WO2023096530A1

WO2023096530A1 - Electronic cigarette

Info

Publication number: WO2023096530A1
Application number: PCT/RU2022/050180
Authority: WO
Inventors: Марлен Петрович НАЗАРОВ
Original assignee: Плонк Дмсс
Priority date: 2021-11-26
Filing date: 2022-06-08
Publication date: 2023-06-01

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of smokers' requisites, and more particularly to electronic cigarettes, and can be used as a device for vaping and for helping to combat nicotine dependence. The aim of the present utility model is to provide more effective monitoring of a user's consumption of a smoking liquid, thereby accelerating the reduction of nicotine dependence, by means of increasing the range of two-way wireless communication between an external device and an electronic cigarette, as well as by increasing the efficiency of a system of feedback to the user. This aim is achieved in that the design of the proposed electronic cigarette includes a separate two-way wireless communication card with a Bluetooth antenna disposed in the end of the electronic cigarette beneath a plastic cap, as well as an audio alert module on a control board of the electronic cigarette, having a piezoelectric sound emitter.

Description

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE

The utility model relates to the field of smoking accessories, namely to electronic cigarettes, and can be used as a device for vaping and helping to combat nicotine addiction.

From the public level of technology in the designated area, it is known that an electronic cigarette (English, e-cigarette) is an electronic device that creates highly dispersed vapor (aerosol) intended for inhalation (inhalation). It can be used both as a nicotine delivery device (ENDS) and for inhaling flavored vapor (aerosol) without nicotine. Steam is created by evaporation of a specially prepared liquid from the surface of the heating element and looks like tobacco smoke. . .The main elements of which are a mouthpiece, a lithium battery and an atomizer, including a heating element, a cartridge or a reservoir with a special liquid filler (“Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia”//Electronic cigarette)//[electronic resource] URL: https://ru. wikipedia. org/wiki/Electronic cigarette (accessed 10/22/2021).

As a consumable material for producing vapor in electronic cigarettes, special liquid is used, or, as it is also called, E-liquid, as well as E-liquid. To deliver nicotine to the user's body, the E-liquid is converted from a liquid state of aggregation due to rapid heating and turns into vapor. When puffed, the user inhales this vapor, which includes nicotine and flavoring. When you exhale, the vapor is very similar to the smoke of a regular cigarette. Liquid for electronic cigarettes consists of a base (a mixture of glycerin and propylene glycol), flavors and nicotine. At the same time, the user can independently choose the strength of nicotine and the percentage of the mixture of glycerin and propylene glycol, which, in turn, allows the user to adapt more easily when switching from conventional to electronic cigarettes, and then gradually reducing the concentration of nicotine to give up the bad habit.

Thus, the transition from smoking classic tobacco-burning cigarettes to electronic cigarettes allows the smoker to gradually reduce the degree of nicotine addiction and, in the future, strictly following the recommendations and gradually reducing the strength of the liquid, give up the bad habit (website of the Russian service BBCNEWS / ZYnenbie: electronic cigarettes help to quit smoking//[electronic resource] URL: https://www.bbc.com/russian/science/2013/09/130909_e-cigarettes_patches (accessed 10/22/2021).

Thus, electronic cigarettes are used as an alternative to classic tobacco cigarettes to reduce tobacco-nicotine addiction and, in general, harm to the health of the smoker.

In this regard, in order to increase the effectiveness of combating nicotine addiction with the help of electronic cigarettes, manufacturers currently offer technical solutions for reusable electronic cigarettes, the design of which includes, in addition to standard elements in the form of a cartridge with a mouthpiece with a hole for inhaling vapor, a container with smoking liquid, a filter, a heater, a wick for supplying smoking liquid, and an electronic cigarette case with a control board, a power module and a charging connector, as well as the presence of built-in electronic cigarette and microprocessor-connected data storage modules and internal firmware of the device, wireless communication using Bluetooth technology (less often WiFi , radio frequency (RF), NFC), and/or USB for wired data transmission and reception. These modules allow you to collect statistics on the user's consumption of smoking liquid, establish a connection between an electronic cigarette and an external device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, computer) for receiving and transmitting data, including statistics. This connection allows you to use the entire interface of an external device to control the operation of an electronic cigarette and control the consumption of smoking liquid. To do this, a special software application is installed on the external device. At the same time, to inform the user about the operating modes of the electronic cigarette, the process of consuming smoking liquid and adjusting the user's behavior, special light, tactile and sound indicators built into the electronic cigarette are also used, whether it be an LED, a vibration motor or a sound module. The listed solutions are disclosed in one or another combination in the international registration of inventions No. WO2015063126A1 (priority date 10.29.2013), WO2014195805A2 (priority date 05.20.2013),

