Electronic cigarette

• US 10,893,705 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Issued: 01/19/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• 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): Abraham, Ibrahime A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirkwood, Spencer H.
• Application Number:
  US15/904,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20180184720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 392395
• 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 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0015 located upstream of the dispenser, i.e. not traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/284 with water in reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0291 Tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0297 : Heating of fluids for non specified applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/03 : Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 : Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 : non-flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a battery assembly and an atomizer assembly within a housing with the battery assembly electrically connected to the atomizer assembly. The housing has one or more air inlets. A liquid storage component is in contact with a porous component of the atomizer assembly, with the porous component having a run-through hole. A heating wire is in an air flow path through the run-through hole.

Claims

1. A vaporizing device comprising:

a battery assembly including a first housing and a rechargeable battery electrically connected to an electronic circuit board in the first housing;

a charging connector and an operating indicator in the battery assembly, the charging connector and the operating indicator electrically connected to the electronic circuit board;

an atomizer assembly electrically connected to the battery assembly;

a second housing containing a liquid and having a vapor outlet, the second housing insertable into an open end of the first housing;

at least one air inlet for allowing air to flow through the atomizer assembly;

the atomizer assembly including a coil electrically connected to the electronic circuit board, the coil in an atomization chamber, the coil wound around a portion of a porous component, the coil having a central axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device, with the porous component absorbing liquid contained in the second housing;

a frame having a first section including a base perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device, the base having a through hole to allow air to flow through the frame, the frame having a second section parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, the second section positioning the porous component on the frame;

the porous component extending through openings in the second section of the frame, with the portion of the porous component between first and second spaced apart sides of the second section of the frame; and

an air flow path from the at least one air inlet, through the atomization chamber to the vapor outlet.

2. The device of claim 1 with a part of the air flow path inside of the second housing.

3. The device of claim 1 further including a restriction component in the air flow path, with the restriction component having an opening with a diameter less than a diameter of the atomization chamber.

4. The device of claim 1 further including an airflow sensor electrically connected to the electronic circuit board.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the portion of the porous component is parallel to the base of the frame.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the through hole is aligned with a central section of the coil.

7. The device of claim 6 with a central section of the porous component extending across an opening in the second section of the frame.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the first housing is an elongate tubular housing.

9. The device of claim 1 including an air channel extending into the second housing from the vapor outlet, and with the vapor outlet located in an end surface of the second housing.

16. The device of claim 1 further including an airflow sensor electrically connected to the electronic circuit board.

10. A vaporizing device comprising:

a battery assembly including a first housing and a rechargeable battery electrically connected to an electronic circuit board in the first housing;

a charging connector and an operating indicator in the battery assembly, the charging connector and the operating indicator electrically connected to the electronic circuit board;

an atomizer assembly electrically connected to the battery assembly;

a second housing containing a liquid and having a vapor outlet, the second housing insertable into the first housing;

at least one air inlet for allowing air to flow through the atomizer assembly and the second housing;

the atomizer assembly including a wire coil electrically connected to the electronic circuit board, the wire coil in an atomization chamber, the wire coil wound around a portion of a cylindrical porous component, the wire coil having a central axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device, with the cylindrical porous component absorbing liquid contained in the second housing;

a frame having a first section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device and a second section parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, with the cylindrical porous component supported on the frame, and the porous component extending through openings in the second section of the frame, with the portion of the cylindrical porous component between first and second spaced apart sides of the frame;

a through hole in the first section of the frame to allow air to flow through the frame;

an air flow path from the at least one air inlet, through the atomization chamber to the vapor outlet; and

the vapor outlet at an end of the second housing.

11. The device of claim 10 further including an airflow sensor electrically connected to the electronic circuit board.

12. The device of claim 10 with the through hole aligned with a central section of the cylindrical porous component.

17. The device of claim 10 wherein the first housing is an elongated tubular housing.

13. A device comprising:

a housing having a first shell and a second shell;

a battery assembly including a rechargeable battery electrically connected to an electronic circuit board in the first shell;

a charging connector at an end of the first shell and an operating indicator in the first shell, the charging connector and the operating indicator electrically connected to the electronic circuit board;

an atomizer assembly electrically connected to the battery assembly;

a vapor outlet and liquid in the second shell, the second shell insertable into an open end of the first shell;

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

the atomizer assembly including a wire coil electrically connected to the electronic circuit board, the wire coil wound around a section of a porous component perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device;

the porous component set on a frame, the porous component extending through openings in the frame, with the section of the porous component between first and second spaced apart sides of the frame;

the porous component absorbing liquid contained in the second shell; and

an air flow path from the at least one air inlet, through a vaporization chamber, to the vapor outlet.

14. The device of claim 13 further including one or more protruding ribs on the outside of the second shell forming part of the air flow path when the second shell is inserted into the first shell.

15. The device of claim 13 further including an inward ventilating groove on the second shell.

18. A vaporizing device comprising:

a battery assembly including a first housing and a rechargeable battery electrically connected to an electronic circuit board in the first housing;

a charging connector and an operating indicator in the battery assembly, the charging connector and the operating indicator electrically connected to the electronic circuit board;

an atomizer assembly electrically connected to the battery assembly;

a second housing containing a liquid and having a vapor outlet, the second housing insertable into an open end of the first housing;

at least one air inlet for allowing air to flow through the atomizer assembly;

the atomizer assembly including a coil electrically connected to the electronic circuit board, the coil in an atomization chamber, the coil wound around a porous component, the coil having a central axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device, with the porous component absorbing liquid contained in the second housing;

a frame having a through hole in a flat surface of the frame to allow air to flow through the frame, a portion of the porous component extending through first and second side openings in the frame, and

an air flow path from the at least one air inlet, through the atomization chamber to the vapor outlet.