Patent ID: 12185755

FIG.1is a schematic sectional view of an example of a shisha device100. The device100includes a vessel17defining an interior volume configured to contain liquid19and defining a headspace outlet15above a fill level for the liquid19. The liquid19preferably includes water, which may optionally be infused with one or more colorants, one or more flavorants, or one or more colorants and one or more flavorants. For example, the water may be infused with one or both of botanical infusions or herbal infusions.

The device100also includes an aerosol-generating element130. The aerosol-generating element130includes a receptacle140configured to receive a cartridge200containing an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating element130also includes a heating element160that forms at least one surface of the receptacle140. In the depicted embodiment, the heating element160defines the top and side surfaces of the receptacle140. The aerosol-generating element130also includes a fresh air inlet channel170that draws fresh air into the device100. In some embodiments, portion of the fresh air inlet channel170is formed by the heating element160to heat the air before the air enters the receptacle140. The pre-heated air then enters the cartridge200, which is also heated by heating element160, to carry aerosol generated by the aerosol former and the aerosol-forming substrate. The air exits an outlet of the aerosol-generating element130and enters a conduit190.

The conduit190carries the air and aerosol into the vessel17below the level of the liquid19. The air and aerosol may bubble through the liquid19and exit the headspace outlet15of the vessel17. A hose20may be attached to the headspace outlet15to carry the aerosol to the mouth of a user. A mouthpiece25may be attached to, or form a part of, the hose20.

An exemplary air flow path of the device, in use, is depicted by thick arrows inFIG.1.

The mouthpiece25may include an activation element27. The activation element27may be a switch, button or the like, or may be a puff sensor or the like. The activation element27may be placed at any other suitable location of the device100. The activation element27may be in wireless communication with the control electronics30to place the device100in condition for use or to cause control electronics to activate the heating element160; for example, by causing power supply35to energize the heating element160.

The control electronics30and power supply35may be located in any suitable position of the aerosol-generating element130, including locations other than the bottom portion of the element130as depicted inFIG.1.

Referring toFIGS.2A and2B, a cartridge200has body210forming a cavity218in which an aerosol-forming substrate201may be disposed. The body210includes a top wall215, bottom wall213, and a sidewall212. The sidewall212may be cylindrical, as shown, or frustoconical, or a combination of shapes. The body210may have a center axis A extending through the body210. The body210may be formed from one or more parts. For example, the top wall215or bottom wall213may be removably attached from the sidewall212to allow the aerosol-forming substrate201to be disposed in the cavity218. The cartridge200also includes a cap300. In the example shown, the cap300at least partially covers the top wall215and a part of the side wall212.

In the example shown inFIG.2B, the cap300includes a lid portion315and a cylindrical portion312extending axially (that is, in the direction of the center axis A) from the lid portion315. The lid portion315may at least partially cover the top wall215of the body210. The lid portion315may be a planar portion. The cap300has a cap opening317extending through the lid portion315. The cap300may be rotatable about the center axis A. Rotating the cap300may be used to open the cartridge200by aligning the cap opening317with an opening on the body210.

The cartridge200may have a heatable surface area inside the cavity218, which is a surface capable of transferring heat from the exterior of the body, for example, by a heating element of a shisha device, to the aerosol-forming substrate201in the cavity218.

Referring now toFIGS.3A-3D, various aspects of the body210are shown. The body210may include a single body opening217as shown inFIG.3A, or a plurality of body openings217as shown inFIG.3B. The opening(s)217may be disposed on the top wall215of the cartridge body210, on the bottom wall213of the cartridge body210, or both. Preferably, one or more body openings217are disposed in an area of the body210that is covered by the cap300such that by rotating the cap300, the body openings217can be exposed (opened) or covered (closed). The wall on which the one or more body openings217are disposed may also include a non-permeable portion214. The term non-permeable is used here to refer to a material that is not permeable to air. The body210may also include a plurality of apertures216on an opposite wall (for example, the bottom wall) to allow air flow through the cartridge from the body opening217to the plurality of apertures216when the cartridge is in use. An exemplary arrangement of apertures216at bottom wall213is shown inFIG.3D. The cartridge200may also or alternatively include apertures along the sidewall212. One or more of the body opening and apertures217,216may further be blocked by a peelable seal or cover when the cartridge is stored prior to use.

FIG.3Cshows an exemplary cartridge body210with the top wall215removed. The body210may include internal walls228or partitions. The internal walls228may divide the cavity218into multiple compartments219. Although six compartments219are shown, any suitable number may be created. A body210with internal walls228may be used without a top wall215(with the cap covering the open top side), or with a top wall215that includes body openings217aligned with each of the compartments219. In some embodiments, one or more of the internal walls228may include through holes227connecting adjacent compartments219. When the cap300is placed on the cartridge body210, the cap300may be rotated to align the cap opening317with at least one compartment219by either aligning the cap opening317with a body openings217, or by aligning the cap opening317with an open top of the compartment219, to allow air to flow through the cartridge.

