CARTRIDGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BLOCKING ELEMENT

Abstract

A cartridge assembly for an aerosol-generating system is provided, including a mouthpiece housing, a blocking element, and a cartridge. The mouthpiece housing has an upstream end, a downstream end, and a mouthpiece cavity. The blocking element is secured within the mouthpiece cavity. The cartridge is positioned at the upstream end of the mouthpiece housing, the cartridge including an upstream end, a downstream end, a first compartment, and a second compartment. The downstream end of the cartridge abuts an upstream end of the blocking element. The cartridge is rotatable with respect to the blocking element from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the blocking element obstructs first and second air outlets of the first and second compartments respectively. In the second position, the first and second air outlets are in fluid communication with the mouthpiece cavity.

Claims

1.-21. (canceled)

22. A cartridge assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge assembly comprising: a mouthpiece housing having an upstream end and a downstream end, the mouthpiece housing defining a mouthpiece cavity extending between the upstream end of the mouthpiece housing and the downstream end of the mouthpiece housing; a blocking element secured within the mouthpiece cavity and comprising an upstream end and a downstream end; and a cartridge positioned at the upstream end of the mouthpiece housing, the cartridge comprising: an upstream end and a downstream end, a first compartment having a first air inlet at the upstream end of the cartridge and a first air outlet at the downstream end of the cartridge, and a second compartment having a second air inlet at the upstream end of the cartridge and a second air outlet at the downstream end of the cartridge, wherein the downstream end of the cartridge abuts the upstream end of the blocking element, wherein the cartridge is rotatable with respect to the blocking element from a first position to a second position, and wherein the blocking element is shaped so that the upstream end of the blocking element obstructs the first air outlet and the second air outlet when the cartridge is in the first position, and the first air outlet and the second air outlet are both in fluid communication with the mouthpiece cavity when the cartridge is in the second position.

23. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein one of the blocking element and the cartridge comprises an aperture, wherein the other of the blocking element and the cartridge comprises a shaft, and wherein at least a portion of the shaft is positioned within the aperture.

24. The cartridge assembly according to claim 23, wherein the aperture extends through the blocking element between the upstream end of the blocking element and the downstream end of the blocking element, and wherein the shaft extends from the downstream end of the cartridge.

25. The cartridge assembly according to claim 23, wherein the shaft comprises a journal portion positioned within the aperture and a retaining portion at an end of the journal portion, and wherein the retaining portion is positioned outside of the aperture and has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the aperture.

26. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the cartridge comprises a guiding pin extending from the downstream end of the cartridge, wherein the guiding pin abuts a first portion of the blocking element when the cartridge is in the first position, and wherein the guiding pin abuts a second portion of the blocking element when the cartridge is in the second position.

27. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the cartridge further comprises: a cartridge housing positioned at the upstream end of the mouthpiece housing and rotatable with respect to the blocking element from the first position to the second position; and a cartridge body secured within the cartridge housing, the cartridge body defining the first compartment and the second compartment.

28. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the blocking element is spaced apart from the downstream end of the mouthpiece housing, and wherein a portion of the mouthpiece cavity between the downstream end of the blocking element and the downstream end of the mouthpiece housing forms a mixing chamber.

29. The cartridge assembly according to claim 28, wherein the mouthpiece housing comprises a ventilation air inlet positioned between the blocking element and the downstream end of the mouthpiece housing, the ventilation air inlet extending through the mouthpiece housing and providing fluid communication between an exterior of the mouthpiece housing and the mixing chamber.

30. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the blocking element comprises a first airflow aperture configured to overlie the first air outlet when the cartridge is in the second position and a second airflow aperture configured to overlie the second air outlet when the cartridge is in the second position.

31. The cartridge assembly according to claim 30, wherein the blocking element has a circular shape, and wherein the first airflow aperture and the second airflow aperture each have an arcuate shape.

32. The cartridge assembly according to claim 31, wherein the first airflow aperture and the second airflow aperture are diametrically opposed.

33. The cartridge according to claim 31, wherein the first airflow aperture and the second airflow aperture each extend along a quarter-circular arc length.

34. The cartridge according to claim 30, wherein the blocking element comprises a first blocking portion positioned between a first end of the first airflow aperture and a second end of the second airflow aperture, wherein the blocking element comprises a second blocking portion positioned between a second end of the first airflow aperture and a first end of the second airflow aperture, wherein the first blocking portion is configured to obstruct the first air outlet when the cartridge is in the first position, and wherein the second blocking portion is configured to obstruct the second air outlet when the cartridge is in the first position.

35. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the mouthpiece housing comprises a downstream wall portion extending across the downstream end of the mouthpiece cavity, the mouthpiece housing comprising a mouthpiece housing air outlet extending through the downstream wall portion.

36. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, further comprising a seal extending across the upstream end of the cartridge.

37. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, further comprising a nicotine source positioned within the first compartment and an acid source positioned within the second compartment.

38. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the cartridge further comprises a third compartment configured to receive a heating element of an aerosol-generating device, wherein the third compartment comprises a compartment opening at the upstream end of the cartridge, and wherein the third compartment is positioned between the first compartment and the second compartment.

