HEATING ELEMENT, ATOMIZING MEMBER, ATOMIZING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE

Abstract

A heating element for atomizing an atomizing substance to form an aerosol, the heating element including: a base including a heating section, the heating section including a surface, a heating layer disposed on the surface, and a plurality of holes arranged in a predetermined pattern, the plurality of holes being configured to adsorb an atomizing substance and direct the adsorbed atomizing substance to the heating layer; a plurality of electrode contacts disposed on the surface of the heating section; and a plurality of electrodes being fixedly connected to the plurality of electrode contacts, respectively.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119 and the Paris Convention Treaty, this application claims foreign priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202420847479.1 filed Apr. 22, 2024, to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410087020.0 filed Jan. 22, 2024, and to Chinese Patent Application No. 202420155842.3 filed Jan. 22, 2024. The contents of all of the aforementioned applications, including any intervening amendments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference. Inquiries from the public to applicants or assignees concerning this document or the related applications should be directed to: Matthias Scholl P.C., Attn.: Dr. Matthias Scholl Esq., 245 First Street, 18th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure relates to the field of atomization technology, and more particularly to a heating element, atomizing member, atomizing device, and electronic cigarette.

An electronic cigarette (also referred to as an “e-cigarette”) or vaping device is an electronic delivery system used to atomize an atomizing substance to generate an aerosol for inhaling by a user. The atomizing substance may be a liquid (e.g., e-liquid, etc.) or a solid or gel (e.g., tobacco cream).

Typically, conventional e-cigarettes primarily include an atomizing device that stores the atomizing substance and a power supply. The atomizing device includes a heating or vaporizing device, such as an atomizer including an atomizing member, and the power supply provides power to the atomizer so that the atomizing substance in the atomizing device is converted into an aerosol for the user to inhale. In many e-cigarettes, inhalation by the user activates the atomizing device to vaporize the liquid atomizing substance in the atomizing device, and the user then inhales the resulting aerosol through the mouthpiece.

The atomizer is a key component of the e-cigarette, and directly affects the heating and the formation of the aerosol, thereby affecting the user's experience. The heating elements in the existing atomizers have problems such as unstable heating and inconvenient assembly.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a heating element for atomizing an atomizing substance to form an aerosol, the heating element comprising:

• • a base, the base comprising a heating section, the heating section comprising a surface, a heating layer disposed on the surface, and a plurality of holes arranged in a predetermined pattern, the plurality of holes being configured to adsorb an atomizing substance and direct the adsorbed atomizing substance to the heating layer;
  • a plurality of electrode contacts disposed on the surface of the heating section; and
  • a plurality of electrodes being fixedly connected to the plurality of electrode contacts, respectively.

In a second aspect, the disclosure provides an atomizing member, comprising:

• • a cartridge, the cartridge comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, and an accommodation space and an atomizing substance inlet between the air inlet and the air outlet, the accommodation space communicating with the atomizing substance inlet;
  • an atomizing base disposed in the accommodation space, the atomizing base comprising an atomizing channel and an opening, both the atomizing channel and the opening communicating with the air inlet and the air outlet, and the opening communicating with the atomizing substance inlet and the atomizing channel; and
  • the heating element disposed in the atomizing base, the heating layer facing the atomizing channel, a surface of the heating element opposite the heating layer facing the atomizing substance inlet.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides an atomizing device, comprising: the atomizing member, and a housing, the atomizing member being disposed in the housing, and a storage chamber being formed between the atomizing member and the housing to accommodate the atomizing substance.

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides an electronic cigarette, comprising: the atomizing device, and a power supply for supplying power for the atomizing device.

The disclosure provides a heating element comprising an electrode contact fixedly connected to an electrode. The disclosure can increase the stability of the connection between the electrode contact and the electrode, as compared to the connection of the electrode shrapnel to the electrode contact in a contact type. In addition, since there is no need to consider the connection of the electrode contact to the electrode on the heating element, it is easy to assemble a device (e.g., an atomizing device, an electronic cigarette, etc.) comprising the heating element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a heating element according to one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the heating element in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an atomizing member comprising the heating element in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the atomizing member in FIG. 3 with the section line through the atomizing substance inlet of the atomizing member;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the atomizing member in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an electronic cigarette comprising the atomizing member in FIG. 3.

