Electronic cigarette
First Claim
1. An electronic cigarette comprising:
- liquid in a housing;
a flat mesh material in the housing contacted by the liquid;
a heater not touching the flat mesh material;
a flow path in the housing from an inlet to an outlet, with the heater in the flow path and the flow path extending through the flat mesh material, with the flat mesh material perpendicular to the air flow path.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an electronic cigarette, a mesh element is in contact with liquid storage. A heater is spaced apart from the mesh element and positioned to heat air which flows through the mesh element. The heated air vaporizes the liquid in or on the mesh. The vapor is inhaled by the user. A method of vaporizing a liquid in an electronic cigarette includes conducting liquid from a liquid storage to a mesh element. Electric current is supplied to a heater, optionally in response to sensing inhalation on the outlet or mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette. The heater heats air and the heated air is conducted through the mesh element, with the heated air vaporizing liquid on or in the mesh element. The vaporized liquid is entrained with the heated air and may then flow through or around the liquid storage to the mouthpiece.
19 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic cigarette comprising:
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liquid in a housing; a flat mesh material in the housing contacted by the liquid; a heater not touching the flat mesh material; a flow path in the housing from an inlet to an outlet, with the heater in the flow path and the flow path extending through the flat mesh material, with the flat mesh material perpendicular to the air flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electronic cigarette comprising:
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a housing having an air inlet; liquid storage within the housing; a layer of fiber material in contact with the liquid storage; wherein the layer of fiber material is flat and lies in a plane perpendicular to a cylindrical opening through the liquid storage, at a first end of the liquid storage; a heater between the air inlet and the liquid storage, the heater spaced apart from the layer of fiber material and positioned to heat air which flows through the layer of fiber material and through the cylindrical opening, with the layer of fiber material converting liquid in or on the layer of fiber material to vapor at the layer of fiber material, without liquid contacting the heater. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic cigarette comprising:
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a liquid storage in a housing; an air inlet leading to an opening through the liquid storage, the opening extending from a first end of the liquid storage to an outlet adjacent to a second end of the liquid storage; a flat mesh screen in the housing in contact with liquid from the liquid storage, with the flat mesh screen adjacent to the first end of the liquid storage, and the flat mesh screen perpendicular to the opening; with the flat mesh screen covering the opening at the first end of the liquid storage; and a heater between the air inlet and the liquid storage, the heater positioned to heat air flowing through the flat mesh screen. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification