EP2989912A1 - Electronic smoking device - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic smoking device 1 includes a mouthpiece 2, a heating element 4 and a body portion 5 which contains a liquid reservoir 6. The heating element 4 is adapted to vaporize liquid 7 supplied from the reservoir 6 to generate an aerosol. A flow path 8 extends from the heating element 4 to the mouthpiece 2 and receives the generated aerosol. Two or more flavour carrying units 9, 10 are permeable to vaporized liquid 7 and carry flavoured material 11, 12. The flavour carrying units are selectively and individually exposed to the flow path 8 creating a flavoured aerosol which can be inhaled by a user.

Description

• An electronic smoking device, e.g. designed as an electronic cigarette, generally has a housing containing an electric power source (usually a single use battery or a rechargeable battery), and an electrically operable atomizer. The atomizer vaporizes or atomizes liquid supplied from a reservoir (usually a capsule) and provides vaporized or atomized liquid as an aerosol. Control electronics control activation of the atomizer. In many electronic cigarettes, a puff detector is provided within the electronic smoking device which detects a user puffing on the device (e.g. by sensing an under-pressure or an air flow pattern through the device). The puff detector indicates or signals the puff to the control electronics. Alternatively a button that a user depresses may be used to switch on the electronic smoking device to generate a puff of flavour. When a puff is detected, the control electronics supplies electrical power to the atomizer, thereby creating an aerosol from liquid in the housing.
• Electronic smoking devices which provide a flavoured aerosol are increasingly popular. However, to change the flavour the user has to exchange the flavoured liquid contained within the device. This can be time-consuming and can unnecessarily interfere with the enjoyment of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• In one aspect of the present invention, an electronic smoking device has a mouthpiece, an atomizer and a body portion with a reservoir for storing liquid for atomization. The atomizer is adapted to generate an aerosol by vaporizing liquid supplied from the reservoir. A flow path arranged to receive aerosol extends from the atomizer to the mouthpiece. Preselected flavouring materials are placed in flavour carrying units. A user can select which of the preselected flavouring material is used by selectively interposing the flavouring material into the flow path.
• The electronic smoking device allows a user to easily switch the flavour or combination of flavours of the aerosol consumed without interrupting the smoking process and without a need to disassemble the electronic smoking device.
• Characteristics, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which they are obtained as described above, will become more apparent and be more clearly understood in connection with the following description of exemplary embodiments, which are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1

is a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of an electronic smoking device according to the present invention with a detached mouthpiece,

Figure 2

is a schematic top view of the electronic smoking device ofFig. 1.

Figure 3

is a schematic exploded view of a second embodiment of an electronic smoking device according to the present invention, and

