TW202038753A - Electronic cigarette vaporiser with compressible wick - Google Patents

Abstract

A vaporiser 102 for an electronic cigarette is provided. The vaporiser 102 has a fluid transfer element 104 and a heater 105. The fluid transfer element 104 is a compressible and configured to transfer a portion of liquid from a liquid store 106 to the heater 105. The contact surface of the fluid transfer element 104 is configured to move relative to the heater 105 such that when the contact surface of the fluid transfer element 104 is compressed liquid is releasable from the fluid transfer element 104 and adsorbable on the heater 105.

Description

Electronic cigarette vaporizer with compressible wick

The present invention relates to electronic cigarettes, and more specifically to vaporizers for electronic cigarettes.

In e-cigarette products, aerosol-forming substances or vaporizable substances are stored in a can in a liquid form. The canister typically has an outlet connected to a wicking element or fluid transfer element that supplies the aerosol or vapor forming substance to the atomizer. In addition to the fluid transfer element, the atomizer also includes a heating arrangement for vaporizing liquid aerosol or vapor forming substances.

Electronic cigarettes rely on the power in the battery in the storage area of the machine, so it is necessary to provide extended battery life for such devices. Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to solve such challenges.

The scope of the patent application solves the aforementioned purpose and other problems of the present invention.

According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vaporizer for electronic cigarettes. The vaporizer includes a fluid transfer element and a heater, wherein the fluid transfer element is compressible and is configured to transfer liquid from a liquid reservoir. A portion of the fluid transfer element is transferred to the heater, and wherein the contact surface of the fluid transfer element and the heater are configured to move relative to each other, so that when the contact surface of the fluid transfer element is compressed, liquid can pass from the fluid transfer element Released and can be adsorbed on the heater.

In this way, a controlled portion of the liquid can be transferred to the heater for heating, and the heat is not spread to the liquid reservoir and into it, thereby improving energy efficiency because only the liquid to be vaporized is heated. Preferably, this part of the liquid corresponds to a vaporized suck of the user.

Preferably, when the contact surface of the fluid transfer element is compressed, the liquid can be released from the contact surface of the fluid transfer element and can be adsorbed onto the heater from the contact surface.

Preferably, the vaporizer further comprises a compression element arranged to move from a first position separated from the contact surface of the fluid transfer element to a second position closer to the contact surface of the fluid transfer element.

Preferably, the heater is arranged on the compression element such that when the compression element is in the second position, the heater moves relative to the contact surface and is pressed against the contact surface of the fluid transfer element, Thereby, a part of the liquid is released from the fluid transfer element and is adsorbed on the heater, and wherein the heater is arranged for removing when the compression element has moved from the second position to the first position The absorbed liquid part is vaporized.

In this way, the controlled liquid portion is directly transferred to the heater by the movement of the heater. By moving the heater away from the fluid transfer element, unnecessary heating of the liquid held in the fluid transfer element and heat transfer to the liquid reservoir are suppressed, and only a predetermined dose is heated, thereby improving the performance of the electronic cigarette Energy efficiency.

Alternatively, the heater is statically arranged inside the electronic cigarette and is positioned close to the contact surface of the fluid transfer element, and the compression element is configured to make contact when the compression element moves between the first position and the second position. The surface moves relative to the heater, and the compression element is configured to compress the contact surface so that liquid is released from the contact surface when the compression element is in the second position, and the heater is arranged to compress the contact surface when the compression element is in the first position. The absorbed liquid part is vaporized.

Preferably, when the compression element is in the second position, a fluid bridge is created between the contact surface and the heater, whereby a part of the liquid that can be released from the fluid transfer element can be absorbed by the heater in the second position on.

Alternatively, the compression element is configured to compress the contact surface when in the second position and create a certain distance between the contact surface and the heater, and the compression element is released from the contact surface when in the first position so that the contact The surface contacts the heater in the first position and transfers the liquid.

In this way, the heater is maintained at a distance from the fluid transfer element, thereby inhibiting the heater from transferring heat to the fluid transfer element and heating the liquid held therein. It also suppresses the transfer of heat to the liquid reservoir. This prevents the liquid exceeding the predetermined dose from being unnecessarily heated, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the electronic cigarette.

Alternatively, in the first position, the heater is close to but separated from the fluid transfer element, and when the compression element compresses the contact surface by moving from the first position to the second position, the contact surface moves relative to the heater . When the compression element compresses the contact surface, a portion of the liquid that can be released from the fluid transfer element can be adsorbed on the heater, and the heater is arranged to remove the pressure when the compression element has moved from the second position to the first position. The absorbed liquid part is vaporized.

Preferably, the fluid transfer element includes a compressible wick.

In this way, the wicking member can wick liquid from the liquid reservoir and store it, and can be compressed to release the liquid, which is adsorbed on the heater.

Preferably, the fluid transfer element further comprises a mesh sheet arranged on the surface of the wicking member facing the heater, wherein the mesh sheet and the wicking member are pressed by the compression element against the contact surface of the fluid transfer element Compression so that in use, a portion of the liquid in the wick passes through the mesh.

In this way, the mesh helps to inhibit the escape of liquid from the wicking member so that when the fluid transfer element is not deformed by the compression element, by forming a liquid seal, the liquid does not leak through the electronic cigarette.

Preferably, the mesh is hydrophobic.

In this way, the suppression of the escape of liquid from the wicking member through the mesh and the adsorption on the heater are enhanced. Preferably, the hydrophobic coating on the mesh provides hydrophobic properties.

Preferably, the fluid transfer element further comprises a liquid buffer arranged to transport liquid from the liquid reservoir to the wicking member by capillary action.

In this way, a controlled flow of liquid to the wick is provided by buffering the flow of liquid.

Preferably, the liquid buffer includes a plurality of plates that are arranged to extend from the wicking member toward the liquid reservoir, and channels are arranged between the plates so that in use, the liquid is caused by capillary action. It is drawn from the liquid reservoir to the wicking member.

In this way, the liquid is buffered by capillary action so that the liquid reaches the wick in a controlled manner.

Preferably, the fluid transfer element has a piercing member extending therefrom for piercing the cartridge containing the liquid reservoir and transporting liquid from the cartridge through the piercing member toward the wicking member.

In this way, the fluid transfer element has a dual function because it serves both to pierce the cartridge and to transfer the liquid therein to the heater. This is advantageous because in a single action, the cartridge is opened and the liquid therein is engaged with the fluid transfer element for transfer to the heater. In addition, the user does not have to manually open the cartridge, thereby avoiding potential spillage. Preferably, the piercing member is a tube with a pointed end. Preferably, the piercing member has a hole narrow enough to allow liquid to be transported from the cartridge by capillary action. Preferably, the cartridge is a disposable consumable, and the component is arranged in the reusable part of the electronic cigarette. Preferably, the reusable part of the electronic cigarette is the battery part.