FIGS.4A-4Ddemonstrate various embodiments of the cap300. The cap may include a lid portion315, which may be planar. The cap300may also include a cylindrical portion312extending axially from the lid portion315. The cylindrical portion may form a side wall of the cap, as shown inFIGS.4A-4D. The cap300includes a cap opening317. The cap opening317may include a single opening317as shown inFIG.4B, or a plurality of openings317as shown inFIG.4C. Where the cap opening317comprises a plurality of openings, in some embodiments, the plurality of openings may be provided by a mesh. In the embodiment shown inFIG.4D, the cap300includes a single opening317covered by a hatch325. The hatch325may be hinged for opening and closing. A cap300with a single opening317may be coupled with a body210having a single body opening217or a plurality of body openings217. A cap300with a plurality of openings317may be coupled with a body210having a single body opening217or a plurality of body openings217. The cap300(for example, the lid portion315) may also include a non-permeable portion314. According to an embodiment, the cap300is rotatable from a first position where the cap opening317is aligned with at least one body opening217on the body210(exposing or opening the body opening217), to a second position where the cap opening317is aligned with a different body opening217on the body210or where the cap opening317is not aligned with any openings on the body210(closing the cartridge200). In a closed position, the cap opening317is aligned with a non-permeable portion214of the body210, and the body opening217is aligned with a non-permeable portion314of the cap300.

FIGS.5A-5Cdepict various mechanisms suitable for attaching the cap300to the body210. The cap300may be removably attached. The cap300may be attached via a threaded connection. The cap300may be attached by friction fit as shown inFIG.5A. The cap300may also be attached by snap fit as shown inFIGS.5B and5C. The body210may include a structure, such as a lip222, and the cap300may include a corresponding structure, such as lip322, that fits over the structure on the body210and holds the cap300rotatably in place, as shown inFIG.5B. The structure on the body210may also include a central post with a lip223and the cap300may include a corresponding cavity with a lip323, as shown inFIG.5C. Any of the attachment mechanisms may be combined with any of the caps shown inFIGS.4A-4D. A cap300with central post attachment may or may not include a cylindrical portion312.

Referring now toFIGS.6A-6E, the airflow from the cavity218may be arranged through a central opening. The cap300may include a tubular portion342constructed to fit into the central opening. The tubular portion342may have a diameter D342smaller than the diameter D315of the lid portion315. The tubular portion342may extend axially from the lid portion315. The cap300may additionally include a cylindrical portion312(not shown), which may be coaxial with the tubular portion342. The tubular portion342may form a cavity318that is substantially aligned with the cap opening317on the lid portion315. The tubular portion342may also include one or more openings327that may be alignable with an opening on the body210.

The body210may include a corresponding inner cylindrical wall232(FIG.6C). The cavity218may be formed between the internal surface of the side wall212and the external surface of the inner cylindrical wall232of the cartridge body210.

The cavity218may optionally be divided into compartments219by one or more interior walls228. The interior walls228may extend from the internal surface of the side wall212to the external surface of the inner cylindrical wall232of the cartridge body. The inner cylindrical wall232may form a center cavity227. The tubular portion342of the cap300may cooperate with the inner cylindrical wall232defining the center cavity227of the body210. For example, the tubular portion342of the cap300may be received in the center cavity227defined by the inner cylindrical wall232of the body210, as shown inFIG.6E. The inner cylindrical wall232may include one or more openings237connecting the compartments to the center cavity227.

FIG.6Dshows another embodiment of the cap300, where the opening327is formed by a gap in the tubular portion342that is not fully formed.

The insertion of the tubular portion342into the center cavity227of the body210is illustrated by the downward arrow inFIG.6E. The cap300may be pushed down until the lid portion315meets (or mates) with the sidewall212of the body210. When the cap300is disposed on the body210such that the tubular portion342is received in the center cavity227, the cap300may be rotated about axis A to align the cap opening327with one or more openings237on the inner cylindrical wall232of the body210. When the opening327is aligned with one or more openings237on the inner cylindrical wall232of the body210, air may flow from the cavity318into the compartment219(or vice versa, depending on the arrangement of the flow path in the shisha device and the direction of flow).

The inner cylindrical wall232may also include a non-permeable portion (not shown) such that the cap300may be rotated to align the opening318with the non-permeable portion to close to close the airflow path from the cavity218(to close the cartridge).

The cartridge may include features that facilitate positioning the cartridge in the receptacle of a shisha device or removing the cartridge from the receptacle or both. For example, the cartridge may include a protrusion (for example, a flange) for aligning, positioning, gripping, etc. The cap may also act as the protrusion.

The specific embodiments described above are intended to illustrate the invention. However, other embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims, and it is to be understood that the specific embodiments described above are not intended to be limiting.

Thus, cartridges for shisha devices are described. Various modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are apparent to those skilled in the mechanical arts, chemical arts, and aerosol-generating article manufacturing or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.