Figure 4

is a schematic detailed view of an embodiment of a moveable plate as used within the electronic smoking device ofFig. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Figure 1 shows an electronic smoking device 1 having amouthpiece 2 which is attachable to afirst end 3 of the electronic smoking device 1. Themouthpiece 2 may be in the form of a cone and is attached to abody portion 5 of the electronic smoking device 1, which may have a substantially cylindrical and tubular shape. Thebody portion 5 functions as a housing and contains a heating element 4 functioning as an atomizer and areservoir 6 for storing a liquid 7.The heating element 4 is adapted to vaporize theliquid 7 supplied from thereservoir 6. The heating element 4 may be provided as a heating coil adjacent to abottom part 31 of thebody portion 5
• Thereservoir 6 may be provided as a capsule filled withliquid 7 arranged adjacent to the heating element 4 . However, thereservoir 6 also may be realized as any other kind of receptacle that can have an arbitrary form or shape and also be located in another position inside thebody portion 5. Theliquid 7 may be, for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyhydric alcohol, tetraethylene glycol, aliphatic ester of carboxylic acid, such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, dimethyl tetradecanedioate, water and the like.
• The electronic smoking device 1 has aflow path 8 adapted to receive vaporizedliquid 7, wherein theflow path 8 extends from the heating element 4 to themouthpiece 2. An opening is arranged within acap part 32 of thebody portion 5 which represents an outlet for vaporizedliquid 7 and which defines a cross section of theflow path 8. Thebody portion 5 may accommodate one or more guidingelements 33 or vanes which define or determine the course of theflow path 8 . The guiding elements may be provided as aseparation wall 33 positioned between thereservoir 6 and an outer wall of thebody portion 5. If used, thewall 33 forces the vaporizedliquid 7 to stream along apredefined flow path 8.
• Moreover, the electronic smoking device 1 may have a first and a second flavour carrying unit 9, 10 for carrying a flavouredmaterial 11, 12 . The flavour carrying units 9, 10 are permeable to the vaporizedliquid 7 generated by the heating element 4 and selectively and individually exposable to theflow path 8.
• The first and second separate flavour carrying units 9, 10 may carry different flavouredmaterials 11, 12. For example, the first flavouredmaterial 11 may be a menthol extract and the second flavouredmaterial 12 may be a vanilla extract. However, any kinds of flavouredmaterials 11, 12 can be carried by the first and second flavour carrying units 9, 10. These include for example esters, such as isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, linalyl butyrate and the like; natural essential oils as plant essential oils, such as spearmint, peppermint, cassia, jasmine and the like; animal essential oils, such as musk, amber, civet, castor and the like; simple flavouring materials, such as anethole, limonene, linalool, eugenol and the like; hydrophilic flavour components such as a leaf tobacco extract or natural plant flavouring materials such as licorice, St. John's wort, a plum extract, a peach extract and the like; acids such as a malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid and the like; sugars such as glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar and the like; and polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol and the like. Furthermore, it also possible to combine different flavoured materials just as mentioned above into new flavouredmaterials 11, 12. Moreover, it is possible to adsorb any flavour onto a solid material and to use this material as flavouredmaterial 11, 12 within an electronic smoking device 1.
• In this first embodiment of the present invention, the first and second flavour carrying units 9, 10 are arranged within thebody portion 5 of the electronic smoking device 1 between thecap part 32 of thebody portion 5 and thereservoir 6. The first and the second flavour carrying units 9, 10 may also be arranged between the heating element 4 and themouthpiece 2. With this design, the first and second flavour carrying units 9, 10 are easily exposable to theflow path 8 of the electronic smoking device 1 which extends from the heating element 4 to themouthpiece 2. Therefore, a user can easily switch the flavour of the electronic smoking device 1 without having to open the device 1. Moreover, a recharge with flavouredmaterial 11, 12 can easily be performed.
• The first and second flavour carrying units 9, 10 may optionally be arranged in a rotatable or switchable member 13, wherein each of the flavour carrying units 9, 10 is selectively rotatable or switchable into theflow path 8. This provides for storing and using mutiple different flavouredmaterials 11, 12 in a compact but easily accessible manner.
• The first and the second flavour carrying units 9, 10 may be formed as separate chambers 14 of a multiple chamber device 15 formed as a revolver drum. The chambers 14 are spaced apart from each other. The flavouredmaterials 11, 12 are then accommodated inside the separate chambers 14, wherein the chambers 14 are also permeable or substantially permeable to vaporizedliquid 7. The separate chambers 14 may be aligned with the opening provided in thecap part 32 so that they are separately exposed to theflow path 8. Therefore, a user can rotate a separate chamber 14 with a certain flavouredmaterial 11, 12 into theflow path 8 in order to enjoy the flavour of the respective flavouredmaterial 11, 12 without having to open the electronic smoking device 1.
