E-vaping device, method of controlling resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device and method of establishing a desired RTD
First Claim
1. An e-vaping device, comprising:
- a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, the housing defining one or more inlets configured to allow air to be drawn into the e-vaping device;
a power source located within the housing; and
a cartridge on an end of the e-vaping device, at least a portion of the housing forming an outer surface of the cartridge, the cartridge including,a reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation,a heater and wick arrangement in fluid communication with the reservoir, the heater and wick arrangement being operative to volatilize the pre-vapor formulation to produce a vapor,a connector on a first end of the cartridge,a terminal held within connector,an annular seal in fluid communication with the one or more inlets, the annular seal having an outer surface configured to seal with an interior surface of the housing, the annular seal defining a first air passage, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal relative to an airflow path through the cartridge during a normal operational use of the cartridge,a flow restrictor being held by the annular seal, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage, the second air passage being configured to provide a desired resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device, wherein a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more inlets is greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage,wherein the flow restrictor is made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal, the annular seal encompassing the flow restrictor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The e-vaping device includes a housing, the housing defining one or more inlets, a power source, and a cartridge. The cartridge includes a reservoir containing a pre-vapor formulation. A heater and wick arrangement is in fluid communication with the reservoir. An annular seal is in fluid communication with the one or more inlets. The annular seal defines a first air passage. A flow restrictor is held by the annular seal. The flow restrictor defines a second air passage, the second air passage being configured to provide a desired resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device. A combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more inlets is greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage. The flow restrictor is made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal.
26 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An e-vaping device, comprising:
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a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, the housing defining one or more inlets configured to allow air to be drawn into the e-vaping device; a power source located within the housing; and a cartridge on an end of the e-vaping device, at least a portion of the housing forming an outer surface of the cartridge, the cartridge including, a reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation, a heater and wick arrangement in fluid communication with the reservoir, the heater and wick arrangement being operative to volatilize the pre-vapor formulation to produce a vapor, a connector on a first end of the cartridge, a terminal held within connector, an annular seal in fluid communication with the one or more inlets, the annular seal having an outer surface configured to seal with an interior surface of the housing, the annular seal defining a first air passage, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal relative to an airflow path through the cartridge during a normal operational use of the cartridge, a flow restrictor being held by the annular seal, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage, the second air passage being configured to provide a desired resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device, wherein a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more inlets is greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage, wherein the flow restrictor is made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal, the annular seal encompassing the flow restrictor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 23)
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10. A method of controlling resistance-to-draw of an e-vaping device, the e-vaping device including a power section, a cartridge and one or more ports at least partially defined by a housing, the method comprising:
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providing an inlet on the cartridge, the cartridge including a terminal on a first end of the cartridge, the inlet including, an annular seal defining a first air passage, and a flow restrictor being held within the first air passage of the annular seal, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage having a determined diameter configured to control a resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device, the inlet being located inside the housing, a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more ports being greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage, wherein the flow restrictor is made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal, the annular seal encompassing the flow restrictor; connecting a connector to an end of the cartridge, the connector being configured to connect the power section to the cartridge, the connector holding a terminal, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal relative to an airflow path through the cartridge during a normal operational use of the cartridge; drawing an airflow from the one or more ports into the cartridge via the inlet; heating a pre-vapor formulation from a reservoir to at least initially volatilize the pre-vapor formulation using a heater, the heater being in a central air channel, the inlet being upstream of the heater relative to the airflow path through the cartridge during the normal operational use of the cartridge; combining the at least initially volatilized pre-vapor formulation with the airflow from the inlet to form a saturated vapor within the central air channel; and condensing the saturated vapor within a condensation chamber to form an unsaturated vapor, the condensation chamber being in fluid communication with the central air channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24)
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16. A method of establishing a desired resistance-to-draw (RTD) consistently amongst a plurality of e-vaping devices, comprising:
