Electronic cigarette

• US 9,668,523 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Barry S., Tucker, Christopher S., Jordan, Geoffrey B., Rostami, Ali A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CORDRAY, DENNIS R
• Application Number:
  US15/285,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20170020199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 131347
• 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 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/70 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/003 by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/04 operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised air-humidification, e.g. "room humidifiers" F24F6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0018 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8268 Fuel storage cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/02 Equipment for testing the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing resistors providing fillings for housings or enclosures H01C1/02; reducing insulation surrounding a resistor to powder H01C1/03; manufacture of thermally variable resistors H01C7/02, H01C7/04
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 : Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/10 : Heating elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/12 : characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/16 : the conductor being mounted on an insulating base
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 : non-flexible
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/44 : heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type

Abstract

A device includes a casing extending in a longitudinal direction, a vaporizer configured to generate, a vapor, a mouth-end insert at an end of the casing, and a power supply configured to supply power to the vaporizer. The mouth-end insert includes a single, non-recessed end surface, and a plurality of non-diverging outlets in the mouth-end insert. The outlets are generally coplanar at the single, non-recessed end surface of the mouth-end insert.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a casing extending in a longitudinal direction;

a vaporizer configured to generate a vapor, the vaporizer in the casing;

a mouth-end insert at an end of the casing, the mouth-end insert including,

a single, non-recessed mouth-end surface, and

a plurality of non-diverging outlets in the mouth-end insert, the outlets being generally coplanar at the single, non-recessed mouth-end surface of the mouth-end insert; and

a power supply configured to supply power to the vaporizer.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a central channel between the vaporizer and the mouth-end insert.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the central channel is defined by a generally cylindrical body.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the central channel has a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the vaporizer comprises:

a coil heater; and

a wick in communication with a liquid supply and surrounded by the coil heater such that the wick is configured to deliver liquid material from the liquid supply to the coil heater, and the coil heater is configured to heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form a vapor.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

an inner tube within the casing, the inner tube including a pair of opposing slots, the coil heater located in the inner tube.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the central channel is in communication with the inner tube and is located between the mouth-end insert and the coil heater.

8. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a first section attachable including,

the wick,

the liquid supply, and

the mouth-end insert; and

a second section including,

the power supply, and first and second sections being removably connected.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the wick, the liquid supply, the mouth-end insert, and the power supply are in the casing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the mouth-end insert further comprises:

an interior surface upon which unvaporized drops of liquid material may

impact.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the mouth-end insert includes two to eight outlet passages.

12. A cartridge comprising:

a casing extending in a longitudinal direction;

a vaporizer configured to generate a vapor, the vaporizer in the casing; and

a mouth-end insert at an end of the casing, the mouth-end insert including,

a single, non-recessed mouth-end surface, and

a plurality of non-diverging outlets in the mouth-end insert, the outlets being generally coplanar at the single, non-recessed mouth-end surface of the mouth-end insert.

13. The cartridge of claim 12, further including, a central channel between the vaporizer and the mouth-end insert.

14. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the central channel is defined by a generally cylindrical body.

15. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the central channel has a diameter of about 2.0 mm to about 3.0 mm.

16. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the vaporizer comprises:

a coil heater; and

a wick in communication with a liquid supply and surrounded by the coil heater such that the wick is configured to deliver liquid material from the liquid supply to the coil heater, and the coil heater is configured to heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form a vapor.