Electronic cigarette

• US 8,899,239 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fontem Ventures BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Hon, Lik
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayes, Dionne Walls
• Application Number:
  US14/289,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• Field of Search: 131/270, 131/273, 131/194, 128/202.21
• US Class Current: 131/270
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• 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 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/007 Pulmonary tract; Aromatherapy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0202 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances

Abstract

An electronic cigarette comprises nicotine without harmful tar. The cigarette includes a shell, a cell, nicotine solution, control circuit, and an electro-thermal vaporization nozzle installed in the air suction end of the shell. The advantages of the present invention are smoking without tar, reducing the risk of cancer, the user still gets a smoking experience, the cigarette is not lit, and there is no fire danger.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a housing;

a control circuit electrically connected to an airflow sensor in the housing;

a light source at a first end of the housing, with the light source electrically connected to the control circuit, and with the light source configured to provide a gradual change in luminance via control by the control circuit, when the airflow sensor senses airflow, to simulate a conventional cigarette.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further including a battery in the housing electrically connected to the control circuit.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 further including an atomizer in the housing electrically connected to the control circuit and a liquid storage container in the housing adjacent to the atomizer.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 further including a switch on the housing electrically connected to the control circuit for switching on the atomizer.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 with the atomizer having a heating wire.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 wherein the liquid storage container is refillable via a refilling valve on the housing.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 with the atomizer including a vaporization nozzle containing a heating wire.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 7 further including a liquid passageway from the liquid storage container into the vaporization nozzle.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 with the housing having a first section attached to a second section and with the battery and the light source in the first section.

10. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the light source comprising a red LED.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further including a mouthpiece on the housing and a body sensitive sensor on the mouthpiece.

12. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further including a display screen on the housing electrically connected to the control circuit.

13. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a housing;

a control circuit electrically connected to a battery, an airflow sensor, an atomizer and an LED, with the LED at a first end of the housing, configured such that the luminance of the LED changes based on an output of the airflow sensor; and

a liquid storage container adjacent to the atomizer.

14. The electronic cigarette of claim 13 with the control circuit configured to control the luminance of the LED when the airflow sensor senses airflow, such that the LED simulates the appearance of a conventional burning cigarette tip.

15. The electronic cigarette of claim 14 with the housing having a first section attached to a second section and with the first end of the housing on the first section, and with the battery in the first section.

16. The electronic cigarette of claim 14 wherein the liquid storage container is refillable via a refilling valve on the housing.

17. A method of using an electronic cigarette, comprising:

sensing airflow in a housing of the electronic cigarette via a sensor;

providing a sensed airflow signal from the sensor to an electronic controller in the housing;

operating the electronic controller to gradually change a luminance of an LED at a first end of the housing to simulate a conventional burning cigarette tip; and

vaporizing a liquid via an atomizer in the housing.

18. The method of claim 17 further including operating the electronic controller to supply electric current from a battery to the vaporizer upon sensing airflow in the housing.