U.S. patent application number 13/740238 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-18 for cartridge of electric cigarette for preventing leakage.
The applicant listed for this patent is Han Ki Kim, Yong Yin Lee. Invention is credited to Han Ki Kim, Yong Yin Lee.
Application Number | 20130180533 13/740238 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47113931 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130180533 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Han Ki ; et
al. |
July 18, 2013 |
Cartridge of Electric Cigarette For Preventing Leakage
Abstract
The present invention relates to a cartridge of electric
cigarette for preventing leakage. The cartridge may comprise a
storing container 11 to store liquid therein; an extending tube 12
to have a guide tube 121 installed within the storing container 11
and extending in a hollow cylindrical shape, a lower fixing plate
122 coupled to the lower part of the guide tube 121 and secured to
the lower part of the storing container 11 and a fixing gap 123
formed at the upper part of the guide tube 121; a guide lid 16
coupled to the upper part of the extending tube 12 and introducing
evaporated component; an evaporating unit 17 fixed at the fixing
gap 123; and a mouth piece 13 communicating with the guide lid 16
and coupled to the upper part of the storing container 11.
Inventors: |
Kim; Han Ki; (Gyeonggi-do,
KR) ; Lee; Yong Yin; (Seoul, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kim; Han Ki
Lee; Yong Yin |
Gyeonggi-do
Seoul |
|
KR
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
47113931 |
Appl. No.: |
13/740238 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/273 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 47/008
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/273 |
International
Class: |
A24F 47/00 20060101
A24F047/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 13, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0004137 |
Claims
1. A cartridge for an electric cigarette, comprising: a storing
container 11 to store liquid therein; an extending tube 12 to have
a guide tube 121 installed within the storing container 11 and
extending in a hollow cylindrical shape, a lower fixing plate 122
coupled to the lower part of the guide tube 121 and secured to the
lower part of the storing container 11 and a fixing gap 123 formed
at the upper part of the guide tube 121; a guide lid 16 coupled to
the upper part of the extending tube 12 and introducing evaporated
component; an evaporating unit 17 fixed at the fixing gap 123; and
a mouth piece 13 communicating with the guide lid 16 and coupled to
the upper part of the storing container 11, wherein the guide lid
16 prevents the liquid stored in the storing container 11 from
inflowing into the upper part of the extending tube 16, the liquid
of the storing container 11 can be supplied to the evaporating unit
through the fixing gap 123, and the guide lid 16 includes a hollow
type of an sealing member 161 coupled to the upper part of the
extending tube 12 with an outlet 161a on the one side thereof, and
a protruding tube 162a coupled to the inner part of the sealing
member 161, inserted into the outlet 161a to protrude out of the
extending tube 12 for the evaporating component.
2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the evaporating unit
17 comprises a heating element 171 connected to a positive terminal
and a negative terminal of a battery and wiring between the
terminals and the battery is displaced within the extending tube
12.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cartridge of an electric
cigarette for preventing leakage, in particular a cartridge of an
electric cigarette for preventing leakage in which an evaporating
unit is displaced at the upper part of a storage container for
preventing some solution from leaking and enhancing evaporating
property.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] An electric cigarette means a device by which some solution
such as nicotine solution and aid solution for stopping smoking can
be evaporated into gas by means of heat of electric resistor to be
inhaled into human body. In general, the electric cigarette may
comprise a battery assembly, a supplying assembly, an evaporating
assembly and an inhaling assembly. The battery assembly may
comprise a battery such as a rechargeable secondary battery and can
supply power to evaporate the solution in the supplying assembly.
The supplying assembly may store nicotine solution or aid solution
for stopping smoking to provide constant amount with the
evaporating assembly on inhaling. The evaporating assembly may
evaporate the provided solution into gas with the power provided
from the battery assembly. And the inhaling assembly has the
function that the gas from the evaporating assembly may be directed
to a mouth for being inhaled. A relevant electric cigarette was
described in Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-2011-0010862.