Preferably, the heater includes a ceramic structure.

Preferably, the heater includes a ceramic structure and a printed or embedded heating track connected to the ceramic structure, wherein the ceramic structure includes a non-porous ceramic, the first surface of which is arranged with porous ceramic, and wherein the heating track Arranged on the second surface of the non-porous ceramic.

In this way, the liquid adsorption characteristics of the heater are enhanced. Preferably, the heater absorbs the liquid into the pores of the porous ceramic by capillary action. The heater can be selected from the group consisting of spiral coils, mesh, or printed or embedded surface heaters. The heater may include a ceramic disc. Preferably, non-porous ceramics are quartz. Preferably, the second surface of the non-porous ceramic is a surface opposite to the first surface of the non-porous ceramic. The heating track can be a resistance heating element.

According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge for electronic cigarettes, which includes the vaporizer according to the first aspect and further includes a liquid reservoir.

In this way, the component can be arranged in the reusable part of the electronic cigarette, such as the battery part, and the disposable cartridge can be removed and replaced when it is used up.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating the vaporizer of the first aspect, the method comprising: compressing the contact surface of the fluid transfer element so that liquid is released from the fluid transfer element; A fluid bridge is established between the heaters, so that a part of the released liquid is adsorbed on the heater; and the adsorbed liquid is heated by the heater to generate vapor when the fluid bridge is destroyed.

In this way, the controlled liquid part is heated, and the heat is not spread into the liquid reservoir and into it, thereby improving energy efficiency because only the liquid to be vaporized is heated.

Preferably, compressing the contact surface of the fluid transfer element to release liquid from the fluid transfer element includes compressing the contact surface of the fluid transfer element to cause liquid to be released from the contact surface of the body transfer element.

Preferably, establishing a fluid bridge between the released liquid and the heater so that a part of the released liquid is adsorbed to the heater includes establishing between the liquid released from the contact surface and the heater The fluid bridge allows part of the released liquid to be adsorbed to the heater.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic cigarette cartridge including a liquid reservoir and a fluid transfer element, the fluid transfer element including a compressible wick and a flexible contact surface, wherein the fluid transfer element is configured for Receiving liquid from the liquid reservoir, and wherein the flexible contact surface is configured to release the liquid held in the compressible wick from the electronic cigarette cartridge when the fluid transfer element is compressed.

In this way, the release of liquid from the liquid reservoir when the fluid transfer element is not compressed is suppressed.

Preferably, the liquid reservoir is fluidly connected to the compressible wick by an opening between the liquid reservoir and the fluid transfer element.

In this way, the liquid reservoir and the compressible wick can be contained in separate parts of the electronic cigarette cartridge. The liquid reservoir can be a consumable that is simple and economical to produce, and the fluid transfer element can be a reusable part.

Alternatively, the compressible wick is located inside the liquid reservoir.

In this way, the compressible wick and the liquid reservoir can be contained in the same part of the cartridge, so that the liquid in the liquid reservoir can be easily taken up by the wick.

Alternatively, the fluid transfer element further comprises a plug containing the compressible wick, the plug being receivable in the liquid reservoir and having a first end arranged to face the liquid in the liquid reservoir, and wherein, A buffer is arranged on the first end to transport liquid from the liquid reservoir to the wicking member by capillary action.

In this way, a controlled flow of liquid to the wick is provided by buffering the flow of liquid.

Preferably, the liquid buffer comprises a plurality of plates arranged to extend from the compressible wick into the liquid reservoir, and channels are arranged between the plates so that in use, the liquid is borrowed It is drawn from the liquid reservoir to the compressible wick by capillary action.

In this way, the liquid is buffered by the channels between the plates via capillary action, so that the liquid reaches the wicking member in a controlled manner.

Alternatively, the fluid transfer element is located outside the liquid reservoir, and the fluid reservoir can be engaged by the fluid transfer element such that in operation, the fluid transfer element transfers a portion of the liquid from the liquid reservoir to the electronics In the heater in the smoke.

In this way, the liquid reservoir can be replaced, and the fluid transfer element can be reused.

Preferably, the fluid transfer element further comprises a mesh sheet arranged on the surface of the compressible wick so that the mesh sheet forms the flexible contact surface, and wherein the mesh sheet is arranged in pairs The compressible wick allows liquid to pass through the mesh when compression is applied.

In this way, the mesh helps to inhibit the escape of liquid from the wick by forming a liquid seal when the fluid transfer element is not deformed or compressed.

Preferably, the mesh is hydrophobic.

In this way, the suppression of liquid escaping from the wicking member through the mesh is enhanced. Preferably, the hydrophobic coating on the mesh provides hydrophobic properties.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic cigarette for use with the electronic cigarette cartridge of the fourth aspect, the electronic cigarette including a compression element and a heater, wherein the compression element is arranged relative to the fluid transfer element Move from a first position separated from the fluid transfer element to a second position pressed against the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element to compress the compressible wick so that liquid can be released from the wick and can Adsorbed on the heater.

In this way, a controlled portion of the liquid can be transferred to the heater for heating, and the heat is not spread to the liquid reservoir and into it, thereby improving energy efficiency because only the liquid to be vaporized is heated. Preferably, this part of the liquid corresponds to a vaporized suck of the user.

Preferably, the heater is arranged on the compression element such that when the compression element is in the second position, the heater is pressed against the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element and can be removed from the compressible core A part of the liquid released by the suction member may be adsorbed on the heater, and the heater is arranged to vaporize the adsorbed liquid part when the compression element is released from the contact surface.

In this way, the controlled liquid part is directly transferred to the heater by the movement of the compression element. By moving the heater away from the fluid transfer element, unnecessary heating of the liquid held in the fluid transfer element and heat transfer to the liquid reservoir are suppressed, and only a predetermined dose is heated, thereby improving the performance of the electronic cigarette Energy efficiency.

Alternatively, the heater is close to but separated from the fluid transfer element, and is arranged such that when the compression element is in the second position, the compression element is pressed against the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element and is Here, a part of the liquid is released from the compressible wick and adsorbed on the heater, and the heater is arranged to vaporize the adsorbed liquid part when the compression element has moved from the second position to the first position.

In this way, the heater is maintained at a distance from the fluid transfer element, thereby inhibiting the heater from transferring heat to the fluid transfer element and heating the liquid held therein. It also suppresses the transfer of heat to the liquid reservoir. This prevents the liquid exceeding the predetermined dose from being unnecessarily heated, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the electronic cigarette.

According to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating the electronic cigarette of the fifth aspect, the method comprising: moving the compression element to be pressed against the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element, so that the liquid is removed from The fluid transfer element is released; a fluid bridge is established between the released liquid and the heater, so that part of the released liquid is adsorbed to the heater; and the adsorbed liquid is heated by the heater When the fluid bridge is broken, steam is generated.

In this way, the controlled liquid part is heated, and the heat is not spread into the liquid reservoir and into it, thereby improving energy efficiency because only the liquid to be vaporized is heated.

According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a fluid transfer component for an electronic cigarette. The fluid transfer component is configured to establish a fluid connection between a liquid reservoir and a heater of the electronic cigarette, wherein the fluid transfer component It includes: a liquid intake member configured to be connected to the housing of the liquid reservoir; a chamber configured to receive liquid from the liquid reservoir by the liquid intake member; and a fluid transfer element, the The fluid transfer element includes a compressible wick and a flexible contact surface, the compressible wick is configured to transport liquid from the chamber to the vicinity of the heater by capillary action, and the flexible contact surface is configured to follow the The fluid transfer component deforms in the axial direction, wherein the flexible contact surface is configured to release liquid from the compressible wick for transfer to the heater when the fluid transfer element is compressed.

In this way, the fluid transfer component can be used to connect the liquid reservoir of the electronic cigarette, such as a cartridge, to the heater in a simple and effective manner.

Preferably, the fluid transfer component is releasably connected to the liquid reservoir by the liquid intake member.

In this way, the expired liquid reservoir can be released from the fluid transfer component and replaced in a simple and effective manner. The fluid transfer component can be connected to a universal fluid reservoir to create a fluid reservoir with fluid transfer capability.

Preferably, the liquid intake member is an elongated tube extending from the chamber and provided with an end, the end being configured to be received in the liquid reservoir so that liquid can enter the end at the end In the elongated tube for delivery to the chamber.

In this way, the liquid intake member transfers liquid from the liquid reservoir to the compressible wick. Preferably, the elongate tube has a hole narrow enough to allow liquid to be transported from the liquid reservoir by capillary action.

Preferably, the liquid intake member is arranged to form a friction fit with the opening in the liquid reservoir.

In this way, the liquid intake member forms a firm and snug connection with the opening in the liquid reservoir by the sealing connection, so that the leakage of liquid from the liquid reservoir is suppressed.

Preferably, the tip includes the tip of the elongate tube arranged to pierce the housing of the liquid reservoir.

In this way, a fluid transfer member can be used to pierce a liquid reservoir or cartridge and transfer liquid from the liquid reservoir to the fluid transfer element. This is advantageous because in a single action, both the liquid reservoir can be opened and the liquid therein can be engaged with the fluid transfer element for transfer from the liquid reservoir.

Preferably, the fluid transfer element further comprises a mesh sheet arranged on the surface of the compressible wick so that the mesh sheet forms the flexible contact surface, and wherein the mesh sheet is arranged in pairs The compressible wick allows liquid to pass through the mesh when compression is applied.

In this way, the mesh helps to inhibit the escape of liquid from the wick by forming a liquid seal when the fluid transfer element is not deformed or compressed.

Preferably, the mesh is hydrophobic.

In this way, the suppression of liquid escaping from the wicking member through the mesh is enhanced. Preferably, the hydrophobic coating on the mesh provides hydrophobic properties.

Preferably, the fluid transfer component is removably attached to the electronic cigarette.

In this way, the fluid transfer component can be a consumable component that can be replaced at the end of its working life. This avoids the need to replace the entire electronic cigarette when, for example, the compressible wick needs to be replaced.

In another aspect, the fluid transfer component is fluidly coupled to the liquid reservoir of the cartridge by the liquid intake member.

According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic cigarette for use with the fluid transfer component of the seventh aspect. The electronic cigarette includes a wicking compressor and a heater, wherein the wicking compressor is arranged relative to the The fluid transfer element moves from a first position separated from the fluid transfer element to a second position pressed against the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element to compress the compressible wick so that liquid can flow from the wick Release and can be adsorbed on the heater.

In this way, a controlled portion of the liquid can be transferred to the heater for heating, and the heat is not spread to the liquid reservoir and into it, thereby improving energy efficiency because only the liquid to be vaporized is heated. Preferably, this part of the liquid corresponds to a vaporized suck of the user.

Preferably, the heater is arranged on the wicking compressor such that when the wicking compressor moves from the first position to the second position, the heater is pressed against the flexible fluid transfer element Contact surface, and a part of the liquid that can be released from the compressible wick can be adsorbed on the heater; and the heater is arranged for when the wicking compressor has moved from the second position to the In the first position, the absorbed liquid is vaporized.

In this way, the controlled liquid part is directly transferred to the heater by the movement of the wicking compressor. By moving the heater away from the fluid transfer element, unnecessary heating of the liquid held in the fluid transfer element and heat transfer to the liquid reservoir are suppressed, and only a predetermined dose is heated, thereby improving the performance of the electronic cigarette. Energy efficiency.

Alternatively, the heater is close to but separate from the fluid transfer element and the wicking compressor, and is arranged such that the wicking compressor is pressed against when moving from the first position to the second position On the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element, a part of the liquid that can be released from the compressible wick can be adsorbed on the heater; and the heater is arranged for when the wicking compressor has been removed from the first When the second position moves to the first position, the absorbed liquid part is vaporized.

In this way, the heater is maintained at a distance from the fluid transfer element, thereby inhibiting the heater from transferring heat to the fluid transfer element and heating the liquid held therein. It also suppresses the transfer of heat to the liquid reservoir. This prevents the liquid exceeding the predetermined dose from being unnecessarily heated, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the electronic cigarette.

According to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating the electronic cigarette of the eighth aspect, the method comprising: moving the wicking compressor to be pressed against the flexible contact surface of the fluid transfer element, so that The liquid is released from the fluid transfer element; a fluid bridge is established between the released liquid and the heater, so that part of the released liquid is adsorbed on the heater; and the adsorbed is heated by the heater Liquid to generate vapor when the fluid bridge is broken.

In this way, the controlled liquid portion is heated, and heat is not spread into the liquid reservoir and into it, thereby improving energy efficiency because only the liquid to be vaporized is heated.

Fig. 1A shows an electronic cigarette 100 with a vaporizer arrangement, and Figs. 1B to 1D show the vaporizer arrangement 102 used in the electronic cigarette in more detail. The vaporizer arrangement 102 includes a compressible fluid transfer element 104 and a heater 105 that is movable relative to the flexible contact surface 110 of the fluid transfer element 104. In the example, the heater 105 has a ceramic structure with printed or embedded heating tracks. The ceramic structure can be a non-porous ceramic with a porous ceramic layer on its surface. The fluid transfer element 104 includes a compressible wick 109 that can be saturated with vaporizable liquid. In the example of FIG. 1A, the compressible fluid transfer element 104 is arranged in the releasable cartridge 111, which is configured to be connected to the cartridge holder 190 in the housing 129 of the main body of the electronic cigarette, and the heater 105 It is arranged as a part of the main body of the electronic cigarette. The compressible wick 109 is arranged to absorb liquid 121 from the liquid reservoir 106 in the cartridge 111, and then the liquid 121 is spread through the wick 109 so that the wick 109 becomes saturated. The wicking member can be composed of compressible porous materials or fibrous materials, such as cotton or silica. Alternatively, the liquid reservoir may be a refillable liquid reservoir integrated with an electronic cigarette having a fluid transfer element.

The heater 105 is connected to the motor or solenoid 137 in the housing 127 of the main body of the electronic cigarette through the compression element 103. The cartridge can be contained in the same or different housing part as the heater, compression element and motor in the electronic cigarette. The heater 105 moves into contact with the contact surface 110 of the fluid transfer element 104 and deforms the contact surface 110 of the fluid transfer element 104, thereby compressing the wick 109 and removing the liquid held in the wick 109 from the contact surface 110 release. The liquid held in the wicking member 109 is adsorbed on the surface of the heater 105. The porous ceramic layer on the surface of the heater can assist the liquid transfer to the heater by capillary action. The heater 105 is then retracted from the contact surface 110, and the heater is configured to heat the adsorbed liquid to generate vapor when the heater 105 is separated from the contact surface 110. This process is described in more detail in FIGS. 1B to 1D and FIGS. 2A to 2E. The electronic cigarette 100 has a mouthpiece 131, and the user of the electronic cigarette 100 can draw on the mouthpiece to inhale the generated vapor. When the user draws on the suction nozzle 131, the steam is sucked to the suction nozzle 131 through the steam tube 135. The steam enters the steam pipe at the first end of the steam pipe 135 close to the heater and leaves the steam pipe at the second end of the steam pipe 135 connected to the suction nozzle 131.

Figures 1B to 1D show the release and vaporization of liquid from the cartridge in more detail.

In FIG. 1B, the heater 105 is separated from the compressible surface of the fluid transfer element 104. The heater 105 is connected to a driver, such as a motor or a solenoid, through a compression element 103 (as described with reference to FIG. 1A, but not shown in FIGS. 1B to 1D). The heater 105 and the driver are powered by a power source in the main body of the electronic cigarette, such as a battery.

The driver is arranged to move the heater 105 relative to the surface of the fluid transfer element 104 from a position separated from the surface of the fluid transfer element 104 (as shown in FIG. 1B) to the following position: in this position, the heater 105 contacts The fluid transfer element 104 contacts the surface 110 and deforms it, thereby compressing the fluid transfer element 104 (as shown in FIG. 1C).

The compression applied to the fluid transfer element 104 causes the liquid held in the fluid transfer element 104 to be released from the fluid transfer element 104 at the contact surface 110 (similar to a squeezed-saturated sponge). The released liquid 113 is adsorbed on the surface of the heater 105.

The driver is further arranged for moving the heater 105 from a position in contact with and compressing the fluid transfer element 104 (as shown in FIG. 1C) back to a position where the heater 105 is separated from the fluid transfer element 104 ( As shown in FIG. 1D), the heater 105 is moved relative to the surface of the fluid transfer element 104. In this way, after the liquid 115 is adsorbed on the surface of the heater 105, the driver retracts the heater 105 from the fluid transfer element 104, wherein the adsorbed liquid 115 is on the surface of the heater 105. Retracting the heater 105 releases the compression applied to the fluid transfer element 104, so the wick 109 sucks liquid from the liquid reservoir to replace the liquid adsorbed on the heater 105. That is, the driver drives the heater 105 into the surface of the fluid transfer element 104 and retracts it from the surface of the fluid transfer element 104, wherein the liquid from the fluid transfer element 104 is adsorbed onto the heater 105. When retracted from the fluid transfer element 104, the heater 105 applies thermal energy to the adsorbed liquid 115, thereby heating the adsorbed liquid 115 and vaporizing it to generate vapor. Then, the vapor can be inhaled by the user of the electronic cigarette through the mouthpiece.

The surface of the wick 109 facing the heater 105 may form the flexible contact surface 110 of the fluid transfer element 104. That is, the wicking member 109 itself may be the fluid transfer element 104. In some embodiments, the fluid transfer element 104 may further include a hydrophobic mesh 107 arranged on the surface of the wicking member 109 between the wicking member 109 and the heater 105. When the hydrophobic mesh is included, the hydrophobic mesh 107 can be configured as the contact surface 110 of the heater 105. That is, the fluid transfer element 104 can be both the wick 109 and the mesh 107. In this way, when the heater 105 contacts the contact surface 110 and compresses the fluid transfer element 104, the heater deforms both the hydrophobic mesh 107 and the wick 109. Due to this compression, the liquid held in the wick 109 passes through the mesh 107. The hydrophobic nature of the mesh 107 causes the liquid that has passed through the mesh 107 to be repelled and to form droplets on the surface of the mesh 107 (as shown in Figure 3), instead of being sucked back through the mesh 107 to the wicking member 109 in. This facilitates the adsorption of the liquid 115 to the heater 105. In addition, the hydrophobic mesh 107 prevents the liquid 121 from escaping from the cartridge 111 when no compression is applied. Air can pass through the mesh sheet 107, thereby providing breathability. In an embodiment, the mesh 107 may have a metal structure and be provided with a hydrophobic coating. Alternatively, the mesh 107 itself may be made of a hydrophobic material, such as a non-woven material. The hydrophobic material or coating may be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon. The hydrophobic mesh may have material properties that make elastically flexible to allow deformation; the hydrophobic mesh may also have structural properties that provide flexibility, such as a convex dome shape or bulge to allow deformation. In order to further increase the ability of the liquid 115 to be adsorbed to the heater 105, the heater 105 may be hydrophilic. The characteristics of the hydrophilic heater 105 are also beneficial for the surface of the auxiliary heater 105 to be wetted, so that the liquid 115 is evenly distributed on the heater 105. This improves the heating efficiency.

In some examples, the cartridge 111 has a barrier 123 disposed between the wicking member 109 and the liquid 121 in the liquid reservoir 106. An orifice 125 is provided in the barrier 123 between the wicking element 109 and the liquid 121 in the liquid reservoir 106 so that the liquid 121 can flow from the liquid reservoir 106 to the wicking element 109 in a controlled manner. The barrier 123 also holds the wicking member 109 in place against the mesh 107 at the end of the cartridge 111 to interact with the heater 105.

2A to 2E show diagrams of the operation steps of the vaporizer 102 described with reference to FIG. 1.

The heater 105 is connected to the compression element 103, which is operatively connected to the driver. The driver may be a motor or a solenoid (as described with reference to FIG. 1A, but not shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E), which is arranged to drive the heater 105 toward and away from the fluid transfer element 104. The fluid transfer element 104 includes a compressible wick 109 having a contact surface 110 facing the liquid in the liquid reservoir 111 and a contact surface opposite to the first surface. The contact surface 110 may be part of the same material as the fluid transfer element. Alternatively, as described previously, the hydrophobic mesh 107 may be configured to contact the surface 110.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 2A, the heater 105 is separated from the fluid transfer element 104. The compression element 103 moves the heater 105 against the contact surface 110 and compresses the fluid transfer element 104, as shown in Figure 2B. This causes a portion of the liquid 113 held in the wicking member 109 to be released from the wicking member 109 and to pass through the mesh sheet where the mesh sheet 107 is in contact with the heater 105. The liquid is adsorbed on the surface of the heater 105. The surface of the heater 105 may include porous ceramics, and the capillary action provided by this material can assist the released liquid 113 to transfer to the heater 105.

Next, the compression element 103 retracts the heater 105 from the fluid transfer element. The part of the absorbed liquid 115 is also retracted from the mesh 107 to the heater 105, as shown in FIG. 2C. This results in the arrangement of Figure 2D in which the heater 105 and the adsorbed liquid 115 are separated from the fluid transfer element. Fig. 4A shows the heater 105 in which the liquid layer 115 is adsorbed onto the surface and wets it. Retracting the heater 105 causes the compression applied to the fluid transfer element to be removed, which causes the fluid transfer element to return to its uncompressed state and in doing so, the wick 109 draws more liquid from the liquid reservoir 111.

When the heater 105 is separated from the fluid transfer element 104, power is supplied to the heater 105 from a power source, such as a battery in an electronic cigarette. The supplied electric power heats the heater 105 so that the heater 105 transfers heat energy to the adsorbed liquid 115. This transfer of heat energy to the adsorbed liquid 115 raises the temperature of the adsorbed liquid 115, so that the adsorbed liquid 115 is vaporized and vapor 117 is generated, as shown in FIG. 2E. The vapor 117 can then be inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette 100.

In this way, it is only necessary to heat the part of the liquid absorbed on the heater 105 to its vaporization point. This requires less energy than heating, for example, a larger volume of liquid held in a liquid tank to its vaporization point. In this way, the power saving during heating realizes the longer battery life of the electronic cigarette 100. In addition, the separation of the heater 105 and the liquid storage 106 prevents heat from being spread in the liquid storage 106, which will further waste energy.

4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D show the progress of the vaporization of the heater 105 over a period of time. As the vaporization time elapses, the amount of adsorbed liquid 115 remaining on the heater 105 decreases as it is converted to vapor 117: from Figure 4A (before vaporization starts) to Figure 4B (some of the liquid has been vaporized) ), to Figure 4C (where most of the liquid has been vaporized) and finally to Figure 4D (where all the liquid has been vaporized).

When the adsorbed liquid 115 has vaporized, the operation returns to the state as described with reference to FIG. 2A.

In some instances, the position of the heater 105 oscillates from being in contact with the contact surface 110 and compressing the fluid transfer element to being separated from the fluid transfer element. In this way, the vaporizer operation is repeatedly cycled through the compression-adsorption-retraction-vaporization cycle, as described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2E.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of an alternative vaporizer 502 arrangement described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. This embodiment is also based on the arrangement that the contact surfaces of the heater and the fluid transfer element are movable relative to each other, and thus, when the heater and the contact surface are separated, heat is only transferred to the adsorbed liquid.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, only the contact surface (or fluid transfer surface) 510 of the cartridge 511 is movable, and the heater 505 is stationary. The heater 505 is held at a fixed position from the cartridge 511, and the separate compression element 503 deforms the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504, thereby compressing the fluid transfer element 504.

In this arrangement, the vaporizer 502 includes a compressible fluid transfer element 504; a heater 505, which is held at a fixed displacement from the cartridge 511; and a compression element 503, such as a piston or elongated rod, which is It is configured to compress the fluid transfer element 504 by deforming the flexible contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504 facing the heater 505. The piston is configured to move into and out of the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504, and this deformation of the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504 causes the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504 to move relative to the fixed position of the heater 505.

The fluid transfer element 504 is contained within the cartridge 511 and includes a compressible wick 509 that can be saturated with vaporizable liquid. In the example of FIG. 5, the compressible fluid transfer element 504 is arranged in the cartridge 511 suitable for sitting inside the cartridge holder 190 of the electronic cigarette, and the heater 505 and the compression element 503 are arranged as the main body of the electronic cigarette Part. The compressible wick 509 is arranged to absorb liquid 521 from the liquid reservoir 506 in the cartridge 511, and then the liquid 521 is spread through the wick 509 so that the wick 509 becomes saturated. The surface of the wick 509 facing the heater 505 may form the flexible contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504. That is, the wicking member 509 itself may be the fluid transfer element 504. In some embodiments, the fluid transfer element 504 may further include a hydrophobic mesh 507 (corresponding to the description described with reference to FIG. 1), which is arranged on the surface of the wicking member 509, between the wicking member 509 and Between heater 505. When a hydrophobic mesh is included, the hydrophobic mesh 507 may be configured to contact the surface 510. That is, the fluid transfer element can be both the wick 109 and the mesh 107. Similar to the previous embodiment, the fluid transfer element 504 may further include a hydrophobic mesh 507 as needed to cover the surface of the wicking member 509 opposite to the surface facing the liquid 521 in the liquid reservoir 506. The hydrophobic nature of the mesh 507 causes the liquid that has passed through the mesh 507 to be repelled and droplets are formed on the surface of the mesh 507 (as shown in Figure 3), instead of being sucked back through the mesh 507 to the wicking member 509 in.

In the example of FIG. 5, the compression element 503 is arranged to pass through the elongated rod or piston of the ring heater 505. The elongated rod is connected to a driver (not shown), such as a solenoid or a motor, which drives the elongated rod from a position separated from the fluid transfer element 504 (as shown in FIG. 5A) to the following position: in this position At this time, the elongated rod contacts and deforms the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504, thereby compressing the fluid transfer element 504 (as shown in FIG. 5B). That is, the driver drives the compression element 503 into the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504 and retracts it from the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504.

The heater 505 and the driver are powered by a power source in the main body of the electronic cigarette, such as a battery. In other examples, the compression element 503 may have any other shape suitable for moving into contact with the fluid transfer element 504 and not in contact with the heater 505 at the same time.

When the compression element 503 is pushed against the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504, the compression applied to the wick 509 of the fluid transfer element 504 due to the deformation applied to the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504 causes it to remain in the core. The liquid 513 in the suction member 509 is released, as shown in FIG. 5B. In an embodiment that includes a hydrophobic mesh 507 as the contact surface 510, the liquid held in the wick 509 is released through the hydrophobic mesh 507. The heater 505 is arranged such that the surface of the heater 505 is close to the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504, so that the droplets 515 are adsorbed to the heater 505 by the fluid bridge, thereby wetting the surface of the heater 505 , As shown in Figure 5C. If necessary, the heater 505 may have hydrophilic properties to promote the transfer of liquid from the contact surface of the mesh 507 to the surface of the heater 505. The surface of the heater 505 may include porous ceramics, and the capillary action provided by this material can assist the released liquid 513 to transfer to the heater 505.

