ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE AND METHOD

• US 20130192616A1
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services, Inc. (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Christopher S., Jordan, Geoffrey Brandon, Smith, Barry S., Rostami, Ali A., Mullins, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,854,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/328
• 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 smoking article 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, and at least one air inlet operable to establish a predetermined resistance to draw under a prescribed test of said smoking article.

Claims

1. An electronic smoking article comprising:

a casing extending in a longitudinal direction;

a mouthpiece; and

at least one air inlet in communication with said mouthpiece, the at least one air inlet being operable to establish a predetermined resistance-to-draw under a prescribed test of said smoking article.

2. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the casing is formed of a metal or a metal alloy and the at least one air inlet is formed in the casing.

3. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is formed in a metallic plate insert arranged on an internal or external surface of the casing and which optionally superposes at least one air inlet formed in the casing.

4. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet has a width of less than about 2.0 mm and a length of less than about 1.5 mm.

5. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, further including a removable protective covering which is positioned over the at least one air inlet after formation of the at least one air inlet and removed prior to smoking.

6. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is operable to establish a resistance-to-draw during smoking of about 60 mm H₂O to about 150 mm H₂O.

7. The electronic smoking article of claim 6, wherein the at least one air inlet is operable to establish a resistance-to-draw during smoking of about 90 mm H₂O to about 110 mm H₂O.

8. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the air-inlet is positioned adjacent a connection fixture, the connection fixture including at least one slot corresponding with a location of the at least one air inlet.

9. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is positioned adjacent a connection fixture, the connection fixture including an angled hole and a corresponding slot which communicate with the at least one air inlet.

10. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, further comprising:

an inner tube within the casing, the inner tube including a pair of opposing slots;

a liquid supply comprising a liquid material, the liquid supply contained in an outer annulus between the casing and the inner tube;

a coil heater located in the inner tube;

a wick in communication with the liquid supply and surrounded by the coil heater such that the wick delivers liquid material to the coil heater and the coil heater heats the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol in the inner tube; and

a power supply connectable to the coil heater and operable to apply voltage across the coil heater.

11. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the inner tube has a diameter of about 4 mm and each of the opposing slots has dimensions of about 2 mm by about 41 mm.

20. The electronic smoking article of claim 11, further including control circuitry including a puff sensor, the puff sensor operable to sense air flow and initiate application of voltage from the power supply to the coil heater.

21. The electronic smoking article of claim 20, further including at least one secondary air inlet located adjacent the puff sensor.

22. The electronic smoking article of claim 20, wherein the control circuitry further includes a heater activation light at an upstream end of the electronic smoking article, the heater activation light operable to light up when the heater is activated.

24. The electronic smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is formed internally of the casing, the casing including a port, the port larger than the at least one air inlet.

12. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the electronic smoking article comprises a first section attachable to a second section and wherein the wick, the liquid supply and the mouthpiece are contained in the first section and the power supply is contained in a second section.

13. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the electronic smoking article comprises a single casing and wherein the wick, the liquid supply, the mouthpiece and the power supply are contained in the casing.

14. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the inner tube is formed of woven fiberglass material.

15. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the coil heater comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, copper, copper alloys, nickel-chromium alloys, iron aluminum alloys, iron chromium alloys, superalloys, iron aluminides, nickel alumindes and combinations thereof.

16. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the coil heater includes 4 turns to 8 turns, the turns being substantially uniformly spaced.

17. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the power supply includes a battery.

18. The electronic smoking article of claim 17, wherein the heater is connected to the battery by the electrical leads.

19. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the first section and the second section have the same outer diameter and wherein first section is a disposable downstream section and the second section is a reusable upstream section.

23. The electronic smoking article of claim 12, wherein the liquid supply further includes a porous liquid storage medium operable to store the liquid material, the liquid storage medium is fibrous and comprises a material selected from the group consisting of rayon, polyester, polyethylene, cotton, ceramic, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and combinations thereof.

25. A method of improving a plurality of electronic smoking articles, the method comprising:

forming an air inlet in an outer tube of each electronic smoking article, the air inlet being sized and configured to provide the electronic smoking article with a predetermined resistance to draw; and

subjecting the air inlet of each smoking article to a test of resistance to draw during manufacture of the electronic smoking article.

26. A method of improving a plurality of electronic smoking articles, the method comprising:

forming an air inlet in a metal plate insert prior to placement of the metal plate insert into an electronic smoking article, the air inlet being sized and configured to provide the electronic smoking article with a predetermined resistance to draw; and

subjecting the air inlet to a test of resistance-to-draw during manufacture of the electronic smoking article.

27. The method of claim 26, further including affixing the metal plate insert to an inner or outer surface of the outer tube of the electronic smoking article.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the subjecting step includes establishing a benign test configuration.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the establishing step includes using a release connection between components of the benign test configuration, the connection conducive to automated machine handling.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising protecting the air inlet with a removable tape prior after the subjecting step.

31. A method of achieving a consistent resistance to draw amongst a plurality of electronic cigarettes, said method comprising:

determining a dimension of a critical orifice in an outer tube of an electronic cigarette that provides a desired resistance-to-draw;

for each electronic cigarette, establishing the critical orifice by precision drilling the critical orifice in a wall of the outer tube of the electronic cigarette according to said determined dimensions and by selecting a material conducive to said precision drilling and having a capacity to retain said dimension;

testing each established critical orifice for providing said desired resistance to draw and rejecting any established critical orifice failing said test.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the testing includes testing a critical orifice established on a piece separate of the electronic cigarette.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the desired resistance-to-draw is in the range of about 60 mm water to about 150 mm water.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the desired resistance-to-draw is in the range of about 60 mm water to about 150 mm water.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the desired resistance-to draw is in the range of about 90 mm water to about 110 mm water.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the testing includes monitoring the results of testing to detect trends away from said dimension of the critical orifice.

37. A plurality of electronic cigarettes having a consistent resistance to draw, each of said plurality comprising:

a precision drilled, critical orifice in an outer tube of each of a plurality of electronic cigarettes, the critical orifice having a dimension that provides a desired resistance to draw, the critical orifice precision drilled into a material having a capacity to retain the dimension, and each established critical orifice tested for providing the desired resistance to draw,

wherein the plurality of electronic cigarettes are exclusive of any critical orifice having failed the test.

38. An electronic cigarette operable to provide a consistent resistance-to-draw, the electronic cigarette comprising:

a critical orifice in an outer casing operable to provide a desired resistance-to-draw;

wherein the critical orifice is formed by precision drilling, has pre-determined dimensions and the outer casing is formed of a material conducive to precision drilling and operable to retain the predetermined dimensions of the critical orifice formed therein.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the desired resistance-to-draw is in the range of about 60 mm water to about 150 mm water.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the desired resistance-to-draw is in the range of about 60 mm water to about 150 mm water.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the desired resistance-to-draw is in the range of about 90 mm water to about 110 mm water.