In the drawings, the following reference numbers are used:

• • 1. Heating element; 10. Base; 11. Heating section; 12. Assembly section; 13. Recess; 31. First electrode contact; 32. Second electrode contact; 33. Third electrode contact; 14. Hole; 40. Electrodes; 41. First electrode; 42. Second electrode; 43. Third electrode; 411. First connection end; 421. Second connection end; 431. Third connection end; 412. First lead; 422. Second lead; 432. Third lead;
  • 100. Atomizing member; 110. Cartridge; 120. Atomizing base; 111. Air inlet; 112. Air outlet; 113. Accommodation space; 114. Atomizing substance inlet; 121. Atomizing channel; 122. Opening; 61. Absorbing material; 115. Flange;
  • 1100. Top cover; 1200. Main body; 1300. Bottom cover; 1400. Seal element; 1500. Control part; 1201. Storage chamber; 1101. Mouthpiece; 1202. Battery chamber;
  • 3000. Electronic cigarette; 2000. Battery module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To further illustrate the disclosure, embodiments detailing an atomizing device, a control method thereof, and a hookah comprising the same are described below. It should be noted that the following embodiments are intended to describe and not to limit the disclosure.

In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the terms “connected”, “fixed”, etc. are to be understood in a broad sense, e.g., either directly or indirectly through an intermediate medium, or as a connection within two elements or an interaction between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the disclosure may be understood in actual need.

As used herein, “communication” refers to fluid communication, i.e., a fluid (including a liquid and/or a gas) can flow from one component to another. In addition, as used herein, communication between two components may refer to direct connectivity between two components, e.g., at least partial alignment between two holes, or connectivity through an intermediate medium.

“Atomizing substance” means a mixture or auxiliary substance that can be atomized, in whole or in part, into an aerosol by an electronic or similar device.

The term “aerosol” refers to a colloidal dispersion system comprising small solid or liquid particles dispersed and suspended in a gaseous medium.

“Atomizing device” means a device in which a stored atomizable substance is atomized into an aerosol by means of heat or ultrasound. An atomization member is one of the main components of an atomizing device.

In the related technology, the end portion of an electrode is usually provided in the form of an electrode shrapnel, and the electrode contact of the heating element is directly connected to the electrode shrapnel to make an electrical connection without being soldered by a lead wire or the like. However, the connection mode leads to an unstable electrode contact.

The disclosure provides a heating element comprising an electrode contact fixedly connected to an electrode. The disclosure can increase the stability of the connection between the electrode contact and the electrode, as compared to the connection of the electrode shrapnel to the electrode contact in a contact type. In addition, since there is no need to consider the connection of the electrode contact to the electrode on the heating element, it is easy to assemble a device (e.g., an atomizing device, an electronic cigarette, etc.) comprising the heating element.

The atomizing member of the disclosure can be used in an electronic cigarette. In the context of the disclosure, “electronic cigarettes” refer to a system in which an atomizing substance, such as a tobacco liquid (specifically, e-liquid, etc.), is atomized or the like to generate an aerosol for a person to draw, suck, chew, or snort, etc. In some examples, the e-cigarette may include a storage chamber for storing the atomizing substance and an atomizing member for adsorbing and atomizing the atomizing substance to form an aerosol. Among other things, the atomizing substance may be in a liquid form (e.g., e-liquid) or a solid or gel form (e.g., smoke paste), etc. It should be understood herein that the atomizing members of the disclosure may also be used in other devices that require atomization of an atomizing substance, such as, for example, medical atomizing devices, skin care instruments, aromatherapy devices, and the like.

The heating element of the disclosure, as well as the atomizing member, are described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a heating element according to one embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the heating element in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heating element 1 for atomizing an atomizing substance to form an aerosol comprises a base 10, a plurality of electrode contacts 30, and a plurality of electrodes 40.