The above invention describes a cartridge integrated into an
electric cigarette in a single body and the cartridge comprises an
essence casing to the upper part of which a cigarette body is
connected and to the lower part of which a inhaling tube part is
connected, and which contains essence solution in the form of
cylinder; a lower part cap which is secured in the lower part of
the essence casing and connects the essence casing to the cigarette
body in a removable manner; an air inlet which is displaced through
the lower and extends the inner upper part of the essence casing;
an atomizing tube body coupled to the upper part of the air inlet
in the form of cylinder, having an air inlet coupling part
connected to the air inlet in the lower direction and two safe
displacing grooves in the upper part of a main wall to the opposite
each other; a wick which is displaced on a first air passage by
being inserted into the safe displacing grooves and the end part of
at least one extends into the essence casing; a heating coil which
warps the wick for heating; a packing part which is inserted
through the upper part of the essence casing for preventing leakage
and which has a run-through hole in the center part for providing a
second air passage on the extending line of the first air passage;
and a power supplying means to provide the heating coil with the
power of the battery displaced in the cigarette body.
[0005] As another prior art of the electric cigarette, a cartridge
integrated into an atomizer for an electric cigarette is described
in Korea Patent Registration No. 1081481. The above invention
describes an cartridge comprising a solution tank which forms an
essence storing volume and has a smoking outlet hole in an open
lower part; a body which is displaced into the essence storing
volume and connected to the lower part of a smoking flow tube to
contain a smoking flow hole communicating with the smoking outlet
hole and the essence tank; and a heating element displaced in the
inner part of the body for heating the essence.
[0006] Referring to the above-mentioned inventions, there is
disadvantage that the evaporating element is displaced in a lower
part of the storing container and the wick has to extend to the
solution storing container even though the evaporating element is
displaced in the upper part of the storing container. If the
evaporating assembly is displaced in the lower part of the liquid
storing container, then a guide passage has to be formed for the
evaporated component, and if the wick is extended, then some
contaminating material occurs in the liquid storing container. And
also, if wiring for transmitting electric power to the heater is in
the liquid storing container, the total structure of the electric
cigarette may become complicate.
[0007] The present invention suggests a cartridge having different
structure from the prior art to solve disadvantage of the prior
art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A purpose of the present invention is to provide a cartridge
of an electric cigarette to prevent some liquid from leaking and to
have enhanced evaporating property.
[0009] According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a
cartridge of an electric cigarette may comprise a storing container
to store liquid therein; an extending tube to have a guide tube to
be displaced within the storing container, a lower fixing plate
coupled to the lower part of the guide tube and a fixing gap formed
at the upper part of the guide tube; a guide lid to be coupled to
the upper part of the extending tube and to guide evaporated
component; an evaporating unit to be fixed into the fixing gap; and
a mouth piece to communicate with the guide lid and coupled to the
upper part of the storing container, wherein the guide lid prevents
the liquid of the storing container from inflowing into the upper
part of the extending tube and the liquid of the storing container
is provided to the evaporating unit through the fixing gap.
[0010] According to a second embodiment of the present invention,
the guide lid may comprise a hollow type of a sealing element
coupled to the upper part of the extending tube and to have an
outlet at one end, and an protruding tube to be placed within the
sealing element and to allow for flow of evaporated component by
being inserted within the outlet and be protruded out of the
extending tube.
[0011] According to a third embodiment of the present invention,
the evaporating unit may comprise a heating element to be coupled
to a positive terminal and a negative terminal and a wiring for the
positive terminal and the negative terminal may be placed within
the extending tube.
[0012] The cartridge according to the present invention has
advantage that the leakage of the liquid can be prevented to avoid
an erroneous operation of the electric cigarette due to humidity.
