Patent Application
20250072502
The present invention relates to vapour generating devices, and more particularly to vapour generating devices comprising movable baffles for preventing the passage of non-vaporised liquid drops to the mouth of a user.
Vapour generating devices such as electronic cigarettes have become popular as substitutes for traditional means of tobacco consumption such as cigarettes and cigars.
Devices for vaporisation or aerosolisation typically include a heating body arranged to heat a vaporisable product from an inlet surface to an outlet surface. In operation, the vaporisable product is heated and the constituents of the product are vaporised for the consumer to inhale. In some examples, the product may comprise tobacco in a capsule or may be similar to a traditional cigarette, in other examples the product may be a liquid, or liquid contents in a capsule.
Some vapour generating devices generate a vapour or aerosol from a vaporisable liquid, for example using a heater coil which applies heat to a liquid held in a wick in order to vaporize the liquid. Spitting of liquid can occur when liquid builds up on the heater coil and instead of the liquid being fully vaporised, large droplets are ejected into the air stream and inhaled by the user. This is often felt by hot liquid reaching the consumer's oral cavity, which can be an unpleasant experience. Larger puffs by the user are more likely to result in spitting due to the higher air velocity carrying droplets to the user's mouth. Furthermore the larger force pulls on the liquid in the reservoir and thus oversaturates the wick and heater coil, leading to subsequent spitting events.
The present invention aims to alleviate at least to some extent these problems of conventional vapour generating devices.
According to the invention there is provided a vapour generating device comprising: a tubular body comprising a bore and having a longitudinal axis; a heater arranged to vaporize a liquid; a mouthpiece located at an end of the bore and configured for a user to apply a suction force to draw the vaporised liquid along the bore from the heater to the mouthpiece; and first and second baffles located in the bore between the heater and the mouthpiece, the first and second baffles being staggered apart from each other around the longitudinal axis and staggered apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein each one of the first and second baffles is movable by the suction force to partially obstruct the width of the bore, thereby to cause the vaporised liquid to follow a tortuous path around the first and second baffles to the mouthpiece and to block the passage of drops of non-vaporised liquid to the mouthpiece.
The movable baffles of the device advantageously prevent hot drops of non-vaporised liquid from reaching the mouthpiece, while directing the vapour to the mouthpiece. More particularly, the movable baffles function as a barrier to block the larger, heavier hot drops of liquid, while guiding the smaller, lighter vapour particles along a circuitous path to the mouthpiece. In this way, the user obtains the vapour as desired without the unwanted hot drops of non-vaporised liquid.
As used herein, a “vapour generating device” is a device arranged to heat a vapour generating product to produce a vapour for inhalation by a consumer. A vapour generating device can also be referred to as an aerosol generating device or an electronic cigarette. In the context of the present disclosure, the terms vapour and aerosol can be used interchangeably. The vapour generating product, or aerosol generating product, can be a liquid or a combination of a liquid and a solid such as a fibrous material. The vapour generating product may also be referred to as an e-liquid. The liquid or e-liquid may comprise colourants, flavourings, tobacco, and/or other chemical components.
As used herein, “baffle” refers to any structural element which is movable (or at least a part of which is movable) to partially obstruct the width of the bore. The baffle may be constructed from any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastics, natural or synthetic rubbers, and metals or metal alloys, or any combination of these. The baffle may be rigid or flexible, or a combination of rigid and flexible.
The first and second baffles may be staggered apart from each other around the longitudinal axis such as to be at opposite sides of the bore.
The first and second baffles may be movable so that in combination the first and second baffles obstruct the full width of the bore such as to preclude a direct line of sight along the bore between the mouthpiece and the heater.
Each one of the first and second baffles may be movable to obstruct half of the width of the bore.
At least one of the first and second baffles may be movable to obstruct more than half of the width of the bore.
Each one of the first and second baffles may be movable to obstruct more than half of the width of the bore.
The first and second baffles may be movable so that in combination the first and second baffles obstruct less than the full width of the bore such as to allow a direct line of sight along the bore between the mouthpiece and the heater.