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establishing an airflow path within at least one first section of each e-vaping device, the at least one first section including a heater and one or more air inlets; inserting an annular seal within said airflow path, the annular seal being positioned within the at least one first section, the annular seal defining a first air passage; sealing a first end of the at least one first section of each e-vaping device by affixing a connector on the first end, the connector holding a terminal, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal of the at least one first section of each e-vaping device during a normal operational use of the at least one first section; and providing the desired RTD for each e-vaping device by, disposing a flow restrictor within the first air passage, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage that establishes the desired RTD, wherein a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more air inlets is greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage, the flow restrictor being made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal, the flow restrictor and the annular seal being downstream of the terminal relative to an airflow path through the at least one first section during a normal operational use of the at least one first section, the annular seal encompassing the flow restrictor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 25)
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20. An e-vaping device, comprising:
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a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, the housing defining one or more inlets configured to allow air to be drawn into the e-vaping device; a power source located within the housing; and a cartridge on an end of the e-vaping device, at least a portion of the housing forming an outer surface of the cartridge, the cartridge including, a reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation, a heater and wick arrangement in fluid communication with the reservoir, the heater and wick arrangement being operative to volatilize the pre-vapor formulation to produce a vapor, a connector on a first end of the cartridge, a terminal held within connector, an annular seal in fluid communication with the one or more inlets, the annular seal having an outer surface configured to seal with an interior surface of the housing, the annular seal defining a first air passage, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal relative to an airflow path through the cartridge during a normal operational use of the cartridge, a flow restrictor being held by the annular seal, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage, the second air passage being configured to provide a desired resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device, wherein a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more inlets is greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage, wherein the flow restrictor is made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal, the cartridge defining a central air channel, the heater and wick arrangement traversing the central air channel, a downstream end of the annular seal abutting an upstream end of the central air channel.
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21. A method of controlling resistance-to-draw of an e-vaping device, the e-vaping device including a power section, a cartridge and one or more ports at least partially defined by a housing, the method comprising:
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providing an inlet on the cartridge, the cartridge including a terminal on a first end of the cartridge, the inlet including, an annular seal defining a first air passage, and a flow restrictor being held within the first air passage of the annular seal, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage having a determined diameter configured to control a resistance-to-draw (RTD) for the e-vaping device, the inlet being located inside the housing, a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more ports being greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage, wherein the flow restrictor is made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal; connecting a connector to an end of the cartridge, the connector being configured to connect the power section to the cartridge, the connector holding a terminal, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal relative to an airflow path through the cartridge during a normal operational use of the cartridge; drawing an airflow from the one or more ports into the cartridge via the inlet; heating a pre-vapor formulation from a reservoir to at least initially volatilize the pre-vapor formulation using a heater, the heater being in a central air channel, the inlet being upstream of the heater relative to the airflow path through the cartridge during the normal operational use of the cartridge; combining the at least initially volatilized pre-vapor formulation with the airflow from the inlet to form a saturated vapor within the central air channel; and
condensing the saturated vapor within a condensation chamber to form an unsaturated vapor, the condensation chamber being in fluid communication with the central air channel, a downstream end of the annular seal abutting an upstream end of the central air channel.
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22. A method of establishing a desired resistance-to-draw (RTD) consistently amongst a plurality of e-vaping devices, comprising:
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establishing an airflow path within at least one first section of each e-vaping device, the at least one first section including a heater and one or more air inlets; inserting an annular seal within said airflow path, the annular seal being positioned within the at least one first section, the annular seal defining a first air passage; sealing a first end of the at least one first section of each e-vaping device by affixing a connector on the first end, the connector holding a terminal, the first air passage being fully downstream of the connector and the terminal of the at least one first section of each e-vaping device during a normal operational use of the at least one first section; and providing the desired RTD for each e-vaping device by, disposing a flow restrictor within the first air passage, the flow restrictor defining a second air passage that establishes the desired RTD, wherein a combined airflow cross-sectional area of the one or more air inlets is greater than an airflow cross-sectional area of the second air passage, the flow restrictor being made from a first material that is harder than a second material for the annular seal, the flow restrictor and the annular seal being downstream of the terminal relative to an airflow path through the at least one first section during a normal operational use of the at least one first section, the at least one first section of each respective e-vaping device defining a central air channel, the heater traversing the central air channel, a downstream end of the annular seal abutting an upstream end of the central air channel.
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Specification