And also, the cartridge according to the present invention may have
enhanced sanitation by being no wiring within the storing container
and separating the evaporating unit from the part of liquid-storing
unit. Furthermore, the cartridge according to the present invention
has advantage that the components may be formed in an integrated
shape to make production simple.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of
certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more
apparent from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1A and 1B is an exploded perspective view and a
sectional view of an evaporating configuration, respectively,
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is an evaporating configuration according to other
embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS
[0016] 11: Storing container 12: Extending tube
[0017] 13: Mouth piece 14: Fixing member
[0018] 15: Coupling body 16: Guide lid
[0019] 17: Evaporating unit 21: Guide body
[0020] 22: Coupling member
[0021] 111: Storing Body 112: Connecting part
[0022] 121: Guide tube 122: Lower fixing plate
[0023] 123: Fixing gap 124: Extending Part
[0024] 131: Inhaling member 132: Introducing tube
[0025] 133: Connecting thread part 134: Inhaling hole
[0026] 141: Coupling part 142: Threading part
[0027] 143: Gas Sealing Packing
[0028] 151: Lower Body 152: Upper connecting Body
[0029] 153: Sealing means 161a: Outlet
[0030] 161: Sealing member 162a: Protruding tube
[0031] 171: liquid transferring means
[0032] 211: Air passage 212: Insulating member
[0033] 221: Outer housing 222: Joint fixing member
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, well-known functions or constructions
are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention
in unnecessary detail. Also, the terms used herein are defined
according to the functions of the present invention. Thus, the
terms may vary depending on user's or operator's intension and
usage. That is, the terms used herein must be understood based on
the descriptions made herein.
[0035] An electric cigarette means an electric device to evaporate
liquid with electric power, and liquid may comprise any kind of
nicotine solution and aid solution for stopping smoking. And, also,
liquid may comprise any solution inhaled into the human body by
being evaporated from solution, and therefore the present invention
will not be limited to the kind of liquid.
[0036] The present invention will be described in detail below.
[0037] FIG. 1A and 1B is an exploded perspective view and a
sectional view of an evaporating configuration according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a cartridge 10 of an
electric cigarette may comprise a storing container 11 to store
liquid therein; an extending tube 12 to have a guide tube 121 to be
displaced within the storing container 11, a lower fixing plate 122
coupled to the lower part of the guide tube 121 and a fixing gap
123 formed at the upper part of the guide tube 121; a guide lid 16
to be coupled to the upper part of the extending tube 12 and to
guide evaporated component; a evaporating unit 17 to be fixed into
the fixing gap 123; and a mouth piece 13 to communicate with the
guide lid 16 and coupled to the upper part of the storing container
11, wherein the guide lid 16 prevents the liquid of the storing
container 11 from inflowing into the upper part of the extending
tube 16 and the liquid of the storing container 11 is provided to
the evaporating unit 17 through the fixing gap 123.
[0039] The cartridge 10, in general, may distinguish from a battery
assembly or a mouth piece and may comprise a storing assembly and
an evaporating assembly.
[0040] According to the present invention, the cartridge 10 may
comprise at least an evaporating unit and a liquid supplying unit.
But the cartridge 10 according to the present invention may
comprise a mouth piece in some embodiments.
[0041] The storing container 11 may have a hollow cylindrical shape
and the upper side and lower side may be opened. But the present
invention is not limited the shape of the storing container 11 and
the storing container 11 may have any shape to store some liquid
and to displace the extending tube 12.
[0042] The extending tube 12 may be installed within the storing
container 11 and arranged in a hollow type of tube extending from
the lower part to the upper part of the storing container 11. As
described in following, wiring for providing electric power with
the heat element 17 may be displaced within the extending tube 12.
The lower fixing plate 122 coupled to the lower part of the
extending tube 12 may form a bottom of the storing container 11 and
may support the extending tube 12. The lower fixing plate 122 may
be secured to the lower part of the extending tube 12 in various
ways.
[0043] A connecting body 15 may be coupled to the lower part of the
storing container 11. The connecting body 15 may seal the lower
part of the storing container together with the lower fixing plate
122 and may couple the cartridge to a battery assembly (not shown).
