Cartridge with airflow management element and sealing element

Abstract

A cartridge for an aerosol-generating device is provided, the cartridge including: a liquid storage portion to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; an inner airflow path extending between proximal and distal ends of the cartridge; a tubular internal component circumscribing a portion of the path and including a tubular heater component including a susceptor arranged in the path; a tubular sleeve circumscribing a portion of the internal component; and a liquid supply channel arranged between the internal component and the sleeve to supply the substrate to the susceptor, the internal component including an airflow manager provided distal of the heater component, the airflow manager including an air inlet to provide air into the path, a tubular sidewall of the airflow manager circumscribing the path, and a distal sealing element arranged on an outer surface of the sidewall and being configured to seal a distal end of the channel.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A cartridge for an aerosol-generating device, the cartridge comprising:
 a liquid storage portion configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate;   an inner airflow path extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the cartridge;   a tubular internal unit circumscribing at least a portion of the inner airflow path, wherein the tubular internal unit comprises a tubular heater component comprising a susceptor element arranged in the inner airflow path;   a tubular sleeve element circumscribing at least a portion of the tubular internal unit; and   a liquid supply channel arranged between the tubular internal unit and the tubular sleeve element, wherein the liquid supply channel is configured to supply the liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the susceptor element,   wherein the tubular internal unit further comprises an airflow management component provided distal of the tubular heater component, the airflow management component comprising at least one air inlet configured to provide air into the inner airflow path, a tubular sidewall of the airflow management component circumscribing the inner airflow path, and a distal sealing element arranged on an outer surface of the tubular sidewall, wherein the distal sealing element is configured to seal a distal end of the liquid supply channel.   
     
     
         19 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the distal end of the cartridge is configured to be received by the aerosol-generating device. 
     
     
         20 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the proximal end of the cartridge is opposite to the distal end. 
     
     
         21 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the airflow management component comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion, and   wherein the distal sealing element is arranged in the proximal portion of the airflow management component.   
     
     
         22 . The cartridge according to  claim 21 , wherein the distal sealing element abuts an inner wall of the tubular sleeve element. 
     
     
         23 . The cartridge according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein an outer surface of the proximal portion of the airflow management component comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and   wherein the distal sealing element is arranged between the first and the second protrusion.   
     
     
         24 . The cartridge according to  claim 21 , wherein an outer diameter of the distal portion of the airflow management component is smaller than an outer diameter of the proximal portion of the airflow management component. 
     
     
         25 . The cartridge according to  claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the airflow management component protrudes from a distal end of the tubular sleeve element. 
     
     
         26 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the airflow management component comprises a distal end wall. 
     
     
         27 . The cartridge according to  claim 26 , wherein the distal end wall forms a distal end of the tubular internal unit. 
     
     
         28 . The cartridge according to  claim 26 , wherein the at least one air inlet is located in the distal end wall. 
     
     
         29 . The cartridge according to  claim 26 , wherein the distal end wall is a closed distal end wall. 
     
     
         30 . The cartridge according to  claim 29 , wherein the closed distal end wall is configured as a retention element to receive liquid aerosol-forming substrate to prevent leakage from one or both of the susceptor element and the inner airflow path. 
     
     
         31 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one air inlet is located in the tubular sidewall of the airflow management component. 
     
     
         32 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the distal sealing element is provided as a seal lip, or   wherein the distal sealing element is provided as an O-ring.   
     
     
         33 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the tubular internal unit further comprises a tubular sealing component provided proximal to the tubular heater component, the tubular sealing component comprising a tubular element circumscribing a portion of the airflow path and a proximal sealing element arranged at an outer surface of the tubular element, and   wherein the tubular internal unit is axially movable with respect to the tubular sleeve element from a blocking position in which the proximal sealing element is arranged to block a fluid connection between the liquid storage portion and the liquid supply channel, to an open position in which the proximal sealing element is moved to open a fluid connection between the liquid storage portion and the liquid supply channel.   
     
     
         34 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein the airflow management component and the tubular heater component are configured as separate structural components connected along a longitudinal axis of the tubular internal unit. 
     
     
         35 . The cartridge according to  claim 33 ,
 wherein the at least one air inlet is located in the tubular sidewall of the airflow management component,   wherein the airflow management component and the tubular heater component are configured as separate structural components connected along a longitudinal axis of the tubular internal unit,   wherein the tubular sealing component is configured as a separate structural component, and   wherein the tubular sealing component is connected with the tubular heater component along the longitudinal axis of the tubular internal unit.   
     
     
         36 . The cartridge according to  claim 18 , wherein a proximal end portion of the cartridge is configured as a mouthpiece. 
     
     
         37 . An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
 the cartridge according to  claim 18 ; and   an aerosol-generating device comprising a cavity configured to receive at least a distal portion of the cartridge,   wherein the cavity is at least partly circumscribed by an inductor coil.