Vaporizer cartridge and inhaler with such a vaporizer cartridge

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vaporizer cartridge as a component of an inhaler, comprising a hollow body with a continuous, unobstructed chimney forming a flow channel, and a reservoir for storing liquid, wherein the reservoir has at least one access opening to the chimney and an vaporizer unit extending over the entire access opening is arranged in the area of ​​each access opening, the vaporizer unit comprising a wicking element and a heating element for generating aerosols from the liquid supplied from the reservoir, wherein the vaporizer unit is designed to be liquid-permeable such that liquid can be conveyed at least initially by capillary action from the reservoir through the vaporizer unit towards the chimney and as an aerosol within the chimney towards a mouthpiece, wherein at least one absorption element is arranged at least sectionally in the area of ​​the chimney.which is designed and configured to receive liquid droplets formed within the chimney by condensation of the aerosol, wherein the absorption element is formed by the chimney itself.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to an inhaler designed and equipped for inhaling an aerosol enriched with active ingredients, comprising a cartridge carrier comprising at least one electronic control unit and an energy source, as well as a vaporizer cartridge.

[0003] Such vaporizer cartridges and inhalers are used in the consumer goods industry, particularly in connection with electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and in the medical field to enable the inhalation of liquid recreational substances and / or liquid medical products. Vaporizer cartridges and inhalers are already known from the following disclosures: US 2017 / 281883 A1, US 2018 / 116289 A1, US 2020 / 113242 A1, US 2019 / 014826 A1, US 2021 / 127744 A1, US 2017 / 273360 A1, WO 2021 / 062781 A1, US 2020 / 196669 A1, WO 2015 / 161553 A1, and US 2014 / 286630 A1.

[0004] In the context of this invention, the term aerosol also includes vapor or aerosol-vapor mixture. During consumption, a person typically inhales through a mouthpiece of the inhaler, creating suction pressure in the airflow channel that generates an airflow through the channel. However, the airflow can also be generated mechanically, for example, by a pump. In the airflow channel, a vaporized liquid, generated and supplied by the vaporization unit, is added as a gas phase to the airflow to deliver an aerosol or an aerosol-vapor mixture to the user. The liquid is stored in or on the vaporization cartridge. Various mixtures with different components of the same or different vapor densities are used as the liquid. A typical mixture for use in an e-cigarette, for example, contains components of glycerin and propylene glycol, possibly with additional components.Enriched with nicotine and / or virtually any flavoring. For use in the medical or therapeutic field, e.g., for the inhalation of asthma medications, the mixture may contain corresponding medicinal components and active ingredients.

[0005] The individual components of the vaporizer cartridge—namely, the hollow body, the reservoir, and the vaporizer unit—can be combined into a single unit. This unit is then a disposable item designed for a finite number of inhalations by a user and, together with a cartridge holder (a reusable item comprising at least an electronic control unit and a power source), forms an inhaler. Alternatively, the vaporizer cartridge can be formed by assembling several components. In this case, individual components, particularly the hollow body and the vaporizer unit, are arranged within the cartridge holder as reusable items, while the reservoir, as a separate component, constitutes the disposable item. Ultimately, the inhaler can be used in various ways by replacing the disposable item, which typically contains the liquid.

[0006] Accordingly, the disposable and reusable items are detachably connected. The cartridge carrier, as a reusable item, typically includes at least one electronic control unit and a power source. The power source can be, for example, a disposable electrochemical battery or a rechargeable electrochemical battery, such as a lithium-ion battery, which supplies power to the heating element via the electrical contacts of the evaporator unit. The electronic and / or electrical control unit is used to control the evaporator unit within the evaporator cartridge. The cartridge carrier can also include components of the evaporator cartridge. The disposable item can be designed as a plug-in component for the reusable item or as an insertable component for the reusable item. Instead of a plug-in connection, screw connections or other quick-connect fittings can also be used.By combining disposable and reusable items, a mechanical and electrical coupling is created to form a functional inhaler.