39. The cartridge assembly according to claim 22, wherein the cartridge further comprises a susceptor positioned between the first compartment and the second compartment.

40. An aerosol-generating system, comprising: a cartridge assembly according to claim 22; and an aerosol-generating device comprising a device cavity configured to receive an upstream end of the cartridge assembly and a heater configured to heat the first compartment and the second compartment of the cartridge of the cartridge assembly.

41. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 40, wherein the heater comprises a heating element positioned within the device cavity, wherein the cartridge further comprises a third compartment configured to receive the heating element, wherein the third compartment comprises a compartment opening at the upstream end of the cartridge, and wherein the third compartment is positioned between the first compartment and the second compartment.

42. The aerosol-generating system according to claim 40, wherein the heater comprises an inductive heater surrounding at least a portion of the device cavity, and wherein the cartridge comprises a susceptor positioned between the first compartment and the second compartment.

Description

[0116] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0117] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cartridge assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0118] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the cartridge assembly of FIG. 1;

[0119] FIG. 3 shows perspective views of the cartridge housing and the cartridge body of FIG. 2;

[0120] FIG. 4 shows a view of the upstream end of the cartridge body of FIG. 2;

[0121] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the downstream end of the cartridge body of FIG. 2;

[0122] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the cartridge housing of FIG. 2; and

[0123] FIG. 7 shows a view of the downstream end of the blocking element of FIG. 2.

[0124] FIG. 1 shows a cartridge assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cartridge assembly comprises a mouthpiece housing 12 and a cartridge 14 configured for rotation with respect to the mouthpiece housing 12. The mouthpiece housing 12 comprises a downstream end wall 16 extending across a downstream end 18 of the mouthpiece housing 12. The mouthpiece housing 12 defines a mouthpiece cavity 20 and comprises a mouthpiece housing air outlet 22 extending through the downstream end wall 16 and in fluid communication with the mouthpiece cavity 20. A plurality of indicia 24 on the outside of the mouthpiece housing 12 and the cartridge 14 indicate the rotational orientation of the cartridge 14 with respect to the mouthpiece housing 12.

[0125] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the cartridge assembly 10 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge assembly 10 further comprises a blocking element 26 that is secured by an interference fit in the downstream end 28 of the mouthpiece housing 12. The mouthpiece cavity 20 extends between a downstream end 30 of the blocking element 26 and the downstream end wall 16 of the mouthpiece housing 12.

[0126] The cartridge 14 comprises a cartridge housing 32 and a cartridge body 34 that is secured within the cartridge housing 32 by an interference fit. A removable seal 36 is secured to the upstream end of the cartridge 14, the removable seal 36 configured to be removed by a user prior to using the cartridge assembly 10.

[0127] FIG. 3 shows the cartridge housing 32 and the cartridge body 34 in further detail. The cartridge housing 32 comprises a downstream end 38 and an upstream end 40, the cartridge housing 32 defining a cavity 42 for receiving the cartridge body 34. The upstream end 40 of the cartridge housing 32 is open for insertion of the cartridge body 34 into the cavity 42 during manufacture of the cartridge 14. The cartridge body 34 comprises a first compartment 44, a second compartment 46 and a third compartment 48 positioned between the first and second compartments 44, 46. The first and second compartments 44, 46 are open at their downstream ends 50, 52 at the downstream end 54 of the cartridge body 34. The cartridge housing 32 and the cartridge body 34 comprise mating portions 56, 58 so that the cartridge body 34 can be inserted into the cartridge housing 32 in only a single orientation. This ensures correct alignment between the downstream ends of the first and second compartments 44, 46 and first and second air outlets provided on the downstream end 38 of the cartridge housing 32, as will be further described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0128] FIG. 4 shows the upstream end 60 of the cartridge body 34, which comprises a first air inlet 62 comprising a plurality of first air inlet apertures in fluid communication with the first compartment 44 and a second air inlet 64 comprising a plurality of second air inlet apertures in fluid communication with the second compartment 46. The third compartment 48 is open at the upstream end 60 of the cartridge body 34 to receive a heater of an aerosol-generating device for heating the first and second compartments 44, 46. In an alternative embodiment the cartridge body 34 may comprise a susceptor positioned within the third compartment 48 for use with an aerosol-generating device comprising an inductive heater.

[0129] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the downstream end 54 of the cartridge body 34. The cartridge body 34 comprises a first part 66 and a second part 68 that are secured together by an interference fit to form the cartridge body 34. The first part 66 defines the third compartment 48, a first side 70 of the first compartment 44, and a first side 72 of the second compartment 46. The second part 68 defines a second side 74 of the first compartment 44, a second side 76 of the second compartment 46, the first air inlet 62 and the second air inlet 64. During manufacture and assembly of the cartridge body 34, a nicotine source 78 is inserted into the second side 74 of the first compartment 44 and an acid source 80 is inserted into the second side 76 of the second compartment 46, prior to the first and second parts 66, 68 being secured together.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 6, the cartridge housing 32 comprises a downstream end wall 82 extending across a downstream end 38 of the cartridge housing 32. The cartridge housing 32 further comprises a shaft 84 extending from the downstream end wall 82, the shaft 84 comprising a journal portion 86 and a retaining portion 88. The retaining portion 88 has a rounded shape and has a maximum diameter that is larger than the diameter of the journal portion 86. The cartridge housing 32 further comprises a guiding pin 90 extending from the downstream end wall 82, a first air outlet 92 and a second air outlet 94. When the cartridge body 34 is received within the cartridge housing 32 the first air outlet 92 is in fluid communication with the downstream end 50 of the first compartment 44 and the second air outlet 94 is in fluid communication with the downstream end 52 of the second compartment 46.

