Electronic vaporiser system

• US 10,588,176 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AYR Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AYR Ltd.
• Inventors: Marsh, Stephen, Murison, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor S
• Application Number:
  US15/253,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/015 with means for refilling of liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/95 structurally associated with cases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids

Abstract

A heating or atomising unit for an electronic cigarette vaporiser, in which the unit includes a protective elastomer wall or barrier configured to enable (i) the unit to fit inside a body in the vaporizer and to prevent leakage around the outside of the unit whilst e-liquid is being supplied under pressure to a reservoir surrounding the unit and (ii) e-liquid to pass from the e-liquid reservoir outside of the unit and into the unit. The unit can be a cylindrical ceramic cell and the elastomer wall can be a pair of silicone end-caps placed on each end of the cylinder, separated by a gap through which e-liquid can reach the outer surface of the ceramic cell and pass through the ceramic and into the atomizing chamber in the cell.

Claims

1. A heating or atomising unit for an electronic cigarette vaporiser, in which the unit includes a protective elastomer wall or barrier configured to enable (i) the unit to fit inside a body in the vaporizer and to prevent leakage around the outside of the unit whilst atomisable liquid is being supplied under pressure to a reservoir surrounding the unit during re-filling of the reservoir and (ii) atomisable liquid to pass from the e-liquid reservoir outside of the unit and into the unit, in which the unit includes a ceramic heating unit that includes a cylindrical ceramic wicking material with a central, hollow bore, with a heating element formed around the central bore, in which atomisable liquid passage holes are formed in the wall or the barrier at locations in the wall or the barrier designed to provide controlled delivery of atomisable liquid into the unit.

2. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1 in which the unit is a ceramic cell.

3. The heating or atomising unit of claim 2 in which the ceramic cell is cylindrical.

4. The heating or atomising unit of claim 3 in which the protective elastomer wall or barrier is a pair of end caps that fit over each end of the unit.

5. The heating or atomising unit of claim 4 in which a gap is formed between each end cap through which atomisable liquid can pass to reach the outer surface of the ceramic cell and pass through ceramic material of the ceramic cell and into the atomizing chamber in the cell.

6. The heating or atomising unit of claim 5 in which a cotton material is placed in the gap.

7. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1 in which the elastomer is chosen to have one or more of the following properties:

(i) form an effective seal around the ceramic unit;

(ii) withstand high temperatures (e.g. in excess of 200 degrees C. or higher);

(iii) will not introduce any toxic compounds into the atomisable liquid and (iv) is mouldable around the unit.

8. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1 in which the elastomer is thermally insulating.

9. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1 in which the elastomer is silicone.

10. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1 in which the elastomer is a rubber.

11. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1 in which the unit is generally cylindrical and the elastomer forms a thin wall or barrier around the curved surface of the cylinder.

12. The heating or atomising unit of claim 11 in which the elastomer forms a thin wall or barrier around one or both ends of the unit.

13. The heating or atomising unit of claim 1, wherein the re-filling of the reservoir is user-initiated.

14. An e-cigarette vaporiser including a heating or atomising unit, in which the unit includes a protective elastomer wall or barrier configured to enable (i) the unit to fit inside a body in the vaporizer and to prevent leakage around the outside of the unit whilst atomisable liquid is being supplied under pressure to a reservoir surrounding the unit and (ii) atomisable liquid to pass from the atomisable liquid reservoir outside of the unit and into the unit, in which the unit includes a ceramic heating unit that includes a cylindrical ceramic wicking material with a central, hollow bore, with a heating element formed around the central bore, in which atomisable liquid passage holes are formed in the wall or the barrier at locations in the wall or the barrier designed to provide controlled delivery of atomisable liquid into the unit.

15. A heating or atomising unit for an electronic cigarette vaporiser, in which the unit includes a protective elastomer wall or barrier configured to enable (i) the unit to fit inside a body in the vaporizer and to prevent leakage around the outside of the unit whilst atomisable liquid is being supplied under pressure to a reservoir surrounding the unit during re-filling of the reservoir and (ii) atomisable liquid to pass from the atomisable liquid reservoir outside of the unit and into the unit, in which the unit includes a ceramic cell, in which the ceramic cell is cylindrical, in which the protective elastomer wall or the barrier is a pair of end caps that fit over each end of the unit, in which a gap is formed between each end cap through which atomisable liquid can pass to reach the outer surface of the ceramic cell and pass through ceramic material of the ceramic cell and into the atomizing chamber in the cell.

16. The heating or atomising unit of claim 15, in which a cotton material is placed in the gap.

17. The heating or atomising unit of claim 15, wherein the re-filling of the reservoir is user-initiated.