阅读说明：本技术 用于蒸汽供应系统的雾化器外壳 (Atomizer housing for steam supply system ) 是由 帕特里克·莫洛尼 于 2020-03-11 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种外壳(80),用于至少部分地包围蒸汽供应系统的雾化器(70),以限定围绕雾化器的气雾室,其中雾化器至少部分地位于贮液器(50)的外部尺寸之外,用于由雾化器可雾化的可雾化基质材料,其中外壳包括：限定气雾室(82)的至少一个壁(81)；连结部分(84),通过该连结部分,外壳能够从限定贮液器的壳体(42)向外延伸；至少一个壁中的一个或多个开口(86),用于允许可雾化基质材料从贮液器进入气雾室,并允许气溶胶离开气雾室；以及在至少一个壁中的一个或多个孔(85),用于允许空气进入气雾室。(The invention provides a housing (80) for at least partially enclosing an atomizer (70) of a steam supply system to define an aerosol chamber surrounding the atomizer, wherein the atomizer is located at least partially outside the outer dimensions of a liquid reservoir (50) for an aerosolizable matrix material aerosolizable by the atomizer, wherein the housing comprises: at least one wall (81) defining an aerosol chamber (82); a joining portion (84) by which the casing is extendable outwardly from a housing (42) defining the reservoir; one or more openings (86) in the at least one wall for allowing the nebulizable matrix material from the reservoir into the aerosol chamber and for allowing the aerosol to leave the aerosol chamber; and one or more apertures (85) in at least one of the walls for allowing air to enter the aerosol chamber.)

1. A housing for at least partially enclosing an atomizer of a steam supply system to define an aerosol chamber surrounding the atomizer, wherein the atomizer is located at least partially outside the outer dimensions of a liquid reservoir for an aerosolizable matrix material to be aerosolized by the atomizer, the housing comprising:

at least one wall defining the aerosol chamber;

a joining portion by which the casing is extendable outwardly from a housing defining the reservoir;

one or more openings in the at least one wall for allowing an aerosolizable substrate material to enter the aerosol chamber from the liquid reservoir and for allowing aerosol to exit the aerosol chamber; and

one or more apertures in the at least one wall for allowing air to enter the aerosol chamber.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the joining portion comprises one or more shaped components for directly or indirectly coupling the enclosure to the housing.

3. The housing of claim 2, wherein the one or more shaped members are configured to prevent the housing from being re-coupled to the housing if the housing has been disengaged from the coupling arrangement with the housing.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the linking portion is integrally formed with the housing.

5. A housing according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a support portion for supporting the atomiser in the aerosol chamber.

6. The housing of claim 5, wherein the support portion is located at one end of the housing, wherein the attachment portion extends from the housing to support the atomizer at one end thereof such that the atomizer extends outwardly to an unsupported cantilevered end away from the reservoir.

7. The housing of claim 5 or 6, wherein the support portion is integrally formed with the housing.

8. The enclosure of claim 5 or 6, wherein the support portion is a separate component configured to be coupled to the enclosure and/or the housing.

9. The enclosure of claim 8, wherein the support portion further comprises: at least one liquid flow channel for the nebulizable matrix material to flow from the reservoir to the nebulizer; and at least one aerosol flow passage for the flow of aerosol directed from the atomizer to the airflow passage.

10. The enclosure of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the one or more apertures comprise a plurality of perforations.

11. A casing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one wall comprises an end wall of the casing remote from the joining portion, and the one or more apertures comprise at least one valve in the end wall operable to open for air to flow into the aerosol chamber.

12. The enclosure of claim 11, wherein at least the end walls are formed of an elastomeric material and the valve includes cross cuts in the end walls.

13. A casing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one wall comprises an end wall of the casing remote from the joining portion, and the one or more apertures comprise an opening in the end wall to enable air entering the aerosol chamber to flow through the atomiser.

14. The enclosure of any preceding claim, further comprising a surface pattern on an inner surface of the at least one wall and configured to interfere with the flow of air entering through the one or more apertures.

15. The enclosure of any preceding claim, further comprising a removable sealing layer disposed on the one or more apertures and configured to be removed by a user prior to use of the enclosure in a steam supply system.

16. A cartridge for a vapour provision system, comprising a housing according to any one of claims 1 to 15 and a reservoir for an aerosolizable matrix material, the housing extending from the reservoir.

17. A steam supply system or cartridge for a steam supply system comprising: the housing of any one of claims 1 to 15; a reservoir containing an aerosolizable matrix material, the housing extending from the reservoir; a mouthpiece having an outlet for inhaling an aerosol formed from the nebulizable substrate material; a first sealant layer disposed on the one or more apertures of the housing; and a second sealing layer disposed on an outlet of the mouthpiece, the sealing layer configured to be removed by a user prior to use of the vapour provision system or the cartridge.

18. The vapour supply system or cartridge for a vapour supply system according to claim 17, wherein the first and second sealing layers are a single, shared sealing layer.

19. The steam supply system or cartridge for a steam supply system of claim 17, further comprising a shared draw tape or tear tape configured to enable a user to remove the first and second sealing layers.

20. The cartridge of claim 16 or the steam supply system of any of claims 17 to 19, comprising a housing defining the reservoir, the shell being coupled to the housing at a joint secured by adhesive or welding.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an atomizer housing for a steam supply system, an atomizing cartridge for a steam supply system and a steam supply system comprising such an atomizer housing.

Background

Many electronic vapour delivery systems, such as e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems that deliver nicotine by vaporising a liquid, are made up of two main components or parts, namely a cartridge (cartridge) or cartomiser (cartomiser) part and a control unit (battery part). A cartomizer typically includes a liquid reservoir and an atomizer for vaporizing the liquid. These parts may be collectively referred to as an aerosol source. Nebulizers typically combine the functions of porosity or wicking and heating in order to transport liquid from a reservoir to a location where it is heated and vaporized. For example, it may be realized as an electric heater, which may be a resistive wire formed as a coil or other shape for resistive (joule) heating, or a susceptor for inductive heating, and a porous element with capillary or wicking capability in the vicinity of the heater, which absorbs liquid from the reservoir and carries it to the heater. The control unit typically includes a battery for supplying power to operate the system. Power from the battery is delivered to activate the heater, which heats up to vaporize a small amount of the liquid delivered from the reservoir. The user then inhales the vaporized liquid.

The components of the cartomizer are only available for a short period of time, and so the cartomizer is a disposable component of the system, also known as a consumable. In contrast, the control unit is typically intended for multiple uses with a series of cartomisers, which the user replaces each time the cartomiser expires. The consumable cartomizer is provided to the consumer via a reservoir that is pre-filled with liquid and is intended to be discarded when the reservoir is empty. For convenience and safety, the reservoir is sealed and designed to be not easily refillable, as the liquid may be difficult to handle. When a new supply of liquid is required, the user can replace the entire cartomizer more simply.