W02020140676A1 (priority date 01/04/2019), in Russian patents for inventions No. 2680224 (priority date 05/20/2014), 2655596 (priority date 05/23/2014), in the Russian application for invention No. 2010146643 (priority date 04.17. 2008), in Foreign Patents for Inventions No. CN110661918A (priority date 09/05/2019), CN106681765A (priority date 12/24/2016), CN110419782A (priority date 07/18/2019), US8402976B2 (priority date 04/17/2008), CN106666828A (priority date 12/05/2016), CN111399937A (priority date 03/09/2020), US2014202477A1 (priority date 16/01. 2014), KR20160108855A (priority date 03/09/2015), US2015366268A1 (priority date 02/12/2014), US2019165998A1 (priority date 08/14/2017).

As common disadvantages of the above solutions, one can single out the limitation of the user feedback system in them, namely, indication, transmission of notifications, warnings, stimulation of the user with the help of the electronic cigarette itself, the lack of a cartridge identification system, the limited range of wireless communication due to the location of the module elements wireless communication in close proximity to the metal elements of the electronic cigarette

In part, the listed shortcomings are eliminated in the technical decision on the international registration of invention No. WO2018025217A1 “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND CONTROL OF BEHAVIOR WHEN USING AN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE” (priority date 03.08.2016, date of publications 02/08/2018, Copyright holder DR REDDYS LABORATORIES LTD [IN]). This solution provides an electronic cigarette, which consists of a metal case and mouthpiece, a cartridge containing nicotine liquid along with a wick, an airflow and vapor sensor, a heating coil, an air vent, a relay, a housing, a plus button, a limit button, a button with minus, capacitive sensor, main circuit board (which consists of microcontroller, thermistor and wireless transceiver), battery, LED display, charging terminal, vibration motor. The function of the wireless radio is to wirelessly connect to a mobile device based application on a secondary processor or a remote personal computer system to receive user plan data and send electronic cigarette usage data using any short range communication means such as infrared, Bluetooth, etc. d. Also in the microcontroller on the printed circuit board, built-in software (firmware) and flash memory are provided. The battery can be made of lithium-ion. The cartridge further contains a chip that acts as a unique identifier (UID) that allows the primary processor to e-cigarette to determine the type of cartridge (strength of nicotine and / or non-nicotine cartridge). Once the original cartridge has been used for the prescribed time, the cartridge becomes invalid. This prevents the user from using counterfeit low quality cartridges or manually refilling the cartridge with low nicotine e-liquid. The electronic cigarette itself is fixed inside the holder using magnets or a snap mechanism.

As disadvantages of the prototype, one can single out the low efficiency of the two-way wireless communication system, which is caused by the fact that the wireless transceiver is located on the main board directly inside the metal case of the electronic cigarette near other metal elements of the device (batteries, board elements), which causes strong shielding of signal transmission from transceiver and to it and significantly limits its range. Also, the disadvantage is the low efficiency of the user feedback system, which is caused by its limitation to the LED display and vibration motor, while, obviously, the LED display, made directly on the device, will consume a significant amount of energy, which will require more frequent recharging of the battery and lead to faster disabling it. As a result of these shortcomings, the effectiveness of achieving the main result of the prototype work specified by the copyright holder - control of the consumption of an electronic smoking product is reduced.

The purpose of this utility model is to eliminate the above disadvantages, namely, to increase the efficiency of controlling the consumption of smoking liquid by the user and thereby increase the rate of reduction of nicotine addiction by increasing the range of two-way wireless communication with an external device implemented in an electronic cigarette, as well as increasing the efficiency of the feedback system with user.

This goal is achieved by the fact that the design of the proposed electronic cigarette contains a separate two-way wireless communication board with a Bluetooth antenna, which is located at the end of the electronic cigarette under a plastic plug, as well as an audible alarm module on the control board of the electronic cigarette with a piezo sound emitter. Accordingly, the technical result of the proposed technical solution "Electronic cigarette" is as follows.

