Electronic vaping device and components thereof

• US 10,362,806 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2018
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cadieux, Edmond J., Burton, Douglas A., Smith, Barry S., Lipowicz, Peter, Cobler, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Calandra, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/860,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20180125119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/465 specially adapted for induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes

Abstract

A liquid reservoir component of an electronic vaping device includes an outer casing extending in a longitudinal direction, an air inlet, and a vapor outlet. An inner tube is within the outer casing defining a central air passage communicates with the inlet and the outlet. A liquid reservoir is in an annular space between the outer casing and the inner tube. A susceptor is adjacent the central air passage, and a wick is in communication with the liquid reservoir and in thermal communication with the susceptor such that the susceptor is operable to heat the liquid material to a temperature to vaporize the liquid material and form a vapor in the central air passage. The liquid reservoir component is configured to connect with a power supply component such that an induction source is operable to generate an inductive field to heat the susceptor when powered by the power source.

Claims

1. An electronic vaping (e-vaping) device comprising:

a pre-vapor formulation storage element connectable to a power supply, the pre-vapor formulation storage element configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation material and including a fibrous material, the pre-vapor formulation material being absorbed in the fibrous material, the pre-vapor formulation storage element further including,

an outer casing extending in a longitudinal direction,

an air inlet,

a vapor outlet,

an inner tube within the outer casing defining a central air passage communicating with the air inlet and the vapor outlet, and

a susceptor located adjacent the central air passage, the susceptor being operable to heat the pre-vapor formulation material to a temperature to vaporize the pre-vapor formulation material; and

the power supply including,

an outer casing extending in a longitudinal direction including a power source in electrical communication with an induction source, the induction source being axially spaced from the susceptor by a distance if the power supply is attached to the pre-vapor formulation storage element such that the induction source is operable to generate an inductive field to heat the susceptor if powered by the power source such that the susceptor heats the pre-vapor formulation material to a temperature to vaporize the pre-vapor formulation material.

2. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the induction source includes an inductive coil at an end thereof proximate to the susceptor of the pre-vapor formulation storage element, and the inductive coil is configured to generate the inductive field to heat the susceptor.

3. The e-vaping device of claim 2, wherein the inductive coil comprises a helix extending in the longitudinal direction of the outer casing.

4. The e-vaping device of claim 2, wherein the inductive coil comprises a planar coil.

5. The e-vaping device of claim 2, wherein the inductive coil comprises a helix extending in a transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the outer casing.

6. The e-vaping device of claim 2, wherein the induction source further includes a cylindrical core comprising a ferrite material, the inductive coil is wound about the cylindrical core and the cylindrical core extends in the longitudinal direction of the outer casing or in a transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the outer casing.

7. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the susceptor comprises one of stainless steel, copper, copper alloys, ceramic material coated with film resistive material, nickel chromium alloys, or a sub-combination thereof or a combination thereof.

8. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation storage element further includes a mouth end insert and the mouth end insert is in communication with the air inlet.

9. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is axially spaced from a proximate end of the induction source by about 0.01 to 2 mm if the pre-vapor formulation storage element is connected to the power supply.

10. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein

a portion of the power supply is in the pre-vapor formulation storage element if the power supply and the pre-vapor formulation storage element are connected and the susceptor is axially spaced from a proximate end of the induction source, or

a portion of the pre-vapor formulation storage element is in the power supply if the power supply and the pre-vapor formulation storage element are connected and the susceptor is axially spaced from a proximate end of the induction source.

11. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the power supply further comprises control circuitry including a puff sensor, and the puff sensor is configured to sense air flow and initiate generation of the inductive field from the induction source in electrical communication with the power source.

12. The e-vaping device of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control a variable power cycle from the power source to the induction source as a function of an output signal of the puff sensor.

13. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein one of

the pre-vapor formulation storage element is connected to the power supply with a mechanical or magnetic connection;

the pre-vapor formulation storage element is a disposable downstream section and the power supply is a reusable upstream section;

or

the pre-vapor formulation storage element is connected to the power supply with a mechanical or magnetic connection and the pre-vapor formulation storage element is a disposable downstream section and the power supply is a reusable upstream section.

14. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is made of a magnetic material.

15. An electronic article comprising the e-vaping device of claim 1, the electronic article having a uniform diameter of about 10 mm or less, wherein the power supply further includes,

a puff sensor configured to sense air flow and initiate generation of the inductive field from the induction source in electrical communication with the power source.

16. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the susceptor is formed in a disk-like shape.

17. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the induction source includes an inductive coil wound about a cylindrical core, the cylindrical core including a ferrite material.

18. The electronic article of claim 15, wherein the susceptor is formed in a disk-like shape.

19. The electronic article of claim 15, wherein the induction source includes an inductive coil wound about a cylindrical core, the cylindrical core including a ferrite material.