In such cases, it is desirable that the cartomizer be easy to manufacture and include few components. Thus, they can be manufactured efficiently in large quantities at low cost and with minimal waste. Accordingly, there is considerable interest in designing simple cartomisers.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a housing for at least partially enclosing an atomizer of a steam supply system to define an aerosol chamber surrounding the atomizer, wherein the atomizer is located at least partially outside the outer dimensions of a liquid reservoir for an aerosolizable matrix material to be aerosolized by the atomizer, the housing comprising: at least one wall defining an aerosol chamber; a joining portion by which the casing is extendable outwardly from the housing defining the reservoir; one or more openings in the at least one wall for allowing the aerosolizable substrate material to enter the aerosol chamber from the reservoir and for allowing the aerosol to exit the aerosol chamber; and one or more apertures in at least one wall for allowing air to enter the aerosol chamber.

According to a second aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a cartridge for a vapour provision system, the cartridge comprising a housing according to the first aspect and a reservoir for an aerosolizable matrix material, the housing extending from the reservoir.

According to a third aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a steam supply system or a cartridge for a steam supply system comprising a housing according to the first aspect; a reservoir containing an aerosolizable matrix material, the housing extending from the reservoir; a mouthpiece having an outlet for inhaling an aerosol formed from an aerosolizable substrate material; a first sealant layer disposed on the one or more apertures of the housing; and a second sealing layer disposed on the outlet of the mouthpiece, the sealing layer configured to be removed by a user prior to use of the steam supply system or cartridge.

According to a fourth aspect of some embodiments described herein, there is provided a cartridge according to the second aspect or a steam supply system according to the third aspect, comprising a housing defining the reservoir, the housing being coupled to the reservoir at a joint fixed by adhesive or welding.

These and further aspects of certain embodiments are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. It is to be understood that features of the dependent claims may be combined with each other and features of the independent claims may be combined in combinations other than those explicitly set out in the claims. Furthermore, the methods described herein are not limited to the specific embodiments described below, but include and contemplate any suitable combination of features presented herein. For example, an atomizer housing or a steam supply system including the atomizer housing may be provided according to the methods described herein, including any one or more of the various features described as appropriate below.

Drawings

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a cross-section of an exemplary electronic cigarette including a cartomizer and a control unit;

FIG. 2 illustrates an external perspective exploded view of an exemplary cartomizer in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view, partially in section, of the cartomizer of FIG. 2 in an assembled arrangement;

4, 4(A), 4(B), and 4(C) show simplified schematic cross-sectional views of another exemplary cartomizer in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 5 illustrates a highly schematic cross-sectional view of a first exemplary steam supply system employing induction heating in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 6 illustrates a highly schematic cross-sectional view of a second exemplary steam supply system employing induction heating in which aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 7 shows a highly schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a atomizer housing and a reservoir housing of a cartomizer coupled together by a first exemplary device;

FIG. 8 shows a highly schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a atomizer housing and a reservoir housing of a cartomizer coupled together by a second exemplary device;

FIG. 9 shows a highly schematic cross-sectional side view of a cartomizer with an integrally formed atomizer housing according to an example;

FIG. 10 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of a nebulizer housing with an air intake hole according to an example;

FIG. 11 illustrates a bottom plan view of a nebulizer housing with an air intake valve according to an example;

figure 12 shows a highly simplified schematic cross-sectional side view of a cartomizer with a sealing layer according to a first example;

figure 13 shows a highly simplified schematic cross-sectional side view of a cartomizer with a sealing layer according to another example; and

fig. 14 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of a nebulizer housing with inner surface patterning according to an example.

Detailed Description

Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed/described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be routinely implemented and, for the sake of brevity, are not discussed/described in detail. Thus, it should be understood that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail can be implemented in accordance with any conventional technique for implementing such aspects and features.

As mentioned above, the present disclosure relates to (but is not limited to) electronic aerosol or vapour provision systems, such as e-cigarettes. In the following description, the terms "electronic cigarette" and "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used; however, it should be understood that these terms may be used interchangeably with an aerosol (vapor) supply system or device. The system is intended to produce an inhalable aerosol by vaporizing a substrate in liquid or gel form, which may or may not contain nicotine. Furthermore, the mixing system may comprise a liquid or gel substrate and a solid substrate which is also heated. The solid substrate may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. The term "nebulizable substrate material" as used herein refers to a substrate material that can form an aerosol by heating or some other means. The term "aerosol" may be used interchangeably with "vapor".

As used herein, the term "component" is used to refer to a component, portion, unit, module, assembly, or the like of an e-cigarette or similar device that includes several smaller components or elements that may be within an outer housing or wall. An e-cigarette may be formed or constructed from one or more such components, and these components may be removably or detachably connected to each other, or may be permanently connected together during manufacture to define the entire e-cigarette. The present disclosure is applicable, but not limited to, a system comprising two components detachably connected to each other and configured as, for example, an aerosolizable matrix material carrying component (cartridge, aerosol cartridge or consumable) holding a liquid or another aerosolizable matrix material, and a control unit having a battery for providing electrical power for operating the elements for generating steam from the matrix material. To provide a specific example, in the present disclosure, the cartomizer is described as an example of an aerosolizable matrix material-carrying portion or member, but the present disclosure is not so limited and applies to any configuration of an aerosolizable matrix material-carrying portion or member. Further, such components may include more or less components than are included in the examples.

The present disclosure relates particularly to vapor supply systems and components thereof that utilize an aerosolizable matrix material in liquid or gel form that is held in a reservoir, canister, container, or other receptacle included in the system. Comprising means for delivering substrate material from a reservoir to provide for vapour/aerosol generation. The terms "liquid," "gel," "fluid," "source liquid," "source gel," "source fluid," and the like may be used interchangeably with "aerosolizable matrix material" and "matrix material" to refer to an aerosolizable matrix material in a form that is capable of being stored and delivered in accordance with examples of the present disclosure.

Figure 1 is a highly schematic diagram (not to scale) of a generic exemplary aerosol/vapour provision system, such as an e-cigarette 10, for the purpose of showing the relationship between the various parts of a typical system and explaining the general principles of operation. In this example, the e-cigarette 10 has a generally elongated shape, extends along a longitudinal axis indicated by the dashed line, and includes two main components, namely a control or power component, portion or unit 20, and a cartridge assembly or portion 30 (sometimes referred to as a cartomizer or a transparent cartomizer) that carries an aerosolizable matrix material and operates as a vapor-producing component.