The base 10 comprises a heating section 11, a heating layer (not shown) is disposed on the surface of the heating section 11, and a plurality of holes 14 arranged in a predetermined pattern are disposed inside the heating section 11. The plurality of holes 14 are used to adsorb an atomizing substance and direct the adsorbed atomizing substance to the heating layer.

A plurality of electrode contacts 30 are disposed on the surface of the heating section where the heating layer is provided.

The plurality of electrodes 40 are each fixedly connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrode contacts.

The above embodiment can increase the contact stability of the electrode contacts with the electrodes. In addition, since there is no need to consider the connection between the electrode contacts and the electrodes on the heating element, it is easier to assemble a device (e.g., an atomizing member, an e-cigarette, etc.) comprising the heating element.

In some embodiments, a plurality of holes within the heating section 11 of the base 10 can adsorb and guide the atomizing substance by capillary action, which can avoid direct contact between the heating layer and the atomizing substance, and further avoid the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid) from impacting the heating layer at a flow rate that is too fast and causing it to enter the atomizing channel directly without atomization.

In some embodiments, the base 10 may be made of silicon wafers (also known as wafers). The silicon wafers refer to a sheet-like object made of silicon as the material, and silicon wafers with specifications such as 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12 inch can be made into the bases. Silicon wafers include monocrystalline silicon wafers, polycrystalline silicon wafers, etc. By using the silicon wafer as the base 10, a heating layer having micrometer-sized holes and having a low resistance value can thus be made in the silicon wafer with high precision using a chip fabrication process (e.g., photolithography, etc.), and optionally, a chip production line can be utilized for large-scale and automated fabrication of the heating layer. The use of silicon wafers for the base 10 of the disclosure enables the heating element 1 to have a small volume without affecting the strength of the base 10.

In some other embodiments, the base 10 may also be made of glass, for example. The glass is, for example, quartz glass, high silica glass, and the like. Quartz glass includes, but is not limited to, natural quartz glass, synthetic quartz glass, clear quartz glass, opaque quartz glass, and the like. The heating section 11 of the base 10 may also be made of other materials capable of being processed by laser or the like to have a plurality of holes with a predetermined regular arrangement. The quartz glass, as well as other materials, can be engraved with a plurality of microholes or holes arranged according to a predetermined rule by means of processing such as a laser.

In some embodiments, the shape of the cross-section of the base 10 is a circle, a square (as shown in FIG. 1), and the like.

In some embodiments, the base 10 further comprises an assembly section 12. The assembly section 12 is at least partially disposed around the heating section 11. The assembly section 12 of the base 10 is not subjected to any machining and does not have any wiring arranged thereon, so as to be used for assembling the assembly section 12 with, for example, a corresponding component of an atomizing member, thereby achieving the assembly of the heating element 1 into the atomizing member.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of holes 14 within the heating section 11 of the base 10 has a diameter in the range of 30 μm to 100 μm, so as to allow the plurality of holes to realize conduction and locking of e-liquid. Specifically, on the one hand, the atomizing substance can be adsorbed and guided through the plurality of holes, and on the other hand, the tension of the atomizing substance, such as e-liquid, can avoid the liquid from entering the atomizing channel through the heating element 1, thereby reducing the risk of leakage.

In some embodiments, the minimum distance between neighboring holes in the plurality of holes 14 is in the range of 30 μm to 100 μm. The minimum distance of adjacent holes in the plurality of holes is the closest distance between the edges of two adjacent holes. The above dimensions may facilitate uniform distribution of a sufficient number of holes within the base 10 to ensure uniformity of conduction of the atomizing substance as well as storage of the amount of the atomizing substance.

