Cartridge assembly for an aerosol-generating system with leak prevention

Abstract

A cartridge assembly for an aerosol-generating system including a housing having an air outlet and an air inlet upstream of the housing air outlet; and a cartridge disposed within the housing. The cartridge includes a fluid-permeable heating element within a cartridge body; a cartridge air inlet; a cartridge air outlet; and an airflow path extending from the cartridge air inlet to the cartridge air outlet, via the fluid-permeable heating element. At least a portion of the cartridge may move between a first position, in which air from the housing air inlet is blocked from flowing to the housing air outlet, via the cartridge air inlet, the fluid-permeable heating element, and the cartridge air outlet; and a second position, in which an unrestricted airflow path exists from the housing air inlet to the housing air outlet, via the cartridge air inlet, the fluid-permeable heating element, and the cartridge air outlet.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cartridge assembly for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge assembly comprising:
 a housing having a mouth end outlet and a device inlet; and   a cartridge in the housing, the cartridge including,
 a heating element within the cartridge; 
 a cartridge air inlet; 
 a cartridge air outlet, the cartridge air inlet and the cartridge air outlet defining a cartridge airflow path including the heating element; 
   wherein, at least a portion of the cartridge is configured to be movable between
 a first position sealing the cartridge airflow path in the housing; and 
 a second position opening the cartridge airflow path to an outside of the housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a storage container containing a supply of liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein when the cartridge is inserted into the housing, the heating element is positioned across an opening in the storage container. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member configured to move the cartridge towards the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the cartridge is configured to be in the second position when the housing connects to the aerosol-generating system. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an insert member between the cartridge and the housing,   wherein the insert member includes an insert member air inlet and an insert member air outlet, and   wherein when the cartridge is in the first position, the insert member air inlet is misaligned with the cartridge air inlet and the insert member air outlet is misaligned with the cartridge air outlet; and   wherein when the cartridge is in the second position, the insert member air inlet is aligned with the cartridge air inlet and the insert member air outlet is aligned with the cartridge air outlet.   
     
     
         6 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge main body configured to house the heating element, and
 wherein
 the cartridge air inlet includes at least one opening in the cartridge main body of the cartridge; 
 the cartridge air outlet includes at least one opening in the cartridge main body of the cartridge; or 
 both the cartridge air inlet includes at least one opening in the cartridge main body of the cartridge, and the cartridge air outlet comprises at least one opening in the cartridge main body of the cartridge. 
   
     
     
         7 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge cap configured to connect to the cartridge main body, and cover the heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the cartridge cap is provided with electrical connectors to form an electrical connection with the heating element. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge includes a locking system for temporarily affixing the cartridge to the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system, the cartridge comprising:
 a storage container within the cartridge, the storage container containing a supply of liquid aerosol-forming substrate;   a heating element within the cartridge and positioned across an opening in the storage container; and   a cartridge air inlet and a cartridge air outlet defining a cartridge airflow path, the heating element separating the storage container from the cartridge airflow path;   at least a portion of the cartridge is configured to move within the cartridge between
 a first position sealing the supply of liquid aerosol-forming substrate within the cartridge airflow path; and 
 a second position opening an airflow path to an outside of the cartridge. 
   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol-generating system comprising a cartridge assembly according to  claim 10 , and an aerosol-generating device comprising a power supply and control electronics, wherein the cartridge assembly is configured to connect to the aerosol-generating device.