In the proposed utility model, the range of two-way wireless communication with an external device is increased due to the fact that the design of the proposed electronic cigarette contains a separate two-way wireless communication board with a Bluetooth antenna, which is located at the end of the body of the electronic cigarette inside a plastic plug. As a result, the signal coming from the Bluetooth antenna or directed to it does not shield from any metal elements of the electronic cigarette, be it the chassis, batteries, or other board elements. And increasing the range of wireless communication increases the overall continuity of wireless communication, and hence its effectiveness. Also in the electronic cigarette, a system of sound feedback with the user is implemented, namely, the control board contains an audible alarm module with a piezo sound emitter. As a result, the user is informed about the process of consumption of smoking liquid not only through light and tactile indication, but also through sound. That is, the expansion and increase in the efficiency of the feedback system with the user is achieved. Both technical results are interrelated with each other, as they generally affect the achievement of the overall technical result - increasing the efficiency of controlling the consumption of smoking liquid by the user and accelerating the achievement of the main result of the consumption of the proposed electronic cigarette by the user - reducing nicotine addiction.

Also, the claimed utility model as a whole expands the arsenal of technical solutions for electronic cigarettes.

The technical result is achieved in that the electronic cigarette is characterized by the fact that it contains a replaceable cartridge, consisting of a mouthpiece with a hole for inhaling steam, a container with smoking liquid, a filter, a heater, a smoking liquid supply wick, connection contacts, and an electronic cigarette body, including a chassis, external housing with magnets, spring contacts, power supply module, two-way wireless communication module, control board with pressure sensor, light indication module, vibration motor module, microcontroller with flash memory and embedded software, LED, USB connector, characterized in that the module two-way wireless communication consists of a separate two-way wireless communication card with a Bluetooth antenna located inside a plastic plug at the end of the body of the electronic cigarette, an additional sound alarm module with a piezo sound emitter is installed on the control board.

The claimed technical solution is illustrated by a schematic representation of an electronic cigarette, partially disassembled (figure 1) and a naturalistic image of an electronic cigarette with a disassembled cartridge (figure 2), explaining the device of the proposed utility model within the framework of the claimed formula, where 1 is an electronic cigarette, 2 is a cartridge, 3 is body of an electronic cigarette, 4 - outer case, 5 - mouthpiece, 6 - vapor inhalation hole, 7 - container with smoking liquid, 8 - filter, 9 - heater, 10 - magnets, 11 - spring contacts, 12 - power module, 13 - control board, 14 - pressure sensor, 15 - light indication and sound signaling module with a piezo emitter, 16 - vibration motor module, 17 - LED, 18 - USB connector, 19 - two-way wireless communication board, 20 - plastic plug.

To obtain a technical result, the utility model can be implemented in the following preferred manner, which does not exclude other methods of implementation within the framework of the claimed formula of the utility model.

The user starts the process of smoking (vaping) the liquid located in the container (7) inside the cartridge (2). In this case, the cartridge (2) is connected to the spring contacts (11) of the outer body of the electronic cigarette (4) via connection contacts (not shown in the images). The connection contacts perform two functions, firstly, they are connected to the spring contacts (11) in the outer case of the electronic cigarette (4) to supply power from the power supply module (12) to the heater (9) in the cartridge (2), secondly, are initialization pins used to identify and determine the originality of the cartridge (2) and prevent the use of a fake. In this case, the cartridge is fixed to the body of the electronic cigarette using magnets (10) located on the sides of the spring contacts (11). To start the process of smoking (vaping) of smoking liquid, the user touches the mouthpiece (5) of the cartridge (2) with his lips and draws in air through the hole (6). Further, the pressure sensor (14) installed on the control board (13) or, as it is often called, the puff sensor, automatically detects a change in air pressure in the device if the user inhales air at the start of smoking and sends signals to the microcontroller (not shown in the images) . The microcontroller, in turn, receives signals from the pressure sensor (14), counts the puffs and their duration, switches the power supply circuits to the heater (9). Thus, the microcontroller controls the electrical circuit of the device. Next, the heater (9), respectively, begins to heat up, as a result of which the smoking liquid released from the wick (not shown in the images) connected to the container (7) evaporates. Thus, as a result of the operation of the pressure sensor (14) - microcontroller - heater (9) - wick - container with smoking liquid (7) elements, the process of automatic evaporation of smoking liquid is carried out when the user inhales air through the hole (6). Further, the steam, when passing through the filter (8), is cleaned of fine particles, cooled, large drops are broken into smaller ones, and enters through the hole (6) directly to the user.

