Electronic smoking device with capillary buffer

• US 10,905,160 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Issued: 02/02/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Tong, Xinliang
• Primary Examiner(s): Paik, Sang Y
• Application Number:
  US15/752,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20200205474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 392386-398, 131290-304
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures

Abstract

An electronic smoking device, comprising a capillary buffer having a first end, a second end, a capillary buffer portion between the first end and a second end, and an vapor channel and a liquid conduit formed between first end and the second end and through the capillary buffer portion; the capillary buffer portion is operable to receive under capillary effect excessive liquid from the liquid supply.

Claims

1. An electronic vaporizing device, comprising,

a housing;

an atomizer in the housing;

a capillary buffer in the housing, the capillary buffer having a plurality of buffer plates and a plurality of buffer spaces between the plurality of buffer plates, an air channel connecting into each of the buffer spaces; and

a capillary slit through the buffer plates traverse to the buffer spaces;

a vapor channel and a liquid conduit through the capillary buffer; and

a liquid supply connecting into the liquid conduit, the capillary buffer in between the liquid supply and the atomizer, and the vapor channel leading to the atomizer.

2. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 1 further including a recess at the first end of the capillary buffer portion for accommodating a liquid guiding structure.

3. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 1 wherein the air channel is opposite to the position of the capillary slit.

4. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 1 with the vapor channel inside the liquid conduit.

5. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 1 wherein the capillary buffer is adapted to hold excess liquid from the liquid supply in the buffer spaces.

6. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 1 further including a fiber material in the liquid supply.

7. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 1 with the capillary buffer and the liquid supply comprising a single component.

8. An electronic vaporizing device, comprising,

a housing having outlet;

an atomizer in the housing;

a liquid supply positioned to provide liquid to the atomizer;

a capillary buffer in the housing between the liquid supply and the atomizer, with the capillary buffer having a liquid conduit extending from the liquid supply to the atomizer; and

the capillary buffer comprising a plurality of buffer spaces formed between a plurality of spaced apart buffer plates, an air channel connecting into all of the buffer spaces, and a capillary slit through the buffer plates.

9. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 with the capillary slit having a width of 0.05 to 0.2 mm.

10. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 with the capillary slit parallel to a longitudinal axis of the device.

11. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 with the capillary slit radially offset from the air channel.

12. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 wherein the buffer plates are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the capillary slit.

13. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 further comprising an air vent in the capillary buffer connected to the air channel, with the air vent connecting to a housing vent, to allow bi-directional air flow in the air channel.

14. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 with the air channel diametrically opposite to the capillary slit.

15. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 with the vapor channel inside of the liquid conduit.

16. The electronic vaporizing device of claim 8 with the vapor channel side by side to the liquid conduit.

17. An electronic vaporizing device, comprising,

an atomizer;

a capillary buffer including a plurality of buffer plates and a buffer space between adjacent buffer plates;

an air channel connecting into each of the buffer spaces;

a capillary slit through the buffer plates traverse to the buffer spaces;

a vapor channel extending through the capillary buffer, the vapor channel inside of and concentric with a liquid conduit;

a liquid supply connecting into the liquid conduit, the capillary buffer in between the liquid supply and the atomizer, and the vapor channel leading to the atomizer.