Patent Application
20140355969
This application relates to a device and method for preventing the back flow of liquid and vapor from a cartomizer section into a battery section of an electronic cigarette, and an improved method of sealing a cartomizer section during storage thereof through the use of a one-way valve included in the cartomizer section.
Electronic cigarettes are becoming a popular alternative to tobacco smoking because of the many advantages that they offer. One of the main reasons that they are popular is due to their similarities to tobacco smoking. In fact, the closer that they are in providing the experience of a traditional cigarette, the more likely they are to be accepted in the market place.
One example of an electronic cigarette is a “two-piece” (hereinafter referred to as a “two-piece”) device having a first battery section B and a second cartomizer section A, wherein the cartomizer section A is detachable from the battery section B (hereinafter an “Electronic Cigarette” or “E-cigarette”). An example of one such Electronic Cigarette is shown in
Early E-cigarettes had one or more notches at the tip of the battery section to allow air intake. Air would enter from the tip, pass through the entire battery section, and continue through the cartomizer section, the vapor-producing portion of the E-cigarette, and enter the smoker's mouth via an opening in the mouth end insert of the cartomizer section. When a typical smoker puffs on an electronic cigarette, he/she may inadvertently or intentionally exhale into the cigarette, reversing the vapor flow from his/her mouth into the cigarette. This vapor often condenses and eventually builds up inside the battery, causing damage to the flow sensor, chipset and/or the lithium cell.
To avoid this kind of damage, electronic cigarettes were designed with side vents. When the user inhales, the air enters the cigarette through side holes that are located between the cartomizer section and battery section. Similarly, when the smoker exhales into the e-cigarette, the vapor from his/her mouth travels in the reverse direction, and escapes through the side vents. With this construction, there is minimal air passage through the battery section. However, an opening into the battery section is still necessary to allow the flow sensor inside to sense a puff and activate the heating coil. An example of an electronic cigarette with side vents is disclosed in WO 2012/142293 the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.
As such, e-cigarettes which include side vents that allow most of the vapor to exit through the side vents thereof during exhalation still include an opening for the vapor to travel into the battery section , which thereby exposes the components within the battery section to the damaging effects of the vapor. It is therefore advantageous to prevent the vapor from leaving the cartomizer section and continuing in the direction of battery components included in the battery section, to avoid its damaging effects on the battery components.
In contrast to two-piece cigarettes, there are e-cigarettes which encase the battery section and cartomizer section into one integrated housing which saves production costs and eliminates the need for assembly before use thereof. Such electronic cigarettes are often called “one-piece units” or “disposable cigarettes” (hereinafter referred to as a “disposables”).
Although disposables are convenient for the user, they present difficulties for long term storage and shelf life. Disposables lack some of the advantages of a two-piece. For example, when the cartomizer section is separate from the battery section, the ends of the cartomizer section can be sealed with caps or plugs. Sealing the two ends of the cartomizer section prevents moisture in the environment from being absorbed by the e-liquid, which often decreases the viscosity of the e-liquid and can cause leaking of the e-liquid into a user's mouth during smoking. The seals also prevent e-liquid or nicotine from evaporating or dripping out of the cartomizer section.
In disposables, there is typically no seal between the cartomizer section and the battery section, and if e-liquid drains into the air path of the cartomizer section, it can easily drain upstream into the battery section, thereby damaging the flow sensor, chipset and/or the lithium cell that are housed in the battery section. Additionally, without the presence of a seal between the cartomizer and battery sections, the e-liquid eventually evaporates, as well as the nicotine, which greatly impairs the effectiveness of the e-liquid as well as the user's experience. Also, lack of a seal allows ambient air moisture to enter the cartomizer section, which is then readily absorbed into the hydrophilic e-liquid, increasing the e-liquid's volume, and lowering the viscosity of the e-liquid, resulting in leakage of excess e-liquid.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a method of preventing the e-liquid in the cartomizer section from escaping into the battery section, and air moisture from the battery section from entering the cartomizer section when not in use.
