A Cartridge for a Vapour Generating System

Abstract

A cartridge for a vapour generating system, such as an e-cigarette, includes a vaporization chamber in which liquid is vaporized from a heater surface to mix with a flow of air through the vaporization chamber. An inlet channel between an air inlet and the vaporization chamber is convoluted such that it follows at least two directions transverse to the length of the cartridge and provides no straight path for condensed liquid in the vaporization chamber to leak back out of the air inlet. Because the inlet channel enters the vaporization chamber in a transverse direction, the airflow through the chamber is substantially parallel to the heater surface and promotes even vaporization of liquid across the whole area of the surface.

1 . A cartridge for a vapour generating system, the cartridge comprising:
 a first end together defining a longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end;   an air inlet;   a vaporization chamber;   an inlet channel from the air inlet to the vaporization chamber; and   a heater surface in the vaporization chamber, the heater surface being substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction;   wherein the inlet channel follows a first transverse direction then turns to enter the vaporization chamber in a second transverse direction.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet channel is convoluted such that the inlet channel provides no straight path from the air inlet to the vaporization chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet channel comprises at least two right-angled bends between the air inlet and the vaporization chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transverse direction is opposite to the second transverse direction. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge according to  claim 4 , further comprising an airflow diverter element, of which a first surface defines the first transverse direction and a second, opposite surface defines the second transverse direction. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is located centrally in the first end of the cartridge. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater surface is a distal surface of a ceramic heating element. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge according to  claim 8 , wherein the ceramic heating element comprises a heating track that extends between two electrical connection points. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge according to  claim 9 , further comprising two electrical terminals that are exposed to an exterior of the cartridge and respectively contact the two electrical connection points. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge according to  claim 8 , further comprising a reservoir configured to store vapour generating liquid to be vaporized in the vaporization chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge according to  claim 11 , wherein the ceramic heating element includes a proximal surface exposed to an inner space of the reservoir and comprises a porous ceramic material to transfer liquid from the proximal surface to the heater surface. 
     
     
         13 . A vapour generating system comprising a vapour generating device and the cartridge according to  claim 1 , the cartridge being releasably connected to the vapour generating device.