Electronic cigarette

• US 10,383,366 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fontem Ventures BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Hon, Lik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu H
• Application Number:
  US15/091,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20160213067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/041 using heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders

Abstract

An atomizing electronic cigarette has an atomizing core component and a liquid storage component. including an electric heater. The electric heater may have a through hole aligned with a channel passing through the liquid storage component. The cigarette can heat and uniformly vaporize liquid from the liquid storage component, with the user inhaling the vaporized liquid. The vapor generated by the atomizing process may be cooled as it flows through the channel.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a housing having an air inlet and an outlet;

an atomizer having an electric heater, and liquid storage in the housing;

the electric heater including a hollow heating coil which is surrounded by the liquid storage, the hollow heating coil wound about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the electronic cigarette, with liquid from the liquid storage moving into direct contact with the hollow heating coil, and the hollow heating coil heating the liquid into a vapor;

an unobstructed through-hole channel extending continuously through the hollow heating coil and the liquid storage to the outlet, wherein vapor flows through the channel, with vapor in direct contact with a wall of the channel; and

the air inlet, the through-hole channel and the outlet forming an airflow passageway through the housing.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further comprising a liquid permeating component sleeved on the electric heater.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 with the atomizer further including a liquid conduction component in contact with the liquid permeating component and the liquid.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 with a peripheral surface of the liquid permeating component mated with the wall of the channel.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 with the liquid permeating component comprising ceramic fiber, quartz fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, common fiber, paper, fabric or non-woven fabric material.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 with the liquid permeating component having a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 2 having a single airflow passageway.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 7 wherein the single airflow passageway is a straight passageway.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the housing comprising a first housing section and a second housing section, with a battery and an air pressure sensor or airflow sensor in the first housing section and with the atomizer and the liquid storage in the second housing section.

10. The electronic cigarette of claim 9 further including an air-intake connection component and an electrode ring electrically connected to the electric heater.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the electric heater at a first end of the through-hole channel.

12. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein a first end of the hollow heating coil is in contact with a bracket in the housing.

13. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further comprising a liquid permeating component around the hollow heating coil, with an inner surface of the liquid permeating component in contact with the hollow heating coil.

14. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further comprising a liquid permeating component coaxial with the hollow heating coil.

15. The electronic cigarette of claim 14 with the liquid permeating component comprising a fiber material.

16. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a housing having an air inlet and an outlet;

an atomizer having a hollow heating coil, and liquid storage in the housing;

the hollow heating coil wound about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the electronic cigarette;

the hollow heating coil surrounded by the liquid storage, with air flowing through the hollow heating coil, and liquid from the liquid storage moving into direct contact with the hollow heating coil for heating the liquid into a vapor;

a channel wall forming an unobstructed through-hole channel through the liquid storage, through which the vapor flows;

a liquid permeating component sleeved on the hollow heating coil;

the through-hole channel extends continuously from the hollow heating coil through the liquid storage to the outlet; and

an air flow passageway through the electronic cigarette including the air inlet, the through-hole channel and the outlet.

17. A vaporizing device comprising:

an atomizer having a hollow heating coil wound about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the device;

liquid storage around the hollow heating coil, with liquid from the liquid storage moving into contact with the hollow heating coil for heating the liquid into a vapor;

a liquid permeating component surrounding the hollow heating coil, with an inner surface of the liquid permeating component in contact with the hollow heating coil, and the liquid permeating component coaxial with the hollow heating coil;

an unobstructed through-hole channel extending continuously through the hollow heating coil and the liquid storage to an outlet; and

an air flow passageway through the device including an air inlet, the through-hole channel and the outlet.