Electronic cigarette

• US 10,980,953 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2018
• Issued: 04/20/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Christopher S., Jordan, Geoffrey Brandon, Smith, Barry S., Rostami, Ali A., Glenn, Sr., Charles E. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaary, Eric
• Application Number:
  US16/106,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20180352866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• 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 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/70 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/003 by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/04 operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised air-humidification, e.g. "room humidifiers" F24F6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0018 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8268 Fuel storage cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/02 Equipment for testing the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing resistors providing fillings for housings or enclosures H01C1/02; reducing insulation surrounding a resistor to powder H01C1/03; manufacture of thermally variable resistors H01C7/02, H01C7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 : Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0014 : Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/10 : Heating elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/12 : characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/16 : the conductor being mounted on an insulating base
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 : non-flexible
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/44 : heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a liquid supply including liquid material, a heater operable to heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol, a wick in communication with the liquid material and in communication with the heater such that the wick delivers the liquid material to the heater, at least one air inlet operable to deliver air to a central air passage upstream of the heater, and a mouth end insert having at least two diverging outlets. The electronic cigarette can also include an air flow diverter which directs incoming air away from a heating zone of the heater.

Claims

1. An electronic vaping device comprising:

a cartridge including,

a first outer housing extending in a longitudinal direction,

a tank reservoir configured to hold a formulation, the tank reservoir in the first outer housing,

a wick having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending into a portion of the tank reservoir,

a heater in contact with the second portion of the wick, and

an air flow diverter including a cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall defining an open end portion, the cylindrical wall abutting the tank reservoir, at least a portion of the second portion of the wick extending through the open end portion of the cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall surrounding at least a portion of the wick, at least a portion of the heater, or both the at least the portion of the wick and the at least the portion of the heater, and the cylindrical wall defining at least one port therein, the at least one port upstream of the heater; and

a power supply section including,

a second outer housing extending in the longitudinal direction, and

a power supply in the second outer housing.

2. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, further comprising:

an end cap surrounding at least a portion of the second portion of the wick.

3. The electronic vaping device of claim 2, wherein the end cap is generally bowl-shaped.

4. The electronic vaping device of claim 2, wherein the end cap includes at least one radial extension extending into a flow passage established between the tank reservoir and an inner surface of the outer housing of the cartridge.

5. The electronic vaping device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mouthpiece including at least one outlet, the mouthpiece at an end of the first outer housing.