One of the first and second baffles may be movable to obstruct more than half of the width of the bore and the other of the first and second baffles may be movable to obstruct less than half of the width of the bore.
Each one of the first and second baffles may be movable to obstruct less than half of the width of the bore.
Each one of the first and second baffles may be hingedly connected to an interior wall of the tubular body.
Each one of the first and second baffles may comprise a generally rigid panel which includes a thinned flexible portion that forms said hinged connection.
The interior wall of the tubular body may comprise first and second recesses each configured to accommodate one of the first and second baffles such that the width of the bore is unobstructed by the first and second baffles, the first and second baffles being movable from the recesses by the suction force in order to partially obstruct the width of the bore as described herein above.
The bore may have a cross-section, taken in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, which is circular, oval, or elliptical.
The heater may be located in the bore.
The tubular body may comprise a reservoir for storing the liquid.
The degree of movement of the first and second baffles may be directly proportional to the magnitude of the suction force.
Embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Referring to
A first (or upper) part or end of the tubular body 12 comprises a mouthpiece 16 (the structural details of which are omitted from the drawings) configured for engagement with the mouth of a consumer or user of the device. A wick 18 is located at a second (or lower) part of the tubular body 12 and extends across the bore 14 in a transverse (or horizontal or X-Y) direction, i.e. substantially normal to the longitudinal axis Z. A storage reservoir or tank 20 containing an e-liquid L is formed within the wall 24 of the tubular body 12 and is arranged to be in fluid communication with the wick 18 so that the wick 18 can receive and absorb the e-liquid L by means of capillary action. A metallic heater coil 26 extends around the wick 18 and is operable to vaporize the e-liquid L held by the wick 18. The bore 14 defines a flow channel for flow of the vapour from the heater coil 26 (and the wick 18) to the mouthpiece 16 for inhalation by the user.
The vapour generating device 10 further comprises first and second baffles 28, 30 located in the bore 14 between the heater coil 26 (and the wick 18) and the mouthpiece 16. The first and second baffles 28, 30 are offset or staggered apart from each other in the vertical direction, i.e. along the longitudinal axis Z. That is, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are at differing axial locations along the bore 14, i.e. they are axially separated. Put differently, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are located in differing transverse (or horizontal or X-Y) planes. As can be seen in
The first and second baffles 28, 30 are also offset or staggered apart from each other around the longitudinal axis Z. That is, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are circumferentially spaced apart from each other rotationally around the longitudinal axis Z. In this example, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are offset or staggered apart from each other in this manner by 180 degrees such as to be located at opposite sides of the bore 14.
In this example, each of the first and second baffles 28, 30 comprises a panel part 28a, 30a and a hinge part 28b, 30b which connects the panel part 28a, 30a to the inner surface of the wall 24 of the tubular body 12. Each of the first and second baffles 28, 30 projects inwardly into the bore 14 toward the longitudinal axis Z. In this example, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are constructed from plastics. In this example, the panel parts 28a, 30a are generally rigid. In this example, the hinge parts 28b, 30b comprise locally thinned portions of the baffles 28, 30 which are sufficiently flexible so as to allow movement or deflection of each panel part 28a, 30a relative to the tubular body 12 under an applied force, as will be described later herein. The first and second baffles 28, 30 may therefore be described as hinged flaps.
As shown in
The operation of the vapour generating device 10 will now be described.
Referring to
As the suction force is applied, the heater coil 26 is activated, either automatically or manually, to cause e-liquid L held in the wick 18 to be heated and vaporised. The vapour V which is produced comprises particles having small size and mass. For example, each particle may have a diameter of <10 μm. These small and light particles are drawn along the bore 14 under the suction force F to follow a tortuous or curved path around the first and second baffles 28, 30 (as represented by the dotted arrow lines in
It will be understood that, in the absence of the obstructive first and second baffles 28, 30, the particles of the vapour V would flow generally parallel with the longitudinal axis Z, from the heater coil 26 to the mouthpiece 16. However, the presence of the obstructive first and second baffles 28, 30 causes a deviation or diversion of the flow of the vapour V, such that the motion of the particles has a significant transverse (or lateral) component as well as a longitudinal component. Thus the particles of the vapour V are navigated around and between the first and second baffles 28, 30 in order to reach the mouthpiece 16. That is, the flow of the vapour V bends or turns around the first and second baffles 28, 30 such as to take a circuitous route to the mouthpiece 16. It will be understood that the vapour V will be produced by the heater coil 26 substantially across the width of the bore 14. Since the first and second baffles 28 extend inwardly toward the longitudinal axis Z, the particles of the vapour V that are further away (i.e. more laterally spaced) from the longitudinal axis Z will tend to follow a longer and more tortuous path (i.e. have a greater lateral component of motion) than will the particles of the vapour V that are closer to the longitudinal axis Z.