The connecting body 15 may be made various forms and be made in a
single shape or may comprise a plural of components. For example,
the connecting body 15 may comprise a lower body 151, and an upper
connecting body 152 which is formed above the lower body 151 for
supporting the lower fixing plate 122. And also, the connecting
body 15 may have an air passage for supplying the outer air into
the evaporating unit 17 through the extending tube 12. A sealing
means 153 may be arranged between the lower fixing plate 122 and
the connecting body 15. The sealing means 153 has the function that
the leakage of liquid below the lower fixing plate 122, and the
sealing means 153 may be a sealing ring made from silicone, rubber
or the like. The lower body 151 and the upper connecting body 152
seals the lower part of the storing container 11 and may have a
proper structure for installing the sealing means 153. Hence, the
present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned
examples.
[0044] The lower fixing plate 122 may be integrated into the upper
part of the connecting body 15. If the lower fixing plate 122 is
fixed at the upper part of the connecting body 15, a space for
inserting the sealing means 153 between the upper part of the
connecting body 15 and the lower fixed plate 122 may be formed. The
lower fixing plate 122 and the connecting body 15 may have various
structures for installing the sealing means 153, and the present
invention is not limited to the example.
[0045] The guide tube 121 may extend from the lower fixing plate
122 to the upward direction and may be in a hollow type of tube.
The outer air from the connecting body 15 may be introduced into
the guide tube 121 through a penetrating hole (not shown) formed at
the lower fixing plate 122. The outer air introduced into the guide
tube 121 may be supplied to the mouth piece 13 together with the
evaporated component generated at the evaporating unit 17. The
evaporating unit 17 and a fixing gap 123 for supplying liquid to
the evaporating unit 17 may be formed at the upper part of the
guide tube 121. As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the fixing gap 123
may be form in a slit structure extending from the upper end of the
guide tube 121 to the downward by some length. If the evaporating
unit 17 is formed as a plural of fiber strains and electric wiring
resistor, the fixing gap 123 may have a proper structure for fixing
both end parts of the plural of fiber strains. And also, the fixing
gap 123 may be a pair of gaps opposite each other, but the present
invention is not limited to the particular form.
[0046] The guide lid 16 may be coupled to the upper part of the
guide tube 121. The guide tube 15 may seal the upper part of the
guide tube 121 and introduce the outer air and the evaporated
component into the mouth piece 13. Specifically, the guide lid 16
may comprise a hollow cylindrical type of sealing member 161 which
is coupled to the upper part of the extending tube 12 and an outlet
161a is formed on one side with other side open, an protruding tube
162a which is fixed in a removable manner within the sealing member
161 and is inserted into the outlet 161a to protrude out of the
extending tube 121 for introducing the outer air and the
evaporating component, and an attached plate 162 which is coupled
to the lower part of the protruding tube 162a and secures the
sealing member 161 within the guide lid 16. The sealing member 151
may be made from flexible material such as silicone or rubber and
the attached plate 162 may be integrated into the protruding tube
162a to form a single shape. On the other hand, the attached plate
162 or the protruding tube 162a may be made from rigid material
such as metals, and hence the protruding tube 162a can be inserted
into the outlet 161a of the sealing member 161 with
flexibility.
[0047] The evaporating unit 17 may comprise a heating element 171,
for example Ni--Cr wire, for generating heat with electric power
and a liquid transferring means 172 for evaporating the liquid
supplied from the storing container with the heat generated from
the heating element 171. The liquid transferring means 172 may be
form as a plural of fiber strains and the evaporating unit 17 has a
structure that the Ni--Cr wire winds the plural of fiber strains.
If the liquid transferring means 172 is formed from the plural of
fiber strains, both end parts of the liquid transferring means 172
may extend above the outer surface of the guide tube 121 through
the fixing gap 123. In such case, the liquid stored in the storing
container 11 may be transferred to the heating member 171 via the
liquid transferring means 172 using capillary phenomenon. The
evaporating unit 17 may be constructed in various ways and hence,
the present invention is not limited to the depicted example.