Then, the compression element 503 is retracted from the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504. Removal of compression causes the fluid transfer element 504 to return to its uncompressed state, and in doing so, the wick 509 draws more liquid from the liquid reservoir 506.

The heater 505 is powered by a power source, such as a battery in an electronic cigarette. When the liquid 515 is adsorbed on the surface of the heater 505, the heater 505 applies heat energy to the adsorbed liquid 515. This transfer of heat energy to the adsorbed liquid 515 increases the temperature of the adsorbed liquid 515, making the adsorbed liquid 515 The liquid 515 is vaporized, and vapor is generated. Then, the vapor can be inhaled by the user of the electronic cigarette through the mouthpiece.

Similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2E, the compression element 503 can be deformed from contact with the contact surface 510 of the fluid transfer element 504 to separate from the fluid transfer element 504 and oscillate back and forth. In this way, the operation of the vaporizer 502 is repeatedly cycled through a compression-adsorption-retraction-vaporization cycle.

In some examples, similar to those described in FIG. 1, a barrier 523 is provided in the cartridge 511 between the wick 509 and the liquid 521 in the liquid reservoir 506. An orifice 525 is provided in the barrier 523 between the wick 509 and the liquid 521 in the liquid reservoir 506 so that the liquid 521 can flow from the liquid reservoir 506 to the wick 509 in a controlled manner. The barrier also holds the wick 509 in place against the mesh 507 at the end of the cartridge 511 to interact with the heater 505.

The example described with reference to Figure 5 provides the same power saving advantages as those described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, because when generating steam, only a small portion of the liquid adsorbed on the heater needs to be heated instead of the liquid The larger volume of liquid in the tank is heated.

In an alternative arrangement similar to and closely related to that described with reference to Figure 5, when the compression element is in the first position, the contact surface of the fluid transfer element contacts the heater. When the compression element moves to the second position, it deforms the contact surface and compresses the wick so that the contact surface moves away from the heater, thereby creating a certain distance between the contact surface and the heater. This compression causes the liquid held in the wick to be released through the contact surface, so that the released liquid forms a fluid bridge, and the liquid is adsorbed on the surface of the heater. Next, the heater heats the absorbed liquid and vaporizes it. The compression element retracts from the contact surface and returns to the first position. The deformation of the contact surface and compression of the wick is released, allowing the contact surface to contact the heater again. Applying compression and releasing compression to the wick when the compression element moves between the first position and the second position provides a pumping effect, which can further draw liquid from the liquid reservoir into the wick. When appropriate, all the features described with reference to Figure 5 can be used with this arrangement.

6A and 6B show another embodiment of a cartridge 611 suitable for use with the heater described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 5; Figures 7A and 7B show such cartridges The exploded view of 611. The cartridge 611 includes the wicking part of the vaporizer. The cartridge 611 is configured to be inserted into the electronic cigarette, so that the fluid transfer element 604 of the cartridge is arranged to make the heater of the electronic cigarette form a vaporizer, for example, as described in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

The cartridge 611 has a housing 641 that defines a liquid reservoir 606. The housing 641 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has an open end. Although the examples are described as cylindrical, any other suitable shapes can be used.

The plug 627 is positioned in the open end of the housing 641, and the outer diameter of the plug 627 is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the housing 641, so as to achieve a fit fit. The plug 627 has a cavity 649 defined by a side wall 645 adjacent to the wall of the housing 641 and a bottom wall 647 perpendicular to the side wall, the bottom wall being arranged at the end of the plug facing the inside of the housing 641 of the cartridge 611 Place. The end of the plug 627 opposite to the bottom wall 647 of the plug 627 has an outwardly extending flange portion 643 whose outer diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the housing 641. This provides abutment against the open end of the housing 641 to form a stop point of the plug when the plug 627 slides into the housing 641 and prevents the plug 627 from sliding further into the housing 641 beyond the stop point. The wick 609 is contained within the cavity 649 and its size is determined to substantially fill the cavity 649. The bottom wall 647 of the plug 627 has a series of openings, so that the liquid held in the liquid reservoir 606 of the cartridge 611 can enter the cavity 649 of the plug 627 and be absorbed by the wicking member 609 here.

If necessary, the openings in the bottom wall 647 of the plug 627 are defined by a series of plates 629, which are arranged side by side and define a flow channel 631 in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge. Therefore, the plates 629 define a series of channels 631 extending from the liquid reservoir 606 to the cavity 649 of the plug 627. The plates 629 extend outward from the plug 627 and enter the liquid reservoir 606. The dimensions of the channels 631 are determined such that they provide capillary action to suck the liquid from the liquid reservoir 606 into the cavity 649 serving as a liquid buffer to be absorbed by the wicking member 609. In this example, the combination of the channel 631 between the plate-shaped extensions 629 and the wicking member 609 constitutes the fluid transfer element 604. As described later, the fluid transfer element 604 may further include a hydrophobic mesh 607 (corresponding to the description with reference to FIG. 1). In use, when the fluid transfer element 604 is compressed and then released, the liquid is drawn into the channel 631. This provides a pumping action to transport the liquid from the liquid reservoir 606 into the space defined between the plates 629 and forming the channel 631. Therefore, the space between them provides a liquid reservoir or buffer held near the fluid transfer element. This ensures that liquid is supplied to the fluid transfer element 604 and reduces the risk of the fluid transfer element 604 lacking liquid.

The wicking member 609 is compressed by deforming the contact surface 610 facing outwards of the cartridge, so that when compressed, a part of the liquid held in the wicking member 609 is released from the contacting surface 610. That is, the fluid transfer element 604 has a flexible contact surface.

The surface of the wicking member 609 facing outward from the cartridge 611 may form the flexible contact surface 610 of the fluid transfer element 604. In some embodiments, the fluid transfer element 604 may further include a hydrophobic mesh 607 which is disposed on the surface of the wicking member 609 facing outward from the cartridge 611. When the hydrophobic mesh 609 is included, the hydrophobic mesh 507 may be configured to contact the surface 510. The hydrophobic nature of the mesh 607 provides two main functions. First, the hydrophobic property prevents the liquid stored in the wicking member 609 from escaping through the mesh 607 when the wicking member 609 and the mesh 607 are not compressed. Second, when the liquid passes through the mesh 607 after being compressed, the hydrophobic nature causes the liquid to form droplets on the surface of the mesh 607 instead of returning through the mesh 607. In this way, the droplets can be adsorbed to the heater.

In some instances, the cartridge 611 is a disposable consumable and will be replaced after the liquid stored in the cartridge is exhausted. The expired cartridge 611 is removed from the electronic cigarette, and the fresh cartridge 611 filled with liquid is inserted into the electronic cigarette.