• For changing the flavour of the vaporizedliquid 7 consumed, a user can easily rotate the multiple chamber device 15 again in order to discard the currently used chamber 14 with the currently used flavouredmaterial 11, 12 from theflow path 8 and to expose a different flavouredmaterial 11, 12 contained in another chamber 14 to theflow path 8. If a flavouredmaterial 11, 12 is exposed to theflow path 8 in a state in which theflow path 8 is substantially filled with vaporizedliquid 7, the airflow of theflow path 8 is forced through the respective chamber 14 exposed to theflow path 8 and the flavouredmaterial 11, 12 therein impregnates the passing vaporizedliquid 7 with its respective flavour. Since only theliquid 7 is in contact with the heating element 4, there is no contamination or mixing of different flavours when the flavouredmaterial 11, 12 consumed is changed.
• InFig. 2 the multiple chamber device 15 is exemplarily formed as a rotatable drum of a revolver which comprises four separate chambers 14. Four flavoured materials are interposable within the four separate chambers 14 of the multiple chamber device 15. InFig. 2, only two of the four separate chambers 14 are filled. Of course, other chamber devices 15 may have 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 or more separate chambers 14.
• A second embodiment shown inFig. 3 may be the same as the first embodiment shown inFig. 1, except that the electronic smoking device ofFig. 3 may have a substantially rod-shapedbody portion 5 containing a heating element 4 and areservoir 6. Thereservoir 6 for receivingliquid 7 is positioned on top of thebody portion 5 facing towards themouthpiece 2 of the electronic smoking device 1. However, in some embodiments thereservoir 6 could instead be inserted into the body portion 5 (functioning as a housing) and protrude upwards from thebody portion 5 thereby facing towards themouthpiece 2 of the electronic smoking device 1. The diameter of thereservoir 6 may be smaller than the diameter of thebody portion 5.
• In this second embodiment of the present invention, the first and second flavour carrying units 9, 10 are exemplarily formed as two separate divisions 16 of a first multiple division disc 17. The substantially cylindrical first disc 17 may be divided into multiple separate divisions 16 or compartments for holding aflavoured material 11, 12. In the example shown, the multiple division disc 17 is divided into four congruent separate divisions 16. The multiple division disc 17 may include 2, 3, 5, 6 or more different separate divisions 16, which also can be of different size. The separate divisions 16 are preferably arranged to adjoin to one another. In such an embodiment, a plurality of differentflavoured materials 11, 12 can compactly be stored or contained in a small device. This enables a small and compact realization of the electronic smoking device 1.
• Furthermore, the electronic smoking device 1 may include a second multiple division disc 17 which is substantially identical to the first multiple division disc 17 in terms of shape and size, except that otherflavoured materials 11, 12 are arranged within the separate divisions 16 of the second multiple division disc 17. The first and second multiple division discs 17, if used, may be attachable to one another when they are aligned along afirst axis 21 which intersects with the centre points of the first and second multiple division discs 17. Preferably, the separate divisions 16 of one disc 17 are arranged symmetrically to one another with respect to thefirst axis 21.
• The first and second multiple division discs 17 may be attachable to one another via a press-fit connection or via other connection techniques. When the first and second multiple division discs 17 are attached to each other, two separate divisions 16 of the two discs 17 positioned directly above each other are selectively exposable to theflow path 8 at the same time when chosen for consumption by the user respectively. Therefore, the flavours of the flavouredmaterials 11, 12 contained in these two separate divisions 16 mix when the electronic smoking device 1 is used. Thus, the user can enjoy a mix of different flavours. The two discs 17 may be rotatable on a common axle coincident with thefirst axis 21, with the axle fixed directly or indirectly onto the housing.
• A user can choose the specific alignment of the first and second multiple division discs 17 by attaching the first and second multiple division discs 17 with each other thereby choosing a specific mix of the selected (i.e. aligned)flavoured materials 11, 12 arranged in the separate divisions 16 of the first and second multiple division discs 17 when the electronic smoking device 1 is in operation. In this way, it is up to the user to choose, which separate division 16 of the second multiple division disc 17 is positioned directly above which separate division 16 of the first multiple division disc 17, when attaching the first multiple division disc 17 to the second multiple division disc 17. However, it also possible to use only the first or only the second multiple division disc 17 for consumption, thereby not mixing the flavours of the flavouredmaterials 11, 12 contained within the separate divisions 16 of a multiple division disc 17. Additional discs may be used in the same way, such as a third and/or a fourth or higher number multiple division disc 17.
