A heater assembly for an aerosol generating system

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system including an aerosol-generating device and a cartridge is provided, the aerosol-generating device including a heater assembly, the heater assembly including: a heating element; and a receiving chamber at least partially defined by the heating element, the receiving chamber including an opening to receive a wicking element of the aerosol-generating system, the receiving chamber having first and second configurations, an internal volume of the receiving chamber being larger when the chamber is in the first configuration than when the chamber is in the second configuration, in the second configuration, the heating element being in contact with the wicking element when the wicking element is received in the receiving chamber, the aerosol-generating device further including a power supply electrically connectable to the at least one heating element, and the cartridge including the wicking element configured to be received or receivable in the receiving chamber of the heater assembly.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device and a cartridge, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a heater assembly, the heater assembly comprising:
 a heating element; and   a receiving chamber at least partially defined by the heating element, the receiving chamber comprising an opening configured to receive a wicking element of the aerosol-generating system,   wherein the receiving chamber has a first configuration and a second configuration, an internal volume of the receiving chamber being larger when the receiving chamber is in the first configuration than when the receiving chamber is in the second configuration,   wherein, in the second configuration, the heating element is in contact with the wicking element when the wicking element is received in the receiving chamber,   wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a power supply electrically connectable to the at least one heating element, and   wherein the cartridge comprises the wicking element configured to be received or receivable in the receiving chamber of the heater assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 14 , wherein the heating element is moveable or deformable to reduce the internal volume of the receiving chamber in the second configuration relative to the first configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 14 , wherein the heater assembly further comprises an actuator configured to move or deform the heating element for transition of the receiving chamber from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 14 , wherein the heating element comprises a helical coil. 
     
     
         18 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 17 , wherein the heater assembly further comprises an actuator configured to deform the coil for transition of the receiving chamber from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the heating element further comprises a first end and a second end, and   wherein the actuator is further configured to rotate the first end relative to the second end for transition of the receiving chamber from the first configuration to the second configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the heater assembly further comprises a heating element housing, and   wherein, at least when the receiving chamber is in the second configuration, an airflow path is defined between the heating element housing and the heating element.   
     
     
         21 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 14 ,
 the cartridge further comprising a cartridge housing defining a reservoir comprising an aerosol-forming substrate in condensed form,   wherein the wicking element is in fluidic communication with the aerosol-forming substrate.   
     
     
         22 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 21 , wherein the cartridge housing comprises a wall extending from the reservoir and surrounding the wicking element. 
     
     
         23 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 22 , further comprising a deformable membrane that closes an end of the wall of the cartridge housing such that the wicking element is enclosed by the wall and the membrane. 
     
     
         24 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 21 , wherein the cartridge further comprises one or more engagement members that are configured to engage the cartridge to a housing of the heater assembly. 
     
     
         25 . A method of using the aerosol-generating system according to  claim 14 , the method comprising:
 receiving the wicking element in the receiving chamber of the heater assembly while the receiving chamber is in the first configuration; and   transitioning the receiving chamber from the first configuration to the second configuration such that the heating element is in contact with the wicking element.   
     
     
         26 . A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge comprising:
 a cartridge housing defining a reservoir comprising an aerosol-forming substrate in condensed form;   a wicking element in fluidic communication with the aerosol-forming substrate;   a heating element; and   a receiving chamber at least partially defined by the heating element,   wherein the wicking element is received in the receiving chamber,   wherein the receiving chamber has a first configuration and a second configuration, an internal volume of the receiving chamber being larger when the receiving chamber is in the first configuration than when the receiving chamber is in the second configuration such that the wicking element is removable from the receiving chamber, and   wherein, in the second configuration, the heating element is in contact with the wicking element.