ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE

• US 20120279512A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/329
• 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. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a housing;

a battery and a liquid storage compartment within the housing;

a channel extending through the liquid storage compartment;

an air inlet in the housing leading into a first end of the channel, and an inhalation port leading into a second end of the channel;

an atomizing core within the housing including an electric heater for atomizing liquid from the liquid storage component.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the electric heater comprising a hollow coil having a through hole extending into the channel.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the channel and the inhalation port forming an airflow path centrally located within the housing and the liquid storage compartment.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 further including a liquid permeating component sleeved on the electric heater.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 4 further including a liquid conduction component in contact with the liquid permeating component, and the liquid storage component.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 further including a battery in the housing and a sensor in the housing for sensing airflow in the airflow path, the sensor and the battery both electrically connected to an electronic controller.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 4 with the electric heater arranged on an inner surface of the liquid permeating component.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 4 further comprising a liquid conducting component in contact with the liquid storage area and the liquid permeating component.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the liquid storage component including a fiber material.

10. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a housing;

a liquid storage component within the housing;

an electric heater surrounded by the liquid storage component;

a suction port in the housing adjacent to a second end of the liquid storage component, opposite from the first end of the liquid storage component; and

a channel extending through the liquid storage component, from the electric heater to the suction port.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 with the channel comprising a hollow round opening extending centrally through the liquid storage compartment.

12. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 further comprising an air inlet in the housing, with the air inlet, the channel and the suction port forming an air flow path through the housing.

13. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 with the electric heater entirely surrounded by the liquid storage compartment.

14. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 with the electric heater comprising a coil with a through hole extending through the coil and into the channel.

15. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 further including a tubular liquid permeating component surrounding and contacting the electric heater.

16. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 with the liquid storage compartment comprising fibers.

17. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 with the liquid storage compartment comprising an elongated cylinder having an annular cross section.

18. The electronic cigarette of claim 10 further including a liquid permeating component sleeved on the electric heater.

19. The electronic cigarette of claim 12 further including a battery in the housing and a sensor in the housing for sensing airflow in the airflow path, the sensor and the battery both electrically connected to an electronic controller.

20. The electronic cigarette of claim 15 with the electric heater arranged on an inner surface of the liquid permeating component.

21. A cigarette substitute device, comprising:

a tubular housing;

a liquid storage component within the housing;

an electric heater coil at a first end of the liquid storage component;

a suction port in the housing at a second end of the liquid storage component; and

a cylindrical channel extending centrally through the liquid storage component.

22. The device of claim 21 with the electric heater entirely surrounded by the liquid storage compartment.

23. The device of claim 21 further including a liquid permeating component sleeved on the electric heater.

24. The device of claim 23 further including a liquid conduction component in contact with the liquid permeating component, and the liquid storage component.

25. The device of claim 21 with the liquid storage compartment comprising liquid saturated fibers.

26. The device of claim 21 further comprising an air inlet in the second section, with the air inlet, the channel and the suction port forming an air flow path through the housing.

27. The device of claim 21 further including a nicotine liquid in the liquid storage component, and a battery, a sensor, and a control circuit within the housing, with the control circuit electrically connected to the electric heater for switching on electric current from the battery to the electric heater when the sensor senses inhalation at the suction port.

28. The device of claim 21 with the channel extending from the electric heater to the suction port.

29. The device of claim 21 with the liquid storage component including a fiber material.

30. The device of claim 21 with the electric heater arranged on an inner surface of the liquid permeating component.