Abstract:
A vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette is provided which comprises an airflow channel used for airflow circulation to facilitate smoke inhalation. The electronic cigarette also comprises a smoke volume adjustment mechanism used for adjusting the size of the airflow channel. The smoke volume adjustment mechanism is provided to adjust the volume of the airflow in the airflow channel, thus satisfying requirements of a smoker for different mouthfeel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present application relates to the field of electronic products, and more particularly relates to a vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The electronic cigarette is a new electronic product which has the same appearance as a traditional cigarette. The electronic cigarette is capable of simulating the taste of the traditional cigarette with very little tobacco oil and satisfying the smoker&#39;s mouth addiction without changing the smoker&#39;s habitual action. The biggest usage of the electronic cigarette is used as a substitute in the nicotine replacement therapy to help the smoker quit smoking, and the success rate is very high. 
         [0003]    Generally, an existing electronic cigarette comprises an outer tube. An atomizer and battery cartridge, etc. are arranged in the outer tube. A channel for circulating the smoke is further defined in the outer tube. At the present, the size of a vent hole of the channel in a usual electronic cigarette is fixed, such electronic cigarette can only provide a single taste for the smoker, and cannot satisfy the smoker&#39;s requirement on different tastes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The objective of the present application is to provide a vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette to solve above problem that the size of the vent hole of the channel in the electronic cigarette is fixed, and thus to satisfy the smoker&#39;s requirement on different tastes. 
         [0005]    The technical solutions of the present application for solving the technical problem are as follows: 
         [0006]    A vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette is provided, comprising an airflow channel configured for airflow circulation to facilitate smoke inhalation; and a smoke volume adjustment mechanism configured for adjusting a size of the airflow channel. 
         [0007]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the electronic cigarette further comprises an outer tube and the airflow channel is arranged in the outer tube; the smoke volume adjustment mechanism comprises a first smoke volume adjustment element and a second smoke volume adjustment element that are coaxially arranged with the outer tube; at least one first vent hole is defined in the first smoke volume adjustment element; at least one second vent hole is defined in the second smoke volume adjustment element; both the first and second vent holes communicate with the airflow channel; and the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements are capable of rotating relative to each other to adjust an overlapped area between the first and second vent holes. 
         [0008]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements are respectively a first suction nozzle cover and a second suction nozzle cover which are arranged at one end of the outer tube. 
         [0009]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, magnetic material is contained in contacting surfaces between the first and second suction nozzle covers, so that the first and second suction nozzle covers are connected via magnetic connection. 
         [0010]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, a first through hole is defined in a center of the first suction nozzle cover, and a cylinder adapted to the first through hole is axially extended from an inner surface of the second suction nozzle cover along a direction toward the center, which enable the first and second suction nozzle covers to be rotatable to each other. 
         [0011]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the through hole and the cylinder are connected to each other via interference fit or clamp connection. 
         [0012]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the first and second vent holes are located in a peripheral region of the first and second suction nozzle covers respectively. 
         [0013]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, a plurality of first vent holes with different areas are respectively spaced in the first suction nozzle cover around an inner circumference of the first suction nozzle cover; a single second vent hole is defined in the second suction nozzle cover corresponding to locations of the first vent holes; and with the relative rotation between the first and second suction nozzle covers, the second vent hole is capable of covering any one of the first vent holes. 
         [0014]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the plurality of the first vent holes are arranged by area in descending or ascending order. 
         [0015]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, a plurality of second vent holes with different areas are respectively spaced in the second suction nozzle cover around an inner circumference of the second suction nozzle cover; a single first vent hole is defined in the first suction nozzle cover corresponding to locations of the second vent holes; and with the relative rotation between the first and second suction nozzle covers, the first vent hole is capable of covering any one of the second vent holes. 
         [0016]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the plurality of the second vent holes are arranged by area in descending or ascending order. 
         [0017]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the first and second vent holes are configured with a same shape. 
         [0018]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, a radial cross-sectional shape of the first and second vent holes is circle, elliptic, arced, star-shaped, triangular, trapezoidal, conical or rectangular. 
