GB2529727A

GB2529727A - Electronic smoking device

Info

Publication number: GB2529727A
Application number: GB1419659.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thorben Rehders; Vaclav Borkovec; Nicole Tschierske; Neha Daryani
Original assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV
Current assignee: Fontem Ventures BV
Priority date: 2014-09-01
Filing date: 2014-11-04
Publication date: 2016-03-02
Also published as: PL2989912T3; GB201419659D0; EP2989912A1; EP2989912B1

Abstract

An electronic smoking device 1 includes a mouthpiece 2, a heating element 4 and a body portion 5 which contains a liquid reservoir 6. The heating element is adapted to vaporize liquid 7 supplied from the reservoir to generate an aerosol. A flow path 8 extends from the heating element to the mouthpiece and receives the generated aerosol. The smoking device also comprises a plurality of flavour carrying units 9, 10 which are permeable to the aerosol and which carry flavoured material 11, 12. The flavour carrying units are selectively and individually exposed to the flow path to create a flavoured aerosol which can be inhaled by a user. Preferably, each of the flavour carrying units is selectively rotatable or switchable into the flow path. The flavour carrying units may be formed as separate chambers 14 of a multiple chamber device 15. Alternatively, the flavour carrying units can be formed as separate divisions (16, Fig. 3) of at least one multiple division disc (17, Fig. 3).

Description

ELECTRON C SMOKtNG DEVICE Ab electrOnic smoking device, eg. desi4ned as an *elécthonic digarettO, eneiail' has a housing cotairung an electr c power source (usLaby a sngle use battery or a reciargeable battery), and an ele:tncaV operao]e atomizer The atomizer vapoizes o' tomizs.tiqthd. upad from a roservbfr (uUaly a oapsul& arid prOvides Qa.poriad or atomzed hqwd as an aerosol Control elecfromcs conro actvation of the atornzer n many electronic.digarettes, ,a puff deie.otor iS provided:within the eleofronic SmOking dv ice : U which detects a ucer puffing on the device (e ç by sensing an undarpressuro or an air flow pattern through tie devce) the puff detecto u'd caes or a gnals the tilt to the cntrpi electrbnit$, Alternatively a bUtfon that a user çprsses may e usØd to witQh oh the lectrbnic.smokin defribe to generate a puff. Of flavoui. When, a s détedtéd, the conso electronics suppies electocal power to the atomizer, thereby creating an aeosol 5.5 from liquid in the housing.

Electronic smoking devices which provide a flavoured.aerosol..are increaaingiy populan However, to change the flavour the user has to exchange the:avoured riqid cbntained within the device. This can betime.tonsumihgand.cdn uhnecessary ihterfdre with the C enjoyment ot the device

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTtON.

one: aspectof the present invention, an eiectroncsmoking device has a mouthpiece, an 2.5 atomizer and a. body portion witba reservoir for storing liquid. for.atom[zafi.ort The atomizers aaapted to generate an aerosol by vapon.brq hqd suppled ñoir the reservoir,. A flow path arranged to receive aerosol extends from the atomizar to the mouthpiece Piesetocted flvounng mater as are pla'ed m avour tarn/lig Lore A user can select whh of the preselèctdMavouhng materiS used by selectively interpbsing the flavouring.rnateriat into the flow path.

The eeton c smo ing device ilcws a user to easily wch he flavou o GornbinaIion t flavours of th aro.soJ consumed without. interrupting the? smoking process and without a need to eisassembk' the electronic smoking dev'ce 3.5 Ctiaractaristics, featutes arid advnfages of this inventIon and the manner in which they are obtained:as descbed above, wil[ become more apparenf.and be more clearly understood n connection with the following description of exemplary embedirnerits, Whith are.explained w.Th. reference to the accompanying drawings.

jfiQEScRi2TlQN or THE DRAWNGS Figure 1 is a schematic cross section of afiret embo.dithentpf an elentronicsmoking device accordkig to the present nventon with a detachS rnouthpece, Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the e!ecteni sri-iokinq dviceof Fig. 1.