[0131] The first air outlet 92 comprise a different number of first air outlet apertures compared to the number of second air outlet apertures forming the second air outlet 94. The different number of air outlet apertures provides different flow rates of air through the first and second compartments 44, 46 during use of the cartridge assembly 10 to account for the different vapour pressures of the nicotine source 78 and the acid source 80. Therefore, the different flow rates of air through the first and second compartments 44, 46 maintains a required reaction stoichiometry between nicotine vapour and acid vapour downstream of the cartridge 14 in the mouthpiece cavity 20.

[0132] FIG. 7 shows the downstream end 30 of the blocking element 26. The blocking element 26 comprises an aperture 96 for receiving the journal portion 86 of the shaft 84 on the cartridge housing 32. The shaft 84 has been omitted from FIG. 7 to show the aperture 96. During assembly of the cartridge assembly 10, the aperture 96 is elastically deformed to accommodate the retaining portion 88 of the shaft 84 as the retaining portion 88 is pushed through the aperture 96. Once the retaining portion 88 has been pushed fully through the aperture 96, the step change in diameter between the retaining portion 88 and the journal portion 86 prevents the retaining portion 88 being pulled back through the aperture 96. The diameter of the journal portion 86 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the aperture 96 so that the journal portion 86 may rotate freely within the aperture 96, which allows rotation of the cartridge 14 with respect to the blocking element 26. When the journal portion 86 is positioned within the aperture 96, the downstream end wall 82 of the cartridge housing 32 abuts the upstream end of the blocking element 26.

[0133] The blocking element 26 further comprises a first airflow aperture 98 and a diametrically opposed second airflow aperture 100, each airflow aperture having a quarter-circular shape. A first blocking portion 102 extends between a first end of the first airflow aperture 98 and a second end of the second airflow aperture 100. A second blocking portion 104 extends between a second end of the first airflow aperture 98 and a first end of the second airflow aperture 100.

[0134] The first airflow aperture 98 also forms a guide opening in which the guiding pin 90 of the cartridge body 32 is received. The blocking element 26 comprises a first recess 106 at the first end of the first airflow aperture 98 for receiving the guiding pin 90 when the cartridge 14 is in a first position with respect to the blocking element 26. The blocking element 26 comprises a second recess 108 at the second end of the first airflow aperture 98 for receiving the guiding pin 90 when the cartridge 14 is in a second position with respect to the blocking element 26.

[0135] When the cartridge 14 is in the first position, the first blocking portion 102 obstructs the first air outlet 92 on the cartridge body 32 and the second blocking portion 104 obstructs the second air outlet 94 on the cartridge body 32. A first detent 110 on the blocking element 26 increases the force required to move the guiding pin 90 out of the first recess 106, which reduces the risk of the cartridge 14 being accidentally rotated out of the first position.

[0136] When the cartridge 14 is in the second position, the first air outlet 92 on the cartridge body 32 is in fluid communication with the mouthpiece cavity 20 via the first airflow aperture 98 and the second air outlet 94 on the cartridge body 32 is in fluid communication with the mouthpiece cavity 20 via the second airflow aperture 100. A second detent 112 on the blocking element 26 increases the force required to move the guiding pin 90 into the second recess 108, which provides a user with a tactile confirmation when the cartridge 14 has been fully rotated into the second position. The second detent 112 also retains the guiding pin 90 in the second recess 108 to retain the cartridge 14 in the second position during use of the cartridge assembly 10.

[0137] During use of the cartridge assembly 10, a user removes the removable seal 36 from the upstream end of the cartridge 14 and rotates the cartridge 14 into the second position so that the first and second air outlets 92, 94 are in fluid communication with the mouthpiece cavity 20. The cartridge assembly 10 is combined with an aerosol-generating device to form an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge assembly 10 receiving a heater of the aerosol-generating device into the third compartment 48 to heat the first and second compartments 44, 46. When a user draws on the downstream end 16 of the mouthpiece housing 12, air is drawing into the cartridge assembly 10 through the first and second air inlets 62, 64. Air flows from the first and second air inlets 62, 64 through the first and second compartments 44, 46 where nicotine vapour and acid vapour are entrained in the airflow. The nicotine and acid vapours flow through the first and second air outlets 92, 94 into the mouthpiece cavity 20 via the first and second airflow apertures 98, 100 of the blocking element 26. In the mouthpiece cavity 20 the nicotine and acid vapours react in the gas phase to form an aerosol of nicotine salt particles which is delivered to the user through the mouthpiece housing air outlet 22.