The use of the cartridge 611 described with reference to Figures 6 and 7 provides advantages similar to the power saving described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, because it provides for extracting a smaller portion of the liquid to be heated instead of heating the liquid tank A larger volume of liquid to generate vapor.

In other examples, the cartridge 611 is reusable and can be refilled. For example, the plug 627 can be removed from the housing 641 so that additional liquid can be added. The plug can then be reassembled and the cartridge can be reconnected to the electronic cigarette.

8A and 8B show cross-sectional views of other embodiments of the vaporization system 800 for electronic cigarettes. Similar to the previously described embodiment, the system in FIGS. 8a and 8b is configured to provide dosing capability and prevent the heater 805 from transferring heat to the liquid reservoir or cartridge 811. As shown in the figure, the vaporization system 800 includes a liquid reservoir or cartridge 811, a fluid transfer component 804, and a heater 805 in the base 890 of the housing 829 of the electronic cigarette body. The liquid reservoir or cartridge 811, the fluid transfer part 804, and the heater are configured as separable parts. Instead of being contained in the cartridge 811, the fluid transfer component 804 may be a separate component and include a chamber 855, a fluid transfer element 857, a piercing member 833, and a fluid transfer surface (or heater contact surface) 810. The separate parts of the vaporization system allow the liquid reservoir to have a simple structure, which makes it easy to produce.

The shape of the fluid transfer member 804 corresponds to the contact area of the heater 805. The fluid transfer component 804 may be disk-shaped, and the piercing member 833 extends from a surface arranged in a direction toward the cartridge 811 or cartridge holder 890 of the electronic cigarette. As shown in FIG. 8A, the fluid transfer component 804 may be removably attached to the housing 839 of the electronic cigarette body. As shown in FIG. 8B, the fluid transfer component 804 may only be attached to the liquid reservoir or cartridge 811. If necessary, the two parts of the housing 829, 839 can be separated to allow the user of the electronic cigarette to access, remove or replace the fluid transfer component 804.

The piercing member 833 is preferably in the shape of a long tube with a tip 835, and is arranged to penetrate the cartridge or the liquid reservoir 811 and contact the liquid in the liquid reservoir of the cartridge 811. The channel 837 extends through the elongated spike to draw liquid to the disk portion of the fluid transfer component. The piercing member 833 connects the electronic cigarette and the cartridge 811 and provides a fluid connection between the main body 839 of the electronic cigarette and the liquid reservoir of the cartridge 811. The piercing member 833 forms a sealed connection with the cartridge 811 by friction fit to prevent leakage. If necessary, the cartridge 811 has a recess 851 in the surface arranged for engaging the piercing element, so that the piercing element is guided to the correct area on the cartridge 811. The cartridge 811 is preferably made of a plastic material, has suitable rigidity to store vaporizable liquid, and is appropriately thin to be pierced by the piercing member 833. In an alternative example, the piercing member 833 may be replaced with a tube arranged to be received in the cartridge 811. In such an example, the cartridge may have a tearable seal; when the seal is torn off, the opening in the cartridge that receives the tube is exposed. The tube can form a sealed connection with the cartridge by friction fit in the opening to prevent leakage.

The disk-shaped part of the fluid transfer component 804 includes a fluid transfer element 857 and a chamber 855. The first side of the fluid transfer element 857 faces the chamber 855, which is located between the fluid transfer element 857 and the elongated spike and is in fluid connection with the channel 837 extending through the elongate spike, and is opposite to the first side The second side of the contact surface 810.

The fluid transfer component 804 is arranged inside the electronic cigarette 800 with the heater 805. The heater 805 may be arranged to deform the fluid transfer surface 810 by being pushed into the fluid transfer surface 810 by a motor or solenoid, the heater being attached to the motor or solenoid by a compression element 803, As described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Alternatively, the heater 805 may be held at a fixed distance from the fluid transfer surface 810 and deformed by a separate compression element 853, such as a piston or an elongated rod (as described with reference to FIG. 5). In both cases, the deformation applied to the fluid transfer surface 810 releases the liquid through the fluid transfer surface 810, the liquid is adsorbed to the heater 805 and vaporized. The surface of the heater 805 may include porous ceramics, and the capillary action provided by this material can assist the released liquid to transfer to the heater 805.

In some embodiments, the fluid transfer element 857 is the wick 809 (wicks liquid received through the channel 837 from the chamber 855), and the fluid transfer surface 810 (or contact surface 810) is the arrangement of the wick 809 Face the surface of the heater. If necessary, the fluid transfer element may further include a hydrophobic mesh 807 (corresponding to the hydrophobic mesh described with reference to FIG. 1) to cover the surface of the wick 809 that is arranged to face the heater. When the hydrophobic mesh 807 is included, the hydrophobic mesh 807 forms the fluid transfer surface 810 (or contact surface 810) of the fluid transfer element 857.

When the wicking member 809 is compressed, by deforming the fluid transfer surface 810, the liquid stored in the wicking member 809 is released from the fluid transfer surface 810 and adsorbed on the heater. When the hydrophobic mesh 807 is included, the released liquid passes through the hydrophobic mesh 807 to form droplets on the surface of the hydrophobic mesh 807, and the droplets are adsorbed on the heater.

In use, the cartridge 811 is inserted into the electronic cigarette and pierced by the piercing member 833. The liquid in the cartridge 811 is sucked through the piercing member 833 to the wicking member 809 by, for example, capillary action and/or pumping due to compression and decompression of the wicking member 809. The heater 805 or compression element 853 deforms the contact surface 810 (ie the surface of the wick 809 or the hydrophobic mesh 807 (if included)) and compresses the wick 809, thereby releasing the storage in the wick 809的液。 The liquid. If the hydrophobic mesh 807 is included, the liquid is released from the wicking member 809 through the hydrophobic mesh 807, and the liquid forms droplets on the surface of the hydrophobic mesh 807. The liquid is adsorbed on the surface of the heater 805, in which the liquid is heated to generate vapor. The generated vapor can then be inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette. When the liquid content in the cartridge 811 is emptied, the cartridge 811 can be removed from the piercing member 833 and replaced with a new cartridge 811 stored with a fresh supply of vaporizable liquid or a refilled cartridge.

The example described with reference to Fig. 8 provides the same advantages as those described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 5, because only the portion of the liquid absorbed on the heater needs to be heated to its vaporization point. This requires less energy than heating, for example, a larger volume of liquid held in a liquid tank to its vaporization point. In this way, the power saving in heating realizes the longer battery life of the electronic cigarette. In addition, the separation of the heater and the liquid reservoir prevents heat from being distributed in the liquid reservoir, which will further waste energy.

