ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE

• US 20150250229A1
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fontem Ventures BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Hon, Lik
• Granted Patent: US 9,326,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/16 of tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/05 Devices without heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/044 with electrodes immersed in the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8256 being integrated in the case or housing of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/34 Tobacco-abuse
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/002 using electric energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0291 : Tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0004 : Devices wherein the heating current flows through the material to be heated Circuit arrangements for heating by passing the current directly across the material to be heated H05B3/0023; granular, powdered or fluid material H05B3/60
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 : Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a shell and a mouthpiece. The external wall of the shell has an air inlet. An atomizer and a liquid-supply are in contact with each other. The air inlet, atomizer, and an aerosol passage are interconnected.

Claims

1. An electronic vaporizing device comprising:

an electronic cigarette including;

a hollow cylindrical housing having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end;

an LED at a first end of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, to provide illumination at the first end of the hollow cylindrical housing to simulate a normal cigarette;

an outlet at the second end of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

an air inlet for allowing air to flow into the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

a battery, an electronic circuit board, a sensor, a liquid-absorbent component, and a liquid-supply within the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

the liquid-absorbent component having a cylindrical chamber co-axial with the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

a heating wire extending across a diameter of the cylindrical chamber perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing;

an air stream passage between the inlet and the outlet, with the heating wire across the air stream passage;

with the liquid-supply in physical contact with the liquid-absorbent-component, to move liquid from the liquid-supply to the liquid-absorbent component; and

wherein the liquid-supply is cylindrical and arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette.

2. The device of claim 1 with the liquid-supply comprising a fiber material.

3. The device of claim 2 with the liquid-absorbant component comprising a fiber material.

4. The device of claim 2 with the liquid-supply comprising propylene glycol.

5. The device of claim 4 further including a separator in the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, with the electronic circuit board and the sensor on a first side of the separator, and with the liquid-absorbent component and the liquid-supply on a second side of the separator, opposite from the first side.

6. The device of claim 5 with the separator having a through hole from the first side to the second side, and with the separator comprising plastic or rubber.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the heating wire has leads extending out of the liquid-absorbent component.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor creates an output signal which is proportional to suction force on the outlet.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the electronic circuit board provides electric current to the heating wire for a time interval dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein illumination of the LED is dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor, to simulate an appearance of a normal cigarette.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein the sensor comprises a capacitor sensor.

12. The device of claim 8 further including a switch electrically connected to the sensor, to operate the heating wire without suction on the outlet, for manually cleaning within the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette.

13. The device of claim 1 with the battery, the liquid-supply and the cylindrical chamber of the liquid-absorbent component co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette.

14. An electronic vaporizing device comprising:

an electronic cigarette including;

a hollow cylindrical housing having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end;

an LED at a first end of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, to provide illumination at the first end of the hollow cylindrical housing;

an outlet at the second end of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

an air inlet for allowing air to flow into the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

a battery, an electronic circuit board, a sensor, a liquid-absorbent component, and a liquid-supply within the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, wherein the liquid-supply includes a liquid and a fiber material, with the liquid containing propylene glycol, and wherein the liquid supply is cylindrical and arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

with one end of the liquid-absorbent component projecting into the liquid-supply to make physical contact with the liquid in the liquid supply and to move liquid from the liquid-supply to the liquid-absorbent component;

the liquid-absorbent component having a cylindrical chamber co-axial with the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

a heating wire extending across the cylindrical chamber of the liquid-absorbent component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing; and

an air stream passage from the inlet through the cylindrical chamber of the liquid-absorbent component to the outlet, and the heating wire positioned in the air stream passage.

15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a separator in the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, with the electronic circuit board and the sensor on a first side of the separator, and with the liquid-absorbent component and the liquid-supply on a second side of the separator, opposite from the first side, and with the separator having a through hole from the first side to the second side.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the sensor creates an output signal which is proportional to suction force on the outlet.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the electronic circuit board provides electric current to the heating wire for a time interval dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein illumination of LED is dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor, to simulate an appearance of a normal cigarette.

19. An electronic vaporizing device comprising:

an electronic cigarette including;

a hollow cylindrical housing having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end;

an LED at the first end of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, to provide illumination at the first end of the hollow cylindrical housing;

an outlet at the second end of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

an air inlet for allowing air to flow into the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

a battery, an electronic circuit board, a sensor, a porous component, and a liquid-supply within the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

the porous component having a cylindrical chamber co-axial with the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette;

a heating wire extending across the cylindrical chamber of the porous component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing;

an air passage between the inlet to the outlet, with the heating wire in the air passage and positioned for air to flow over the heating wire;

with the liquid-supply in physical contact with the porous component, to move liquid from the liquid-supply to the porous component; and

wherein the liquid-supply is cylindrical and arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette.

20. The device of claim 19 with the porous component comprising a fiber material.

21. The device of claim 20 with at least one end of the porous component projecting into the liquid-supply.

22. The device of claim 21 further including a separator in the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette, with the electronic circuit board, and the sensor on a first side of the separator, and with the porous component and the liquid-supply on a second side of the separator, opposite from the first side.

23. The device of claim 22 with the separator having a through hole from the first side to the second side.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the heating wire has leads extending out of the porous component.

25. The device of claim 21 with the liquid-supply comprising propylene glycol.

26. The device of claim 21 wherein the sensor creates an output signal which is proportional to suction force on the outlet.

27. The device of claim 21 wherein illumination of LED is dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor, to simulate an appearance of a normal cigarette.

28. The device of claim 21 further including a switch electrically connected to the sensor, to operate the heating wire without suction on the outlet, for manually cleaning within the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette.

29. The device of claim 20 with the battery, the liquid-supply and the cylindrical chamber of the porous component co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing of the electronic cigarette.