Some of the e-liquid L might not be vaporised by the heater coil 26, such that e-liquid drops (or droplets) Ld1, Ld2 form on the heater coil 26 (as represented by the dashed lines of drops Ld1, Ld2 in
Heat energy in the drops Ld1, Ld2 causes the drops Ld1, Ld2 to be rapidly ejected or “spat” from the heater coil 26 in the longitudinal (or vertical) direction toward the mouthpiece 16 (as shown by the solid arrows in
Thus the deflected first and second baffles 28, 30 provide a barrier which blocks the drops Ld1, Ld2 so as to prevent them from reaching the mouthpiece 16, while at the same time providing a tortuous route for the vapour V to follow in order to reach the mouthpiece 16. In this way, the user obtains the vapour V as desired without the unwanted hot drops Ld1, Ld2 of non-vaporised e-liquid.
While the above discussion describes two drops Ld1, Ld2 of e-liquid being ejected from the heater coil 26 and blocked by the first and second baffles 28, 30, it will of course be understood that any number of drops may be ejected and blocked in this manner. Furthermore the drops may be of differing size and/or mass and may move at differing velocities.
As shown in
As has been mentioned herein above, larger puffs by the user tend to increase the probability of liquid spitting. In the present vapour generating device 10, the harder the user sucks or “puffs” on the mouthpiece 16, the greater will be the degree of deflection of the first and second baffles 28, 30 and thus the obstruction of the bore 14, such as to minimise the risk of hot drops Ld1, Ld2 reaching the user's mouth.
In this example, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are configured so that, at a maximum expected magnitude of suction force F, the panel parts 28a, 30a will be deflected so as to be at right angles with the vertical inner surface of the wall 24 (and the longitudinal axis Z) of the tubular body 12. That is, so that each of the fully deflected panel parts 28a, 30a extends partially across the bore 14 in the transverse (or horizontal or X-Y) direction.
Further in this example, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are configured such that the distal ends of the panel parts 28a, 30a will coincide with the longitudinal axis Z when the panel parts 28a, 30a are in the fully deflected (horizontal) condition. Thus each of the first and second baffles 28, 30 will obstruct 50% of the width of the bore 14, so that together the first and second baffles 28, 30 will fully obscure the view along the bore 14 such as to preclude a direct line of sight between the mouthpiece 16 and the heater coil 26. In this manner, the deflected first and second baffles 28, 30 provide a barrier having maximum coverage across the bore 14 for preventing the passage of the drops Ld1, Ld2 to the mouthpiece 16. It will be understood, however, that the fully deflected first and second baffles 28, 30 do not block or close off the flow of the vapour V to the mouthpiece 16. On the contrary, the longitudinally-staggered arrangement of the first and second baffles 28, 30 allows for the vapour V to follow a tortuous path around and between the first and second baffles 28 to the mouthpiece 16, as has been described herein above.
Turning now to
The accumulated drops Ld1, Ld2 may run off the first and second baffles 28, 30 and downwardly along the vertical inner surface of the wall 24 of the tubular body 12 to be reabsorbed by the wick 18. Some residual e-liquid Lr may be captured between the first and second baffles 28, 30 and the vertical inner surface of the wall 24. In this event, the first and second baffles 28, 30 may be drawn closer to the vertical inner surface of the wall 24 due to the surface tension of the e-liquid Lr. In this manner, the captured e-liquid tends to bias the first and second baffles 28, 30 to the vertical inner surface of the wall 24.