FigureS is a chematic exploded view of a second emhodiment.gf an &edronc smoking device acccrding to the present inventon and 1.5 Figird 4 is a schenTatic detailed view of an embodiment of a rnoveabl.e plate as used within the electronicsmoking device of Fig. 3; U ETAILED DESCRIPflON OF THE RPWNGS FigUre 1 shows an electronic sniokThg device I hSin a rnduthpiede:2 which is attachable to a 4irst end 3 of the electronic smokng devce I The mouthpiece 2 may cc in toe fomi of a cone and is attacten to a body cortion 5 of the electroric smicing device I which ma have a substant y cy ndrcl and tcibulsr shape. The body portiOn S functions asa loLsing and cotains a ieatirg cement 4 functioning as an atomizer aa a resevo 6 for storing a liqL? ftc heatrog element 4 is adaoted L vaporize toe hquid 7 suop ied fron the. reservoir 6. ThoMcating.element4 may be provided as a heatir COil adjac.ènt:to a bottom part 31 of the.body portion & The reservoirS may be provithd.as. a capsule filledwith liquid 7 arranged adiacent lathe heating element 4 However, the eservoi' 6 a so may be reahzeo as any other krnc of receptacle that can have aftanthtrarJ form s shape anØ also be located in another.

position inside the body prhon 5 1 he hqLIKI 7 may be for examos gycerol nropyleno glyco triethyene glycol, poyh'drw alcoho' tetrasthylene glyco a phatic este' o :35. carboxylic acid such as methyl stearate, dirnethyf dodecanedioate, dimethyl tetradecanedioste, water and the like..

1 he &ectronic smoking device I has a flow path 8 adapted. to receive vaporized liquid 7, wherein the ovv path 8 extends from the heating elementA to the noLthpiece 2 An optving s a ranged withm a cap part 32 of the body aert on 5 which represents an out}ot for vaporized liquid ?andwhieh defines a cross section of the flowpath 8. The body S ptjpn S may eocommqøate one r more guiding elements 33 or vanes which define or determine the course of the. flow path S The.guiding elernents.inaybe.providbd as b* separation wad 33 positioned between the eservor 6 ard an outer wal of the body portion 6. fused, the waft 33torces the vapothaed kUid. 7toitream along a predefined flow path &. 11'

Moreover the &ectrornc amok ng device I may have first and a seccnd 4avour carrying unit.9, 10 fOr carrying a flavoured material *1i, ¶2 The flavour carrying units 9, 10 ate.

permeable to the vaporized iqurd 7 generated by the ieabng cement and selectively and indMduafly exposable to-the flow path. 8.

The fret and second separato flavour carryng units 9, 10 may earry diflerent flavoured materials II 12 For example thc first flavoured nateial 11 may be a entho extract andthe second favoured material 12 may be a vandla-extract... However, any kinds of flavoured materials 11 12 can be camed by the first and second flavour carrying units 9, 2 1Q These nlude icr example eaters. such asiseamyl acetate liiyI aemte. soan1l propionate nav butyiate and the like, natLral essential ois as plant essential a Is, such as spearm nt peopermint, cass a jasmine and the like, animal essential os such as musk, amber c vet, castor and the like, simple flavou ing ma eriais, such as anethole iim.onene, linalool, eugnol and the like; hdiophiiic.flavdu.r components such as a leaf tobacco extract at natural plant flavouring materials such as liconcE, f Jons wort., a pm ectracts peach extract and the like; acida such as. a inalic acid, tartaric acid, cithc acid and the like sugars such as glucose., fructose, isomerized sugafln:d the like; avid polvhydric alcoh,Is such as peooyls&n ghyro gvrero sorbrtol and the like Furthermore ft also ppssibeto. combtne different flaycured. materials-just. asmentiorted above into new 2G flaouted matedals Ii, 12 Moreover; It is possible to adsoibanyflavour onto a solid material and to use this material as flavoured matedal 11, 12 within an electronic-smoking devIc 1..

In this first embodiment o the present invention,, the firstand:second flayouccarrdng units :35 9, 10 are arranged withinthe body portion:5 of the electronic smoking device I between the cap part 32 of the body portion 5 and.thereser-voir6.. The first a-d the second flavour cnying units 9 10 rny aio be wranged twn t hetipg eleme 4. and the mouthpece 7 WTh thi des9n the first ann second flavour carryng unts 9 10 are easy exposabie to the flow path 8 Of the electfonc smOking device I which extend from the heating e'ement 4 to the moutipieue 2 1 hee1ure, a usw cap eas' swtch the flavour of the eectrcn.ic 5rhoking..cevce. I wthdut hSrtg tc.. open the devibe 1. Mor&wer a 5. recharge. with flavoured matertal 11, 1.2:canea&iy be performed..