[0007] The central component, ultimately determining its use (e.g., as an e-cigarette or a medical inhaler), is the reservoir filled with a liquid (hereinafter also referred to as fluid) as part of the vaporizer cartridge. The fluid is drawn from the reservoir through the wick and heating element by the liquid-permeable vaporizer unit, primarily via capillary action. The voltage applied to the heating element by the power source induces an electric current within the heating element. Due to the heating element's resistance, preferably its ohmic resistance, this current heats the element and ultimately vaporizes the fluid within or passing through the vaporizer unit. The resulting gas, vapor, aerosol, and / or aerosol-vapor mixture escapes from the vaporizer unit towards the airflow channel.In the flow channel formed by the chimney, the formation of aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures is specifically promoted by mixing with the airflow within the channel. The fluid thus follows a predetermined path with a predetermined flow direction: as a fluid through the wick to and through the heating element, and as gas / vapor / mist and / or aerosol from the heating element into the flow channel or chimney. Within the flow channel or chimney, the vaporized fluid is carried along by the airflow when the channel or chimney is subjected to pressure or vacuum, for example, by a user drawing through the mouthpiece or by a pump blowing an airflow through the channel or chimney.

[0008] To prevent the fluid from the reservoir tank from flowing directly into the flow channel or chimney, the vaporizer unit completely covers the access from the reservoir tank to the flow channel or chimney. "Completely covered" in this context means that the fluid is forced to pass through the vaporizer unit, so that it cannot flow directly from the reservoir tank into the flow channel or chimney, but must instead take a detour via the wick and the heating element. The wick serves two purposes: firstly, to temporarily store fluid, ensuring that enough fluid is available for a few puffs from the inhaler, especially when the reservoir tank is nearly empty; and secondly, to transport the fluid from the reservoir tank towards the flow channel or chimney, and simultaneously acts as a backflow preventer to prevent fluid and / or vapor from flowing back towards the reservoir tank.

[0009] In the generic vaporizer cartridge, the chimney is continuous and unobstructed. The chimney forms a continuous flow channel. This means that the aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures can flow freely within the chimney or flow channel towards the mouthpiece. The cavity enclosed by the chimney is free of obstructions, so that a direct and unobstructed channel connection exists from the vaporizer unit to the mouthpiece. The aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures supplied to or formed within the chimney flow unhindered towards the mouthpiece. Ideally, "unobstructed" in the sense of the invention means that the flow channel has a constant cross-section and a smooth surface to enable laminar flow.However, "barrier-free" expressly includes embodiments in which the cross-section of the flow channel from the vaporizer unit to the mouthpiece is variable or non-constant, and / or in which protrusions, edges, ridges, or the like are provided in the flow channel, which, however, only partially extend across the cross-section of the flow channel and can be circumvented by the aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures. In other words, the barrier-free flow channel allows the aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures to flow towards the mouthpiece without having to pass through components or the like located in the flow channel.

[0010] As the aerosols or aerosol vapor mixtures cool on their way to the mouthpiece, particularly on the inner wall of the chimney surrounding the airflow channel, condensation forms liquid droplets. In other words, the aerosols or aerosol vapor mixtures are at least partially converted back into liquid during transport from the vaporizer unit to the mouthpiece. Due to the airflow within the chimney or airflow channel, there is a risk that these liquid droplets will enter the user's mouth. These liquid droplets impair the enjoyment and flavor experience, especially when used as an e-cigarette. Furthermore, the direct absorption of substances such as nicotine from the liquid through the oral mucosa can lead to undesirable effects, such as nausea. Additionally, the liquid droplets can interfere with the user experience, particularly when using a medical inhaler.

[0011] The invention is therefore based on the objective of creating a compact vaporizer cartridge of the generic type that effectively prevents liquid from escaping the mouthpiece. A further objective is to propose a corresponding inhaler.

