Cartridge for use with an aerosol provision system

Abstract

A cartridge for an aerosol provision system. The cartridge includes an air channel extending from an air inlet to an outlet via an aerosol generation region. The cartridge also includes a heating element for heating liquid from a reservoir to generate aerosol and an aerosol outlet tube. The aerosol outlet tube has a first end and a second end. The first end is proximate to the aerosol generation region and second end is configured to fit inside an air channel seal. The aerosol outlet tube tapers inwardly from the first end to the second end such that a cross-sectional area of the second end is less than a cross-sectional area of the first end. The cartridge is configured such that air passes from the air inlet, into the aerosol generating region, through the aerosol outlet tube, past the air channel seal and then out from the outlet.

1 . A cartridge for an aerosol provision system comprising the cartridge and an aerosol provision device, wherein the cartridge comprises:
 an air channel extending from an air inlet for the cartridge to an outlet via an aerosol generation region;   a heating element for heating liquid from a reservoir to generate aerosol in the aerosol generation region;   an aerosol outlet tube having a first end and a second end, the first end proximate to the aerosol generation region and second end configured to fit inside an air channel seal;   wherein the aerosol outlet tube tapers inwardly from the first end to the second end such that a cross-sectional area of the second end is less than a cross-sectional area of the first end; and   wherein the cartridge is configured such that air passing through the air channel is configured to pass from the air inlet, into the aerosol generating region, through the aerosol outlet tube, past the air channel seal and then out from the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol outlet tube tapers inwardly from the first end to a position between the first end and the second end according to a first profile, and the aerosol outlet tube tapers inwardly from the position to the second end according to a second profile, wherein the first profile and the second profile are different. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein the first profile corresponds to a first taper angle and the second profile corresponds to a second taper angle. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein the first taper angle is greater than the second taper angle. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein the position is less than 50% of a distance along the aerosol outlet tube from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein the position is less than 25% of the distance along the aerosol outlet tube from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the air channel from the air channel seal to the outlet has a substantially constant cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 7 , where the cross-sectional area of the portion of the air channel from the air channel seal to the outlet is less than the cross-sectional area of the second end of the aerosol outlet tube. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol outlet tube is made of a plastics material. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 9 , wherein the plastics material is polypropylene. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the air channel seal is made of silicone. 
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a housing part having a mouthpiece end and an interface end, wherein the mouthpiece end includes the outlet of the cartridge and the interface end includes an interface for coupling the cartridge to the aerosol provision device;   wherein the housing part contains the aerosol outlet tube, the air channel seal and the reservoir within the housing part, the reservoir containing liquid for aerosolization, wherein the reservoir at least partially surrounds the aerosol outlet tube and the air channel seal.   
     
     
         13 . An aerosol provision system, the system comprising:
 an air channel extending from an air inlet for the system to an outlet via an aerosol generation region;   a heating element for heating liquid from a reservoir to generate aerosol in the aerosol generation region;   an aerosol outlet tube having a first end and a second end, the first end proximate to the aerosol generation region and second end configured to fit inside an air channel seal;   wherein the aerosol outlet tube tapers inwardly from the first end to the second end such that a cross-sectional area of the second end is less than a cross-sectional area of the first end; and   wherein the system is configured such that air passing through the air channel is configured to pass from the air inlet, into the aerosol generating region, through the aerosol outlet tube, past the air channel seal and then out from the outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 13 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a cartridge and an aerosol provision device, and the air channel, the heating element, the aerosol outlet tube and the air channel seal form part of the cartridge, as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol provision system according to  claim 13 , wherein the aerosol provision system comprises a cartridge and an aerosol provision device, and the air channel, the heating element, the aerosol outlet tube and the air channel seal form part of the aerosol delivery device for use with the cartridge. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of generating aerosol from a cartridge for an aerosol provision system, wherein the cartridge comprises:
 an air channel extending from an air inlet for the cartridge to an outlet via an aerosol generation region;   a heating element for heating liquid from a reservoir to generate aerosol in the aerosol generation region;   an aerosol outlet tube having a first end and a second end, the first end proximate to the aerosol generation region and second end configured to fit inside an air channel seal; wherein the aerosol outlet tube tapers inwardly from the first end to the second end such that a cross-sectional area of the second end is less than a cross-sectional area of the first end; and   wherein the method comprises passing air through the air channel from the air inlet, into the aerosol generating region, through the aerosol outlet tube, past the air channel seal and then out from the outlet.