The first arc second flavour carryng unts 9, 10 rray optionafly be arranged ii a otataDle or switchabte member 13, wherein each of the flavour carrying units, 1.0 Issolecflvey otatahe Qr switchaofr into the flow path 8 rn s pov des for stoma and usirg n'utio e I Q: different flavoured mateda.s 11, 12 in a.compaq{ but easily accessible rnr1ner.

The first. and the second flavour canying units 9, 10 may he formed as separate cha hers fl4 of a multule chamber device 5 formed asa re.oIvei drum The cnambers 14 are pacedapart from each other. The flavoured materials 11, 12 as then accommodated I -inside the separate cha items 14, wheiern the chambers 14 are also permeaoe or sucsa'tia ly permeaole to mponzed iQud 7 The separate chambers 14 may be ahgred w}th the ope nng provided ii Ire cap part 32 so that they are separately exposed to the flow path 8 Theeoro, a user car rotate a separate charms 14 wOh a certain flavoured ma7erial ii, 12 into, the flow path 8 hi orierto enjoy the flavour ofHthe. respective flavoured material 11.. 12 wthoit having to: open the &ctrohidvho.kin device I or changin9 ie flavour of the vapon,er. hqid 7 cormunied a user can eaSy rctate the rtiuftiple thambr deyite 15 again in ordd(to discard, the currently used' chahter 14 With The cur-ently used flavoured material 11, 12 Ira-v the ow path 8 and to expose a dtterent flavoured mateSi 1.1, 1.2 contoIned in anutherchamber 14 to the flow path L if a fiavoumt matadal Ii, 12 is exposS to the flow path 8 in a iii which the flow path:g substantiay fiued with vaporized iquid 7, the'ahfiow of the. flow pathS is forced through The respecte cherpber 14 e*pQsed.tr? The flow path Wand the favourS material 1.1, 12 thetJn iniprenates the.psing vaporized lIquid. 7 with its respective flavour. Since only C the iqurd is in contact with the beat nq element 4 there is ro contam nator or mixing of différent flivours when the flavoured materk 11. 12 consumed is charged., in Fig'. 2 the muftipé chamber devica 1' is exemplarily formed as a' rotatebe drum ot.a revolver whion comprises tow: separate chambers 14. Four flavoured rriate.nals are Enterphsabie within the frur separatechambers 1.4 of the midtiple char. her device 1.5.. In kg 2, only two of the tour separate crambers 14 are fled Of covse, other chamber aevices 15 may have 3 6,6 7, 8 or more separate chambers 14 A second embodiment shown in Fig. 3 may he the caine as the first emb mont shown in Fig I exrept that the electronic smokrg device of flg 3 may havL a ubstarThatlv rod-shaoed body portion 5 contaning a heating olement 4 and a esen,n 6 The resetvmr 6 for receiving quid 7 is positioned on top of the ood portion 5 facing towads the mouthpiece 2 at thee ectronic smoicing ccv cc I However, ,n some embodiments tie reservoir b cou'd instead be inserted nto the body porron 5 i:functioning as a nuusirg and protrude upwards from the body portioi 5 the-thy facing towar& mouthpioe 2 of :1 0 the electronic smoking. device 1. The.dtametor of the reevoit 6 may be.Crnsller than the.

diameter ofthe body portion 5.

In this ecOn.d embodir'ne.rW.of the present hvention, the firt and second flavour carrying units 9 10 are exemplarly formed as two separate cuvisions 6 olaf rat m liple drisior 15. disc 1 7.. The su.bstantiaiiy cylind.ricai first disc 17 may be dMded ih.to niuWpie se.pflt dMsiOns 16:orcbcn$rttnents for hoidihg.d. flavoured diaterial ii, 12. In the example shown the mitipe div sor disc 7 is dwideo into four ccngrent separate thvisions 16 The mutip e division disc 17 tray include 2 3, 5, 6 r more different separate dMslons 16, which: also. can be of ditferent.size The separate divisionS. 16 arC preferably arranged to 2') edloin to one another In such an emboaiment a pkirabt of diferert favoured materials 11 12: can compacty be stored or contained in a Sma device, This Cnable.s a sThSr and compact realization of the elddronicsmoking device 1.

Fwterrnore. the elenfroSsmoking device 1 my ncLU a. secnd ñultil di sian:dic 17 which is substantially identicatlo the..flrst muftiple divislOn:disc 17 in terms aishape ana sIze except that other fiakoured materials 11 2 a"e arrarcad wihin the separate divisions. t6:ofthe second. mulliple division:disc.17, The first and second multiple dMsicn dIscs 17, if used. may b.c attachable to one anotherwheri theysro ahçned acing a.t1rt.

axis 21 whoP intersects witi the centre points of the first and seccinj muitiple thvrnion dIscs 17. Preferably,. the separate dM&ons 16 of one disc 17 are.arranged symmetrically to one another with respect to the first axis. 21.

