Air flow design for an e-vaping cartridge, method of making the e-vaping cartridge, and e-vaping device including the cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10506830-B2
Application number	US-201715712353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

The cartridge includes a housing, a reservoir containing a pre-vapor formulation, a vapor generator in communication with a central passage, the central passage including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The vapor generator is configured to communicate the pre-vapor formulation to the first portion of the central passage. A first air inlet is in communication with the second portion of the central air passage, where the second portion is between the vapor generator and the first air inlet. A dilution air inlet intersects the third portion of the central air passage, where the third portion is between the vapor generator and an outlet of the cartridge. The dilution air inlet defines a dilution air passage that does not pass through the vapor generator. The e-vaping device includes the cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir within the housing, the reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation;
a tube extending longitudinally within the housing, the tube at least partially defining a central airflow passage, the central airflow passage including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion, the second portion and the third portion of the central airflow passage being in communication with each other;
a vapor generator in communication with the first portion of the central airflow passage, the vapor generator configured to communicate the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the first portion of the central airflow passage and at least partially vaporize the pre-vapor formulation into a vapor;
a first air inlet in communication with the second portion of the central airflow passage, the second portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and the first air inlet;
a dilution air inlet intersecting the third portion of the central airflow passage, the third portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and an outlet of the cartridge, the dilution air inlet defining a dilution air passage that does not pass through the vapor generator; and
an airflow restrictor within the central airflow passage, the airflow restrictor being positioned in the third portion of the central airflow passage, the dilution air inlet intersecting the third portion of the central airflow passage between the outlet of the cartridge and a discharge end of the airflow restrictor.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the airflow restrictor is one of a flow tube or a gasket.

3. The cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the airflow restrictor is the flow tube, the flow tube having a length between about 8 mm and 12 mm, the flow tube having a first internal diameter between about 0.8 mm and 2 mm, and a second internal diameter of the first portion of the central airflow passage is in a range of about 2 mm to 6 mm.

4. The cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the airflow restrictor is the gasket, the gasket having a length of about 1 mm, the gasket having a third internal diameter between about 0.6 mm and 1.0 mm, and a fourth internal diameter of the first portion of the central airflow passage is in a range of about 2 mm to 6 mm.

5. A cartridge, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir within the housing, the reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation;
a tube extending longitudinally within the housing, the tube at least partially defining a central airflow passage, the central airflow passage including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion, the second portion and the third portion of the central airflow passage being in communication with each other;
a vapor generator in communication with the first portion of the central airflow passage, the vapor generator configured to communicate the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the first portion of the central airflow passage and at least partially vaporize the pre-vapor formulation into a vapor;
a first air inlet in communication with the second portion of the central airflow passage, the second portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and the first air inlet;
a dilution air inlet intersecting the third portion of the central airflow passage, the third portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and an outlet of the cartridge, the dilution air inlet defining a dilution air passage that does not pass through the vapor generator; and
an airflow restrictor within the central airflow passage, the airflow restrictor being positioned in at least one of the second portion of the central airflow passage or the third portion of the central airflow passage,
wherein the housing defines a second air inlet for the cartridge, the second air inlet partially defining the dilution air passage, the central airflow passage and the dilution air passage being sized to provide a first expected volumetric airflow rate through the central airflow passage and a second expected volumetric airflow rate through the dilution air passage that is in a ratio of about 60:40 during operational use of the cartridge.

6. A cartridge, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir within the housing, the reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation;
a tube extending longitudinally within the housing, the tube at least partially defining a central airflow passage, the central airflow passage including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion, the second portion and the third portion of the central airflow passage being in communication with each other;
a vapor generator in communication with the first portion of the central airflow passage, the vapor generator configured to communicate the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the first portion of the central airflow passage and at least partially vaporize the pre-vapor formulation into a vapor;
a first air inlet in communication with the second portion of the central airflow passage, the second portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and the first air inlet;
a dilution air inlet intersecting the third portion of the central airflow passage, the third portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and an outlet of the cartridge, the dilution air inlet defining a dilution air passage that does not pass through the vapor generator; and
an airflow restrictor within the central airflow passage, the airflow restrictor being positioned in at least one of the second portion of the central airflow passage or the third portion of the central airflow passage,
wherein an end of the dilution air inlet is in direct communication with the second portion of the central airflow passage, the dilution air inlet being a bypass vent that circumvents the vapor generator.

7. The cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the central airflow passage and the dilution air passage are sized to provide a first expected volumetric airflow rate through the central airflow passage and a second expected volumetric airflow rate through the dilution air passage that is in a ratio of about 1:1 during operational use of the cartridge.

8. The cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising:
a non-combustible tobacco vaping insert positioned in at least one of the second portion or the third portion of the central airflow passage,
wherein the vapor generator includes,
a heater configured to at least partially vaporize the pre-vapor formulation, the heater being in communication with the first portion of the central airflow passage; and
a wick in communication with the heater and the reservoir, the wick being configured to communicate the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the heater.

9. A method of making a cartridge, the cartridge including,
a tube extending longitudinally within a housing, the tube at least partially defining a central airflow passage, the central airflow passage including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion of the central airflow passage that are in communication with each other,
a vapor generator in communication with the first portion of the central airflow passage, and
a first air inlet in communication with the second portion of the central airflow passage, the second portion of the central airflow passage being between the vapor generator and the first air inlet,
the method comprising:
providing a dilution air inlet in the cartridge, the dilution air inlet intersecting the third portion of the central airflow passage, the third portion of the central

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Li San
• Hawes Eric
• Lau Raymond
• Arents Robert
• Kobal Gerd

Classifications

• A61M11/04

  operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised {(air-humidification, e.g. "room humidifiers" F24F6/00)} · CPC title

• A61M2206/10

  Flow characteristics · CPC title

• A61M15/0003

  with means for dispensing more than one drug · CPC title

• A61M11/003

  by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters · CPC title

• A61M15/0021

  Mouthpieces therefor · CPC title