ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE

• US 20170295844A1
• Filed: 04/06/2017
• Published: 10/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Md&C Creative Masion SA
• Original Assignee: md&c Creative Maison SA
• Inventors: Thevenaz, Cristina Wendt, Killy, Maria Daniele, Fournier, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 10,334,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• 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

An electronic cigarette comprising a base part and a cartridge configured to be assembled thereto, said base part comprising a battery and at least one heating element connected to the battery, and said cartridge comprising: a substance chamber configured for containing therein a substance to be smoked, said substance chamber comprising a substance outlet; a vaporization chamber in communication with the substance outlet for receiving said substance therein; and at least one heat transfer unit configured, at least when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, for being heated by the heating element of the base part and for heating the substance being provided via said substance outlet for its vaporization in the vaporization chamber.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a base part; and

a cartridge configured to be assembled to the base part;

wherein said base part includes a battery and at least one heating element connected to the battery;

wherein said cartridge includes;

a substance chamber configured for containing therein a substance to be smoked, said substance chamber comprising a substance outlet;

a vaporization chamber in communication with the substance outlet for receiving said substance therein; and

at least one heat transfer unit configured, at least when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, for being heated by the heating element of the base part and for heating the substance being provided via said substance outlet for its vaporization in the vaporization chamber.

2. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises a sorption member at least partially disposed within the vaporization chamber.

3. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer unit has a first side configured, when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, for interfacing the heating element for receiving heat therefrom, and a second side facing the substance outlet for providing heat to the substrate being provided from the substrate outlet.

4. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein, when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, the heating element is separated from the vaporization chamber by the heat transfer unit.

5. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises a porous member interposed between the substance outlet and the vaporization chamber, the porous member configured for allowing passage of said substance from said substance chamber to said vaporization chamber.

6. The electronic cigarette according to claim 5, wherein said vaporization chamber is interposed between the porous member and the heat transfer unit.

7. The electronic cigarette according to claim 5, wherein the porous member has a first surface facing the substance outlet, and a second surface facing the heat transfer unit.

8. The electronic cigarette according to claim 7, wherein the porous member is formed with a hole extending therethrough between the first surface and the second surface and establishing fluid communication between the vaporization chamber and a mouthpiece of the cartridge via a vaporization channel, thereby allowing the vaporized substance to escape from the vaporization chamber via the mouthpiece.

9. The electronic cigarette according to claim 5, wherein the porous member is sized and shaped to fit the cross-section of one of the vaporization chamber and substance chamber.

10. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises:

a cartridge housing at least partially including said substance chamber and said vaporization chamber; and

a vaporization channel extending along the cartridge housing and in fluid communication with the vaporization chamber; and

wherein the cartridge housing has a proximal end configured with a mouthpiece which is in fluid communication with the vaporization chamber via the vaporization channel and a distal end associated with the heat transfer unit.

11. The electronic cigarette according to claim 10, wherein said heat transfer unit is disposed at said distal end.

12. The electronic cigarette according to claim 10, wherein said heat transfer unit is perpendicular to the vaporization channel.

13. The electronic cigarette according to claim 10, wherein said cartridge housing comprises a first air inlet formed therein for establishing fluid communication between an exterior of the cartridge and the vaporization chamber for allowing passage of air into the vaporization chamber for vaporization of the air therein with the substance.

14. The electronic cigarette according to claim 13, wherein said first air inlet is disposed in proximity to the distal end of the cartridge.

15. The electronic cigarette according to claim 10, wherein the base part has a base housing having an interfacing portion associated with the heating element and configured for interfacing the distal end of the cartridge housing when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, so as to bring the heating element into proximity or contact with the heat transfer unit.

16. The electronic cigarette according to claim 15, wherein said cartridge housing comprises:

a first air inlet formed therein for establishing fluid communication between an exterior of the cartridge and the vaporization chamber for allowing passage of air into the vaporization chamber for vaporization of the air therein with the substance; and

wherein said interfacing portion comprises a second air inlet formed therein, and configured at least when the cartridge is assembled to the base part for establishing fluid communication between an exterior of the electronic cigarette and the vaporization chamber via the first air inlet for allowing passage of air into the vaporization chamber for vaporization of the air therein with the substance.

17. The electronic cigarette according to claim 16, wherein when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, said first air inlet and said second air inlet are inline with each other.

18. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the battery is configured for electrically heating the heating element of the base part, to provide heat by conduction to the heating element.

19. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the base part further comprises a processor in association with electrical components of the electronic cigarette, including said battery.

20. The electronic cigarette according to claim 19, wherein the base part further comprises a sensing unit connected to the processor for identifying movement or positioning of the electronic cigarette and thereby allow a gesture-based operation of the electronic cigarette.

21. The electronic cigarette according to claim 19, wherein the base part comprises a pressure sensor or a microphone, connected to the processor for providing puff detection.

22. The electronic cigarette according to claim 21, wherein the processor is configured for turning off the cigarette when the puff number breathed in is equivalent to a defined puff number and/or puffing time.

23. A cartridge for an electronic cigarette, said cartridge being configured to be assembled with a base part of the electronic cigarette having a battery and at least one heating element connected to the battery, said cartridge comprising:

a substance chamber configured for containing therein a substance to be smoked, said substance chamber comprising a substance outlet;

a vaporization chamber in communication with the substance outlet for receiving said substance therein; and

at least one heat transfer unit configured, at least when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, for being heated by the heating element of the base part and for heating the substance being provided via said substance outlet for its vaporization in the vaporization chamber.

24. The cartridge according to claim 23, further comprising a sorption member at least partially disposed within the vaporization chamber.

25. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the heat transfer unit has a first side configured, when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, for interfacing the heating element for receiving heat therefrom, and a second side facing the substance outlet for providing heat to the substrate being provided from the substrate outlet.

26. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein, when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, the heating element is separated from the vaporization chamber by the heat transfer unit.

27. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the cartridge further comprises a porous member interposed between the substance outlet and the vaporization chamber, and configured for allowing passage of said substance from said substance chamber to said vaporization chamber.

28. The cartridge according to claim 27, wherein said vaporization chamber is interposed between the porous member and the heat transfer unit.

29. The cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the porous member has a first surface facing the substance outlet, and a second surface facing the heat transfer unit.

30. The cartridge according to claim 29, wherein the porous member is formed with a hole extending therethrough between the first surface and the second surface and establishing fluid communication between the vaporization chamber and a mouthpiece of the cartridge via a vaporization channel, thereby allowing the vaporized substance to escape from the vaporization chamber via the mouthpiece.

31. The cartridge according to claim 27, wherein the porous member is sized and shaped to fit the cross-section of one of the vaporization chamber and substance chamber.

32. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein the cartridge further comprises:

a cartridge housing at least partially including said substance chamber and said vaporization chamber; and

a vaporization channel extending along the cartridge housing and in fluid communication with the vaporization chamber; and

wherein the cartridge housing has a proximal end configured with a mouthpiece which is in fluid communication with the vaporization chamber via the vaporization channel and a distal end associated with the heat transfer unit.

33. The cartridge according to claim 32, wherein said heat transfer unit is disposed at said distal end.

34. The cartridge according to claim 31, wherein said heat transfer unit is perpendicular to the vaporization channel.

35. The cartridge according to claim 32, wherein said cartridge housing comprises a first air inlet formed therein for establishing fluid communication between an exterior of the cartridge and the vaporization chamber for allowing passage of air into the vaporization chamber for vaporization of the air therein with the substance.

36. The cartridge according to claim 35, wherein said first air inlet is disposed in proximity to the distal end of the cartridge.

37. The cartridge according to claim 32, wherein the base part has a base housing having an interfacing portion associated with the heating element and configured for interfacing the distal end of the cartridge housing when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, so as to bring the heating element into proximity or contact with the heat transfer unit.

38. The cartridge according to claim 37, wherein said cartridge housing comprises:

a first air inlet formed therein for establishing fluid communication between an exterior of the cartridge and the vaporization chamber for allowing passage of air into the vaporization chamber for its vaporization therein with the substance; and

wherein said interfacing portion comprises a second air inlet formed therein, and configured at least when the cartridge is assembled to the base part for establishing fluid communication between an exterior of the electronic cigarette and the vaporization chamber via the first air inlet for allowing passage of air into the vaporization chamber for vaporization of the air therein with the substance.

39. The cartridge according to claim 38, wherein when the cartridge is assembled to the base part, said first air inlet and said second air inlet are inline with each other.