Electronic vapor provision device

• US 9,974,335 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaary, Eric
• Application Number:
  US14/415,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20150196058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 392394-395
• 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 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means

Abstract

An electronic vapor provision device comprising a power cell and a vaporizer, wherein the vaporizer comprises a heater and a heater support, wherein the heater is one the inside of the heater support.

Claims

1. An electronic vapor provision device comprising:

a power cell;

a liquid store; and

a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid from the liquid store, the vaporizer comprising a heating element and a heating element support,

wherein the heating element support is configured to support the heating element, the heating element support is elongated in a lengthwise direction of the electronic vapor provision device, the heating element support having a substantially cylindrical shape and comprising a substantially cylindrical support channel having a circular cross-sectional shape, internal to the heating element support, and the heating element is located in the support channel inside the heating element support, the heating element running primarily in the lengthwise direction, wherein the heating element is not supported on its inside, two or more gaps are provided between the heating element and an inner surface of the heating element support configured to facilitate the wicking of liquid onto the heating element through capillary action at the two or more gaps, the heating element has points of contact with the inner surface of the heating element support at two or more locations, and the two or more locations are angularly distributed around the inner surface of the heating element support.

2. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 1, wherein the electronic vapor provision device is an electronic cigarette.

3. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 1, wherein the heating element support is the liquid store.

4. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 1, wherein the heating element support is a rigid support.

5. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 1, wherein the heating element support is porous.

6. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 5, wherein the heating element support is porous ceramic material.

12. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer defines a vaporization cavity configured such that in use the vaporization cavity is a negative pressure region.

13. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 12, wherein at least part of the heating element is inside the vaporization cavity.

14. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 12, wherein the vaporization cavity is inside the heating element support.

15. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 14, wherein the vaporization cavity is inside a support channel of the heating element support.

16. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 12, wherein at least part of the defined vaporization cavity is inside the heating element.

17. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 1, wherein the heating element support is configured to wick liquid from the liquid store to the heating element for vaporization of the liquid when the heating element is powered by the power cell and an outlet for vaporized liquid from the heating element.

7. An electronic vapor provision device comprising:

a power cell;

a liquid store containing substantially all of a liquid in the electronic vapor provision device for vaporization, wherein the liquid store contains a single liquid; and

a vaporizer for vaporizing the single liquid from the liquid store, the vaporizer comprising a heating element and a heating element support,

wherein the heating element is on an inside of the heating element support, the heating element support is configured to support the heating element, the heating element support has a substantially cylindrical shape and comprises a substantially cylindrical support channel having a circular cross-sectional shape, internal to the heating element support, and the heating element is located in the support channel inside the heating element support, the heating element running primarily in a lengthwise direction of the electronic vapor provision device, wherein the heating element is not supported on its inside, two or more gaps are provided between the heating element and an inner surface of the heating element support configured to facilitate the wicking of liquid onto the heating element through capillary action at the two or more gaps, the heating element is in contact with the heating element support at two or more locations, the heating element support comprises a first support section and a second support section, and the heating element is supported between the first support section and the second support section.

8. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 7, wherein the heating element is supported by the first support section and the second support section.

9. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 7, wherein a support channel is defined between the first support section and the second support section, and the heating element is disposed in the support channel.

10. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 9, wherein the first support section defines a first side of the support channel and the second support section defines a second side of the support channel.

11. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 9, wherein the heating element is in contact with the support channel at points along a length of the support channel.

18. A vaporizer configured for use with an electronic vapor provision device having a power cell and a liquid store, the vaporizer configured to vaporize liquid from the liquid store, the vaporizer comprising:

a heating element and a heating element support,

wherein the heating element support is configured to support the heating element, the heating element support is elongated in a lengthwise direction of the electronic vapor provision device, the heating element support having a substantially cylindrical shape and comprising a substantially cylindrical support channel having a circular cross-sectional shape, internal to the heating element support, and the heating element is located in the support channel inside the heating element support, the heating element running primarily in the lengthwise direction, wherein the heating element is not supported on its inside, two or more gaps are provided between the heating element and an inner surface of the heating element support configured to facilitate the wicking of liquid onto the heating element through capillary action at the two or more gaps, the heating element has points of contact with the inner surface of the heating element support at two or more locations, and the two or more locations are angularly distributed around the inner surface of the heating element support.

19. An electronic vapor provision device having an outer casing and comprising:

a power cell;

a liquid store; and

a vaporizer for vaporizing liquid from the liquid store, the vaporizer comprising a heating element and a heating element support,

wherein the heating element support has a substantially cylindrical cross-sectional shape and comprises a substantially cylindrical support channel having a circular cross-sectional shape, internal to the heating element support, and the heating element is located in the support channel inside of the heating element support, the heating element running primarily in a lengthwise direction of the electronic vapor provision device, wherein the heating element is not supported on its inside, two or more gaps are provided between the heating element and an inner surface of the heating element support configured to facilitate the wicking of liquid onto the heating element through capillary action at the two or more gaps, the heating element is in contact with the heating element support at two or more locations, and at least part of the heating element support extends to the outer casing to locate the heating element with respect to the outer casing.

20. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 19, wherein the electronic vapor provision device further comprises a mouthpiece section and the vaporizer is part of the mouthpiece section.

21. The electronic vapor provision device of claim 20, wherein the heating element support substantially fills the mouthpiece section.