The cartomizer 30 comprises a reservoir 3 containing a source liquid or other nebulizable matrix material comprising a formulation such as a liquid or a gel from which an aerosol is generated, for example comprising nicotine. For example, the source liquid may comprise about 1-3% nicotine and 50% glycerin, with the remainder comprising approximately equal amounts of water and propylene glycol, and may also comprise other ingredients, such as flavoring agents. Nicotine-free source liquids may also be used, for example to provide flavouring. A solid substrate (not shown) may also be included, such as a portion of tobacco or other flavor component, through which the vapor generated by the liquid passes. The reservoir 3 has the form of a storage tank, being a reservoir or receptacle, in which the source liquid can be stored, such that the liquid is free to move and flow within the confines of the tank. For a consumable cartomizer, the reservoir 3 may be sealed after filling during manufacture so as to be disposable after consumption of the source liquid, otherwise it may have an inlet or other opening through which a user may add new source liquid. The cartomizer 30 also includes an electrically powered heating element or heater 4 located outside the reservoir 3 for generating an aerosol by vaporizing the source liquid by heating. A liquid transfer or delivery means (liquid delivery element) such as a wick or other porous element 6 may be provided to deliver the source liquid from the reservoir 3 to the heater 4. The wick 6 may have one or more portions located inside the reservoir 3 or otherwise in fluid communication with the liquid in the reservoir 3 so as to be able to absorb the source liquid and transfer it by wicking or capillary action to other portions of the wick 6 adjacent to or in contact with the heater 4. The liquid is thus heated and vaporized, being replaced by a new source of liquid from the reservoir, for transfer to the heater 4 via the wick 6. The wick may be considered to be a bridge, path or conduit between the reservoir 3 and the heater 4 which transports or transfers liquid from the reservoir to the heater. Terms including conduit, liquid transfer path, liquid transport path, liquid transfer mechanism or element, and liquid transport mechanism or element may be used interchangeably herein to refer to a wick or corresponding component or structure.

The combination of the heater and wick (or similar device) is sometimes referred to as an atomizer or atomizer assembly, and the reservoir and atomizer with the active liquid may be collectively referred to as an aerosol source. Other terms may include a liquid delivery assembly or a liquid transfer assembly, where these terms may be used interchangeably herein to refer to a vapor generating element (vapor generator) and a wicking or similar component or structure (liquid delivery element) that delivers or transfers liquid obtained from a reservoir to the vapor generator to generate a vapor/aerosol. Various designs are possible, wherein the components may be arranged differently compared to the highly schematic representation of fig. 1. For example, the wick 6 may be an element completely separate from the heater 4, or the heater 4 may be configured to be porous and capable of directly performing at least part of the wicking function (e.g., a metal mesh). In an electrical or electronic device, the steam generating element may be an electrical heating element operated by ohmic/resistive (joule) heating or induction heating. Thus, in general, an atomizer may be considered to be one or more elements that perform the functions of a vapor producing or vaporizing element capable of producing a vapor from a source liquid delivered thereto and a liquid transport or delivery element capable of delivering or delivering liquid from a reservoir or similar liquid reservoir to the vapor generator by wicking/capillary forces. The atomizer is typically housed in an aerosol cartridge component of the steam generating system. In some designs, the liquid may be dispensed from the reservoir directly onto the vapor generator without the need for a significant wicking or capillary element. Embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable to all and any such configurations consistent with the examples and descriptions herein.

Returning to figure 1, the cartomizer 30 also includes a mouthpiece or mouthpiece portion 35 having an opening or air outlet through which a user can inhale the aerosol generated by the atomizer 4.

The power supply unit or control unit 20 includes a battery unit or battery 5 (hereinafter referred to as a battery and may be rechargeable) to provide power to the electrical components of the e-cigarette 10, in particular to operate the heater 4. In addition, there is a controller 28, such as a printed circuit board and/or other electronics or circuitry, for generally controlling the e-cigarette. When steam is required, the control electronics/circuitry 28 operates the heater 4 using power from the battery 5, for example in response to a signal from an air pressure sensor or air flow sensor (not shown) which detects inhalation on the system 10 during the time air enters through one or more air inlets 26 in the wall of the control unit 20. When the heating element 4 is operated, the heating element 4 vaporizes the source liquid delivered by the liquid delivery element 6 from the reservoir 3 to produce an aerosol which is then inhaled by the user through an opening in the mouthpiece 35. When a user inhales on the mouthpiece 35, aerosol is carried from the aerosol source to the mouthpiece 35 along one or more air channels (not shown) connecting the air inlet 26 to the aerosol source and the air outlet.

As indicated by the double-ended arrows in fig. 1, the control unit (power supply portion) 20 and the cartomizer (cartridge assembly) 30 are separately connectable parts that are separated from each other by being separated in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. When the device 10 is in use, the components 20, 30 are connected together by cooperating engagement elements 21, 31 (e.g. screws or bayonet fittings) that provide a mechanical connection, and in some cases an electrical connection, between the power supply portion 20 and the cartridge assembly 30. If the heater 4 operates by ohmic heating, an electrical connection is required so that when the heater 4 is connected to the battery 5, current can pass through the heater 4. In systems using induction heating, electrical connections may be omitted if there are no components in the cartomizer 30 that require electrical power. The induction operating coil may be housed in the power supply portion 20 and powered by the battery 5, and the cartomizer 30 and the power supply portion 20 are shaped such that when they are connected, the heater 4 is suitably exposed to the magnetic flux generated by the coil so as to generate an electric current in the material of the heater. The induction heating means will be discussed further below. The design of fig. 1 is merely an exemplary arrangement, and various components and features may be variously distributed between the power supply portion 20 and the cartridge assembly portion 30, and may include other components and elements. The two parts may be connected together end to end in a longitudinal configuration as shown in figure 1, or in a different configuration (e.g. parallel, side-by-side arrangement). The system may or may not be substantially cylindrical and/or have a substantially longitudinal shape. One or both parts or components may be intended to be discarded and replaced when depleted (e.g., the reservoir is empty or the battery is dead), or to be used for a variety of purposes by actions such as refilling the reservoir and charging the battery. In other examples, the system 10 may be integrated in that the components of the control unit 20 and the cartomizer 30 are included in a single housing and cannot be separated. Embodiments and examples of the present disclosure are applicable to any of these and other configurations as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Figure 2 illustrates an exterior perspective view of portions that can be assembled to form a cartomizer in accordance with an example of the present disclosure. The cartomizer 40 includes only four parts, which, if appropriately shaped, can be assembled by pushing or pressing the four parts together. Thus, the manufacture can be very simple and straightforward.

The first part is a housing 42 which defines a reservoir for containing an aerosolizable matrix material (hereinafter referred to as a substrate or liquid for simplicity). The housing 42 has a generally tubular shape, in this example, having a circular cross-section, and includes one or more walls shaped to define portions of the reservoir and other items. The cylindrical outer side wall 44 is open at its lower end, i.e. at an opening 46, through which opening 46 the reservoir may be filled with liquid, and to which opening 46 components may be connected as described below to close/seal the reservoir and also to be able to transport liquid outwards for vaporisation. This defines the outer or exterior volume or size of the reservoir. Reference herein to an element or component that is at or outside of the reservoir is intended to mean that the component is outside or partially outside of the area bounded or defined by the outer wall 44 and its upper and lower extents and edges or surfaces.

