CARTOMIZER STRUCTURE FOR AUTOMATED ASSEMBLY

• US 20150027471A1
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sis Resources, Ltd. (Green Smoke USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holtz, Arie, Peleg, Eyal, Capuano, Sammy, Feldman, Zvika
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,645 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 40/70 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, e.g. terminal strips or terminal blocks; Terminals or binding posts mounted upon a base or in a case; Bases therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/16 the conductor being mounted on an insulating base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A cartomizer assembly of an electronic cigarette which is formed from automated assembly compatible parts comprises a container assembly including a container and a heater coil surrounding a wick in an airflow space of the container. The entire coil of the heater coil is inside the container and the heater coil is configured to heat liquid on the wick to generate an aerosol mist during a vaporization process. A liquid storage space is in liquid communication with the wick and is operable to supply liquid to the wick. The heater, the wick, and the container are shaped such that the heater and wick can be dropped into the container during automated assembly thereof and be directed to and located at a desired location in the container.

Claims

1. A cartomizer assembly of an electronic cigarette which is configured to connect with a battery portion of the electronic cigarette, the cartomizer assembly formed from automated assembly compatible parts, the cartomizer assembly comprising:

a container assembly including a container and a heater coil surrounding a wick in an airflow space of the container wherein the entire coil of the heater coil is inside the container and the heater coil is configured to heat liquid on the wick to generate an aerosol mist during a vaporization process; and

a liquid storage space in liquid communication with the wick operable to supply liquid to the wick;

wherein the heater, the wick, and the container are shaped such that the heater and wick can be dropped into the container during automated assembly thereof and be directed to and located at a desired location in the container.

2. The cartomizer assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an inner post which is disposed in an outer post, wherein the container is disposed on the inner post, and the inner post and outer post support conductors which are electrically connected to heater coil leads of the heater coil that are held in location notches of the container, wherein the conductors are configured to electrically connect the heater coil leads with leads of the battery of the battery portion wherein the conductors are isolated from the liquid storage space of the cartomizer assembly.

3. The cartomizer assembly of claim 2, wherein the container minimizes exposure of the conductors to air flow in the airflow space thereof and heat generated by the heater coil and the container minimizes exposure of the liquid storage space to heat generated by the heater coil.

4. The cartomizer assembly of claim 2, wherein the inner post includes chamfers at locations near the heater coil such that heat generated by the heater coil received by the inner post is reduced.

5. The cartomizer assembly of claim 2, wherein the inner post includes orientation fingers which are arranged so as to orient the inner post disposed in the outer post and streamline the assembly process thereof.

6. The cartomizer assembly of claim 2, comprising an isolated tube disposed on the inner post wherein the isolated tube is between the inner post and the conductors.

7. The cartomizer assembly of claim 1, wherein the cartomizer assembly is disposable.

8. An electronic cigarette including the cartomizer assembly of claim 1 and a battery portion which includes a battery operable to supply power to the heater coil of the cartomizer assembly.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 8, 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.

18. The cartomizer assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve disposed above the container wherein the sleeve forms a portion of the airflow space of the cartomizer assembly which is in fluid communication with the airflow space of the container.

19. The cartomizer assembly of claim 2 wherein the cartomizer assembly includes a thread which is configured to connect the cartomizer assembly to the battery portion.

20. The cartomizer assembly of claim 19, wherein the thread surrounds the outer post and an insulating ring electrically isolates the post from the thread such that an electrical circuit can be formed between the cartomizer assembly and the battery portion.

10. A method of assembling a container assembly of a cartomizer assembly of an electronic cigarette wherein the container assembly is formed from automated assembly compatible parts, the method comprising:

winding a heater coil around a wick;

dropping the heater coil and wick into a container; and

locating heater coil leads of the heater coil in location notches of the container by bending ends of the heater coil leads around an end of the container;

wherein the heater, the wick, and the container are shaped such that the heater and wick can be dropped into the container during automated assembly thereof and be directed to and located at a desired location in the container.

11. A container assembly formed by the method of claim 10 comprising a container, a heater coil, and a wick.

16. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein the container is tubular shaped such that the heater and wick can be dropped into the container during automated assembly thereof and be directed to and located at a desired location in the container.

17. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein the container includes two location notches which are configured to hold leads of the heater coil therein.

12. A method of assembling a cartomizer assembly of an electronic cigarette wherein the cartomizer assembly is formed from automated assembly compatible parts, the method comprising:

inserting an inner post into an outer post wherein a conductive strip is disposed therebetween; and

inserting a punch into a hole in the inner post wherein the punch removes a portion of the conductive strip so as to form conductors.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising aligning orientation fingers of the inner post into the outer post.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming a container assembly, the container assembly formed by winding a heater coil around a wick, dropping the heater coil and wick into a container, and locating heater coil leads of the heater coil in location notches of the container by bending ends of the heater coil leads around an end of the container; and

putting the container assembly on the inner post wherein each heater coil lead electrically connects with a respective conductor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing the container assembly, the inner post, and the outer post in a liquid storage area of a cartomizer assembly such that the wick is in liquid communication with liquid in the liquid storage area and the conductors are isolated from the liquid storage area.