Electronic cigarette

• US 9,456,632 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Michael H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayes, Dionne Walls
• Application Number:
  US13/740,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20130125906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 131/270, 131/273, 128/202.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0015 located upstream of the dispenser, i.e. not traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/284 with water in reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0291 Tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0297 : Heating of fluids for non specified applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/03 : Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 : Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 : non-flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a battery assembly and an atomizer assembly within a housing with the battery assembly electrically connected to the atomizer assembly. The housing has one or more air inlets. A liquid storage component is in contact with a porous component of the atomizer assembly, with the porous component having a run-through hole. A heating wire is in an air flow path through the run-through hole.

Claims

1. A electronic vaporizing device, comprising:

a battery and a liquid storage component in an elongated cylindrical housing having at least one air inlet and an outlet;

a hollow cylindrical component comprising a fiber material, with the hollow cylindrical component in the elongated cylindrical housing and having a central axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylindrical housing, with the hollow cylindrical component in contact with the liquid storage component, and an atomizing chamber formed within inner cylindrical walls of the hollow cylindrical component between a front end opening and a back end opening of the hollow cylindrical component, to allow air to flow into the atomizing chamber from the front end opening and out from the back end opening of the hollow cylindrical component;

an air flow path from the one or more air inlets through the atomizing chamber in the hollow cylindrical component, to the outlet; and

a wire coil in the atomizing chamber wound on a porous component and electrically connected to the battery.

2. The device of claim 1 further including a restriction component in the air flow path having a restriction hole concentric with the front end opening of the hollow cylindrical component.

3. The device of claim 1 further including a plate fixed in place in the elongated cylindrical housing at the front end opening of the hollow cylindrical component, with the plate in contact with the hollow cylindrical component.

4. The device of claim 3 with the wire coil having first and second wire leads passing out of the front end opening of the hollow cylindrical component, and with the first and second wire leads extending through the plate, for connecting the wire coil to the battery.

5. The device of claim 3 with the atomizing chamber having a uniform diameter along the length of the atomizing chamber, and the plate having a diameter larger than the diameter of the atomizing chamber.

6. The device of claim 1 with the front end opening and the back end opening of the hollow cylindrical component having equal diameters.

7. The device of claim 1 with the hollow cylindrical component having a single front end opening.

8. The device of claim 1 with the liquid storage component at a position in the elongated cylindrical housing between the outlet and the hollow cylindrical component.

9. The device of claim 1 further including a restriction component between the hollow cylindrical component and the at least one inlet, with the restriction component having a restriction hole smaller than the front end opening of the hollow cylindrical component.

10. The device of claim 1 with the hollow cylindrical component having an outer cylindrical sidewall having a first diameter, and with the wire coil having an outer diameter less than the first diameter.

11. The device of claim 10 with the atomizing chamber parallel to the longitudinal axis.

12. The device of claim 11 with the wire coil including first and second wire leads passing out of the front end opening of the porous component.

13. The device of claim 12 further comprising a frame including a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter less than the first diameter, and with second section inserted into the front end opening of the hollow cylindrical component.

14. A vaporizing device, comprising:

a battery assembly and an atomizer assembly within an elongated cylindrical housing with the battery assembly electrically connected to the atomizer assembly;

a liquid storage component in the elongated cylindrical housing;

with the elongated cylindrical housing having one or more air inlets;

the atomizer assembly including an atomization chamber having a front end opening and a back end opening to allow air to flow into the atomization chamber from the front end opening and out from the back end opening; and

a heating wire coil wound on a porous component that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylindrical housing, with the heating wire coil in an air flow path between the front end opening and the back end opening of the atomization chamber.

15. The device of claim 14 with the atomization chamber having a uniform diameter along the length of the atomization chamber.

16. The device of claim 14 with the heating wire coil having an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the atomizing chamber.

17. The device of claim 14 further comprising a check valve between the inlet and the porous component.

18. The device of claim 14 further including a restriction component between the hollow cylindrical component and the at least one air inlet, with the restriction component having a restriction hole smaller than the open front end of the hollow cylindrical component.

19. The device of claim 14 further including a plate fixed in place in the tubular housing, with the plate in contact with the front end of the hollow cylindrical component, and the atomization chamber having a uniform diameter along the length of the atomization chamber, and the plate having a diameter larger than the uniform diameter of the atomization chamber.