Mouthpiece for aerosol-generating device with locking/unlocking of a valve element

Abstract

A mouthpiece for an aerosol-generating device is provided, including: an airflow channel through the mouthpiece; an airflow control element to be movable from a first to a second position, block airflow through the channel in the first position and to allow airflow through the channel in the second position, and be movable from the first to the second positions via a first movement of the control element; and a locking element to be arranged in a third and a fourth position, block the first movement of the control element in the third position and to allow the first movement of the control element in the fourth position, and be movable from the third to the fourth positions via a second movement of the locking element, the second movement being a compression movement an outer sidewall of a housing in a flexible region of the mouthpiece.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A mouthpiece for an aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 an airflow channel through the mouthpiece;   an airflow control element configured to
 be movable from a first position to a second position, 
 block airflow through the airflow channel in the first position and to allow airflow through the airflow channel in the second position, and 
 be movable from the first position to the second position via a first movement of the airflow control element; and 
   a locking element configured to
 be arranged in a third position and a fourth position, 
 block the first movement of the airflow control element in the third position of the locking element and to allow the first movement of the airflow control element in the fourth position of the locking element, and 
 be movable from the third position to the fourth position via a second movement of the locking element, 
 wherein the second movement of the locking element is a compression movement of at least one outer sidewall of a housing of the mouthpiece in a flexible region of the mouthpiece. 
   
     
     
         17 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 16 , wherein the first movement of the airflow control element is a rotational movement of the airflow control element. 
     
     
         18 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 16 , wherein the first movement of the airflow control element is a rotational movement of the housing of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         19 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 16 , wherein the airflow control element comprises a part of a valve. 
     
     
         20 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 16 , wherein the airflow control element comprises a part of a disc-valve. 
     
     
         21 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 20 , wherein the first movement of the airflow control element is a rotation of the disc-valve thereby opening the disc-valve. 
     
     
         22 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 16 , wherein the airflow control element is configured to be incrementally movable from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         23 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the airflow control element is configured to be movable to at least one intermediate position between the first and the second position, and   wherein in the intermediate position the airflow channel is partially blocked by the airflow control element.   
     
     
         24 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 16 ,
 further comprising an inner mouthpiece wall, the inner mouthpiece wall comprising the airflow control element.   
     
     
         25 . The mouthpiece according to  claim 24 , wherein the airflow control element comprises a first opening in the inner mouthpiece wall. 
     
     
         26 . An aerosol-generating system comprising the mouthpiece according to  claim 16  and one or both of a cartridge or an aerosol-generating device, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to be attachable to the cartridge. 
     
     
         27 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 26 , wherein the mouthpiece is further configured to be removably attachable to the cartridge. 
     
     
         28 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 26 ,
 wherein the mouthpiece is further configured to be attachable to a tubular connection portion of the cartridge,   wherein the tubular connection portion has at least one recess on an outer surface thereof,   wherein the locking element comprises at least one protruding element arranged on an inner surface of a sidewall of a housing of the mouthpiece, and   wherein the protruding element is configured to engage with the at least one recess in the tubular portion in the third position of the locking element thereby preventing the first movement of the airflow control element.   
     
     
         29 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 28 , wherein the tubular connection portion has multiple recesses on the outer surface. 
     
     
         30 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 28 , wherein the protruding element is flexible. 
     
     
         31 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 28 , wherein the protruding element is a spring. 
     
     
         32 . The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 26 ,
 wherein the cartridge comprises a cartridge airflow control element configured to engage with the airflow control element of the mouthpiece when the mouthpiece is attached to the cartridge, and   wherein the airflow control element and cartridge airflow control element are further configured to enable airflow from the cartridge into the mouthpiece when the mouthpiece is rotated relative to the cartridge.   
     
     
         33 . A method of enabling airflow through the mouthpiece according to  claim 16 , the method comprising moving the airflow control element from the first position to the second position via the first movement of the airflow control element and moving the locking element from the third position to the fourth position via the second movement of the locking element.