The pressure sensor (14), in addition to the function of automatically detecting changes in air pressure in the device and sending a signal to the microcontroller, also receives statistical information about the user's puff profile (frequency and duration, speed and volume, puff depth, sharpness) and transfers this information to the flash memory of the microcontroller (not shown in images). Also, the flash memory of the microcontroller (not shown in the images) stores data on the amount of nicotine consumed, the amount of smoking liquid evaporated. The flash memory of the microcontroller also contains firmware (not shown in the images) that performs general control of all elements of the electronic cigarette (1)

The statistics of the user's consumption of smoking liquid collected as a result of the operation of the electronic cigarette (1) is automatically transmitted from the microcontroller to the two-way wireless communication board (19) and is transmitted to the user's external device, for example, to a smartphone using a Bluetooth antenna (not shown in the images). , personal computer, tablet, laptop (not shown in the images) for further processing of this statistical information. At the same time, the external device contains a built-in software application, using the interface of which the user displays statistical information about the consumption of the smoking mixture, and the user can also control the operation of the electronic cigarette (1). The Bluetooth antenna is located in a plastic plug (20 at the end of the electronic cigarette body (3), as a result of which the signal is not shielded by the metal elements of the electronic cigarette body (3), in particular the chassis (not shown in the images), the power supply module (12), elements control board (13), but passes freely, which increases the range of the Bluetooth antennas. In addition to transmitting data to an external device, the Bluetooth antenna also receives signals from an external device and, through a two-way wireless communication board (19), transmits them to a microcontroller to control and control the operation of an electronic cigarette (1)

Also, during the operation of the device, with the help of light indication and sound signaling modules built into the control board (13) of the electronic cigarette (1) with a piezo sound emitter (15), a vibration motor (16), and, accordingly, an LED (17) installed in the body of the electronic cigarette feedback is provided to the user to inform him and control the consumption of smoking liquid. Modules of light indication and sound alarm signaling with a piezo sound emitter (15), vibration motor (16) are electrically connected to a microcontroller with built-in software and a wireless communication board (19) to transmit signals to these modules to initiate their operation. The light indication module (15) through the LED (17) transmits to the user light signals about the mode of operation of the electronic cigarette (1) and the smoking process, while the light signals can be made in different formats (constant glow to illuminate the device, periodic, pulsing, etc.). ) and colors. For this purpose, the LED (17) is preferably configured as an RGB LED. The sound alarm module (15) sends signals to the user through a piezo emitter to control the consumption of the smoking mixture, and also allows you to localize the location of the electronic cigarette (1) in case it is lost. The vibration motor module (16) also provides tactile feedback to the user's fingers and lips and helps locate the electronic cigarette (1). Thus, if necessary, the electronic cigarette (1) provides feedback to the user by providing the user with light, sound and tactile signals, respectively. As a result of receiving these signals, the user adjusts the consumption of smoking liquid.

The power supply module (12) of the electronic cigarette (1) is a lithium-ion battery with the possibility of recharging from the mains. Recharging from the network is carried out by means of a USB cable connected to the USB connector (18).

Thus, the novelty of the claimed utility model lies in the fact that, by the combination of its essential features, an increase in the range of two-way wireless communication with an external device is achieved, which increases the overall continuity of the wireless communication, and hence its efficiency. The utility model also implements a system of light, sound and tactile feedback with user, as a result of which the impact on the user's behavior in the process of consumption and the adjustment of this behavior becomes more diverse, expands and increases the effectiveness of the user feedback system. These distinctive features increase the efficiency of controlling the consumption of smoking liquid by the user and accelerate the achievement of the main result of the consumption of the proposed electronic cigarette by the user - reducing nicotine addiction.

The applicant is currently producing the proposed utility model.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette is characterized by the fact that it contains a replaceable cartridge, consisting of a mouthpiece with a hole for inhaling steam, a container with smoking liquid, a filter, a heater, a smoking liquid supply wick, connection contacts, and an electronic cigarette body, including a chassis, an outer case with magnets , spring contacts, a power supply module, a two-way wireless communication module, a control board with a pressure sensor, a light indication module, a vibration motor module, a microcontroller with flash memory and embedded software, an LED, a USB connector, characterized in that the two-way wireless communication module consists of from a separate two-way wireless communication board with a Bluetooth antenna located inside a plastic plug at the end of the electronic cigarette body, an audible alarm module with a piezo sound emitter is additionally installed on the control board.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)