Capsule and Seals for an Electronic Cigarette

Abstract

A capsule for an electronic cigarette has a first end configured to engage with an electronic cigarette device, a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapour outlet, a liquid store configured to contain a liquid to be vaporized; a vaporizing housing arranged to house a heating element and a fluid transfer element, arranged to deliver liquid from the liquid store to the heating element, the heating element being configured to vaporize the received liquid and generate a vapor; a main vapor flow channel extending between the vaporizing housing and the mouthpiece to allow the generated vapor to flow from the vaporizing housing to the mouthpiece; an airflow passageway extending between the first end and the vaporizing housing; where the vaporizer housing includes at least one aperture located within a sidewall of the vaporizer housing, the aperture forming part of the airflow passageway.

1 . A capsule for an electronic cigarette, the capsule having a first end configured to engage with an electronic cigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapour outlet, the capsule further comprising:
 a liquid store configured to contain a liquid to be vaporized;   a vaporizer housing arranged to house a heating element and a fluid transfer element, wherein the fluid transfer element is arranged to deliver liquid from the liquid store to the heating element, the heating element being configured to vaporize the received liquid and generate a vapor;   a main vapor flow channel extending between the vaporizer housing and the mouthpiece portion to allow the generated vapor to flow from the vaporizer housing to the mouthpiece portion;   an airflow passageway extending between the first end and the vaporizer housing;   wherein the vaporizer housing comprises at least one aperture located within a sidewall of the vaporizer housing, the at least one aperture forming part of the airflow passageway.   
     
     
         2 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first seal comprising a pair of shoulder portions. 
     
     
         3 . The capsule according to  claim 2 , wherein the vaporizer housing comprises a pair of cutouts. 
     
     
         4 . The capsule according to  claim 3 , wherein the pair of shoulder portions and the pair of cutouts are configured to cooperate with each other such that the fluid transfer element is held between the pair of shoulder portions and the pair of cutouts. 
     
     
         5 . The capsule according to  claim 4 , wherein the fluid transfer element is arranged to be compressed between the pair of shoulder portions and the pair of cutouts. 
     
     
         6 . The capsule according to  claim 4 , wherein the fluid transfer element is arranged to be compressed in a radial direction of the fluid transfer element between the pair of shoulder portions and the pair of cutouts. 
     
     
         7 . The capsule according to  claim 2 , wherein each shoulder portion of the pair of shoulder portions comprises a substantially curved surface, and wherein each substantially curved surface has a curvature which substantially corresponds to a curvature of an external surface of the fluid transfer element. 
     
     
         8 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of posts arranged to provide an electrical connection between a main body of an electronic cigarette and the capsule. 
     
     
         9 . The capsule according to  claim 8 , wherein an interface is formed between the vaporizer housing and the pair of posts. 
     
     
         10 . The capsule according to  claim 9 , wherein the heating element comprises first and second ends, and wherein the first and second ends are located at the interface between the vaporizer housing and the pair of posts. 
     
     
         11 . The capsule according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and second ends of the heating element form lead wires which are compressed between the vaporizer housing and the pair of posts at the interface. 
     
     
         12 . The capsule according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first holder arranged to retain the vaporizer housing. 
     
     
         13 . The capsule according to  claim 12 , further comprising a second holder configured to receive the first holder. 
     
     
         14 . The capsule according to  claim 13 , wherein the second holder comprises at least one airflow inlet as part of the airflow passageway arranged to allow intake air to flow through the at least one aperture into the vaporizer housing. 
     
     
         15 . The capsule according to  claim 14 , wherein the airflow passageway forms part of the main vapor channel. 
     
     
         16 . An electronic cigarette comprising a main body and the capsule according to  claim 1  wherein the main body comprises a power supply unit, electrical circuitry, and a capsule seating configured to connect with the capsule.