A cylindrical inner wall 48 is concentrically disposed within the outer sidewall 44. This arrangement defines an annular volume 50 between the outer wall 44 and the inner wall 48, which is a container, cavity, void or the like containing a liquid, in other words a reservoir. The outer wall 44 and the inner wall 48 are connected together (e.g. by a top wall or by walls tapering towards each other) so as to close an upper edge of the reservoir space 50. The inner wall 48 is open at its lower end, i.e. at the opening 52, and so is its upper end. The tubular interior space defined by the inner wall is an airflow channel or passage 54 which, in the assembled system, carries the generated aerosol from the atomizer to the outlet of the mouthpiece of the system for inhalation by the user. The opening 56 at the upper end of the inner wall 48 may be a nozzle outlet configured to be comfortably received in a user's mouth, or a separate nozzle component may be coupled on or around the housing 42, the housing 42 having a channel connecting the opening 56 to the nozzle outlet.

The housing 42 may be formed from a molded plastic material, such as by injection molding. In the example of fig. 2, it is formed of a transparent material; this allows the user to observe the level or amount of liquid in the reservoir 44. Alternatively, the housing may be opaque, or opaque with a transparent window through which the liquid level may be viewed. In some examples, the plastic material may be rigid.

The second portion of the cartomizer 40 is a flow guide member 60, which in this example is also of circular cross-section, and is shaped and configured to engage the lower end of the housing 42. The flow directing member 60 is actually a plug and is configured to provide multiple functions. When inserted into the lower end of the housing 42, it couples with the opening 46 to enclose and seal the reservoir space 50 and with the opening 52 to isolate the airflow passage 54 from the reservoir space 50. Furthermore, the flow guiding member 60 has at least one passage for liquid flow through it, which carries liquid from the reservoir space 50 to a space outside the reservoir, which space acts as an aerosol chamber in which a vapour/aerosol is generated by heating the liquid. Furthermore, the flow guide member 60 has at least one other passage therethrough for aerosol flow which carries the generated aerosol from the aerosol chamber space to the airflow passage 54 in the housing 42 for delivery to the mouthpiece opening for inhalation.

Further, the baffle member 60 may be made of a flexible, resilient material, such as silicone, so that it may be easily engaged with the housing 46 by a friction fit. In addition, the flow directing member has a socket or similar shaped formation (not shown) on its lower surface 62, which lower surface 62 is opposite one or more upper surfaces 64 that engage the housing 42. The socket receives and supports an atomizer 70 as a third part of the cartomizer.

Atomizer 70 has an elongated shape with a first end 72 and a second end 74 disposed opposite with respect to its elongated length. In the assembled cartomizer, the atomizer is mounted at its first end 72, which first end 72 is pushed into the socket of the flow-guiding member 60 in a direction towards the reservoir housing 42. Thus, the first end 72 is supported by the flow directing member 60, and the atomizer 70 extends longitudinally outward from the reservoir substantially along a longitudinal axis defined by the concentrically shaped portion of the housing 42. The second end 74 of the atomizer 70 is not mounted, but remains free. Thus, the atomizer 70 is supported in a cantilevered fashion extending outwardly from the outer boundary of the reservoir. The atomizer 70 performs a wicking function and a heating function in order to generate an aerosol, and may include any of several configurations of a resistive heater portion configured to act as an inductive susceptor and a porous portion configured to wick liquid from a reservoir to the vicinity of the heater.

The fourth portion of the cartomizer 40 is a housing or shroud 80. Also in this example, it has a circular cross-section. It includes a cylindrical side wall 81 closed by an optional bottom wall to define a central hollow space or void 82. The upper edge 84 of the side wall 81 surrounding the opening 86 is shaped such that the housing 80 can engage with mutually shaped features on the flow guide member 60 and/or the reservoir housing 42, so that the housing 80 can be coupled to the flow guide member 60 or the reservoir housing 42 once the atomizer 70 is fitted into the socket on the flow guide member 60. Accordingly, the housing 80 is coupled directly or indirectly to the reservoir housing 42 so as to extend outwardly from the reservoir housing 42. The flow guide member 60 acts as a cover closing the central space 82, and this space 82 forms an aerosol chamber in which the atomizer 70 is arranged. The openings 86 allow communication with the liquid flow passage and the aerosol flow passage in the flow directing member 60 so that liquid can be delivered to the atomizer and the aerosol generated can be removed from the aerosol chamber. In order to enable the air flow through the aerosol chamber to pass through the atomizer 70 and collect the vapor, causing it to become entrained in the air flow forming an aerosol, one or more walls 81 of the housing 80 have one or more openings or perforations to allow air to be drawn into the aerosol chamber when a user inhales through the mouthpiece opening of the cartomizer.

The housing 80 may be formed from a plastic material, for example by injection moulding. It may be formed of a rigid material and then may be easily engaged with the flow directing member by pushing or pressing the two parts together.

As described above, the flow directing member may be made of a flexible, resilient material and may retain the components coupled thereto, i.e., the housing 42, the atomizer 70, and the housing 80, by a friction fit. As these components may be more rigid, the flexibility of the flow directing member enables it to deform slightly when pressed against these other components, thereby accommodating any minor errors in the component manufacturing dimensions. In this manner, the flow directing components are able to absorb manufacturing tolerances of all components while still being able to assemble the components to form the cartomizer 40 with high quality. Thus, the manufacturing requirements for manufacturing the housing 42, atomizer 70 and housing 80 may be somewhat relaxed, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Figure 3 shows a cut-away perspective view of the cartomizer of figure 1 in an assembled configuration. The flow guide member 60 is shaded for clarity. It can be seen how the flow directing member 60 is shaped on its upper surface to engage around the opening 52 defined by the lower edge of the inner wall 48 of the reservoir housing 42 and concentrically outwardly in the opening 46 defined by the lower edge of the outer wall 44 of the housing 42 so as to seal the reservoir space 50 and the air flow passage 54.

The flow guiding member 60 has a liquid flow passage 63 allowing liquid L to flow from the reservoir space 50 through the flow guiding member into a space or volume 65 below the flow guiding member 60. Furthermore, there is an aerosol flow channel 66 which allows aerosol and air a to flow from the space 65 through the flow guiding member 60 to the airflow channel 54.

The housing 80 is shaped at its upper edge to engage with a correspondingly shaped portion in the lower surface of the flow directing member 60 to substantially create an aerosol chamber 82 outside the outer dimensions of the volume of the reservoir 50 in accordance with the reservoir housing 42. In this example, the housing 80 has an aperture 87 at its upper end adjacent the flow directing member 60. This coincides with the space 65 where the liquid flow passage 63 and the aerosol flow passage 66 communicate and thus allows liquid to enter the aerosol chamber 82 and aerosol to exit the aerosol chamber 82 via the passages in the flow guide member 60.