In some embodiments, the heating layer on the surface of the heating section 11 of the base 10 is formed by plating (e.g., electroplating, vaporizing, etc.) a metal onto the surface of the heating section 11 so as to facilitate formation of the heating layer on the surface of the heating section. When the base 10 utilizes a silicon wafer, the heating layer with a lower resistance value can be accurately processed on the heating section 11. In some examples, the resistance of the heating layer may range from 0.4Ω to 2.0Ω. Optionally, the resistance of the heating layer may also be set to other values as desired.

In some embodiments, the heating layer may, for example, be made of a metal such as tungsten, iron-chromium-aluminum, or nickel-chromium alloy material.

In some embodiments, the heating element 1 further comprises a temperature measurement device; the temperature measurement device is disposed on the base 10 and is used to measure the temperature of the heating section 11. In this case, the base 10 also comprises a recess 13 extending inwardly from the surface of the heating layer of the heating section 11 to accommodate the temperature measurement device. By providing the recess 13 in the heating section 11 to accommodate the temperature measurement device, on the one hand, it is possible to separate the temperature measurement device from the heating layer so as to avoid a short-circuit caused by the temperature measurement device coming into contact with the heating layer, and on the other hand, it is possible to keep the distance of the temperature measurement device from the heating section 11 closer so as to more accurately measure the temperature of the heating section 11 (more precisely, the heating layer).

In some embodiments, the temperature measurement device may be a resistance temperature detector (RTD) or a thermocouple or the like, which, based on the property that the resistance value of a metal conductor or a semiconductor varies with temperature, converts the change in the resistance value into an electrical signal for the purpose of temperature measurement. The RTD or thermocouple temperature measurement is highly sensitive, stable and accurate. In some examples, the resistance value of the thermocouple or RTD is, for example, about 20Ω. Alternatively, where the base 10 employs a silicon wafer, the PN junction can be used as the temperature measurement device by doping the silicon wafer to form a PN junction, thereby utilizing the temperature sensitivity of the PN junction.

In some embodiments, the plurality of electrode contacts 30 comprise a first electrode contact 31, a second electrode contact 32, and a third electrode contact 33. The first electrode contact 31 (e.g., a positive contact) and the second electrode contact 32 (e.g., a negative contact) are coupled to the heating layer, and the second electrode contact 32 and the third electrode contact 33 are coupled to the temperature measurement device. In some examples, the first electrode contact 31 and the second electrode contact 32 are connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a power source to supply power to the temperature measurement device and the heating layer, so that the heating layer and the temperature measurement device share the second electrode contact 32 (e.g., a negative contact), thus simplifying the structure of the heating element 1.

In some embodiments, the third electrode contact 33 for the temperature measurement device is used for tamper-evident identification as well as for transmitting the temperature measurement signal of the temperature measurement device. In the case where the temperature measurement device is an RTD, the temperature measurement signal may be a resistance signal. That is, the resistance change signal measured by the temperature measurement device can be read from the third electrode contact 33 to obtain the temperature change of the heating element 11. Moreover, the third electrode contact 33 may also carry anti-counterfeiting information to facilitate anti-counterfeiting identification as an atomizing member.

Accordingly, the plurality of electrodes 40 comprise a first electrode 41, a second electrode 42, and a third electrode 43. The first electrode 41 is fixedly connected to the first electrode contact 31. The second electrode 42 is fixedly connected to the second electrode contact 32. The third electrode 43 is fixedly coupled to the third electrode contact 33.

Alternatively, the plurality of electrode contacts may be provided with 2 or 4 and the like, and accordingly, the plurality of electrodes may be provided with 2 or 4 electrodes and the like, and the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes 40 comprises a connection end, and the connection end is fixedly coupled to a corresponding electrode contact of the plurality of electrode contacts by welding. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the first connection end 411 of the first electrode is fixedly connected to the first electrode contact 31 by welding; the second connection end 421 of the second electrode is fixedly connected to the second electrode contact 32 by welding; and the third connection end 431 of the third electrode is fixedly connected to the third electrode contact 33 by welding. The above connection method by welding can increase the stability of the electrical connection of the electrodes and the electrode contacts. In addition, by selecting the connection method of welding, the electrodes can be welded to the electrode contacts using, for example, surface mount technology in a chip manufacturing process in actual production, thereby facilitating the assembly of the heating elements and facilitating the large-scale and automated manufacturing of the heating elements using a chip production line. Alternatively, at least some of the electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are fixedly connected to the electrode contacts by bonding or the like.

