Electronic vaping device

Abstract

An electronic vaping device includes an outer tube extending in a longitudinal direction, an inner tube within the outer tube, a reservoir comprising a pre-vapor formulation, a wick in communication with the reservoir, and a heater in communication with the wick. The electronic vaping device may also include at least one of a mouth-end insert including four outlets and a flow constriction in the inner tube. Each outlet is at an end of an off-axis passage that extends from an inlet to the outlet. Each off-axis passage extends tangentially to a circumference surrounding a central, longitudinally extending axis of the electronic vaping device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cartridge of an electronic vaping device, the cartridge comprising:
 an outer tube extending in a longitudinal direction;   an inner tube within the outer tube, the inner tube including a flow constriction along a portion of a length of the inner tube;   a reservoir containing a pre-vapor formulation;   a wick in communication with the reservoir; and   a heater in communication with the wick, the heater configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to a temperature sufficient to form a vapor, the flow constriction configured to reduce a temperature of the vapor, and the flow constriction positioned about  1  mm to about  5  mm from the heater.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the flow constriction comprises an insert friction fit in the inner tube. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein the insert is formed of at least one of a metal, an alloy, a plastic, and a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein the material is at least one of polypropylene, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), ceramic, fiberglass, and polyethylene. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mouth-end insert including four outlets, each of the four outlets being at an end of an off-axis passage and each off-axis passage extending generally perpendicularly to adjacent off-axis passages.   
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the inner tube has an inner diameter ranging from about  3  mm to about  4  mm. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the flow constriction has an inner diameter ranging from about  1  mm to about  2 . 5  mm. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the flow constriction has a length ranging from about  3  mm to about  8  mm. 
     
     
         9 . A cartridge of an electronic vaping device, the cartridge comprising:
 an outer tube extending in a longitudinal direction;   an inner tube within the outer tube;   a reservoir comprising a pre-vapor formulation;   a wick in communication with the reservoir;   a heater in communication with the wick, the heater configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation; and   a mouth-end insert including,
 a first outlet at an end of a first off-axis passage, and 
 a second outlet at an end of a second off-axis passage, the first off-axis passage and the second off-axis passage each having a central axis extending from an inlet to the outlet, and the first off-axis passage and the second off-axis passage extending tangentially to a circumference surrounding a central, longitudinally extending axis of the electronic vaping device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The electronic vaping device of  claim 9 , wherein the mouth-end insert includes four outlets, each of the four outlets being at an end of an off-axis passage. 
     
     
         11 . A cartridge of an electronic vaping device, the cartridge comprising:
 an outer tube extending in a longitudinal direction;   an inner tube within the outer tube, the inner tube including a flow constriction along a portion of a length of the inner tube;   a reservoir comprising a pre-vapor formulation;   a wick in communication with the reservoir;   a heater in communication with the wick, the heater configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to form a vapor; and   a mouth-end insert including,
 four outlets, each of the four outlets being at an end of one of four off-axis passages, the four off-axis passages each having a central axis extending from an inlet to the outlet, and the four off-axis passages each extending tangentially to a circumference surrounding a central, longitudinally extending axis of the electronic vaping device, the flow constriction between the mouth-end insert and the heater. 
   
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the flow constriction is an insert friction fit in the inner tube. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the insert is formed of at least one of a metal, an alloy, a plastic, and a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         14 . The cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the material is at least one of polypropylene, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), ceramic, fiberglass, and polyethylene. 
     
     
         15 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the flow constriction is about 1 mm to about 5 mm from the heater. 
     
     
         16 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the flow constriction has an inner diameter ranging from about 1 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the flow constriction has a length ranging from about 3 mm to about 8 mm.