 34 may be attached to the flavor cartridge, exemplarily by attachment of the top portion 34 to the female connection element 30 of the flavor cartridge.

[0117] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the aerosol-generating device. The main elements are similar to the aerosol-generating device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the following, the differences will be highlighted. The top portion 34 of the aerosol-generating device shown in FIG. 5 comprises a cavity 42 for receiving an aerosol-generating article 44 comprising aerosol-forming substrate. The heating element 38 is arranged downstream of the flavor cartridge in the top portion 34. The heating element 38 is configured as an induction heating element 38. The heating element 38 at least partly surrounds the cavity 42. The heating element 38 is configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article 44.

[0118] The flavor cartridge is sandwiched between the top portion 34 and the main body 36.

[0119] The main body 36 comprises a power supply 46 and a controller 48. The controller 48 is configured to control the supply of electrical energy from the power supply 46 to the heating element 38. The power supply 46 is preferably a battery. The main body 36 comprises an air inlet 50. The air inlet 50 is fluidly connected with a main body airflow channel 52. The main body airflow channel 52 of the main body 36 is fluidly connected with the cartridge airflow channel 26, when the flavor cartridge is arranged between the main body 36 and the top portion 34. The cartridge airflow channel 26 is fluidly connected with a top portion airflow channel 54. The top portion airflow channel 54 is arranged in the top portion 34. The top portion airflow channel 54 is fluidly connected with the cavity 42. As shown in FIG. 5, the main portion airflow channel, the cartridge airflow channel 26 and the top portion airflow channel 54 form a common airflow channel. During use, a user draws on the aerosol-generating article 44 thereby drawing ambient air to the air inlet 50, through the main body airflow channel 52, through the cartridge airflow channel 26, through the top portion airflow channel 54 and into the cavity 42. In the cavity 42, the air flows through the aerosol-forming substrate of the aerosol-generating article 44. Due to the heating action of the heating element 38, the air and the aerosol-forming substrate is heated and an aerosol is generated. During drawing of the ambient air through the cartridge airflow channel 26, the air is enriched with flavorant from the flavor substrate 14 of the flavor cartridge. The flavor of the aerosol exiting the system comprising the aerosol-generating device and the aerosol-generating article 44 is therefore adjustable by an appropriate flavor cartridge.