The first and.second multiple division discs It rriay be attachable to one aflothervie a press-fit connection Orvia other cOnnectian techniques. When the first and second 33 rnutiple diision discs 7 sic attached to each other, two separae divisions 16 ot thu two disa 17 poaltioned. dh'ectly abOVe each other are selectively expo.sble.to.the.flow path 8 at.the same time when chosen fbr.consurnption by the user respectively. Therefoje, the. $

flavours of the flavoured materials 1.1, 12 contained in these. two separate dMsion's 14 ttilx wnen the electronic smoking oevice I is used Thus, the user can enjoy a mix of d fferent flavours. The two:discs 1.7 may be retatable on a common axle coincident with the.fl:i axis.21 with the';axJC flxed.directh/or indirectly ont:o the houtthig.

A usr car choose the specific alignment of me first and second multin e cwi$ion dISCS 17 by attachirg the rst and second niultiole dvis or discs 17 wth each otner theieeq choosing a specific mix of ne selected ( e aligned) flavcured materials 12 arraige in the separate u visions 16 othefwst ad second mJtple divjsun discs 7 when the 1 0 ele:romc smoking device I in operation in this way rt s ucla the use tu thoosc which separate division 16 of the second multiple. division disc: his positioned directly abode which separate divis.on 16 of the first multiolo drvision thea 17 \aMer rtachirq the first muffipie division disc. 17 tO the. second multiple dvisi,oh disc. 17. However, it also oossible tc use arty the first or on1y the second muluplo thv,sion disc 17 for consumot on i S thereby not mixing the flavours of the flavoured materals A 12 contained withir the separate divisipfls 16 pf a, multiple dMsion Sc 17. ditnal disc my be. used the SeP10 way, Such as a third and/br a'fdutth or higher number niultiplethvi&an disc 17:.

fle electronic cinching devIce t may further include two rnveabie plates. 18 wfñch are contibui'ed. to selectiveb' tnodif' the couse of the flow path B inside the body portion 5 to guide re ow path 8 through a specific dM5101 16 or a n,ultple divjsiol disc 17 Therefore', the mi.flti'plG diViiofl d1s 17 eth be fixed o the body Ødrtioñ 5.f the eiectroic smoking device and do not have to be moveabty attached to it thereby simpiifytng'construction'otthe.eledtrontc'.smoking device t A first moveable plate 18 is arrangad bn.tOp of the reseiv&ir B, i.e. on an end of'the leservoir 6 vMich faces towards the mouU'piea 2 wheiein a second rnoveabie plate 18 being. ider;iical in tern's of shape rid' sizO isar'ranged 0.0. a. toe end portion, of the mouthpiece 2 which faces towards the hidy portion 5 In ths second er'bpdrnent o the U present tment or the fFtt and second toveabte ptes 18 have a circular shape and each plate 18 copip rtse'a a base porüon'. jO and at least one. opening 20 formed in the base potion 19, defining The cms-section of the fow path B Wth jcb an embodiment, a simpo and sinS dfmenbne'd means for an efficient guidan'ce.ct'the flow path Sand the' air flow therein is provided. This results In a cheap and easy to* manufacture electronic smoking device with different flavot n The moveabie pates 1 S are each aacbaee to the muitipe division isce 17 via:? pressfit connection However, it is, also, possible to realize embodiments' of ftc presCot ihventioh with moveable plates 18 which can he attachöd to the multiple division discs 17 via different altachment*. means Which, are pot explicitly disc'osod herein Fuithermore i' a a so possible to realize errbodirnerts c the presentinverthon with at east one fixed plate.that for eximple* can have the shape as describsid hereinbefore. and at least one moveable multiple dMsiori disc ti.