In some embodiments, in addition to the connection end, at least one of the electrodes of the plurality of electrodes comprises a lead. The width of the connection end is greater than the width of the lead to facilitate stable connection of the connection end to the electrode contact. As shown in FIG. 2, the transverse width of the connection end 411 of the first electrode is larger than the transverse width of the first lead 412 of the first electrode; the transverse width of the connection end 421 of the second electrode is larger than the transverse width of the second lead 422 of the second electrode; the transverse width of the connection end 431 of the third electrode is larger than the transverse width of the third lead 432 of the third electrode.

In some embodiments, the electrode contacts for soldered connection are provided with bonding pads (not shown) and the connection ends are attached to the bonding pads by soldering to be fixedly connected to the corresponding electrode contacts. For example, the first electrode contact is provided with a bonding pad so that the connection end 411 of the first electrode is fixedly connected to the first electrode contact 31 by welding. The bonding pad between the connection end and the electrode contact may not only serve as a connection point between the electrode and the electrode contact so as to increase the reliability of the electrical connection, but may also be used to support the connection end and to maintain the distance between the electrode and the electrode contact so as to facilitate an accurate and error-free connection therebetween. In addition, the bonding pad between the connection end and the electrode contact may optimize the effectiveness of subsequent soldering steps. Specifically, the bonding pads may be custom-designed according to the size and shape of the connection ends of the electrodes so as to optimize the soldering effect. The bonding pads may be provided in a circular, oval, rectangular, octagonal, and shaped shape.

In some embodiments, the bonding pads are silver pads, tin-lead pads, or copper pads, and the like. Among other things, the copper bonding pads have the advantage of being able to withstand high temperatures, ensuring a stronger solder connection.

In some embodiments, the bonding pads are coated with solder paste, and the connection ends are placed on the solder paste to be attached to the bonding pads by soldering. In some examples, the solder paste may be a putty-like mixture of powdered metal solder and tacky flux to facilitate acting as a temporary glue, i.e., holding the connection ends of the electrodes in place with the bonding pads on the electrode contacts without soldering. Afterwards, the solder in the solder paste may be melted by, for example, a soldering technique such as reflow soldering, so as to establish a connection between the connection end of the electrode and the bonding pad on the electrode contact. The solder paste may for example be a tin cream, i.e. the solder in the solder paste is tin. Alternatively, the powdered metal solder in the solder paste may also be other metal.

In the case where a soldered connection is used and the electrode contacts are provided with bonding pads and/or solder paste, the electrodes may be soldered to the electrode contacts using, for example, a surface mounting technique in a chip manufacturing process, thereby facilitating the assembly of the heating elements and facilitating the use of a chip production line for large-scale and automated manufacturing of the heating elements. The manufacturing process of the surface mount technology may be, for example, as follows: the bonding pads are provided on the first electrode contact 31, the second electrode contact 32 and the third electrode contact 33 of the heating element 1 respectively; a placement machine (e.g., an automated placement machine) applies solder paste to the predetermined positions of the respective bonding pads of the first electrode contact 31, the second electrode contact 32 and the third electrode contact 33 by means of a stencil (for defining predetermined positions for the pads to facilitate the application of the solder paste) and a squeegee (a tool for cleaning) at an angle of, for example, 45° to 60°; the first connection end 411 of the first electrode, the second connection end 421 of the second electrode, and the third connection end 431 of the third electrode are placed onto the solder paste of the bonding pads of the first electrode contact 31, the second electrode contact 32, and the third electrode contact 33, respectively, and then the aforementioned temporarily connected electrodes and electrode contacts are conveyed to a soldering furnace (e.g., a reflow furnace) to melt the solder in the solder paste, thereby soldering the connection ends of the electrodes to the bonding pads of the electrode contacts.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, there is also provided an atomizing member 100 comprising a cartridge 110, an atomizing base 120, and a heating element 1 described with reference to FIG. 1 above.