         [0019]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the first vent hole is a first semicircle arc hole defined in the first suction nozzle cover around a center of the first suction nozzle cover, the second vent hole is a second semicircle arc hole defined in the second suction nozzle cover around a center of the second suction nozzle cover, and the first and second semicircle arcs are configured with a same radius. 
         [0020]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, areas of the first and second vent holes are the same and locations of the first and second vent holes are corresponding to each other. 
         [0021]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the first suction nozzle cover is a metal suction nozzle cover, a plastic suction nozzle cover, a ceramic suction nozzle cover, a papery suction nozzle cover or a wood suction nozzle cover. 
         [0022]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the second suction nozzle cover is a metal suction nozzle cover, a plastic suction nozzle cover, a ceramic suction nozzle cover, a papery suction nozzle cover or a wood suction nozzle cover. 
         [0023]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the electronic cigarette further comprises an atomizer and a battery cartridge plugged with each other; the outer tube comprises an atomizer tube for the atomizer and a battery tube for the battery cartridge; and the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements are respectively arranged at positions where the atomizer tube and the battery tube are connected to each other. 
         [0024]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements are respectively a first lamp cap and a second lamp cap which are arranged at one end of the outer tube. 
         [0025]    In the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention, the electronic cigarette further comprises an outer tube and a smoke volume adjustment tube arranged on the outer tube; a first and a second vent holes corresponding to each other are respectively defined in the outer tube and the smoke volume adjustment tube; and the outer tube and the smoke volume adjustment tube constitute the smoke volume adjustment mechanism. 
         [0026]    When the smoker uses the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette of the present invention, the size of the vent hole that actually works can be changed by relatively rotating the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements, and thus the airflow rate in the airflow channel of the electronic is adjusted to satisfy the smoker&#39;s requirement on different tastes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a structural view of a vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a partial view of a vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette according to the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a smoke volume adjustment element according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is an elevation view of the smoke volume adjustment element after connected according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the smoke volume adjustment element shown in  FIG. 4  along line A-A; 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view of a first smoke volume adjustment element according to the first embodiment of the present application; 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view of a second smoke volume adjustment element according to the first embodiment of the present application; 
           [0034]      FIG. 8  is exploded view of a smoke volume adjustment element according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  is elevation view of the smoke volume adjustment element after connected according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 10  is cross-sectional view of the smoke volume adjustment element shown in  FIG. 9  along line A-A; 
           [0037]      FIG. 11  is an elevation view of a first smoke volume adjustment element according to the third embodiment of the present application; 
           [0038]      FIG. 12  is an elevation view of a second smoke volume adjustment element according to the third embodiment of the present application. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    The structure and specific realization of the vent hole-adjustable electronic cigarette of the present invention will be further illustrated in the following with reference to the embodiments and accompany drawings. 
       Embodiment 1 
       [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a vent hole adjustment electronic cigarette comprises an atomizer  4  and a battery cartridge  5  plugged with each other, an atomizer tube  40  arranged on the atomizer  4 , and a battery tube  50  arranged on the battery cartridge  5 . The atomizer tube  40  and the battery tube  50  form an outer tube  1  of the electronic cigarette. A first smoke volume adjustment element  10  and a second smoke volume adjustment element  20  are coaxially arranged with the outer tube  1 . The first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  constitute a smoke volume adjustment mechanism. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may respectively be a first suction nozzle cover  100  and a second nozzle cover  200  that are arranged at one end of the outer tube  1 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may respectively be a first lamp cap  110  and a second lamp cap  220  that are arranged at one end of the outer tube  1 . Alternatively, the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may be arranged at positions where the atomizer tube  40  and the battery tube  50  are connected to each other. 
         [0042]    Preferably, the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  are respectively the first suction nozzle cover  100  and the second nozzle cover  200  that are arranged at one end of the outer tube  1 . 