• The electronic smoking device 1 may further include twomoveable plates 18 which are configured to selectively modify the course of theflow path 8 inside thebody portion 5, to guide theflow path 8 through a specific division 16 of a multiple division disc 17. Therefore, the multiple division discs 17 can be fixed to thebody portion 5 of the electronic smoking device 1 and do not have to be moveably attached to it, thereby simplifying construction of the electronic smoking device 1.
• A firstmoveable plate 18 is arranged on top of thereservoir 6, i.e. on an end of thereservoir 6 which faces towards themouthpiece 2, wherein a secondmoveable plate 18 being identical in terms of shape and size is arranged on a lower end portion of themouthpiece 2 which faces towards thebody portion 5. In this second embodiment of the present invention, the first and secondmoveable plates 18 have a circular shape and eachplate 18 comprises abase portion 19 and at least oneopening 20 formed in thebase portion 19, defining the cross-section of theflow path 8. With such an embodiment, a simple and small dimensioned means for an efficient guidance of theflow path 8 and the air flow therein is provided. This results in a cheap and easy to manufacture electronic smoking device 1 with different flavours. Themoveable plates 18 are each attachable to the multiple division discs 17 via a press-fit connection. However, it is also possible to realize embodiments of the present invention withmoveable plates 18 which can be attached to the multiple division discs 17 via different attachment means which are not explicitly disclosed herein. Furthermore, it is also possible to realize embodiments of the present invention with at least one fixed plate that for example can have the shape as described hereinbefore and at least one moveable multiple division disc 17.
• The first and secondmoveable plates 18 are rotatable around thefirst axis 21 and theopening 20 is spaced apart from saidfirst axis 21. In more particular, a centre portion of theopening 20 is spaced apart from saidfirst axis 21. With such an embodiment of the present invention, theflow path 8 can be altered around thefirst axis 21 of themoveable plate 18 thereby separately selecting different divisions 16 of the multiple division discs 17 which prevent a mixing of flavours from separate adjacent divisions 16 containing differentflavoured materials 11, 12. In this second embodiment, thebase portions 19 of themoveable plates 18 are exemplarily congruent to three adjacent separate divisions 16 of a multiple division disc 17 of the second embodiment of the electronic smoking device 1 respectively, wherein theopening 20 is congruent to one separate division 16 of a multiple division disc 17 of the second embodiment of the electronic smoking device 1 respectively. Thebase portions 19 functions as a barrier for an airflow thereby blocking and deflecting theflow path 8 to extend between theopenings 20. When the second embodiment of an electronic smoking device 1 is assembled, the multiple division discs 17 are enclosed by the twomoveable plates 18. When theopenings 20 of the first and the secondmoveable plates 20 are aligned along a straight line being parallel to thefirst axis 21 thereby selecting two specific separate divisions 16 of the first and the second multiple division discs 17 which are exposed to theflow path 8, theflow path 8 is guided through theopening 20 of the firstmoveable plate 18, the exposed division 16 of the first multiple division disc 17 which is aligned with theopening 20 of the firstmoveable plate 18, the exposed division 16 of the second multiple division disc 17 which is aligned with the exposed division 16 of the first multiple division disc 17 and theopening 20 of the secondmoveable plate 18 which is aligned with the exposed separate division 16 of the second multiple division disc 17. The course of theflow path 8 is shown as a dashed line inFig. 3.
• Fig. 4 shows a schematic detailed view of an embodiment of amoveable plate 18 as used in the second embodiment of an electronic smoking device 1 according to the present invention. In more detail,Fig. 4 shows the interaction of amoveable plate 18 with thereservoir 6 and the liquid 7 contained therein. Themoveable plate 18 as shown inFig. 4 is identical in terms of size and shape to the firstmoveable plate 18 of the second embodiment of the present invention as shown inFig. 3. When theliquid 7 is vaporized, it exits the firstmoveable plate 18 through theopening 20. Therefore, when the firstmoveable plate 18 is rotated around thefirst axis 21, the relative position of theopening 20 is altered which modifies the course of theflow path 8, whereby a specific separate division 16 of a multiple division disc 17 (Fig. 3) or a combination of two specific separate divisions 16 of a multiple division disc 17 aligned above one another flooded with vaporizedliquid 7 is changed. It is also possible to realize electronic smoking devices 1 according to the present invention which comprise only one or more than twomoveable plates 18.
• Although in the above embodiments electronic smoking devices have been described in which liquid is atomised by being heated by an electric heater, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments other means for generating a vapour such as the use of piezo-electric elements could be used.
• It will also be appreciated that although in some embodiments a puff detector for detecting a user puffing on a device could be provided and the puff detector could be arranged to initiate the activation of an atomizer when a user puffed on the device, in some embodiments the puff detector could be replaced by a push button and a user could be cause an atomizer to activate by pressing on the button. In other embodiments other means for activating the device could be provided.
• While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1

