Smoking substitute component

Abstract

Disclosed is a smoking substitute component comprising a housing having a base portion, a mouthpiece portion, one or more walls extending longitudinally from the base portion to the mouthpiece portion, and an air inlet formed in a wall of the housing and spaced longitudinally from the base portion. The component further comprises an air outlet formed in the mouthpiece portion and an airflow path extending from the air inlet to the air outlet. The airflow path comprises a first portion downstream of the air inlet and extending longitudinally towards the base portion of the housing, and a transversely extending second portion that is downstream of the first portion. The component further comprises a vaporizer comprising a wick and a heating element for heating the wick, the wick extending across the first portion of the airflow path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol-delivery component comprising:
 a housing comprising a base portion, a mouthpiece portion and one or more walls extending longitudinally from the base portion to the mouthpiece portion;   an air inlet formed in a wall of the housing and spaced longitudinally from the base portion;   an air outlet formed in the mouthpiece portion;   an airflow path extending from the air inlet to the air outlet, the airflow path comprising a first portion downstream of the air inlet and extending longitudinally towards the base portion of the housing, and a transversely extending second portion that is downstream of the first portion; and   a vaporizer comprising a wick and a heating element for heating the wick, the wick extending across the second portion of the airflow path.   
     
     
         2 . A component according to  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the airflow path extends longitudinally from the air inlet towards the base portion of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . A component according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the air inlet is longitudinally spaced from the base portion of the housing by a distance that is greater than 8 mm. 
     
     
         4 . A component according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the airflow path comprises a third portion extending longitudinally from the second portion to the air outlet. 
     
     
         5 . A component according to  claim 4  comprising a tank for housing a liquid aerosol precursor, the tank disposed between the first and third airflow path portions. 
     
     
         6 . A component according to  claim 5  wherein the second airflow path portion is disposed between the tank and the base portion of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . A component according to  claim 5  or  6  wherein the housing comprises opposing front and rear walls spaced by opposing first and second side walls extending therebetween, the first portion of the airflow path being defined between the first side wall and a first longitudinally extending wall of the tank. 
     
     
         8 . A component according to  claim 7  wherein the distance between the front and rear walls defines a depth of the housing and the distance between the side walls defines a width of the housing that is greater than the depth of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . A component according to  claim 8  wherein the wick is elongate and extends in the direction of the depth of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A component according to  claim 9  wherein the wick is cylindrical. 
     
     
         11 . A component according to any one of  claims 7  to  10  wherein the third portion of the airflow path is defined between the second side wall and a second longitudinally extending wall of the tank. 
     
     
         12 . A component according to  claim 11  wherein the first and second tank walls extend from, and are integrally formed with, the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         13 . A component according to any one of  claims 5  to  12  wherein the vaporizer is disposed in a vaporizing chamber that forms part of the second portion of the airflow path, the vaporizing chamber defined by an insert received in an open end of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . A component according to any one of the preceding claims which a consumable component for receipt in a smoking substitute device. 
     
     
         15 . An aerosol-delivery system comprising a component according to any one of the preceding claims and a device comprising a power source. 
     
     
         16 . A smoking substitute component comprising:
 a housing comprising a base portion, a mouthpiece portion, and one or more walls extending longitudinally from the base portion to the mouthpiece portion;   an airflow path extending from an air inlet formed in a wall of the housing and spaced longitudinally from the base portion to an air outlet formed in the mouthpiece portion, a first portion of the airflow path being defined by a first passage extending longitudinally from the air inlet towards the base portion;   a vaporizer in the airflow path downstream of the first passage; and   an absorbent element disposed in the first passage.   
     
     
         17 . A component according to  claim 16  wherein a cross-sectional area of the absorbent element is less than a cross-sectional area of the passage. 
     
     
         18 . A component according to  claim 17  wherein the absorbent element comprises a longitudinally extending groove partly defining the portion of the airflow path. 
     
     
         19 . A component according to any one of  claims 16 - 18  wherein the absorbent element is formed of a porous material. 
     