[0012] This task is accomplished by an evaporator cartridge of the type mentioned above, in that the chimney, forming an inner and an outer chimney, is at least partially double-walled, with the outer chimney bordering the reservoir tank and being correspondingly airtight, while the inner chimney, to create a connection from the flow channel to the outer chimney, is at least partially perforated, with one wall of the inner chimney and one wall of the outer chimney spaced apart to form an intermediate space. Any fluid droplets that form can be captured within the chimney by the absorption element(s), so that they never reach the mouthpiece and certainly not the mouth of the inhaling person. In other words, any potential...Forming fluid droplets are retained before reaching the end of the chimney, thus significantly improving the enjoyment and taste experience or the ingestion experience.

[0013] Preferably, the absorption element(s) is arranged along the section of the chimney extending from the vaporizer unit to the free end of the mouthpiece, in the direction of aerosol flow, behind the vaporizer unit. This ensures that the absorption element(s) is positioned precisely where the risk of potential droplet formation is greatest, thus providing effective protection against the unwanted ingestion / aspiration of liquid.

[0014] According to the invention, the absorption element is formed by the chimney itself, which is designed with at least partial double walls to form an inner and an outer chimney. This results in a particularly compact design for an evaporator cartridge containing an absorption element. Furthermore, the double wall reduces the risk of droplet formation, and in particular the condensation of aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures on the inner wall of the chimney, because the aerosol or aerosol-gas mixture is virtually decoupled from the liquid stored in the reservoir. The double wall acts as insulation from the reservoir, thus at least hindering condensation on the inner wall. The double wall can extend over part of the path from the evaporator unit to the mouthpiece. Optionally, the entire path can be double-walled.

[0015] According to the invention, the outer flue borders the storage tank and is designed to be correspondingly tight, while the inner flue is perforated at least in sections to create a connection from the flow channel to the outer flue. The tight design of the outer flue against the storage tank, which preferably forms a wall of the storage tank, provides a liquid-tight seal, reliably preventing liquid from penetrating towards the flow channel, with the exception of the area of ​​the evaporator unit. The perforation, at least in sections, for example by very fine pores or bores or the like in the wall of the inner flue, ensures this seal.This creates a capillary action such that droplets forming on the inner wall of the inner flue, particularly through condensation, and any other type of liquid, migrate through the openings towards the outer flue, thus being drawn out of the inner flue. The perforation or any other flow connection from the inner flue surrounding the flow channel to the outer flue can extend partially or completely across the flue. The perforation can be regular or irregular and, for example, more pronounced near the evaporator unit than in the area of ​​the mouthpiece, or vice versa.

[0016] According to the invention, the walls of the inner flue and the outer flue are spaced apart from each other to form an intermediate space. This creates a collection space for the liquid that flows from the inner flue into the outer flue. The liquid extracted from the inner flue can thus be stored in the collection space and, if necessary, discharged via other channels.

[0017] A particularly advantageous embodiment is characterized by the inclusion of an additional absorbent material, e.g., in the form of a nonwoven fabric, in the space between the components. By placing nonwoven fabric or any other absorbent material in this space, an effective storage medium for liquid is created, thus retaining the liquid discharged from the inner chimney.

[0018] Advantageously, the inner flue or its wall is formed by the hollow body itself, and the outer flue or its wall by a tubular section of the nozzle that can be connected to the hollow body. The nozzle can be formed integrally with the hollow body. In other embodiments, the nozzle is formed separately from the hollow body and can be connected to it, for example, by a plug connection, a snap-fit, or a quick-release system. In the assembled state, which corresponds to the functional state, a circumferential partition of the nozzle forms the wall to the storage tank. The outer surface of the partition is in contact with a fastening element, such as a socket, or, in other embodiments, directly with the liquid in the storage tank. The inner surface of the partition faces the space between the outer and inner flues.The fleece material or similar material rests against the inside of the intermediate wall. Other designs and arrangements of the mouthpiece and / or hollow body are also possible. The fleece material or similar material thus lies sandwiched between the wall of the outer flue, regardless of which component forms it, and the wall of the inner flue. This creates a particularly compact evaporator cartridge with effective absorption capacity.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment, the absorption element is arranged directly on the inside of the chimney. In this embodiment, a single-walled design is provided, in which, for example, a nonwoven material with high inherent stiffness is used as the absorption element. The flow channel is thus directly surrounded by the nonwoven material or the like, so that the condensate settles directly and immediately on the absorption element and is absorbed by it, which ensures effective drainage of the liquid from the flow channel.

