Cartridge with element forming a meniscus of a liquid for an aerosol-generating system

Abstract

A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, including: an air inlet and an air outlet; an airflow passage extending between the inlet and the outlet; a liquid reservoir including a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a heater assembly including a heating element in fluid communication with the passage, the assembly configured to heat liquid aerosol-forming substrate supplied to a surface of the assembly from the reservoir to generate an aerosol; and a meniscus-forming element proximate to the assembly and positioned within the passage and contacting the surface of the assembly or being distanced from the surface such that during use a meniscus of the substrate is formed between the surface and the meniscus-forming element, the meniscus-forming element including a blade or a needle, the assembly further including a wicking element in fluidic communication with the heating element and the reservoir, and the heating element including a fluid-permeable heating element.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge comprising:
 an air inlet and an air outlet;   an airflow passage extending between the air inlet and the air outlet;   a liquid reservoir comprising a liquid aerosol-forming substrate;   a heater assembly comprising at least one heating element in fluid communication with the airflow passage, the heater assembly being configured to heat liquid aerosol-forming substrate supplied to a surface of the heater assembly from the liquid reservoir to generate an aerosol; and   at least one meniscus-forming element being proximate to the heater assembly,   wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element is positioned within the airflow passage and contacts the surface of the heater assembly or is distanced from the surface of the heater assembly such that during use a meniscus of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is formed between the surface of the heater assembly and the at least one meniscus-forming element,   wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element comprises at least one blade or at least one needle,   wherein the heater assembly further comprises a wicking element in fluidic communication with the at least one heating element and the liquid reservoir, and   wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one fluid-permeable heating element.   
     
     
         17 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element contacts the surface of the heater assembly or is distanced from the surface of the heater assembly by between 0 millimetre and 3 millimetres. 
     
     
         18 . The cartridge according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element contacts the surface of the heater assembly or is distanced from the surface of the heater assembly by between 0 millimetre and 1 millimetre. 
     
     
         19 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the airflow passage is defined by an airflow passage wall, and   wherein the airflow passage wall comprises an internal surface, and the at least one meniscus-forming element extends from the internal surface.   
     
     
         20 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one heating element further comprises a susceptor element configured to be inductively heated. 
     
     
         21 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the at least one heating elements comprise a high temperature zone, which during use reaches a highest temperature, and the at least one meniscus-forming elements are proximate to high temperature zones. 
     
     
         22 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one heating element further comprises a first heating element portion on a first side of the wicking element, and a second heating element portion on a second side of the wicking element, the first side of the wicking element being opposite to the second side of the wicking element. 
     
     
         23 . The cartridge according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element further comprises a first meniscus-forming element and a second meniscus-forming element, and   wherein the first meniscus-forming element contacts the first heating element portion or is distanced from the first heating element portion element such that during use a first meniscus of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is formed between the surface of the first heating element portion and the first meniscus-forming element, and the second meniscus-forming element contacts the second heating element portion or is distanced from the second heating element portion such that during use a second meniscus of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is formed between the surface of the second heating element portion and the second meniscus-forming element.   
     
     
         24 . The cartridge according to  claim 23 , wherein the first meniscus-forming element and the second meniscus-forming element are adjacent to a central portion of the heater assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the airflow passage extends in a longitudinal direction, such that the direction of airflow through the airflow passage is in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         26 . The cartridge according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one blade comprises a tip. 
     
     
         27 . The cartridge according to  claim 26 ,
 wherein the at least one blade extends perpendicular to the surface of the heater assembly, and   wherein the at least one blade extends in a longitudinal direction of the airflow passage.   
     
     
         28 . The cartridge according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element further comprises at least one peripheral meniscus-forming element, and   wherein each of the at least one peripheral meniscus-forming elements are adjacent to one of a plurality of peripheral portions of the heater assembly, each of the peripheral portions of the heater assembly located adjacent to the airflow passage wall.   
     
     
         29 . An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
 a cartridge comprising:
 an air inlet and an air outlet, 
 an airflow passage extending between the air inlet and the air outlet, 
 a liquid reservoir comprising a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, 
 a heater assembly comprising at least one heating element in fluid communication with the airflow passage, the heater assembly configured to heat liquid aerosol-forming substrate supplied to a surface of the heater assembly from the liquid reservoir to generate an aerosol, and 
 at least one meniscus-forming element being proximate to the heater assembly, 
 wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element is positioned within the airflow passage and contacts the surface of the heater assembly or is distanced from the surface of the heater assembly such that during use a meniscus of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is formed between the surface of the heater assembly and the at least one meniscus-forming element, 
 wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element comprises at least one blade or at least one needle, 
 wherein the heater assembly further comprises a wicking element in fluidic communication with the at least one heating element and the liquid reservoir, and 
 wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one fluid-permeable heating element; and 
   an aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a power supply configured to supply power to the heating element, and 
 control circuitry configured to control the supply of power from the power supply to the at least one heating element, 
 wherein the cartridge is reversibly couplable to the aerosol-generating device. 
   
     
     
         30 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 an air inlet and an air outlet;   an airflow passage extending between the air inlet and the air outlet;   a liquid reservoir comprising a liquid aerosol-forming substrate;   a heater assembly comprising at least one heating element in fluid communication with the airflow passage, the heater assembly configured to heat liquid aerosol-forming substrate supplied to a surface of the heater assembly from the liquid reservoir to generate an aerosol;   at least one meniscus-forming element being proximate to the heater assembly,   wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element is positioned within the airflow passage and contacts the surface of the heater assembly or is distanced from the surface of the heater assembly such that during use a meniscus of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate is formed between the surface of the heater assembly and the at least one meniscus-forming element,   wherein the at least one meniscus-forming element comprises at least one blade or at least one needle,   wherein the heater assembly further comprises a wicking element in fluidic communication with the at least one heating element and the liquid reservoir, and   wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one fluid permeable heating element;   a power supply configured to supply power to the heating element; and   control circuitry configured to control the supply of power from the power supply to the at least one heating element.