electronic smoking device

2

mouthpiece

3

first end

4

heating element

5

body portion

6

reservoir

7

liquid

8

flow path

9

first flavour carrying unit

10

second flavour carrying unit

11

first flavoured material

12

second flavoured material

13

rotatable or switchable member

14

separate chamber

15

multiple chamber device

16

separate division

17

multiple division disc

18

moveable plate

19

base portion

20

opening

21

first axis

31

bottom part

32

cap part

33

guiding elements

Claims (15)

1. An electronic smoking device (1), comprising:

   a mouthpiece (2),

   an atomizer (4),

   a liquid reservoir (6), wherein the atomizer (4) is adapted to vaporize liquid (7) supplied from the reservoir (6) to generate an aerosol,

   a flow path (8) extending from the atomizer (4) to the mouthpiece (2), and

   a plurality of flavour carrying units (9, 10) each operable to carry flavouring material (11, 12), wherein the flavour carrying units (9, 10) are permeable to an aerosol generated by the atomizer (4) and selectively and individually exposable to the flow path (8).
2. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 1, wherein the flavour carrying units (9, 10) are arranged in a rotatable or switchable member (13), wherein each of the flavour carrying units (9, 10) is selectively rotatable or switchable into the flow path (8).
3. The electronic smoking device of any of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of flavour carrying units (9, 10) are formed as separate chambers (14) of a multiple chamber device (15).
4. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 3, wherein the multiple chamber device (15) is formed as a drum of a revolver.
5. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 3 or 4, wherein the separate chambers (14) are spaced apart from one another.
6. The electronic smoking device (1) of any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the separate chambers (14) are evenly distributed around a rotational axis of the multiple chamber device (15).
7. The electronic smoking device (1) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising guiding means (33) extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the flow path (8).
8. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 7, wherein the guiding means (33) is formed as a partition wall, wherein the partition wall is fixed inside a body portion (5).
9. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of flavour carrying units (9, 10) are formed as separate divisions (16) of at least one multiple division disc (17).
10. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 9, wherein the separate divisions (16) are arranged to adjoin to each other.
11. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 9 or 10, wherein the separate divisions (14) are evenly distributed around a rotational axis (21) of the multiple division disc (17).
12. The electronic smoking device (1) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one moveable plate (18) which is configured to selectively modify the course of the flow path (8).
13. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 12, wherein the at least one moveable plate (18) comprises a base portion (19) and at least one opening (20) formed in the base portion (19) and defining the cross-section of the flow path (8).
14. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 13, wherein a cross section of the opening (20) is congruent to a cross section the separate divisions (16).
15. The electronic smoking device (1) of claim 13 or 14, wherein the at least one moveable plate (18) is rotatable around a first axis (21) and a centre portion of the at least one opening (20) is spaced apart from said first axis (21).

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