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US-20260123685-A1 - AEROSOL-GENERATING SYSTEM HAVING A CARTRIDGE AND A BYPASS AIR INLET

US20260123685A1US 20260123685 A1US20260123685 A1US 20260123685A1US-20260123685-A1

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system (includes a cartridge, a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and an aerosol-generating device. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing and a solid aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating device includes a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge, an airflow inlet, and an airflow sensor. The airflow sensor is in fluid communication with the airflow inlet and the cavity). The aerosol-generating device includes a bypass air inlet in fluid communication with the cavity, an electric heater configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and a controller. The aerosol-generating system is configured so that the cartridge housing substantially prevents airflow through the bypass air inlet when the cartridge is received within the cavity.

Inventors

  • Tony Reevell

Assignees

  • ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20260102
Priority Date
20161219

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An aerosol-generating system comprising: an aerosol-generating device including, a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of a cartridge, an airflow inlet, an airflow sensor between the airflow inlet and the cavity, the airflow sensor in fluid communication with the airflow inlet and the cavity, and a bypass air inlet in fluid communication with the cavity.
  2. 2 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 1 , where the cartridge comprises: a cartridge housing.
  3. 3 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge further comprises: a storage portion in the cartridge housing, the storage portion containing an aerosol-forming substrate.
  4. 4 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 3 , wherein the cartridge further comprises: a heater configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate.
  5. 5 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 4 , wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises: a power supply in the aerosol-generating device, the power supply configured to supply power to the heater.
  6. 6 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 5 , wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises: a controller in the aerosol-generating device, the controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the power supply to the heater in response to a signal from the airflow sensor indicative of airflow across the airflow sensor.
  7. 7 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 1 , wherein the bypass air inlet is in a side wall of the cavity.
  8. 8 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 1 , wherein the bypass air inlet comprises a plurality of bypass air inlets.
  9. 9 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 2 , wherein the aerosol-generating system is configured such that the cartridge housing reduces airflow through the bypass air inlet when the cartridge is within the cavity.
  10. 10 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 3 , wherein the aerosol-forming substrate is a liquid aerosol-forming substrate.
  11. 11 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 10 , wherein the storage portion comprises a porous carrier material, and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is on the porous carrier material.
  12. 12 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 10 , wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises: a liquid transfer element configured to transfer the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to a heater.
  13. 13 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 12 , wherein the cartridge further comprises: a frangible seal.
  14. 14 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 13 , wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises: a piercing element configured to pierce the frangible seal when the cartridge is inserted into the aerosol-generating device.
  15. 15 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 14 , wherein the piercing element comprises: a hollow shaft portion; and a piercing portion at an end of the hollow shaft portion.
  16. 16 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the heater is inside the hollow shaft portion.
  17. 17 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 16 , wherein a first portion of the liquid transfer element is inside the hollow shaft portion.
  18. 18 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 17 , wherein the heater comprises a resistive heating coil at least partially wound around the first portion of the liquid transfer element.
  19. 19 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 17 , wherein the liquid transfer element extends through an aperture in the hollow shaft portion.
  20. 20 . The aerosol-generating system of claim 19 , wherein a second portion of the liquid transfer element overlies an outer surface of the hollow shaft portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/174,868, filed Feb. 27,2023, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/930,670, filed Jul. 16, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/838,829, filed Dec. 12, 2017, which claims priority to PCT/EP2017/080862, filed on Nov. 29, 2017, and further claims priority to EP 16205103.1, filed on Dec. 19, 2016, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Example embodiments relate to an aerosol-generating system (which may also be referred to as electronic vaping systems or electrically operated smoking systems) having a cartridge and an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device may have a cavity configured to receive the cartridge and a bypass air inlet. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART One type of aerosol-generating system is an electrically operated smoking system. Electrically operated smoking systems typically may comprise an aerosol-generating device comprising a battery, control electronics and an electric heater configured to heat an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may be contained within part of the aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating device may comprise a liquid storage portion in which a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, such as a nicotine solution, is stored. Such devices, which may be referred to as ‘e-cigarettes’, may contain a liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The e-cigarette may include a tobacco-based substrate so as to impart a tobacco taste to the aerosol inhaled by the vaper. The tobacco-based substrate may be provided in a removable cartridge. SUMMARY At least one example embodiment relates to an aerosol-generating system. In at least one example embodiment, an aerosol-generating system includes a cartridge, a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and an aerosol-generating device. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing, and a solid aerosol-forming substrate in the cartridge housing. The aerosol-generating device includes a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge, an airflow inlet, an airflow sensor between the airflow inlet and the cavity, the airflow sensor in fluid communication with the airflow inlet and the cavity, a bypass air inlet in fluid communication with the cavity, an electric heater configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply configured to supply power to the electric heater, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the power supply to the electric heater in response to a signal from the airflow sensor indicative of airflow across the airflow sensor. The aerosol-generating system is configured so that the cartridge housing substantially prevents airflow through the bypass air inlet when the cartridge is received within the cavity. In at least one example embodiment, the bypass air inlet is in a sidewall of the cavity. The bypass air inlet comprises a plurality of bypass air inlets, and the aerosol-generating system is configured such that the cartridge housing substantially prevents airflow through each of the bypass air inlets when the cartridge is within the cavity. In at least one example embodiment, the aerosol-generating device comprises a liquid storage section and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate positioned within the liquid storage section. The liquid storage section comprises a porous carrier material, and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is on the porous carrier material. In at least one example embodiment, the aerosol-generating device further comprises a liquid transfer element configured to transfer the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the electric heater. The liquid aerosol-forming substrate is within the cartridge housing. The cartridge comprises a porous carrier material, and the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is on the porous carrier material. The aerosol-generating device comprises a liquid transfer element configured to transfer the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the porous carrier material to the electric heater. The cartridge further comprises a frangible seal. The aerosol-generating device further comprises a piercing element configured to pierce the frangible seal when the cartridge is inserted into the aerosol-generating device receives. The piercing element comprises a hollow shaft portion and a piercing portion at an end of the hollow shaft portion. At least a portion of the electric heater is positioned inside the hollow shaft portion. A first portion of the liquid transfer element is inside the hollow shaft portion, and the electric heater comprises a resistive heating coil at least partially wound around the first portion of the liquid transfer element. In at least one example embodiment, the liquid transfer element extends through an aperture in the hollow shaft portion, and a second portion of the liquid transfer element overlies an