[0048] The storing container 11 may comprise a storing body 111 and
a connecting part 112 which is formed in the upper part of the
storing body 111. And a fixing member 14 may be coupled to the
connecting part 112. The fixing member 14 may have a proper
configuration that one end is coupled to the connecting part 112
while the other end is coupled to the mouth piece 13. For example,
the fixing member 14 may comprise a hollow type of coupling part
141 and a threading part 142 which allows for the threaded
connection of the mouth piece 13. The storing container 11 may have
the connecting part 112 optionally, and also the fixing member 14
may be optional component according to the cartridge of the present
invention. The mouth piece 13 may be connected to the upper part of
the storing container 11 directly.
[0049] The mouth piece 13 may have any proper configuration that
the evaporated component and the outer air from the guide tube 121
and the guide rid 16 can be introduced to the out of the cartridge.
For example, the mouth piece 13 may comprise an introducing tube
132 which extends into the storing container 11 to contact the
upper of the guide lid 16, an inhaling member 131 which introduces
the evaporating component from the introducing tube 131, an
inhaling hole 134 which is formed at the end part of the inhaling
member 131 and a connecting thread part 133 which is threaded with
the threading part 142. A gas seal packing 143 may be installed
between the fixing member 14 and the mouth piece 13 for preventing
the evaporating component from leaking, if necessary.
[0050] The mouth piece 13, the gas seal packing 143 or the fixing
member 14 may has any configuration known in the art, and the
present invention is not limited to any kinds of these.
[0051] Other embodiment according to the present invention will be
described in following.
[0052] FIG. 2 is an evaporating configuration according to other
embodiment of the present invention.
[0053] In regard of the drawings, the like numerals in different
drawing indicate a component having the same or similar function,
and hence any component having the like numerals may not described
repeatedly for brevity and simplicity.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 2, the lower fixing plate 122 may extend
in the downward and be coupled an extending part 124 in which the
sealing means 153 can be inserted. The Slower fixing plate 122 may
be coupled to the extending part 124 or be integrated into the
extending part 124 to form in a single body.
[0055] A coupling member 22 may be secured at the lower part of the
storing container (referring to FIG. 1A) in order to seal the lower
part of the storing container and connect the storing container to
a battery assembly. The coupling member 22 has a similar to that of
the connecting body 15.
[0056] The coupling member 22 may comprise a hollow cylindrical
type of outer housing 221 and a joint fixing member 222 which is
displaced within the outer housing 221. The guide body 21 may be
fixed at the joint fixing member 222.
[0057] The guide body 21 may comprise an air passage 211 to
introduce the outer air, an insulating member 212 to surround the
air passage 211, and a fixing housing 213 to surround the
insulating member 212 and to secure the guide body 21 to the joint
fixing member 222. The insulating member 212 may insulate between
the guide body 21 and the extending tube 12 electrically as well
between the guide body 21 and the coupling member 22. According to
the present invention, the guide body 21, the joint fixing member
222 and the outer housing 221 may be made from conductive material.
In such case, one electrode of the heating element 171 described in
FIG. 1A may be connected to the guide tube 121, while the other
electrode may be connected to the air passage 211. And the air
passage 211 and the outer housing 221 may be connected to the
terminals of a battery each other in proper way. The above
configuration that the guide tube 121 and the outer house 221 is
used as wiring between the battery and the heating element 171 may
have advantage that some wiring within the storing container is not
required to prevent liquid from being contaminated owing to any
wiring.
[0058] The guide body 21 may be integrated into the lower fixing
plate 122 or the extending part, if necessary. In case of the
example described in FIG. 2, the upper part of the guide body 21
may be fixed at the extending part 124 and the lower part may be
fixed at the joint fixing member 222. And the lower fixing plate
122 may be coupled to the upper part of the coupling member 22.
[0059] The wiring among the guide body 21, the coupling member 22,
the heating element 171 and the battery may be formed according to
the known method, and the present invention is not limited to any
specific configuration.
[0060] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in
form and details may be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the
appended claims.
* * * * *