The cartridge 110 comprises an air inlet 111, an air outlet 112, an accommodation space 113 between the air inlet 111 and the air outlet 112, and an atomizing substance inlet 114 communicating with the accommodation space 113.

The atomizing substance inlet 114 is formed in and through the wall of the cartridge 110 so that the space outside of the cartridge 110 and the accommodation space 113 (shown in FIG. 4) can be connected to allow an atomizing substance disposed outside of the cartridge 110 to be accessible to the interior of the cartridge 110.

As shown in FIG. 4, the atomizing base 120 is disposed within the accommodation space 113, and the atomizing base 120 comprises an atomizing channel 121 for communicating with the air inlet 111 and the air outlet 112. The cavity in the approximate center of the atomizing base 120 forms the atomizing channel 121 for the flowing of air, steam, and aerosols. When the atomizing base 120 is mounted within the accommodation space 113 of the cartridge 110, one end of the atomizing channel 121 communicates with the air inlet 111 of the cartridge 110 and the other end communicates with the air outlet 112.

The atomizing base 120 further comprises an opening 122 for connecting the atomizing substance inlet 114 and the atomizing channel 121. Since the opening 122 is formed in and through the side wall of the atomizing base 120, the opening 122 is opposite to the atomizing substance inlet 114 and passes into the atomizing channel 121, so an atomizing substance disposed outside of the cartridge 110 can enter the atomizing channel 121 through the atomizing substance inlet 114 and the opening 122.

The heating element 1 is disposed in the atomizing base 120 with the heating layer facing the atomizing channel 121 and the surface of the heating element 1 opposite to the heating layer facing the atomizing substance inlet 114. In this way, the atomizing substance entering through the atomizing substance inlet 114 (and the opening 122) reaches the heating element 1 and penetrates into the heating layer through a plurality of holes in the base 10 of the heating element 1 in order to be heated by the heating layer and to be atomized to forming an aerosol.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, when a user is vaping at the air outlet 112, the airflow can reach the air outlet 112 from the air inlet 111 via the atomizing channel 121 in the atomizing base 120, thereby forming an airflow pathway. A portion of the airflow pathway (i.e., the atomizing channel 121) forms the atomization chamber. One side of the heating element 1 is connected to the atomizing substance inlet 114 via the opening 122, and the other side is connected to the atomizing channel 121. The atomizing substance outside the cartridge 110 permeates through the atomizing substance inlet 114 and the opening to the base 10 of the heating element 1, and subsequently continues to permeate at the heating layer of the heating element 1, thereby reaching the heating layer on the first surface of the heating element 1, where it is heated and atomized by the heating layer to form vapor. The vapor is entrained in the air flowing through the atomizing channel 121 to form an aerosol for the user to vape.

In some embodiments, the heating element 1 is disposed in the opening 122 of the atomizing base 120, and the opening 122 may be provided with steps for supporting the heating element 1.

In the above circumference, the surface of the base 10 opposite to the heating layer directly covers the atomizing substance inlet 114. As a result, the base 10 acts as a buffer structure between the heating layer and the atomizing substance, avoiding the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid) from impacting the heating layer in the event of a too fast flow rate, which causes the e-liquid to enter the atomizing channel 121 directly without atomization, but instead be guided to be heated at the heating layer through the plurality of holes 14 of the base 10, thus promoting the uniformity of the heating. By using the base 10 of the heating element 1 as a guiding buffer structure between the atomizing substance inlet 114 and the heating layer without additionally providing an absorbing material 61, the number of components is reduced and the manufacturing cost is lowered.

