Electronic cigarette with sealed cartridge

• US 9,737,093 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• 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): Del Sole, Joseph S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed Ali, Mohamed K
• Application Number:
  US14/523,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 329131, 392394
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means

Abstract

In an electronic cigarette, separate cartridge and vaporizer units are provided. The cartridge unit may have a cartridge tube containing a liquid with a seal sealing the liquid within the cartridge tube. The vaporizer unit may have a piercer and a heater, with the front side of the vaporizer unit moveable into engagement with the cartridge unit, causing the piercer to pierce the seal in preparation for use of the electronic cigarette. A battery may be connected to a back side of the vaporizer unit. The vaporizer unit may also have and an electronic circuit electrically connected to the heater and to an inhalation sensor.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a cartridge unit including cartridge tube containing a liquid, and a seal on the cartridge tube sealing the liquid within the cartridge tube; and

a vaporizer unit having a piercer and a heater comprising a fiber heater tube supported by spaced apart blades and a wire coil around the heater tube, and a hole between the spaced apart blades with the hole aligned with the wire coil;

with the vaporizer unit moveable into engagement with the cartridge unit, causing the piercer to pierce the seal.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 further comprising a battery connected to the vaporizer unit.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 with the vaporizer unit further including an electronic circuit electrically connected to the heater and to an inhalation sensor.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 with the piercer at a tip of one or more of the blades.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 4 with the vaporizer unit including arms attached to a base, with the arms having wedging tips for engaging the cartridge unit.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 3 with the vaporizer unit having a base, with the piercer and the heater on a front side of the base, and a connector on the back side of the base, with the connector adapted to connect with the electronic circuit.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 5 with the cartridge tube inside of an overtube and a flow path formed between the cartridge tube and the overtube, with the flow path leading to an outlet at a front end of the over tube.

8. The electronic cigarette of claim 7 further including a chamber tube extending into a ring chamber in the arm base, for trapping liquid.

9. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a cartridge unit including cartridge tube containing a liquid, and a seal on the cartridge tube sealing the liquid within the cartridge tube;

a vaporizer unit having an electronic circuit electrically connected to an inhalation sensor and to a battery;

spaced apart blades on a first side of a base, and an electrical connector on a second side of the base;

a piercer on a tip of one or more of the spaced apart blades;

a heater comprising a fiber heater tube supported by the spaced apart blades with a wire coil around the heater tube and electrically connected to the electronic circuit via the electrical connector; and

a hole through the base aligned with the wire coil;

with the vaporizer unit moveable into engagement with the cartridge unit, causing the piercer to pierce the seal, and with the wire coil vaporizing the liquid.