[0020] Preferably, the absorption element is sleeve-shaped and rests against the inner wall of the chimney. This allows the absorption element to be mounted easily and in a space-saving manner to form a compact evaporator cartridge.

[0021] The problem is also solved by an inhaler of the type mentioned above in that the vaporizer cartridge is designed and configured according to one or more of claims 1 to 9.

[0022] The resulting advantages have already been described in connection with the evaporator cartridge, therefore reference is made to the above statements to avoid repetition.

[0023] Further advantageous features and developments of the vaporizer cartridge and the inhaler are described in the dependent claims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge and the inhaler are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of an inhaler according to the invention with cartridge carrier and vaporizer cartridge in partial section, Fig. 2 a particularly preferred embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge according to the invention in section, which can be combined with an adapted cartridge carrier to form an inhaler according to the invention, and Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a further embodiment of an inhaler with cartridge carrier and vaporizer cartridge in partial section.

[0024] The vaporizer cartridge and inhaler shown in the drawing are used for inhaling aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures from liquids enriched with active ingredients, e.g., nicotine, and are described accordingly in connection with an e-cigarette. The vaporizer cartridge and inhaler can also be used for inhaling aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures enriched with medicinal ingredients from pharmaceutical and / or dietary supplement products.

[0025] The illustrated vaporizer cartridge 10, particularly as a component of an inhaler 11, comprises a hollow body 12 with a continuous, unobstructed chimney 14 forming a flow channel 13, and a reservoir 15 for storing liquid 16. The reservoir 15 has at least one access opening 17 to the chimney 14, and a vaporizer unit 18 extending over the entire access opening 17 is arranged in the area of ​​each access opening 17. The vaporizer unit 18 includes a wick 19 and a heating element 20 for generating aerosols (or aerosol-vapor mixtures) from the liquid 16 supplied from the reservoir 15. The vaporizer unit 18 is designed to be liquid-permeable such that liquid 16 flows at least initially by capillary action from the reservoir 15 through the vaporizer unit 18 towards the chimney 14 and as an aerosol. (or aerosol-vapor mixture) can be conveyed within the chimney 14 in the direction of a mouthpiece 21.For the sake of simplicity, the term aerosol in connection with the invention consistently includes aerosol-vapor mixtures. Even when vapor or gas is mentioned, aerosols and aerosol-vapor mixtures are always also meant.

[0026] The hollow body 12 with its chimney 14 forms at least one flow channel 13. The shape of the hollow body 12, as well as the course of each flow channel 13, can be virtually arbitrary. Crucially, the inlet side ES of each flow channel 13 must be open to the environment, for example, to allow air to be drawn in, and the outlet side AS must be open, for example, to allow a negative pressure to be created, particularly by a user inhaling. In this context, "open" means that the inlet side ES and the outlet side AS are permeable to air. Two or more flow channels 13 with corresponding inlet sides ES and outlet sides AS can also be provided. At least from the vaporizer unit 18 to the mouthpiece 21, each flow channel 13 is not only permeable to air but completely free of obstructions.In the event that two or more flow channels 13 are provided, either an absorption element 22 is assigned to each flow channel 13, or a common absorption element 22 is provided, which is arranged in the area of ​​a common section, preferably immediately in front of the outlet side AS , of the chimney 14.

[0027] In the area of ​​the access opening 17 between the reservoir 15 and the flow channel 13, the vaporizer unit 18 forms a kind of liquid barrier that prevents liquid 16 from flowing directly from the reservoir 15 into the flow channel 13 as liquid 16. Regardless of the shape and design of the reservoir 15 (two or more reservoirs 15 may be provided) and the hollow body 12, as well as the arrangement / positioning of the reservoir 15 relative to the hollow body 12, the vaporizer unit 18 ensures that liquid 16 is necessarily drawn from the reservoir 15 towards the flow channel 13 and is released into the flow channel 13 as vapor, aerosol, or an aerosol-vapor mixture at the latest upon exiting the vaporizer unit 18. The mouthpiece 21 can be a separate component or part of the vaporizer cartridge 10.