Disclosed herein is a cartomizer section of an electronic cigarette which can be connected to a battery section of the electronic cigarette. The cartomizer section comprises a liquid reservoir operable to store liquid material and a one-way valve. The one-way valve is operable to seal an end of the cartomizer section which is in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir. The one-way valve is configured to allow one directional air flow towards a user's mouth during a draw on the electronic cigarette so as to prevent back flow of vapor produced during operation of the electronic cigarette towards the battery section thereof.
Disclosed herein is a one-way valve that can be included in a cartomizer section of an electronic cigarette, allowing one directional air flow towards a user's mouth, while preventing back flow of vapor or e-liquid towards the battery section of the electronic cigarette. Accordingly, during prolonged storage, the one-way valve provides a seal for the cartomizer section, which prevents e-liquid stored in a liquid reservoir of the cartomizer section from draining into the battery section, and greatly reduces evaporation of e-liquid and nicotine out of the cartomizer section. Additionally, the one-way valve prevents ambient air moisture from being absorbed into the e-liquid, preserving its viscosity and preventing leaking.
In another embodiment, sealing properties of the one-way valve allows for disposable electronic cigarettes to be stored for extended periods with minimal loss of e-liquid and nicotine potency, greatly extending the shelf life thereof. Additionally, because the one-way valve prevents the flow of excess e-liquid into the battery section, there is no longer a limitation on the orientation of the disposables during transportation or storage. Whereas before, one had to store and ship the disposables in an upright position with the battery section oriented above the cartomizer section to avoid leakage of e-liquid into the battery section, embodiments as disclosed herein allow for the disposables to be stored and shipped in any orientation.
The one-way valve extends the longevity of the electronic cigarette by preventing the back flow of vapor towards the battery section, thereby eliminating the damage typically caused by vapor on the battery components of the battery section.
Additionally, the one-way valve provides a seal between the cartomizer section and the battery section which can extend the life of the e-liquid of the electronic cigarette between smoking sessions. The presence of a one-way valve prevents liquid leakage and evaporation of e-liquid from the distal end of the cartomizer section. A plug can be used to seal the mouth end insert of the cartomizer section or disposable between uses.
In an alternative embodiment, the valve face 305 can include more than one slit thereon wherein the slits can be made by making 3 or 4 (criss-cross) symmetrical cuts on the valve face 305, thus creating 3 or 4 flaps respectively. Alternatively, the slits 310 do not need to be straight or symmetrical. They can be wavy, saw-toothed or virtually any shape imaginable.
The one-way valve 300 should be preferably made of a flexible and/or stretchable material such as rubber or silicone, so that when the smoker inhales, a vacuum is formed above the surface of the valve face 305, creating a negative pressure. This negative pressure pulls the flaps 315a,b on opposite sides of the slit 310 to fold up and away from each other, forming an air pathway in the direction towards a mouth of the user. If a user exhales or blows into the e-cigarette, a positive pressure is applied on the surface of the valve face 305, forcing the flaps 315a,b to go back to their original shape and block the back flow of vapor. Alternatively, the one-way valve 300 can be made of one material or a composite of materials, and does not necessarily need to have uniform flexibility and elasticity throughout. For instance, the flaps 315a,b can include edges or “lips” 316a,b (see
The valve face 305 should preferably be axially spaced from a heater such as a heating coil 620 (see
Although the elongated portion 320 of the one-way valve 300 is typically cylindrical, it can alternatively have a square, rectangular or virtually any-shaped cross-section. In fact, that elongated portion 320 of the one-way valve 300 does not necessarily need to exist, and indeed, just the valve face 305 of the one-way valve 300 is enough for the one-way valve 300 to function. As seen from
It will be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein have been disclosed herein by way of example, and that other modifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/827,998, filed on May 28, 2013, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61827998 | May 2013 | US |
