Electronic cigarette

• US 10,477,898 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• 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:
  US15/446,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20170172213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 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. A vaporizing device, comprising:

a housing;

liquid stored in the housing;

at least one air inlet for allowing air to flow into the housing;

a hollow electric heater coil around a first axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the device, and the hollow electric heater coil surrounded by the liquid;

a channel extending through the hollow electric heater coil;

with the channel and an inhalation port forming an airflow path within the housing, and with the channel providing a continuous open passageway through the hollow electric heater coil to the inhalation port, with inhalation on the device causing air to flow through the hollow electric heater coil; and

an annular liquid permeating component around the first axis and sleeved on the hollow electric heater coil, with the hollow electric heater coil contacting an inner cylindrical surface of the liquid permeating component along substantially an entire length of the hollow electric heater coil, and with the liquid stored in the housing permeating through the liquid permeating component to the hollow electric heater coil for vaporization.

2. The vaporizing device of claim 1 with the liquid in a liquid storage component and the channel extending entirely through the liquid storage component.

3. The vaporizing device of claim 1 with the channel having a uniform circular cross section between the hollow electric heater coil and the inhalation port.

4. The vaporizing device of claim 1 with the inner cylindrical surface wetted with the liquid.

5. The vaporizing device of claim 1 with the hollow electric heater coil directly interacting with the liquid permeating component to vaporize the liquid.

6. The vaporizing device of claim 5 with the entire liquid permeating component coaxial with the hollow electric heater coil.

7. The vaporizing device of claim 6 with the liquid permeating component comprising a fiber material.

8. The vaporizing device of claim 7 with the liquid stored in a space in the housing extending at least partially along the length of the channel.

9. A vaporizing device, comprising:

a hollow electric heater coil;

a channel extending through the hollow electric heater coil, with the channel surrounded by a liquid storage space;

with at least one air inlet, the channel, and an inhalation port forming an airflow path;

with the channel providing a continuous open passageway through the hollow electric heater coil to the inhalation port;

a liquid permeating component on the hollow electric heater coil with substantially the entire length of an outer surface of the hollow electric heater coil contacting an inner cylindrical surface of the liquid permeating component; and

the liquid permeating component coaxial with the hollow electric heater coil, with a central axis of the hollow electric heater coil parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vaporizing device, and the liquid permeating component adapted to conduct liquid from the liquid storage space to the hollow electric heater coil for vaporization.

10. The vaporizing device of claim 9 with the channel extending entirely through the liquid storage space.

11. The vaporizing device of claim 10 with the channel having a uniform circular cross section between the hollow electric heater coil and the inhalation port.

12. The vaporizing device of claim 9 further comprising a liquid in the liquid storage space.

13. The vaporizing device of claim 9 with the liquid permeating component comprising a fiber material.

14. The vaporizing device of claim 9 with the liquid storage space extending at least partially along the length of the channel.

15. The vaporizing device of claim 9 with the hollow electric heater coil directly interacting with the liquid permeating component to vaporize liquid.