In this example, the hole 87 also acts as a socket for mounting the first supported end 74 of the atomizer 70 (recall that in the description of fig. 2, the atomizer socket is mentioned as being formed in the flow directing member, both options being available). Thus, liquid arriving through the liquid flow channel 63 is delivered directly to the first end of the atomizer 70 for absorption and wicking, and air/aerosol can be drawn through the atomizer and past the atomizer into the aerosol flow channel 66.

In this example, the atomiser 70 comprises a planar elongate portion 71 of metal which is folded or bent at its mid-point such that the two ends of the metal portion are adjacent one another at a first end of the atomiser 74. This acts as a heater component for the atomizer 70. A portion of cotton or other porous material 73 is sandwiched between two folded edges of the metal portion. This acts as a wicking member for atomizer 70. Liquid that reaches the space 65 is collected by the absorbency of the porous wicking material 73 and carried down to the heater. Many other arrangements of elongated atomizers suitable for cantilever mounting are also possible and may be used instead.

The heater component is intended to be heated by induction, as will be described further below.

The examples of figures 2 and 3 have components that are substantially circularly symmetric in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal dimension of the assembled cartomizer. Thus, the components do not have any desired orientation in the plane in which they are joined together, which may ease manufacturing. The components may be assembled together in any orientation about an axis of the longitudinal dimension, and thus, the components need not be placed in a particular orientation prior to assembly. However, this is not essential and the components may be shaped instead.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a cartomizer assembled by another example, which cartomizer includes a reservoir housing, a flow guide member, an atomizer, and a shell, as previously described. However, in this example, at least some portions have an elliptical shape rather than a circular shape in a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cartomizer 40 and are arranged symmetrically along the major and minor axes of the elliptical shape. The features are reflected on either side of the major axis and on either side of the minor axis. This means that for assembly, the components may have either of two orientations, rotated 180 ° from each other about the longitudinal axis. Also, assembly is simplified compared to systems containing asymmetric components.

In this example, the housing 80 also includes side walls 81 and a bottom wall 83, the side walls 81 being formed to have varying cross-sections at different points along the longitudinal axis of the housing, the bottom wall 83 defining a space in which the aerosol chamber 82 is created. Towards its upper end, the housing widens to a large cross-section to provide a space to accommodate the flow guide member 60. The large cross-sectional portion of the housing 80 has a generally elliptical cross-section (see fig. 4(B)), while the narrower cross-sectional portion of the housing has a generally circular cross-section (see fig. 4 (C)). The upper edge 84 of the housing surrounding the top opening 86 is shaped to engage a corresponding shape on the reservoir housing 42. Such shaping and engagement is shown in simplified form in fig. 4; in practice, it may be more complicated to provide a reasonably gas-and liquid-tight connection. In this case, the housing 80 has at least one opening 85 in the bottom wall 83 to allow air to enter the aerosol chamber during inhalation by the user.

The reservoir housing 42 is shaped differently than the examples of figures 2 and 3. The outer wall 44 defines an interior space divided into three regions by two inner walls 48. These regions are arranged side by side. The central area between the two inner walls 48 is a reservoir space 50 for containing liquid. This area is closed at the top by the top wall of the housing. An opening 46 in the bottom of the reservoir space allows liquid to be delivered from the reservoir 50 to the aerosol chamber 82. Two side regions between the outer wall 44 and the inner wall 48 are airflow channels 54. Each side region has an opening 52 at its lower end for aerosol to enter and a nozzle opening 56 at its upper end (as previously described, a separate nozzle portion may be added externally to the reservoir housing 42).

A flow guide member 60 (shown shaded for clarity) is engaged by a shaped portion into the lower edge of the housing 42 to engage with the openings 46 and 52 in the housing 42 to close/seal the reservoir space 50 and the air flow passage 54. The flow directing member 60 has a single centrally disposed liquid flow passage 63 which is aligned with the reservoir space opening 46 to deliver liquid L from the reservoir to the aerosolization chamber 82. Furthermore, there are two aerosol flow channels 66, each extending from an inlet of the aerosol chamber 82 to an outlet of the airflow channel 54, through which aerosol flow channels air entering the aerosol chamber through the orifice 85 and collecting vapour in the aerosol chamber 82 flows into the airflow channel 54 to the mouthpiece outlet 56.

The atomizer 70 is mounted by inserting its first end 72 into the liquid flow passage 63 of the flow directing member 60. Thus, in this example, the liquid flow channel 63 acts as a socket for cantilever mounting of the atomizer 70. Thus, the first end 72 of the atomizer 70 is directly supplied with liquid entering the liquid flow channel 60 from the reservoir 50, and this liquid is absorbed through the porous nature of the atomizer 70 and drawn along the atomizer length to be heated by the heater portion (not shown) of the atomizer 70 located in the aerosol chamber 70.

Fig. 4(a), (B) and (C) show cross-sections through the cartomizer 40 at corresponding positions along the longitudinal axis of the cartomizer 40.

While aspects of the present disclosure are related to nebulizers in which the heating aspect is achieved by resistive heating, which requires electrical connection to a heating element to pass an electrical current, the design of the nebulizing cartridge is particularly relevant to the use of induction heating. This is a process by which an electrically conductive article, typically made of metal, is heated by electromagnetic induction, which generates heat by eddy currents flowing in the article. When high-frequency alternating current from the oscillator passes through, the induction coil (working coil) works as an electromagnet; this generates a magnetic field. When an electrically conductive article is placed in a flux of a magnetic field, the magnetic field penetrates the article and induces eddy currents. These eddy currents flow in the article and generate heat according to the current by joule heating against the resistance of the article, in the same way as heat is generated in the resistive electric heating element by directly supplying current. Induction heating is an attractive feature that does not require electrical connection to a conductive item; instead, it is required to generate a sufficient magnetic flux density in the area occupied by the article. In the case of a vapour supply system, where heat needs to be generated in the vicinity of the liquid, this is advantageous, since a more efficient separation of liquid and current can be achieved. Given that no other electrically powered items are placed in the cartomizer, no electrical connection is required between the cartomizer and its power supply portion, and the cartomizer walls can provide a more effective liquid barrier, thereby reducing the likelihood of leakage.

As mentioned above, induction heating is effective for directly heating an electrically conductive article, but may also be used for indirectly heating an electrically non-conductive article. In vapor supply systems, it is desirable to provide heat to the liquid in the porous wicking portion of the atomizer in order to cause vaporization. For indirect heating by induction, an electrically conductive article is placed near or in contact with the article to be heated and between the work coil and the heated article. The work coil directly heats the electrically conductive article by induction heating, and heat is transferred to the electrically non-conductive article by thermal radiation or conduction. In this arrangement, the electrically conductive article is referred to as a susceptor. Thus, in an atomizer, the heating member may be provided by an electrically conductive material (typically a metal) that acts as an induction susceptor to transfer thermal energy to the porous portion of the atomizer.

Fig. 5 shows a highly simplified schematic diagram of a steam supply system including an aerosol cartridge 40 according to an example of the present disclosure and a power supply component 20 configured for induction heating. The cartomizer 40 may be as shown in the examples of figures 2, 3 and 4 (although other arrangements are not excluded) and is only shown in outline for simplicity. The cartomizer 40 includes an atomizer 70 in which heating is achieved by induction heating, whereby a susceptor (not shown) provides the heating function. The atomizer 70 is located in the lower portion of the cartomizer 40 and is surrounded by a housing 80. the housing 80 not only serves to define the aerosol chamber, but also provides a degree of protection for the atomizer 70, which atomizer 70 is relatively vulnerable to damage due to its cantilevered mounting. However, the cantilever mounting of the atomizer 70 enables an efficient induction heating, since the atomizer 70 can be inserted into the interior space of the coil 90, in particular, the liquid reservoir is located away from the interior space of the operating coil 90. Thus, the power supply component 20 includes a recess 22 in which the housing 80 of the cartomizer 40 is received when the cartomizer 40 is coupled to the power supply component for use (e.g., by a friction fit, a clamping action, threads, or a magnet catch). An inductive work coil 90 is positioned in the power supply component 20 to surround the recess 22, the coil 90 having a longitudinal axis over which the individual turns of the coil extend and a length that substantially matches the length of the susceptor such that when the cartomizer 40 and the power supply component 20 are engaged, the coil 90 and the susceptor overlap. In other embodiments, the length of the coil may not substantially match the length of the susceptor, for example, the length of the susceptor may be shorter than the length of the coil, or the length of the susceptor may be longer than the length of the coil. In this manner, the susceptor is located within the magnetic field generated by the coil 90. If the article is positioned such that the separation of the susceptor from the surrounding coil is minimized, the flux experienced by the susceptor may be higher and the heating effect more effective. However, this separation is set at least in part by the width of the aerosol chamber formed by the housing 80, which needs to be sized to allow sufficient air flow through the atomizer and avoid droplet retention. Therefore, these two requirements need to be balanced against each other in determining the size and position of the various items.

The power supply unit 20 includes a battery 5 for supplying power to energize the coil 90 at a suitable AC frequency. In addition, a controller 28 is included to control the power supply when steam generation is required, and possibly to provide other control functions for the steam supply system not further considered herein. The power supply components may also include other parts not shown and not relevant to the present discussion.

The example of figure 5 is a system in a linear arrangement in which the power supply component 20 and the cartomizer 40 are coupled end-to-end to achieve a pen-like shape.

Figure 6 shows a simplified schematic of an alternative design in which the cartomizer 40 provides a mouthpiece for a box-like arrangement in which the battery 5 is provided in the power supply component 20 on one side of the cartomizer 40. Other arrangements are also possible.

The housing 80 is included in the cartomizer to perform a series of functions. These functions include protection of the atomizer 70, which atomizer 70 may be susceptible to damage due to its cantilevered mounting for improved inductive coupling between the atomizer 70 and the inductive work coil of the steam supply system. The housing also partially or completely defines an aerosol chamber surrounding the atomizer, wherein an aerosol is formed based on vaporization of the liquid by the atomizer and an incoming air flow through the housing. If the housing is fully or partially closed at its lower end (e.g., by an end wall), it may act as a sump to collect liquid. This may reduce leakage of free liquid from the cartomiser in the event that any liquid escapes from the reservoir without being absorbed by the porous portion of the cartomiser or in the event that free liquid is formed in the aerosol chamber as a result of condensation of vapour.

The housing may include any of a number of features relating to the performance of these and other functions.

As mentioned above, the housing may have a shaped feature on its upper edge which engages with a corresponding shaped feature on another part of the cartomiser, in particular the reservoir housing or the flow guide member or possibly both parts. For example, the housing may have one or more flanges or similar protruding features that fit into similarly shaped and sized recesses on the housing or the flow directing member, or vice versa, so that the two parts can be pushed together in a snap-fit arrangement. Alternatively, if the engagement region has a circular cross-section, the components may be connected by threads, but this is less attractive from the point of view of ease of assembly during manufacture of the cartomiser.

For the purpose of reusing the cartomizer, it may be desirable to prevent the user from refilling the reservoir once the liquid is consumed. This may be for security reasons, for example. Thus, in some examples, the shaped feature by which the housing is coupled, engaged, or otherwise attached to the reservoir housing or flow directing member may be configured to prevent such reuse. In other words, the shaping is configured to prevent the outer shell from being easily removed after having been coupled to the remainder of the cartomizer during the manufacturing process, or from being reconnected to the remainder of the cartomizer if the user successfully removes it, or both. For example, mating forming features may be shaped to easily push the components together, but not allow them to be pulled apart. For example, the shaping may be inwardly inclined in the direction of attachment but include barbed features that serve to resist pulling in the outward direction of detachment. Alternatively or additionally, the shaping may be configured such that the shaped feature breaks, fractures, cracks, twists, or otherwise breaks under the tensile force applied in an attempt to separate the outer shell from the remainder of the cartomizer, such that the outer shell cannot be reconnected. Particularly thin or fragile portions may be included in the shaped features to facilitate such structural failure.

Figure 7 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing coupled to the reservoir housing by a mating joint shaped for breaking to prevent reuse. The reservoir housing 42 has an engagement flange 92 in the shape of an inward and upward incline at its lower edge. The housing 80 has a downwardly and outwardly inclined engagement flange 94 at its upper edge or rim 84. The material of the two flanges 42, 80 allows for slight flexing so that the engagement flanges 92, 94 can deform enough to slide over each other and snap back into place when the housing 80 is pushed up or into the reservoir housing 42, thereby connecting or coupling the housing 80 to the housing 42. The inclination of the engagement flanges 92, 94 serves to resist pulling outward to separate the housing 80 from the reservoir housing 42 so that the two parts are effectively locked together. Furthermore, the engagement flange 94 of the housing has a thinner region 96 between the engagement flange 94 and the major side wall 81 of the housing 80 than the adjacent region, such that under a pulling action to remove the housing 80, the thinner region 96 will break or fracture with sufficient separation force such that the engagement portion 94 separates from the housing wall 81 and the housing cannot be reconnected or recoupled to the reservoir 42 once disengaged.

As an alternative to preventing reuse and refilling, in other words to provide a tamper-proof cartomizer, the housing may be permanently connected to the reservoir housing or the flow guiding member by gluing with an adhesive or by welding (e.g. ultrasonic welding or laser welding), depending on the materials used for the various components. This will prevent easy removal of the housing and thus also prevent access to the interior of the reservoir for refilling.