[0028] This evaporator cartridge 10 is characterized by the fact that at least one absorption element 22 is arranged in the area of ​​the chimney 14, at least in sections, and is designed and configured to absorb liquid droplets formed within the chimney 14 by condensation of the aerosol (or aerosol-vapor mixture). It is therefore possible that one or more absorption elements 22 are assigned to or formed along the entire length or parts thereof of the chimney 14.

[0029] The evaporator cartridge 10 can be a single-use item comprising the components hollow body 12, reservoir 15, and evaporator unit 18. However, the evaporator cartridge 10 can also be a multi-part assembly, with components distributed between the single-use and reusable parts. For example, the reservoir 15 is a single-use item that only forms the complete assembly of the evaporator cartridge 10 when combined with a cartridge carrier 24, which can be a reusable part and may include an electronic control unit 25, a power source 26, and components of the evaporator cartridge 10, such as the hollow body 12 and the evaporator unit 18.The evaporator cartridge 10 is defined accordingly by its components, namely hollow body 12 with the flue 14 forming the flow channel 13, storage tank 15 and evaporator unit 18, and not by the constructive / structural assignment of the components to the reusable or disposable item.

[0030] The features and further developments described below represent preferred embodiments, either individually or in combination. It is expressly pointed out that features summarized in the claims and / or the description and / or the drawing, or described in a common embodiment, can also functionally and independently further develop the evaporator cartridge 10 described above.

[0031] In the Figures 1 to 3Different embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge 10 and the corresponding inhaler 11 are shown. The absorption element or elements 22 are arranged along the section of the chimney 14 extending from the vaporizer unit 18 to the free end 26 of the mouthpiece 21, in the direction of aerosol flow T, behind the vaporizer unit 18. The absorption element or elements 22 can be formed in one piece or in multiple parts. In other embodiments, the absorption element 22 can also be an integral part of existing components of the vaporizer cartridge 10, in particular the hollow body 12. In the embodiment according to Figure 1A single absorption element 22 is provided, extending along a section of the chimney 14 and positioned between the evaporator unit 18 and the mouthpiece 21. The absorption element 22 can also be located entirely within the mouthpiece 21 or extend over the entire length from the evaporator unit 18 to the free end 26 of the mouthpiece 21. Several absorption elements 22 can also be arranged along this length. Figure 3 A further embodiment is shown with an absorption element 22 formed separately from the hollow body 12 and / or chimney 14. The specific design of the absorption elements 22 in the embodiments according to the Figure 1 and 3This will be discussed further below. Preferably, the absorption element 22 is formed – at least partially or section by section – by the chimney 14 itself, which is designed to be double-walled at least section by section to form an inner chimney 27 and an outer chimney 28. In structurally simple embodiments, the chimney 14 formed by the hollow body 12 is double-walled from beginning to end, i.e., from the inlet side ES to the outlet side AS. However, the double-walled chimney 14 can also be formed by several separate components. A particularly preferred embodiment is described in the Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the inner flue 27 and the outer flue 28 are formed by the hollow body 12 and the nozzle 21, respectively, and their positioning relative to each other. The outer flue 28 borders directly or indirectly on the storage tank 15 and is designed to be correspondingly leak-tight. The inner flue 27 is perforated at least in sections to create a connection from the flow channel 13 to the outer flue 28. The inner flue 27 is formed by a bore / passage in the hollow body 12. The inner flue 27 thus surrounds the flow channel 13 with a wall 29. A perforation 30 is formed in the wall 29 of the inner flue 27, which may consist of very fine capillaries, bores, or the like. The outer flue 28 is formed by a circumferential wall 31 of the nozzle 21 that is completely closed and liquid-tight from the storage tank 15.Other components of the evaporator cartridge 10 can also be used, possibly supplemented by separate components, to form the inner flue 27 and outer flue 28.

