Electronic cigarette

• US 9,326,549 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Michael H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayes, Dionne Walls
• Application Number:
  US14/719,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20150250229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 131/270, 131/273, 128/202.21
• 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:

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

an LED at a first end of the cylindrical housing to simulate a cigarette;

an outlet at the second end of the cylindrical housing;

an air inlet for allowing air to flow into the cylindrical housing;

a battery, an electronic circuit board, a sensor, an atomizer comprising a hollow cylindrical chamber and a heating wire, and a liquid-supply within the cylindrical housing;

the hollow cylindrical chamber co-axial with the cylindrical housing;

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

an air stream passage between the inlet and the outlet, with the air stream passage leading to the atomizer to allow air to pass through the atomizer and across the heating wire;

with the liquid-supply in physical contact with the atomizer; and

wherein the liquid-supply is cylindrical and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing.

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

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

4. The device of claim 3 further including a separator in the cylindrical housing, with the electronic circuit board and the sensor on a first side of the separator, and with the atomizer and the liquid-supply on a second side of the separator, opposite from the first side.

5. The device of claim 4 with the separator having a through hole from the first side to the second side, and with the separator comprising plastic or rubber.

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

7. The device of claim 6 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.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein illumination of the LED is dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor, to simulate an appearance of a cigarette.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

10. The device of claim 6 further including a switch electrically connected to the sensor, to operate the heating wire without suction on the outlet, for manually cleaning within the cylindrical housing.

11. The device of claim 1 with the battery, the liquid-supply and the cylindrical chamber of the atomizer co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing.

12. An electronic vaporizing device comprising:

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

an LED at a first end of the cylindrical housing;

an outlet at the second end of the cylindrical housing;

an air inlet for allowing air to flow into the cylindrical housing;

a battery, an electronic circuit board, a sensor, an atomizer, and a liquid-supply within the cylindrical housing, 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 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing;

the atomizer comprises a porous component, a hollow cylindrical chamber and a heating wire;

the porous component is in physical contact with the liquid in the liquid supply;

the hollow cylindrical chamber is co-axial with the cylindrical housing;

the heating wire extending across the cylindrical chamber of the atomizer perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing; and

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

13. The device of claim 12 further comprising a separator in the cylindrical housing, with the electronic circuit board and the sensor on a first side of the separator, and with the atomizer 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.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the sensor creates an output signal which is proportional to suction force on the outlet.

15. The device of claim 14 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.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein illumination of LED is dependent on the suction force sensed by the sensor, to simulate an appearance of a cigarette.

17. An electronic vaporizing device comprising:

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

an LED at the first end of the cylindrical housing;

an outlet at the second end of the cylindrical housing;

an air inlet for allowing air to flow into the cylindrical housing;

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

a heating wire positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the 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 cylindrical housing.

18. The device of claim 17 with the porous component comprising a fiber material.

19. The device of claim 18 with the battery and the liquid-supply co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing.

20. The device of claim 18 with at least one end of the porous component projecting into the liquid-supply.

21. The device of claim 18 with the liquid-supply comprising propylene glycol.

22. The device of claim 18 wherein the sensor creates an output signal which is proportional to suction force on the outlet.

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

24. The device of claim 18 further including a switch electrically connected to the sensor, to operate the heating wire without suction on the outlet, for manually cleaning within the cylindrical housing.

25. The device of claim 20 further including a separator in the cylindrical housing, 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.

26. The device of claim 25 with the separator having a through hole from the first side to the second side.

27. The device of claim 25 wherein the heating wire has leads extending out of the porous component.