Figure 8 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing coupled to the reservoir housing by a permanent connection to prevent reuse. Each of the reservoir housing 42 and the casing 80 has flanges 92, 94 for connection as previously described. In this case, however, the flanges 92, 94 do not interlock as in the example of fig. 7. Rather, they are shaped to each have a flat surface that abuts the flat surface of the other flange when the housing 80 and reservoir housing 42 are brought together. An adhesive may be applied to one or both of the planar surfaces, or a weld may be applied to fuse the planar surfaces together to form a bond 98 between the two portions, which bond 98 inhibits removal of the outer shell 80 from the cartomizer.

It is clear that any shaped part included to achieve engagement of the housings may be shaped differently from the examples of fig. 7 and 8 in order to achieve the same or similar effect.

In these different examples, the housing is a separate component from the reservoir housing, and the two are coupled together during the process of manufacturing the cartomizer. However, this is not essential and the housing may alternatively be formed integrally with the reservoir housing (or optionally with the flow directing member), for example by injection moulding of a suitably shaped component.

Manufacturing a cartomizer by assembling the various components together requires inserting the first end of the atomizer into the socket to achieve a cantilever mounting. Thus, in configurations where the housing is integrally formed with another portion of the cartomizer, the outer wall of the housing requires a sufficiently large aperture to allow the atomizer to be installed. The housing cannot be largely or completely closed by side walls and a bottom wall as in the example of fig. 3 and 4, since this does not allow the mounting of the atomizer. Furthermore, it is desirable to include a flow directing member. For example, the housing may not have a bottom wall in order to enable mounting of the atomizer.

Figure 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary cartomizer in which the outer shell is integrally formed. The reservoir housing 42, as in the example of fig. 3, has an annular reservoir 50 surrounding a central airflow passage 54. However, the outer sidewall 44 of the reservoir housing 42 extends downwardly past the location where the flow guide member 60 is inserted to seal the bottom of the reservoir 50 and the air flow passage 54. In such an embodiment, the downward extension may be considered to form a housing 80 that is open at the bottom but surrounds the atomizer 70 mounted in the flow directing member 60. The housing 80 has the form of a skirt depending from the bottom edge of the reservoir housing 42. The housing 80 thus shaped still serves to define an aerosol chamber 82 around the atomizer 70, and the lower boundary of the aerosol chamber may be defined by a recess in the power supply component into which the cartomizer is inserted, as shown in the example of fig. 5 and 6. In further embodiments, the housing 42 may extend downwardly as shown in FIG. 9, but a separate housing 80, such as the housing shown in FIG. 4, may be coupled to the inner wall of the housing 42. The inner wall may have corresponding engagement portions to enable engagement with a separate housing 80. The extended wall 42 of the reservoir housing may provide protection for the separate casing 80 and/or prevent a user from easily accessing the separate casing 80 (e.g., by grasping the bottom of the casing 80 with their fingers). In addition, the extended reservoir housing may provide a more visually appealing and/or more familiar appearance to the cartomizer 40. In embodiments having an extended reservoir housing 42, the power supply portion 20 may have a recessed portion on its outer surface at a location generally corresponding to the coil 90, such that when the cartomizer 40 is coupled with the power supply portion, the housing of the power supply portion forms a flush connection with the extended reservoir housing.

Thus, there are a number of ways in which the housing may be connected or joined to the reservoir housing so as to extend outwardly from the outer boundary of the reservoir to enclose the atomizer. A portion of the housing adjacent to and enabling or embodying an extended relationship with the reservoir housing may be referred to as a joint portion and, as noted above, this may be an integral joint or a joint between separate components, which in turn may be a single use joint or a multiple use joint.

As mentioned above, and with particular reference to the example of fig. 3, the housing may include a socket into which the atomiser is inserted. Alternatively, the socket may be formed in the flow directing member, which in turn is suitably positioned relative to the housing for cantilevered positioning of the atomizer. The socket supports the atomiser and so the part or part of the part in which the socket is defined may be considered to be the supporting part. Thus, the support portion may be included in the housing as it is integrally formed with the housing, or it may be a separate component, such as a flow directing member coupled to the housing or casing.

In order to enable the required air to flow through the cartomizer over which it passes and over the atomizer and to accumulate the generated vapor to form an aerosol, which is delivered to the user through an air flow channel external to the cartomizer, it is necessary for the air to enter an aerosol chamber defined by the housing. Thus, the housing should not create an airtight environment when it is coupled to the reservoir housing. There should be at least one aperture in one or more walls of the housing through which air is drawn into the interior of the housing when a user inhales through the mouthpiece outlet of the cartomizer. There are a number of ways in which the air inlet aperture may be provided.

In the example of fig. 9, the housing, which is integrally formed with the reservoir housing, lacks a bottom wall so that the atomizer and the flow guide member can be positioned inside the cartomizer. The absence of the bottom wall thus creates a large hole in the housing wall for the intake air. This method can also be used in the following examples: the housing is a separate component coupled to the reservoir housing; the open base is not limited to an integrally formed housing.

In examples where the housing has a bottom wall, the aperture may be present in the bottom wall. The bottom wall is an effective location for air intake because it allows air to flow through the entire longitudinal extent of the atomizer, thereby collecting the maximum amount of vapor.

Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional side view of the housing 80 including three apertures or holes 85 in the bottom wall 83. Any number of holes may be included in the bottom wall; for example, the example of fig. 4 has a single aperture 85. Alternatively or additionally, the aperture 85 may be provided in the side wall 81 of the housing 80, as also shown in fig. 10. Positioning the apertures 85 at or towards the lower portion of the side wall 81 allows the inhaled air to have a long path through the aerosol chamber to maximize the collection of vapor.

If the housing does not have a bottom wall, or has large sized apertures (i.e., sizes that allow liquid to easily flow through the apertures) in its bottom or side walls, the housing can leak any free liquid that enters the housing, whether from the reservoir or from condensation of the vapor/aerosol. To reduce such leakage, the aperture may be configured differently.

For example, the aperture in the housing wall(s) may be made small enough to be permeable to air, allowing air to flow inwardly, but substantially impermeable to liquid, preventing liquid from flowing outwardly (which is indicative of a liquid leak). Impermeability results from the surface tension of the liquid. Thus, the appropriate pore size of the housing wall(s) will depend on factors including the viscosity of the liquid filling the reservoir. Generally, when a liquid is used in the cartomizer, the orifice can be made smaller than the capillary length of the liquid. Thicker or more viscous liquids may be paired with larger orifices, such that fewer orifices are needed for a given intake. Thinner or less viscous liquids need to be paired with smaller orifices so that more orifices may be needed to obtain a sufficient amount of intake air. Thus, the aperture in the housing wall(s) may be provided as a plurality of apertures and may be considered as perforations. Similar to the larger openings shown in fig. 10, the holes may be evenly distributed on the wall of the housing or may be concentrated at the bottom.