     
         20 . A component according to any one of  claims 16 - 19  wherein the absorbent element extends for substantially the entire length of the passage. 
     
     
         21 . A component according to any one of  claims 16 - 20  wherein a void is defined between an end of the absorbent element and a corresponding end of the passage proximate the vaporizer. 
     
     
         22 . A component according to any one of  claims 16 - 21  wherein the airflow path comprises a transversely extending second portion downstream of the first portion, the vaporizer disposed in the second portion. 
     
     
         23 . A component according to  claim 22  wherein the airflow path comprises a third portion extending longitudinally from the second portion to the air outlet, and wherein the passage is a first passage and a second passage defines the third portion of the airflow path. 
     
     
         24 . A component according to  claim 23  wherein the absorbent element is a first absorbent element and a second elongate absorbent element is disposed in the second passage. 
     
     
         25 . A component according to  claim 24  wherein the second absorbent element at least partly obstructs the air outlet. 
     
     
         26 . A component according to any one of  claims 16 - 25  comprising a tank, wherein the or each passage is defined between a wall of the housing and a wall of the tank. 
     
     
         27 . A component according to  claim 26  wherein the vaporizer is disposed in a vaporizing chamber defined by one or more chamber walls, the or each absorbent element spaced from the one or more chamber walls. 
     
     
         28 . A component according to  claim 27  wherein the one or more chamber walls comprises a transverse chamber wall separating the vaporizing chamber from the tank, the or each absorbent element being spaced from the transverse chamber wall. 
     
     
         29 . A component according to any one of  claims 16 - 28  which a consumable component for receipt in a smoking substitute device. 
     
     
         30 . An aerosol-delivery system comprising a component according to any one of  claims 16 - 29  and a device comprising a power source. 
     
     
         31 . An aerosol delivery component comprising:
 a housing comprising a mouthpiece portion and inlet side and outlet side spaced walls extending longitudinally from the mouthpiece portion so as to define an internal space therebetween;   an outlet side tank wall integrally formed with the mouthpiece portion and extending longitudinally into the internal space from the mouthpiece portion, the outlet side tank wall spaced from the outlet side wall so as to define an outlet passage extending to an outlet formed in the mouthpiece portion; and   a tank for storing aerosol precursor, the tank at least partly defined by the outlet side tank wall.   
     
     
         32 . A component according to  claim 31  wherein the inlet side wall and/or outlet side wall are integrally formed with the mouthpiece portion. 
     
     
         33 . A component according to  claim 31  or  32  further comprising an inlet side tank wall integrally formed with the mouthpiece portion and extending longitudinally into the internal space from the mouthpiece portion. 
     
     
         34 . A component according to  claim 33 , wherein the inlet side tank wall and the inlet side wall are integrally formed with the mouthpiece portion. 
     
     
         35 . A component according to  claim 33  or  34  wherein all of the outlet side tank wall, inlet side tank wall, outlet side wall and inlet side wall are integrally formed with the mouthpiece portion. 
     
     
         36 . A component according to any one of  claims 33  to  35 , wherein the inlet side tank wall is spaced from the outlet side tank wall so as to define the tank therebetween. 
     
     
         37 . A component according to any one of  claims 33  to  36 , wherein the inlet side tank wall is spaced from the inlet side wall so as to define an inlet passage extending from an inlet formed in the inlet side wall. 
     
     
         38 . A component according to any one of  claims 31  to  37  wherein the mouthpiece portion is provided at a first lateral end of the housing, and wherein a base portion is provided at a second, opposing lateral end, the base portion comprising an insert for sealing the tank. 
     
     
         39 . A component according to  claim 38  wherein a terminal end of the or each tank wall is received in a respective groove on an upper transverse surface of the insert to seal the tank. 
     
     
         40 . A component according to any of  claims 31  to  39  wherein the component is a smoking substitute component. 
     
     
         41 . A component according to  claim 40  which is a consumable component for receipt in a smoking substitute device. 
     
     
         42 . An aerosol delivery system, comprising: a component as defined in any of the  claims 31  to  41 ; and a device comprising a power source.