Those skilled in the art should understand that, under appropriate circumstances, throughout all embodiments, the features in the various examples described herein can be easily replaced with each other.

100: electronic cigarette 102: Vaporizer 103: Compression element 104: fluid transfer element 105: heater 106: liquid reservoir 107: Mesh 109: wicking parts 110: contact surface 111: Smoke Bomb 113: Liquid released 115: Liquid 117: Steam 121: Liquid 123: Barrier 127: Shell 129: Shell 131: Nozzle 135: Steam pipe 137: Motor or solenoid 190: Cigarette holder 502: Vaporizer 503: Compression component 504: Fluid Transfer Element 505: heater 506: Liquid Reservoir 507: Mesh 509: Wicking Piece 510: contact surface 511: Smoke Bomb 513: Released Liquid 515: Liquid 521: Liquid 523: Barrier 604: Fluid Transfer Element 606: Liquid Storage 607: Mesh 609: Wicking Piece 610: contact surface 611: Smoke Bomb 627: plug 629: Board 631: channel 641: shell 647: Bottom Wall 649: cavity 800: vaporization system 803: Compression element 804: Fluid Transmission Parts 805: heater 807: mesh 809: Wicking Piece 810: contact surface 810: fluid transfer surface 811: Smoke Bomb 829: shell 833: Piercing Component 835: tip 837: channel 839: shell 851: Depression 853: Compression component 855: chamber 857: fluid transfer element 890: Block

The embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[Figure 1A] shows a cross-sectional view of an electronic cigarette cartridge in an electronic cigarette;

[Figure 1B to Figure 1D] shows a cross-sectional view of the compressible wick in the electronic cigarette cartridge when it is compressed by the heater;

[FIGS. 2A to 2E] cross-sectional views showing the operation of making the heater compress the wick;

[Figure 3] A diagram showing droplets on the hydrophobic mesh;

[FIGS. 4A to 4D] shows diagrams showing when the liquid adsorbed on the heater is vaporized;

[Figures 5A to 5C] shows a cross-sectional view of the compressible wick in the electronic cigarette cartridge when it is compressed by the wicking compressor;

[Figures 6A and 6B] shows a cross-sectional view of a cartridge with a compressible wick;

[Figures 7A and 7B] shows an exploded view of a cartridge with a compressible wick; and

[Fig. 8A] A cross-sectional view showing the joining of the vaporizer and the cartridge.

[Fig. 8B] A cross-sectional view showing an alternative arrangement in which the vaporizer and the cartridge are engaged.

no

100: electronic cigarette

102: Vaporizer

103: Compression element

104: fluid transfer element

105: heater

106: liquid reservoir

107: Mesh

109: wicking parts

110: contact surface

127: Shell

131: Nozzle

135: Steam pipe

137: Motor or solenoid

190: Cigarette holder

Claims (15)

A vaporizer for electronic cigarettes, the vaporizer including a fluid transfer element and a heater; Wherein the fluid transfer element is compressible and is configured to transfer a portion of the liquid from the liquid reservoir to the heater, and wherein the contact surface of the fluid transfer element and the heater are configured to be relative to each other Move so that when the contact surface of the fluid transfer element is compressed, liquid can be released from the contact surface of the fluid transfer element and can be adsorbed onto the heater from the contact surface. The vaporizer described in the first item of the scope of patent application further includes a compression element arranged to move from a first position separated from the contact surface of the fluid transfer element to a first position closer to the contact surface of the fluid transfer element Two positions. The carburetor described in item 2 of the scope of patent application, wherein the heater is arranged on the compression element so that when the compression element is in the second position, the heater moves relative to the contact surface and is pressed against On the contact surface of the fluid transfer element, whereby a part of the liquid is released from the fluid transfer element and is adsorbed on the heater; and Wherein, the heater is arranged for vaporizing the absorbed liquid part when the compression element has moved from the second position to the first position. The vaporizer according to item 2 of the scope of patent application, wherein the heater is statically arranged inside the electronic cigarette and is positioned close to the contact surface of the fluid transfer element; Wherein the compression element is configured to move the contact surface relative to the heater when the compression element moves between the first position and the second position; and Wherein the compression element is configured to compress the contact surface when the compression element is in the second position so that liquid is released from the contact surface; and Wherein, the heater is arranged to vaporize the adsorbed liquid part when the compression element is in the first position. The vaporizer according to claim 4, wherein, when the compression element is in the second position, a fluid bridge is created between the contact surface and the heater, whereby the fluid transfer element can be released A part of the liquid can be adsorbed on the heater in the second position. The vaporizer according to item 4 of the aforementioned patent application, wherein the compression element is configured to compress the contact surface and create a certain distance between the contact surface and the heater when in the second position; and Wherein, the compression element is released from the contact surface when in the first position, so that the contact surface contacts the heater in the first position and transfers liquid. The vaporizer described in any of the foregoing patent applications, wherein the fluid transfer element includes a compressible wick. The vaporizer according to claim 7, wherein the fluid transfer element further includes a mesh arranged on the surface of the wicking member facing the heater, wherein the mesh and the wicking member are compressed in the The element is compressed when pressed against the contact surface of the fluid transfer element, so that in use, a portion of the liquid in the wick passes through the mesh. The vaporizer described in item 8 of the scope of patent application, wherein the mesh is hydrophobic. The vaporizer according to any one of items 7 to 9 in the scope of the patent application, wherein the fluid transfer element further comprises a liquid buffer arranged to transport liquid from the liquid reservoir by capillary action To the wicking piece. The vaporizer according to claim 10, wherein the liquid buffer includes a plurality of plates, the plurality of plates are arranged to extend from the wick toward the liquid reservoir, and channels are arranged between the plates , So that in use, liquid is sucked from the liquid reservoir to the wicking member by capillary action. The vaporizer according to any one of items 7 to 11 in the scope of the patent application, wherein the fluid transfer element has a piercing member extending therefrom for piercing the cartridge containing the liquid reservoir and removing the liquid from The cartridge passes through the piercing member and is conveyed toward the wicking member. The vaporizer according to any one of the aforementioned patent applications, wherein the heater includes a ceramic structure and a printed or embedded heating track connected to the ceramic structure; Wherein, the ceramic structure includes non-porous ceramics, with porous ceramics arranged on the first surface; and Wherein, the heating track is arranged on the second surface of the non-porous ceramic. A cartridge for electronic cigarettes, the cartridge includes the vaporizer described in any of the foregoing patent applications and further includes the liquid reservoir. A method for operating the vaporizer described in any one of items 1 to 13 in the scope of the patent application, the method comprising: Compressing the contact surface of the fluid transfer element so that liquid is released from the contact surface of the fluid transfer element; Establishing a fluid bridge between the liquid released from the contact surface and the heater, so that a part of the released liquid is adsorbed to the heater; and The adsorbed liquid is heated by the heater to generate vapor when the fluid bridge is broken.

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