In addition, by coating with a hydrophobic material, the pores can be made less permeable to liquids. In this way, liquid is repelled by the pores and does not leak through the pores. The holes also remain free of liquid so that air can enter and maintain the desired amount of intake air.

Alternatively, one or more of the apertures may be made permeable to air and substantially impermeable to liquid by being provided with a valve which is operable to open to allow air to flow into the housing but remains closed to prevent liquid from flowing outwardly. This is easily achieved in the case of a cartomiser cartridge, since the suction on the vapour supply system draws air in the required inward direction. Thus, when a user inhales, the air pressure within the enclosure will drop and become lower than the air pressure outside the enclosure, and the valve will open in response to this pressure differential, allowing air to be sent into the low pressure interior of the enclosure. In contrast, the amount of liquid that may accumulate in the housing will be so small that the pressure in the housing is insufficient to open the valve outward to allow liquid to leak. However, it may be desirable to use a one-way valve that is configured to not open in an outward direction in order to prevent liquid from being expelled from the housing in the event that a user blows into the cartomizer rather than inhales.

Any suitable type of valve may be used for this purpose. However, in order to maintain the ease of manufacture and the simplicity of construction, the valve may be disposed in the bottom wall of the housing by making the bottom wall from an elastic material (elastomer) and cutting the valve therein. For example, the valve may be a simple cross comprising two intersecting slits.

Fig. 11 shows a plan view of the housing 80 viewed from below, the housing 80 having a valve 100 cut into the bottom wall. Due to the flexibility of the resilient material, the segments 100a of the valve 100 are able to deform, drawing air inwardly when a user inhales. However, the pressure of any free liquid that may accumulate in the housing will not be sufficient to open the valve outward to allow liquid to escape.

In configurations of the housing where the lower portion effectively closes off the outlet for liquid (e.g., a solid bottom wall, a valve in the bottom wall, an aperture impermeable to the flow of liquid), the housing may be considered to perform the function of a sump (pump). It can collect any free liquid in its lower part and prevent this liquid from escaping outwards from the cartomiser. In this way, the total leakage from the cartomizer and the steam supply system in which the cartomizer is used can be reduced, and liquid can be prevented from entering the power supply components where it can damage the electrical components of the steam supply system.

Another method of minimizing liquid leakage from a cartomizer involves leakage that may occur prior to using the cartomizer during the period between filling the reservoir and coupling the cartomizer to the power supply components for the aerosol supply during the manufacturing process. Assuming that the joint between the various parts of the cartomizer is substantially leak-proof, the cartomizer has openings which, as described above, tend to shed liquid at the mouth of the mouthpiece and at any orifice of the housing. To reduce leakage prior to use, the cartomizer may be provided with a seal or the like that covers one or more openings or apertures and is removable by the user prior to use of the cartomizer.

Figure 12 shows a highly simplified schematic cross-sectional side view of an exemplary cartomizer having a seal of this type. The cartomizer 40 has a mouthpiece outlet 56 at the upper end of the reservoir housing 42 and an aperture 85 in the bottom wall 83 of the housing 80 for air intake. Each of these openings is provided with a removable sealing layer 102, for example in the form of a peelable adhesive label, which can be removed by a user. For example, each sealing layer 102 may have a pull tab, tear strip or pull tab 104, or the like, by which the sealing layer 102 may be grasped and pulled for removal. The same arrangement may be used for the holes 85 at other locations on the housing 80. If more than one aperture 85 is provided, a separate sealing layer 102 may be provided for each aperture. Alternatively, the sealing layer may be provided on fewer than all of the outlets and apertures, for example only on the housing apertures. In examples including more than one sealing layer, a common tab/tear strip shared by all sealing layers may be used, by which all sealing layers may be removed by a single pulling action.

Figure 13 shows a highly simplified schematic cross-sectional side view of an exemplary cartomizer with an alternative sealing arrangement. In this example, a single sealing layer 102 with a pull tab 104 covers the housing aperture 85 and the nozzle outlet 56 (and adheres to a middle portion of the cartomizer surface). Thus, all openings can be opened for use by removing a single sealing layer, which may be more convenient for the user, and ensures that the cartomizer is properly prepared for use, since it is not possible to remove fewer than all of the seals.

If desired, a sealing layer without a tab may be used.

As described above, in the process of generating an aerosol using the vapour supply system, air is drawn into the housing to collect vapour generated by the atomiser in the aerosol chamber, thereby entraining the vapour in the air flow to deliver the aerosol to the nozzle outlet. If the air flow is not smooth, the accumulation of vapor and aerosol formation by the flowing air may be improved.

Fig. 14 shows a simplified schematic side view of a housing configured for improved aerosol formation by perturbing the airflow. The housing 80 may be configured according to any of the previous examples, or according to the features described herein. As previously described, it has an outer side wall 81. In this example, the inner surface 81a of the outer sidewall 81 is provided with surface features 106 in the form of bumps, ridges, protrusions or other surface patterning that disrupt the inner surface 81a and prevent it from becoming smooth. The presence of the surface patterning disrupts or otherwise disrupts the air flow between the aperture(s) 85 and the opening 86, and aerosol exits the aerosol chamber through the opening 86. In this way, some turbulence or similar disturbance is introduced into the airflow. This increases the interaction of the air with the vapour in the aerosol chamber to enhance the aerosol generation. The size of the surface features 106 should be considered to have a significant effect on the airflow while maintaining sufficient spacing between the atomizer and the inner surface 91a so that the droplets can move freely with the flowing air. Alternatively or additionally, the atomiser itself may have surface features in the form of bumps, ridges, protrusions or other surface patterning which disrupt the surface of the susceptor. The air flow is broadly between the inner surface of the housing 81 and the outer surface of the atomizer, which includes a susceptor (heater) and/or porous (wicking) material, so any or all of these components may include features that create some turbulence, perturbation, or disturbance to the air flow as it is drawn through the atomizer from the lower portion of the housing. Such surface features may be considered flow disturbance features.

Accordingly, an exemplary embodiment provides a cartridge or cartomizer for a steam supply system, comprising: an elongate atomiser for vaporising an atomiseable matrix material; a housing at least partially enclosing the elongated atomizer to define an aerosol chamber around the atomizer; an airflow path through the aerosol chamber defined between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the elongated atomizer along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the atomizer; and at least one flow disruption feature on an inner surface of the housing and/or an outer surface of the elongated atomizer configured to disrupt air flow along the airflow path.

In summary, the present disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced, in order to solve various problems and to advance the art. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are provided solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed invention(s). It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, components, steps, means, and the like, in addition to those specifically described herein. The present disclosure may include other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in the future.