Thus the movable first and second baffles 28, 30 are only deployed, such as to significantly obstruct the bore 14, while the suction force F is applied; when the suction force F is absent or during its cessation, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are in the un-deployed condition such as to minimise obstruction of the bore 14, thereby maximising the TPM (Total Particulate Matter) delivery of the device 10.
If a further dose of vapour V is desired, the user may once again apply a suction force F to the mouthpiece 16, such as to cause further vaporisation of the e-liquid and another deflection of the first and second baffles 28, 30, as has been described herein above. If residual e-liquid Lr is present between the first and second baffles 28, 30 and the vertical inner surface of the wall 24 of the tubular body 12, the suction force F will overcome the biasing surface tension force of the e-liquid Lr so as to allow the deflection of the first and second baffles 28, 30 away from the vertical inner surface of the wall 24.
While in the above-described example the vapour generating device comprises two baffles arranged to be opposite each other in the bore of the tubular body, i.e. 180 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction, in other examples the vapour generating device comprises a different number and arrangement of baffles. In some examples there are an odd number of baffles. In other examples there are an even number of baffles. In one example, three baffles are arranged in the bore, such as to be 120 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis. In another example, four baffles are arranged in the bore, such as to be 90 degrees apart from each other. All of these arrangements are within the scope of the claimed invention, provided that the baffles are staggered apart from each other around and along the longitudinal axis, and are movable to obstruct the flow channel such as to cause the vapour to follow a tortuous path while providing a barrier to the passage of non-vaporised liquid drops.
In the above-described example, each of the two baffles is arranged to be deflected so as to lie at 90 degrees to the vertical inner surface of the wall of the tubular body (and to the longitudinal axis). Furthermore each baffle is configured so that a distal or inner end of the baffle coincides with the longitudinal axis when the baffle is so deflected. In this way, the entire width of the bore is obstructed or obscured by the baffles in combination. Accordingly the longitudinally-staggered baffles effectively completely block the liquid drops from reaching the mouthpiece, while allowing the vapour to pass between the baffles to the mouthpiece.
In some examples, the deflection of the baffles is less than 90 degrees to the vertical inner surface of the wall. In these examples, the deflection may be about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, or 85 degrees. In other examples, the deflection of the baffles is more than 90 degrees to the vertical inner surface of the wall. In these examples, the deflection may be about 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 155, 160, 165, 170, or 175 degrees.
In some examples, one or both of the baffles may extend into the bore such that an inner or distal end of the baffle extends beyond the longitudinal axis. In these examples, the baffles may overlap in profile.
While in the above-described example the baffles are similar to each other in size and degree of deflection, in other examples the baffles are dissimilar in size and/or degree of deflection.
It is preferable that the longitudinally-staggered baffles together obstruct the entire width of the bore, in order to minimise the possibility that hot drops of e-liquid (which tend to follow a generally linear path that is generally parallel with the longitudinal axis) will pass the baffles to reach the mouthpiece. It will be understood that the baffles may be configured in various different ways in order to fully obstruct the width of the bore. For example, the baffles may each be configured to lie at 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis and to extend 50% of the way across the bore to the longitudinal axis, as has been described herein above. Alternatively, the deflected baffles may be inclined at an angle of less (or more) than 90 degrees and extend to or beyond the longitudinal axis when at this angle.
It will be understood that the deflected baffles will overlap one another in profile if they are both arranged to extend into the bore beyond the longitudinal axis, whereas there will be no overlap if both of the deflected baffles are arranged to coincide with the longitudinal axis, or if both of the baffles are arranged to extend less than halfway across the bore so as not to reach the longitudinal axis. The greater the overlap of the baffles, the more tortuous will be the flow path followed by the vapour between and around the baffles. That is, the greater the overlap the greater will be the lateral (or X-Y) component of the motion of the vapour particles. This more tortuous flow path may be advantageous, in that the larger and heavier liquid drops will be even less likely to become entrained in the vapour flow and escape through the baffles to the mouthpiece.