The first and second..rnoveabte piates 1$ are rotatable around.the..first. axis 21 and the Opening 20 is spaced apart from said fiist axis 21 lo more particular a Centre portion of the opening 20 is spaced apart tram said first a'xs 21 Wth such ci' errbodimert of the preserfl invenflon, the flow path S can be altered around the first axis 21 of the moveabie: 1, C. plate 18 theeby separstely:silC'Cting elfiersit divisions 16 Of the multiple division diSCs 17 which prevent a: rnb'i:ng of flavour.frorn seprafe adaqenf øivisions 16 containing different flavoured. materkls It, 12. in this Setond embediment, thebase portions tO of the.

moveable p1ates IS are exemplarily congrLent to three artjaconi separate divisions 16 of a multiple divis on disc j7 of the second enbodmont of the electronic smoking device 1 espechv&y, wherein tne opening 20 is congruerr to one separate division 1$ of a rntiple dMsion disc 17 of the dond embodiment of the elobttc nic smoking devihe 1 respective y I he base portions 19 functions as a oanier for an airflow theieby bIocK'ng and d'eficting the flow'p:ath:B to extend between the openings 20.. When the second embodiment of an electronic Sr1kn deVice 1. iS assembled.. the multiple dMsicn discs 17 are enclosed by the two moveable plates 18 When the perinqs 20 of the first and the second moveable plates 2 D are aligned atong a sti aint iine being nara4el to the trst axis 21 tiereby selecing two specific separate dyisions 15 of the first and the second multiple aivision dscs 17 which are exposed to the flow pathS, the flow oath 8 s g.aced throigh the opening 20 o the first moveable plato 18, the exposed divis on 16 of the fire m'tioie 2 i divisioi disc 17 which is ahgneu with the open ng 20 f We first moveabte plate 18, the exposed d'vision 16 of the second multin'e diwsion disc 17 wthcb is dhgnec. with the exposed division 16 of the first multiple' dMsiori distil and the opening.20 f the Second rioveable olate 18 which s ahgned with the exposed separate d&ision lb of he second mulUple dMpn disc. 17. The co,irse.of the flow path 8 is. howp**as, usahed line in Fig. 3..

Fig.. 4 shows a schematic detailed view of an embodiment of a moveabie Ølate tS as used in the seccr'c enbothrrsnt of an electronic smoxing device I according to tie present invention. .ln'more detaiL Fig. 4 shows the lnterCtion Of C moveable plate 18 With the reservor 6 and the liquid T contaned therein I he noseable plate 18 as shown n Fig 4 is 3 identical in terms o sIze anti slaps to the hn$ moveable date 18 of the second embodiment of the ØrCsent invention, as shown in Fig..3'. When the liquid 7 is aponzed, it exits the first moveable plate 18 through'the opening 20 Therefore, when the first S. move:sble plate IS is rotated around the first axis 21:, the.reiative position of the opening 2C s a feted wnch modfas the rourse of the ow path B w weby a speciE c separate dw son 16 of a nulhpe thvson arso 17 Fy o a ihon of twa sptthe pnte divisions 16 of a.hiuttiple dMaioh disc 17 affgned above one another flocdechwith vaponzed 1tqud 7 a changed It s also posstho to realize elect ant. sniek 19 de4csa I accarding to the present invention which compde only one *r more than twO. moveable Øiates 1.8.

Although in the above ernbodi.ine:nts:electronic moking devices have been.doscrbEd. n whkth qUidis atornised by being heated by an electric heats,. itwiH be appreciated that in other embacment' other mers for geneatng a vapour such as the use cf peo e ectuc efnenis could be used.

It V4II also be appreciated that ithoug.h iji aotpe embodiments a puff detecto.r.for detctng.

a user puffing on a devce could be pro'ided and Pie puff detector could be arranged to ihitiat the aUvatior Of an etomizOr when a Use(buffed on the devices in some embodiments the puff detector could be reptaced by a push button and a user could be cause an. atomizer to activate by pressing on the button. in other embodiments other means for activating tne device could he provided.

While this invention hGs.heerdescribIed in cannectiph with what is prCsently.onaidered to be ractical exemplary embod ments t s to be understood tiw The present rnvenhon not united to the disclosed embodiments hJ, on the contrarj, is intended to covei varØus modificatiqss and inckded within the stdPe of the appended Sims.

LIST OF REEERE:NCE SGN8 1 e.ectronc: srnokng Svica 2 nieuthpce.: :5.3 first end 4 healing emant 5.ody pOrllcrn 6 reervoW 7 hqiid ac a floW path 9 first flavoUr carrying jp*( second flavour carrying unit *11 first flavoured material 12 second flavoured rhaterial tS 13 rotatane or swtchable member 14 epatatacflatnber rnuitipe chamber device 1 & separate division.

11 mulUpie d.Msiqn disc 18 moveábè Ølatd i base portion opening 21 flrt axis 31 atpi part 32 cap p* 33 guiding elarnants *0