Electronic smoking article

• US 9,532,597 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Christopher S., Kobal, Gerd, Jordan, Geoffrey Brandon, Kasoff, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazorcik, Jason L
• Application Number:
  US13/774,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20130213418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 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 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/51 Arrangement of sensors

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a capillary tube in communication with a liquid supply including liquid material and a heater operable to heat the capillary tube to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material contained therein and form an aerosol. The liquid supply is adapted to be squeezed or otherwise compressed so as to allow a smoker to manually pump liquid to the capillary tube and simultaneously activate the heater.

Claims

1. An e-vaping device, comprising:

an outer cylindrical housing extending in a longitudinal direction;

a compressible liquid supply reservoir formed of an elastomeric material and containing a liquid material, the supply reservoir being at least partially contained within the outer cylindrical housing, the supply reservoir having an outlet;

a capillary tube having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the capillary tube being in direct communication with the outlet of the supply reservoir; and

a heater operable to heat the capillary tube to a temperature sufficient to at least initially volatilize the liquid material contained within the capillary tube,

wherein the supply reservoir is configured to be manually compressed to simultaneously pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir through the outlet and into the capillary tube.

2. The e-vaping device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply operable to apply voltage across the heater, the heater being configured to be activated when the supply reservoir is compressed;

a mixing chamber downstream of the capillary tube; and

at least one air inlet operable to deliver air drawn into the mixing chamber, the air being mixed with the volatilized liquid material in the mixing chamber to form a vapor.

3. The e-vaping device of claim 2, wherein the power supply includes a battery.

4. The e-vaping device of claim 3, wherein the heater is connected to the battery by two spaced apart electrical leads.

5. The e-vaping device of claim 2, further including control circuitry operable to control a supply of power from the power supply to the heater.

6. The e-vaping device of claim 5, wherein the control circuitry further includes a heater activation light at an end of the e-vaping device, the heater activation light operable to light up when the heater is activated.

7. The e-vaping device of claim 5, further comprising:

a pressure switch adjacent the supply reservoir, wherein the manual compression applied to the supply reservoir simultaneously pumps the liquid material into the capillary tube and applies pressure to the pressure switch to send a signal to the control circuitry to supply power to the heater.

8. The e-vaping device of claim 5, further comprising:

a pressure switch adjacent the supply reservoir, wherein the pressure switch is located on an outer wall of the outer cylindrical housing, wherein the manual compression is applied to the pressure switch to simultaneously activate the heater and also apply pressure to the supply reservoir to release the liquid material from the supply reservoir.

9. The e-vaping device of claim 5, wherein the e-vaping device includes a first section, a second section and a third section, wherein the first section contains the capillary tube, the second section contains the power supply and control circuitry, and the third section contains the liquid supply.

10. The e-vaping device of claim 9, wherein the first section is reusable and the second section is replaceable.

11. The e-vaping device of claim 9, wherein the third section includes a fitting operable to secure the supply reservoir within the e-vaping device, wherein the fitting includes a recess beneath the supply reservoir operable to hold the pressure switch.

12. The e-vaping device of claim 2, wherein at least one air inlet is located near the outlet of the capillary tube.

13. The e-vaping device of claim 2, further comprising:

a critical orifice operative to limit said communication of the liquid material to the capillary tube to a maximum flow rate.

14. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the capillary tube has an internal diameter of about 0.05 to 0.4 mm, and a length that is about 5 mm to 72 mm.

15. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the capillary tube includes one of a stainless steel tube and a non-metallic tube.

16. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the supply reservoir includes a check valve operable to maintain the liquid material within the supply reservoir, wherein the check valve opens in response to the manual compression of the supply reservoir.

17. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the outer cylindrical housing has a cutout therein superposed with a wall of the supply reservoir, the cutout operable to allow manual compression of the supply reservoir.

18. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the outer cylindrical housing includes a depression superposed with a wall of the supply reservoir, the depression being operable to indicate where to apply the manual compression to pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir.

19. The e-vaping device of claim 1, wherein the manual compression of the supply reservoir includes a manual pressing of the supply reservoir in order to pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir.

20. The e-vaping device of claim 19, wherein the manual pressing of the supply reservoir includes manually pressing on the supply reservoir in a substantially orthogonal direction, relative to a surface of the supply reservoir, in order to pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir.

21. An e-vaping device, comprising:

a compressible liquid supply reservoir containing a liquid material, the supply reservoir being at least partially contained within the outer cylindrical housing, the supply reservoir having an outlet;

a capillary tube in direct communication with the outlet of the supply reservoir; and

a pressure switch operable to communicate electrical power from a power source to an electric heater operative upon the capillary tube, the supply reservoir being configured to be manually compressed to pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir through the outlet and into the capillary tube, the pressure switch adapted to be manually operated when the supply reservoir is manually compressed,

wherein the heated capillary tube discharges the liquid material communicated to the capillary tube in an at least partially volatized condition.

22. The e-vaping device of claim 21, further comprising:

a check valve operable to maintain the liquid material within the supply reservoir during periods when the supply reservoir is not manually compressed, the check valve operable to discharge the liquid material to the capillary tube when the supply reservoir is compressed.

23. The e-vaping device of claim 21, wherein the pressure switch is located on an outer wall of the e-vaping device.

24. The e-vaping device of claim 21, wherein the manual compression of the supply reservoir includes a manual pressing of the supply reservoir in order to pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir.

25. The e-vaping device of claim 24, wherein the manual pressing of the supply reservoir includes manually pressing on the supply reservoir in a substantially orthogonal direction, relative to a surface of the supply reservoir, in order to pump the liquid material from the supply reservoir.