[0032] In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 29 of the inner chimney 27 and the wall 31 of the outer chimney 28 are spaced apart from each other to form an intermediate space 32. The intermediate space 32 can, for example, be free / empty to form an insulating air cushion and as a storage space for the liquid 26 supplied to the intermediate space 32. In the illustrated embodiment, an additional absorbent material 33, for example in the form of a nonwoven fabric, is arranged in the intermediate space 32. The absorbent material 33 can completely or partially fill the intermediate space 32. In addition to nonwoven mats, strips of nonwoven fabric, or the like, other materials suitable for absorbing liquids 26 can also be used and arranged in the intermediate space 32.

[0033] As already described, the inner flue 27, or rather the wall 29 of the inner flue 27, is formed by the hollow body 12 itself, and the outer flue 28, or rather the wall 31 of the outer flue 28, is formed by the mouthpiece 21, which can be connected to the hollow body 12. For this purpose, the mouthpiece 21 has a tubular section 34 to form the wall 31. A fastening element 35, e.g., in the form of a sleeve, is provided for attaching and positioning the mouthpiece 21 to and on the hollow body 12, by means of which the tubular section 34, and thus the mouthpiece 21, can be fixed. Of course, the mouthpiece 21 and the hollow body 12 can also be connected to each other in other ways. Furthermore, the design of the outer flue 28 can also be implemented differently.

[0034] In other embodiments, where the absorption element(s) 22 are not formed by the chimney 14 itself, the absorption element(s) 22 are assigned to it from the inside and / or outside. In the embodiment according to Figure 1The absorption element 22 comprises a sleeve-shaped tube section 36 and an additional absorbent 33. The absorption element 22 rests against the outside of the chimney 14. The nozzle 21 is separate from the evaporator cartridge 10, i.e., it is an independent component from the hollow body 12. A bore 38 or the like is formed in the nozzle 21 to extend the chimney 14, with the absorption element 22 terminating at the end of the chimney 14 formed within the hollow body 12. To discharge condensed aerosols or aerosol-vapor mixtures, i.e., liquid droplets on the wall 29 of the chimney 14, the wall 29 of the chimney 14 is provided with perforations 30 in the area where the absorption element 22 is located. The pipe section 36 completely and tightly shields the additional absorbent 33, which is arranged between the pipe section 36 and the hollow body 12, from the storage tank 15.Outside the casing formed by the pipe element 36, the chimney 14 formed by the hollow body 12 is also designed without perforation 30, i.e., tightly sealed against the storage tank 15.

[0035] The Figure 3 Figure 1 shows an embodiment in which the absorption element 22 is the absorbent 33. The absorption element 22 or the absorbent 33 is arranged directly on the inside of the chimney 14, the chimney 14 being formed by the hollow body 12 and a tubular section 39 of the mouthpiece 21. The absorbent 33 can, for example, be made of nonwoven material. Preferably, the absorption element 22 or the absorbent 33 is sleeve-shaped and rests against the inside of the wall 29 of the chimney 14. To ensure that the nonwoven absorbent 33 is held and sufficiently fixed inside the chimney 14, the nonwoven material or any other suitable absorbent medium has sufficient inherent rigidity.

[0036] Preferably, the vaporizer cartridge 10 is designed and configured for mechanical and electrical connection with the cartridge carrier 23, which comprises at least the electronic control unit 24 and the power source 25, to form the inhaler 11, wherein the vaporizer unit 19 includes electrical contacts 37 for electrical contact with the power source 25. The inhaler 11 can be activated, for example, by a person inhaling, such as with an e-cigarette, or, for example, by a pump, such as a medical device in cases where the person is no longer able to inhale or cannot inhale sufficiently.

[0037] The operating principle of the inhaler 11 according to the invention is illustrated by way of example using an e-cigarette as an inhaler 11, in particular with reference to the Figure 1described. The inhaler 11 is designed and configured for inhaling an aerosol or aerosol-vapor mixture enriched with active ingredients and comprises a cartridge carrier 23 comprising at least the electronic control unit 24 and the energy source 25, as well as a vaporizer cartridge 10, which according to the invention is characterized in that it is designed and configured according to one or more of claims 1 to 6.

