ELECTRONIC VAPOUR PROVISION DEVICE

• US 20150208728A1
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,943,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 7/00 Mouthpieces for pipes; Mouthpieces for cigar or cigarette holders

Abstract

An electronic vapor provision device comprising a power cell, a vaporizer and a liquid store, wherein the vaporizer comprises a heater and a heater support, wherein the liquid store comprises a porous material.

Claims

1. An electronic vapour provision device comprising a power cell, a vaporiser and a liquid store, where the vaporiser comprises a heating element and a heating element support, wherein the liquid store comprises a porous material.

2. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 1, wherein the electronic vapour provision device is an electronic cigarette.

3. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the liquid store comprises a rigid porous material.

4. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the liquid store comprises a porous ceramic material.

5. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the porous material is optimized for liquid retention and wicking.

6. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 5, wherein the porous material is optimized for liquid glycerine retention and wicking.

7. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the porous material comprises pores of substantially equal size.

8. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the porous material comprises pores distributed evenly throughout the material.

9. The electronic vapour provision device of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the porous material is configured such that the majority of the material volume comprises open pores for liquid storage.

10. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the liquid store is sealed on at least part of an outer surface region to inhibit porosity in that region.

11. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the porous material comprises smaller pores in the region next to the heating element and larger pores further from the heating element.

12. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the porous material comprises a gradient of pore sizes ranging from smaller pores next to the heating element to larger pores further from the heating element.

13. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the liquid store is configured, in use, to wick liquid onto the heating element.

14. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the heating element support forms part of the liquid store.

15. The electronic vapour provision device of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the heating element support is the liquid store.

16. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the heating element is supported from its outside by the heating element support.

17. The electronic vapour provision device of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the heating element is supported from its inside by the heating element support.

18. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein one or more gaps are provided between the heating element and the heating element support.

19. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the heating element is a heating coil.

20. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 19, wherein the heating coil is a wire coil.

21. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 19 or 20, wherein the heating coil is coiled so as to be supported along its length by the heating element support.

22. The electronic vapour provision device of any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the turns of the heating coil are in contact with the heating element support and are thereby supported by the heating element support.

23. The electronic vapour provision device of any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein one or more gaps are provided between the heating coil and the heating element support.

24. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 23, wherein the one or more gaps are between the coil turns and the heating element support.

25. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the vaporiser further comprises a vaporisation cavity such that, in use, the vaporisation cavity is a negative pressure cavity.

26. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 25, wherein at least part of the heating element is inside the vaporisation cavity.

27. The electronic vapour provision device of any preceding claim, wherein the electronic vapour provision device comprises a mouthpiece section and the vaporiser forms part of the mouthpiece section.

28. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 27, wherein the liquid store forms part of the mouthpiece section.

29. The electronic vapour provision device of claim 28, wherein the liquid store substantially fills the mouthpiece section.

30. The vaporiser of any preceding claim.

31. The mouthpiece of any one of claims 27 to 29.

32. An electronic vapour provision device comprising

a heating element for vaporising liquid;

an air outlet for vaporised liquid from the heating element; and

a porous heating element support, wherein the heating element support is a store of liquid.

33. An electronic vapour provision device comprising

a heating element for vaporising liquid;

a power cell for powering the heating element;

an air outlet for vaporised liquid from the heating element; and

a porous heating element support, wherein the heating element support is a store of liquid.

34. An electronic vapour provision device, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

35. A vaporiser, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.