Alternatively, to further minimize the risk of leakage, as shown in FIG. 3, the atomizing member further comprises a sleeve-shaped absorbing material 61. The absorbing material 61 is socketed to the atomizing base 120 (specifically, on the periphery of the atomizing base), and the outer side of the absorbing material 61 is covered from the inner side of the cartridge 110 over the atomizing substance inlet 114 and the inner side of the absorbing material 61 is affixed to the heating element 1. As a result, the cushioning structure provided between the heating element 1 and the atomizing substance avoids the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid) from impacting the heating element 1 at a flow rate that is too fast, which may cause the e-liquid to enter the atomizing channel 121 directly without atomization.

Alternatively, the atomizing member further comprises a sheet-shaped absorbing material, which is likewise disposed between the cartridge and the atomizing base. In this way, the first side of the absorbing material covers the atomizing substance inlet from the inside of the cartridge, and the second side thereof opposite the first side is affixed to the heating element.

In some other embodiments, the heating element 1 is disposed within the atomizing channel 121 of the atomizing base 120, and the absorbing material is a sheet-like structure embedded within the opening of the atomizing base 120 and disposed between the atomizing substance inlet 114 and the heating element 1. The first side of the absorbing material covers the atomizing substance inlet 114 from the inside of the cartridge 110, and the second side thereof opposite the first side abuts the heating element 1. As a result, the cushioning structure provided between the heating element 1 and the atomizing substance avoids the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid) from impacting the heating element 1 at a flow rate that is too fast, which may cause the e-liquid to enter the atomizing channel 121 directly without atomization.

The absorbing material in the various aforementioned embodiments is cotton or spun cloth, which includes, but is not limited to, hygienic cotton, inert cotton, organic cotton, composite cotton, linen cotton, asbestos, and fiber cotton. The cotton or spun cloth comprises fibers, which can absorb or conduct e-liquid, so as to better achieve the effect of cushioning and avoiding oil excess. In addition, the cotton is characterized by a uniform distribution of pores, resulting in smoother e-liquid conduction.

In some embodiments, the plurality of electrodes 40 extends at least partially out of the cartridge 110 to facilitate electrical connection with a battery module, a control part, etc., thereby facilitating power supply to, for example, the heating layer and the temperature measurement device, etc., and/or facilitating control of the heating element by the control part.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a flange 115 (e.g., a flange provided at least partially along a circumferential direction of the cartridge) is disposed on the portion of the cartridge 110 near the air outlet 112 for the restriction of the seal element 1400 (as shown in FIG. 6) sleeving the cartridge 110. The above embodiment may facilitate the installation of the seal element, thereby facilitating the sealing of the storage chamber of the atomizing device (as will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 6).

According to still another aspect of the disclosure, as shown in FIG. 6, there is provided an atomizing device comprising: the atomizing member 100 as described above and a housing (e.g., comprising a top cover 1100, a main body 1200, and a bottom cover 1300); the atomizing member 100 is disposed within the housing, and a storage chamber 1201 for storing an atomizing substance is formed between the housing (specifically, the inner wall of the housing) and the atomizing member (specifically, the outer wall of the atomizing member).

In some embodiments, the housing comprises: a top cover 1100, a main body 1200, and a bottom cover 1300. The top cover 1100 comprises a mouthpiece 1101 connected to the air outlet of the atomizing member 100. The bottom cover 1300 comprises an air intake connected to the air inlet 111 of the atomizing member 100. The main body 1200 is disposed between the top cover 1100 and the bottom cover 1300 and is used to house the atomizing member 100, thereby facilitating the support of the atomizing member within the housing and the formation of the storage chamber for storing the atomizing substance. At this point, the storage chamber is defined by a space between the inner wall of the main body, the inner wall of the top cover, and the outer wall of the cartridge of the atomizing member.

In some other embodiments, the housing is a one-piece housing.

In some embodiments, the atomizing device comprises a seal element 1400; the seal element 1400 sleeves the cartridge 110 of the atomizing member 100 and is disposed between the top cover 1100 and the main body 1200. At this point, the storage chamber 1201 is enclosed by the seal element 1400 (specifically, the bottom surface thereof), the main body 1200 (specifically, the inner wall thereof), and the atomizing member 100 (specifically, the outer wall thereof) (i.e., the space formed between the three components). The seal element described above for the cartridge 110 facilitates the sealing of the storage chamber enclosed. In some examples, the seal element 1400 is made of a gel. Additionally, a material for adsorbing the atomizing substance, such as, for example, liquid-locking cotton, may be placed within the storage chamber.