[0038] A user, for example, inhales through the mouthpiece 21 of the inhaler 11, which consists of the cartridge holder 23 and the vaporizer cartridge 10. The reservoir 15 of the vaporizer cartridge 10 contains a liquid 26, which may contain, for example, glycerin, propylene glycol, and possibly other active ingredients and / or flavorings. Inhaling creates a vacuum in the flow channel 13, which in turn activates the control unit 24, for example, via a sensor (not shown). The control unit 24 controls the heating element 20, which is supplied with energy by the energy source 25. Liquid 26 from the reservoir 15 is initially transported by capillary action through microchannels from the reservoir 15 towards the heating element 20 via the wick 19. The liquid 26 is converted to steam at or in the heated heating element 20, with the heating element 21 heating the liquid 26 or...The vapor formed is transported towards the flow channel 13 due to the liquid- and vapor-permeable structure and released into it. Upon entering the flow channel 13, the airflow creates aerosols or an aerosol-vapor mixture, which is drawn in and inhaled by the user. Any liquid droplets that may form on the way from the vaporizer unit 18 to the mouthpiece 21, particularly through condensation, are drawn out of the inner chimney 27 by the absorption element(s) 22, absorbed, and possibly stored.

Claims

1. Vaporizer cartridge (10) as part of an inhaler (11), comprising a housing (12) having a continuous, barrier-free vent (14) forming a flow channel (13), and a storage tank (15) for the storage of liquid (16), wherein the storage tank (15) has at least one access opening (17) to the vent (14) and in the region of each access opening (17) there is arranged a vaporizer unit (18) which extends over the entire access opening (17), said vaporizer unit having a wick member (19) and a heating member (20) for the formation of aerosols from the liquid (16) supplied from the storage tank (15), wherein the vaporizer unit (18) is for that purpose configured so as to be liquid-permeable, such that liquid (16) can be conveyed, at least initially in a capillary manner, from the storage tank (15) through the vaporizer unit (18) in the direction of the vent (14) and, in the form of an aerosol, inside the vent (14) in the direction of a mouthpiece (21), wherein there is arranged in the region of the vent (14), at least in some portions, at least one absorption element (22) which is configured and adapted for the absorption of liquid drops formed inside the vent (14) by condensation of the aerosol, wherein the absorption element (22) is formed by the vent (14) itself, characterized in that said vent being of double-walled form at least in some portions to form an inner vent (27) and an outer vent (28), wherein the outer vent (28) adjoins the storage tank (15) and is accordingly configured so as to be impermeable, while the inner vent (27) is configured so as to be perforated at least in some portions in order to produce a connection from the flow channel (13) into the outer vent (28), wherein a wall (29) of the inner vent (27) and a wall (31) of the outer vent (28) are arranged spaced apart from one another to form an intermediate space (32).

2. Vaporizer cartridge (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the or each absorption element (22) is arranged along the portion of the vent (14) that extends from the vaporizer unit (18) to the free end (26) of the mouthpiece (21), behind the vaporizer unit (18) in the flow direction T of the aerosol.

3. Vaporizer cartridge (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an additional absorption means (33), for example in the form of a bonded fabric material, is arranged in the intermediate space (32).

4. Vaporizer cartridge (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner vent (27), or the wall (29) of the inner vent (27), is formed by the housing (12) itself, and the outer vent (28), or the wall (31) of the outer vent (28), is formed by a tubular portion (34) of the mouthpiece (21) which can be connected to the housing (12).

5. Vaporizer cartridge (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the absorption element (22) is arranged directly on the inner side of the vent (14).

6. Vaporizer cartridge (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the absorption element (22) is of sleeve-like form and lies against the inner wall of the vent (14).

7. Inhaler (11), configured and adapted for the inhalation of aerosol enriched with active substances, comprising a cartridge carrier (23) comprising at least an electronic control unit (24) and a power source (25), and a vaporizer cartridge (10), characterized in that the vaporizer cartridge (10) is configured and adapted according to one or more of claims 1 to 6.