SOLID CORE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE

• US 20150027455A1
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nu Mark Innovations, Ltd. (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sis Resources, Ltd. (Green Smoke USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peleg, Eyal, Levitz, Robert, Levy, Dorron, Gavrielov, Shmuel, Eastwood, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,727 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 40/20 Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/30 Devices using two or more structurally separated inhalable precursors, e.g. using two liquid precursors in two cartridges
• 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: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes

Abstract

An electronic cigarette comprises a battery portion that includes a battery which is operable to provide power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette, and a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion. The cartomizer comprises a solid core, and the heating element which vaporizes a portion of a liquefied portion of the solid core to form an aerosol mist that acts as a smoke replacement.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a battery portion that includes a battery which is operable to provide power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette;

a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion that comprises;

a solid core; and

the heating element which vaporizes a portion of a liquefied portion of the solid core to form an aerosol mist that acts as a smoke replacement.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the cartomizer comprises a wick which contacts the solid core, wherein the heater heats the solid core to form the liquefied portion which is thereby absorbed by the wick before being vaporized to form the aerosol mist.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the cartomizer is disposable.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the solid core is hollow and the heating element is disc shaped wherein the disc shaped heating element has a hole which aligns with the hollow portion of the solid core.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the battery portion further comprises a controller and a flow sensor, the flow sensor operable to initiate the supply of power from the battery to the heating element when the flow sensor senses air flow through the electronic cigarette.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the heating element is a heater coil.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 6, wherein the heater coil generates the aerosol mist by heating a liquid from the solid core as part of a vaporization process.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the solid core comprises a solid sponge and the liquefied portion of the solid core comprises liquid extracted from the solid sponge.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the cartomizer further comprises a neutral liquid held in a container wherein the container is operable to release a portion of the neutral liquid into a mixing chamber wherein the solid core may contact the neutral liquid and dissolve into the neutral liquid wherein the heating element is operable to vaporize the solid core dissolved in the neutral liquid to form an aerosol mist.

10. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the solid core comprises ice and the liquefied portion of the solid core comprises a portion of the ice which is melted.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the liquefied portion of the solid core comprises a portion of the solid core being dissolved.

12. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a battery portion that provides power to a heating element of the electronic cigarette;

a cartomizer coupled with the battery portion that comprises;

a solid core, wherein at least a portion of the solid core is configured to be transformed into a liquid; and

the heating element that vaporizes the liquid to generate an aerosol mist.

13. The electronic cigarette of claim 12 wherein the portion of the solid core which is configured to be transformed into a liquid is dissolved as part of the transformation into the liquid.

14. The electronic cigarette of claim 12, wherein the solid core comprises a solid sponge.

15. The electronic cigarette of claim 14, wherein the transformation into the liquid comprises extracting liquid from the solid sponge.

16. The electronic cigarette of claim 12, wherein the solid core comprises an ice solution.

17. The electronic cigarette of claim 16, wherein the transformation into the liquid comprises melting at least a portion of the ice.

18. The electronic cigarette of claim 12, wherein the cartomizer comprises a wick in contact with the solid core and wherein the heating element is a heater coil which is wound about the wick, the heater coil operable to vaporize liquid absorbed by the wick to form an aerosol mist.

19. A method for electronic cigarette operation comprising:

receiving, at the electronic cigarette, a puff of air;

transforming, upon receipt of the air, at least a portion of a solid into a liquid; and

vaporizing the liquid to form an aerosol mist.

20. A method for electronic cigarette operation comprising:

initializing the electronic cigarette upon a puff;

liquefying, after the initializing, at least a portion of a solid; and

vaporizing the liquefied portion of the solid core to form an aerosol mist.