On the other hand, an arrangement of the baffles that obscures the entire width of the bore, and particularly an arrangement of overlapping baffles that causes a high degree of lateral motion of the vapour particles, might result in an undesirably large suction force being necessary to draw the vapour around the baffles to the mouthpiece. This may cause difficulty or discomfort for the user of the device. For this reason, in some examples the size and deflection angle of the baffles are selected so that there is a lateral gap between the deflected baffles. That is, the deflected baffles are laterally spaced apart such as to allow a direct line of sight along the bore between the mouthpiece 16 and the heater coil 26. The size of the lateral gap may be chosen to achieve a desired balance between the suction characteristics and the liquid blocking capability of the device.
It will be understood that the gap between the inner ends of the baffles represents a restriction in the bore through which the vapour will pass. The cross-sectional area of this restriction is defined by a flow plane which extends between the inner ends of the baffles. The flow plane may lie along the longitudinal axis or may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis, depending upon the extent to which each one of the baffles extends into the bore. For example, in the case that each of the baffles extends across the bore exactly to the longitudinal axis, the flow plane will lie along the longitudinal axis. In the case that both of the baffles extend across the bore beyond the longitudinal axis, the flow plane will lie across the longitudinal axis and will be inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis. The size and/or deflection angles of the baffles, and/or the longitudinal offset of the baffles, may be selected so as to define a flow plane having a size and shape which will provide desirable flow characteristics under the suction force. For example, the longitudinal offset may be selected so that the flow plane has a cross-sectional area which is less than, the same as, or greater than, the cross-sectional area of the bore in the transverse (or horizontal or X-Y) direction, as may be desired.
While in the above-described example the baffles each comprise a rigid panel part and a flexible hinge part, in other examples the baffles are differently configured. In one such example, each baffle comprises a generally flexible sheet which is connected to the inner surface of the wall of the tubular body. In the absence of the suction force, the baffle sheet will hang substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis, i.e. vertically. Under the suction force, the baffle sheet will be deflected such as to extend into the bore as has been described herein above. The deflected sheet may be substantially flat when deflected, or may be curved or curled.
Thus the movable first and second baffles 28, 30 are only deployed, such as to significantly obstruct the bore 14, while the suction force F is applied; when the suction force F is absent or during its cessation, the first and second baffles 28, 30 are in the un-deployed condition such as to minimise obstruction of the bore 14, thereby maximising the TPM (Total Particulate Matter) delivery of the device 10.
As has been mentioned herein above, the TPM (Total Particulate Matter) delivery may be maximised by minimising the obstruction of the width of the bore, the obstruction being least in the above-described example when the baffles are in the un-deployed condition. Thus, in another example, recesses are provided in the inner wall of the tubular body for fully accommodating the un-deployed baffles. In this way, the un-deployed baffles do not cause any obstruction of the width of the bore, thereby maximising the TPM delivery.
While in the above-described example the bore is circular in cross-section, in other examples the bore is oval, elliptical, or rectangular, e.g. square. While in the above-described example the bore has a constant cross-section, in other examples the cross-section varies along the length of the bore.
While in the above-described example the heater and the wick are located in the bore of the tubular body, in other examples the heater and the wick are located outside of the bore, for example within the wall of the tubular body or elsewhere in the device. All such arrangements are within the scope of the claimed invention, provided that the baffles are located in the bore between the heater/wick and the mouthpiece, so as to be capable of obstructing the flow path there between.
While in the above-described example the vapour generating device comprises a heater coil wound around a wick, in other examples different means of liquid delivery and/or heating/vaporisation are provided. All such arrangements are within the scope of the claimed invention, provided that the baffles are provided between the heating/vaporisation means and the mouthpiece.
While in the above-described example the e-liquid reservoir is provided in the wall of the tubular body, in other examples the reservoir is located elsewhere in the device. All such arrangements are within the scope of the claimed invention, provided that the reservoir is arranged to supply e-liquid for vaporisation by the heater.
It should be understood that the invention has been described in relation to its preferred embodiments and may be modified in many different ways without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21190118.6 | Aug 2021 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/070431 | 7/20/2022 | WO |