In some embodiments, a battery chamber 1202 arranged side-by-side with the storage chamber 1201 is also provided within the main body 1200 for placing a battery module 2000. As a result, the storage chamber for storing the atomizing substance and the battery chamber for placing the battery module can be integrated into a single housing, thereby reducing the number of components of the atomizing device and even the e-cigarette.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, as shown in FIG. 6, there is provided an e-cigarette 3000 comprising: the atomizing device as described above and a battery module 2000 (e.g., an electric cartridge) for powering the atomizing device.

In some embodiments, the electronic cigarette further comprises a control part 1500 (e.g., a PCB circuit board, etc.) disposed within the main body (e.g., on the bottom cover 1300) of the atomizing device. An external circuit is integrated on the control part 1500 for controlling the energization circuit between the battery module and the heating element. The control part may control powering of the heating element by the battery module based on input control parameters (e.g., control parameters input by a user, changes in air pressure within the e-cigarette, and/or temperature of the heating layer measured by a temperature measurement device, etc.). Specifically, for example, a button is disposed on an outer surface of the electronic cigarette for a user to input the control parameters to control the heating of the heating element. In addition, an airflow sensor is also disposed at the airflow inlet and/or air intake for monitoring changes in air pressure within the electronic cigarette.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications.

Claims

1. A heating element for atomizing an atomizing substance to form an aerosol, the heating element comprising: a base, the base comprising a heating section, the heating section comprising a surface, a heating layer disposed on the surface, and a plurality of holes arranged in a predetermined pattern, the plurality of holes being configured to adsorb an atomizing substance and direct the adsorbed atomizing substance to the heating layer;a plurality of electrode contacts disposed on the surface of the heating section; anda plurality of electrodes being fixedly connected to the plurality of electrode contacts, respectively.

2. The heating element of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes comprises a connection end, and the connection end is fixedly connected to a corresponding electrode contact of the plurality of electrode contacts by welding.

3. The heating element of claim 2, wherein the corresponding electrode contact comprises a bonding pad, and the connection end is attached to the bonding pad by soldering and is fixedly connected to the corresponding electrode contact.

4. The heating element of claim 3, wherein the bonding pad is a copper bonding pad.

5. The heating element of claim 3, wherein the bonding pad is coated with a solder paste, and the connection end is disposed on the solder paste and is attached to the bonding pad by soldering.

6. The heating element of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature measurement device, wherein the temperature measurement device is disposed on the base to measure a temperature of the heating section; the plurality of electrode contacts comprises a first electrode contact, a second electrode contact, and a third electrode contact; the first electrode contact and the second electrode contact are electrically connected to the heating layer, and the second electrode contact and the third electrode contact are electrically connected to the temperature measurement device.

7. The heating element of claim 1, wherein the base comprises silicon wafer.

8. An atomizing member, comprising: a cartridge, the cartridge comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, and an accommodation space and an atomizing substance inlet between the air inlet and the air outlet, the accommodation space communicating with the atomizing substance inlet;an atomizing base disposed in the accommodation space, the atomizing base comprising an atomizing channel and an opening, both the atomizing channel and the opening communicating with the air inlet and the air outlet, and the opening communicating with the atomizing substance inlet and the atomizing channel; andthe heating element of claim 1 disposed in the atomizing base, the heating layer facing the atomizing channel, a surface of the heating element opposite the heating layer facing the atomizing substance inlet.

9. An atomizing device, comprising: the atomizing member of claim 8, anda housing, the atomizing member being disposed in the housing, and a storage chamber being formed between the atomizing member and the housing to accommodate the atomizing substance.

10. An electronic cigarette, comprising: the atomizing device of claim 9, anda power supply for supplying power for the atomizing device.