Heater assembly and method

Abstract

A heater assembly for an aerosol provision system, the heater assembly including: a substrate; a heater layer configured to generate heat when supplied with energy, the heater layer provided on a first surface of the substrate; and one or more capillary tubes extending from another surface of the substrate through the heater layer provided on the first surface of the substrate. The ends of the one or more capillary tubes at the heater layer are configured to provide a flared end having an opening at the surface of the heater layer opposite the first surface of the substrate, wherein the flared end has an increasing characteristic dimension of extent along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer. Also described is a cartomoizer including the heater assembly, an aerosol provision system including the heater assembly, and a method for manufacturing the heater assembly

1 . A heater assembly for an aerosol provision system, the heater assembly comprising:
 a substrate;   a heater layer configured to generate heat when supplied with energy, the heater layer provided on a first surface of the substrate; and   one or more capillary tubes extending from another surface of the substrate through the heater layer provided on the first surface of the substrate,   wherein the ends of the one or more capillary tubes at the heater layer are configured to provide a flared end having an opening at the surface of the heater layer opposite the first surface of the substrate, wherein the flared end has an increasing characteristic dimension of extent along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer.   
     
     
         2 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flared end is configured so as to facilitate the release of liquid aerosol-generating material. 
     
     
         3 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capillary tubes have a circular cross-section, and wherein the flared end has an increasing diameter, as the characteristic dimension of extent, along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer. 
     
     
         4 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end increases linearly along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer. 
     
     
         5 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end increases non-linearly along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer. 
     
     
         6 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end increases in a stepwise manner along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer. 
     
     
         7 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capillary tubes comprise side walls formed in the substrate, and wherein the distance between the side walls is the same, or substantially the same, along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the flared end of the one or more capillary tubes. 
     
     
         8 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capillary tubes comprise side walls formed in the substrate, and wherein the distance between the side walls is different along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the flared end of the one or more capillary tubes. 
     
     
         9 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flared end has its largest characteristic dimension of extent at the opening at the surface of the heater layer, and its smallest characteristic dimension of extent at the portion of the flared end furthest from the opening. 
     
     
         10 . The heater assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the smallest characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end is the narrowest characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end and the corresponding capillary tube. 
     
     
         11 . The heater assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the largest characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end is the widest characteristic dimension of extent of the flared end and the corresponding capillary tube. 
     
     
         12 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed from quartz. 
     
     
         13 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capillary tubes have a diameter in the range of 10 to 250 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more capillary tubes are formed by laser drilling. 
     
     
         15 . A cartomizer for use with an aerosol-generating device for generating aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the cartomizer comprising:
 a reservoir for storing aerosol-generating material, and a heater assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater assembly is provided in fluid communication with the reservoir.   
     
     
         16 . An aerosol provision system for generating aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the aerosol provision system comprising the heater assembly of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . An aerosol provision system comprising an aerosol provision device and a cartomizer for use with the aerosol provision device for generating aerosol from an aerosol-generating material, the cartomizer comprising:
 a reservoir for storing aerosol-generating material, and   a heater assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater assembly is provided in fluid communication with the reservoir,   wherein the caromizer is releasably connectable to the aerosol provision device.   
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a heater assembly for an aerosol provision system, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate comprising a heater layer configured to generate heat when supplied with energy, the heater layer provided on a first surface of the substrate;   forming one or more capillary tubes extending from another surface of the substrate through the heater layer provided on the first surface of the substrate; and   forming flared ends of the one or more capillary tubes at the ends of the one or more capillary tubes at the heater layer, the flared end having an opening at the surface of the heater layer opposite the first surface of the substrate, wherein the flared end has an increasing characteristic dimension of extent along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer.   
     
     
         19 . Heater means for an aerosol provision system, the heater means comprising:
 a substrate;   heater layer means configured to generate heat when supplied with energy, the heater layer means provided on a first surface of the substrate; and   capillary means extending from another surface of the substrate through the heater layer means provided on the first surface of the substrate,   wherein ends of the capillary means at the heater layer means are configured to provide a flared end having an opening at the surface of the heater layer means opposite the first surface of the substrate, wherein the flared end has an increasing characteristic dimension of extent along the direction from the another surface of the substrate to the opening in the heater layer means.