Electronic vaping device and method

• US 9,854,839 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• 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: Tucker, Christopher S., Jordan, Geoffrey Brandon, Smith, Barry S., Rostami, Ali A., Mullins, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaary, Eric
• Application Number:
  US13/741,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20130192616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• 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

An electronic smoking article includes a liquid supply including liquid material, a heater operable to heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol, a wick in communication with the liquid material and in communication with the heater such that the wick delivers the liquid material to the heater, and at least one air inlet operable to establish a predetermined resistance to draw under a prescribed test of said smoking article.

Claims

1. An electronic vaping device comprising:

a casing extending in a longitudinal direction;

a mouth-end insert at an end of the casing;

at least one air inlet in communication with said mouth-end insert, the at least one air inlet formed in the casing, the at least one air inlet configured to establish a desired resistance-to-draw; and

a metallic plate insert on an inner surface of the casing, the metallic plate insert defining a hole therein, the hole superposed with the at least one air inlet.

2. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, wherein the casing is formed of a metal or a metal alloy.

3. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet has a width of less than about 2.0 mm and a length of less than about 1.5 mm.

4. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, further comprising a wrapping circumscribing the casing, and including at least one hole at the at least one air inlet, the wrapping being adhered to the casing, wherein the wrapping is configured to be removed prior to vaping.

5. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, wherein the resistance-to-draw of the at least one air inlet during vaping is about 60 mm H₂O to about 150 mm H₂O.

6. The electronic vaping device of claim 5, wherein resistance-to-draw of the at least one air inlet during vaping is about 90 mm H₂O to about 110 mm H₂O.

7. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is positioned adjacent a connection fixture, the connection fixture including at least one slot corresponding with a location of the at least one air inlet.

8. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is positioned adjacent a connection fixture, the connection fixture including an angled hole and a corresponding slot which communicates with the at least one air inlet.

23. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is formed internally of the casing, the casing including a port, the port larger than the at least one air inlet.

9. An electronic vaping device comprising:

an outer tube extending in a longitudinal direction;

an inner tube within the outer tube, the inner tube including a pair of opposing slots;

a liquid supply including a liquid material, the liquid supply contained in an outer annulus between the outer tube and the inner tube;

a coil heater located in the inner tube;

a wick in communication with the liquid supply and surrounded by the coil heater such that the wick delivers the liquid material to the coil heater and the coil heater heats the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form a vapor in the inner tube;

a mouth-end insert at an end of the outer tube;

at least one air inlet in communication with said mouth-end insert, the at least one air inlet formed in the outer tube, the at least one air inlet configured to establish a desired resistance-to-draw; and

a metallic plate insert on an inner surface of the outer tube, the metallic plate insert defining a hole therein, the hole superposed with the at least one air inlet; and

a power supply connectable to the coil heater and configured to apply a voltage across the coil heater.

10. The electronic vaping device of claim 9, wherein the inner tube has a diameter of about 4 mm and each of the opposing slots has dimensions of about 2 mm by about 4 mm.

11. The electronic vaping device of claim 9, wherein the electronic vaping device comprises a first section attachable to a second section and wherein the wick, the liquid supply and the mouth-end insert are contained in the first section and the power supply is contained in the second section.

12. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the wick, the liquid supply, the mouth-end insert, and the power supply are contained in the outer tube.

13. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the inner tube is formed of woven fiberglass material.

14. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the coil heater comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, copper, copper alloys, nickel-chromium alloys, iron aluminum alloys, iron chromium alloys, superalloys, iron aluminides, nickel aluminides and combinations thereof.

15. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the coil heater includes 4 turns to 8 turns, the 4 turns to 8 turns being uniformly spaced.

16. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the power supply includes a battery.

17. The electronic vaping device of claim 16, wherein the coil heater is connected to the battery by electrical leads.

18. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the first section and the second section have a same outer diameter and wherein the first section is a disposable downstream section and the second section is a reusable upstream section.

19. The electronic vaping device of claim 10, further comprising:

control circuitry including a puff sensor, the puff sensor configured to sense air flow and initiate application of the voltage from the power supply to the coil heater.

20. The electronic vaping device of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one secondary air inlet located adjacent the puff sensor.

21. The electronic vaping device of claim 19, wherein the control circuitry further includes a heater activation light at an upstream end of the electronic vaping device, the heater activation light configured to light up when the coil heater is activated.

22. The electronic vaping device of claim 11, wherein the liquid supply further includes a porous liquid storage medium configured to store the liquid material, the liquid storage medium is fibrous and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of rayon, polyester, polyethylene, cotton, ceramic, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and combinations thereof.