         [0043]    The first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may be connected to each other via magnetic connection. Contacting surfaces of the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may contain magnetic material to enable the magnetic connection and relative rotation between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20 . Preferably, the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  are sleeved with each other to prevent them from radial movements that lead to their relative location unaligned. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may be connected via interference fit or clamp connection. A through hole  2  may defined in the center of the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 , and a and a cylinder  3  adapted to the first through hole  2  is axially extended from an inner surface of the second smoke volume adjustment element  20  along a direction toward the center, which enable the interference fit and enable the first and second suction nozzle cover be rotatable to each other. Alternatively, a groove may be defined in the cylinder  3  of the second smoke volume adjustment element  20 , a bulge adapted to the groove may be defined on the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 , and the cylinder  3  passes through the through hole  2  to enable the clamp connection between the first and second smoke volume elements  10  and  20  via the groove; and the first and second smoke volume elements  10  and  20  are capable of rotating relative to each other. Alternatively, a groove may be defined in the cylinder  3  of the second smoke volume adjustment element  20 , a bulge adapted to the groove may be defined on the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 , and the cylinder  3  passes through the through hole  2  to enable the clamp connection between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  via the groove; and the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  are capable of rotating to each other. 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , an airflow channel  6  may be defined in the outer tube  1 . As shown in  FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 , a plurality of first vent holes  111  with different areas are respectively spaced in the first smoke volume adjustment element  10  around an inner circumference of the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 . A single second vent hole  222  is defined in the second smoke volume adjustment element  20  corresponding to locations of the first vent holes  111 . With the relative rotation between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20 , the second vent hole  222  is capable of covering any one of the first vent holes. The plurality of the first vent holes  111  are arranged by area in descending or ascending order. Understandably, the shape of the first vent hole  111  may be or may be not the same as that of the second vent hole  222  as long as the second vent hole  222  is capable of completely covering the first vent hole  111 . 
         [0046]    Preferably, the shape of the first vent hole  111  is the same as that of the second vent hole  222 . The shape of the first and second vent holes  111  and  222  may be circle, elliptic, arced, star-shaped, triangular, trapezoidal, conical or rectangular. The shape of the first and second vent holes  111  and  222  may be any other suitable shape, which is not limited to above specified shape. 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , six circle first vent holes  111  are provide. Each of the first vent holes  111  is spaced around a same inner circumference of the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 . The areas of the first vent holes  111  are in descending order of an anti-clockwise direction. As shown in  FIG. 7 , one circle second vent hole  222  is provided. The area of the second vent hole  222  is larger than any of the six first vent holes  111 . With the relative rotation between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20 , the location of each first vent hole  111  may correspond one to one with that of the second vent hole  222 , so that it will appear six kinds of vent holes with different sizes. Accordingly, the smoke volume will also be different, and thus the electronic cigarette functions to satisfy the smoke with smoke volume of six tastes. 
         [0048]    Moreover, the first and second vent hole  111  and  222  are arranged in a peripheral region of the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  respectively, away from the center. 
         [0049]    The first smoke volume adjustment element  10  may be a metal smoke volume adjustment element, a plastic smoke volume adjustment element, a ceramic smoke volume adjustment element, a papery smoke volume adjustment element or a wood smoke volume adjustment element. Similarly, the second smoke volume adjustment element  20  may also be a metal smoke volume adjustment element, a plastic smoke volume adjustment element, a ceramic smoke volume adjustment element, a papery smoke volume adjustment element or a wood smoke volume adjustment element. The first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may also the smoke volume adjustment elements of other material, which are not limited to the smoke volume adjustment elements made of above specifically listed materials. Understandably, the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  may be or may be not made of the same material. 
       Embodiment 2 
       [0050]    The differences between embodiments 1 and 2 are, the origin that a plurality of first vent holes  111  are defined in the first smoke volume adjustment element  10  has been changed as a plurality of second vent hole  222  with different areas are respectively spaced around an inner circumference of the second smoke volume adjustment element  20 , and the origin that one second vent hole  222  is defined in the second smoke volume adjustment element  20  has been changed as one first second hole  111  is defined in the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 . Both the first and second vent holes  111  and  222  are communicated with the airflow channel  6 . With the relative rotation between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20 , the first vent hole  111  is capable of fully covering any one of the second vent hole  222 . The plurality of the second vent holes  222  are arranged by area in descending or ascending order. With the relative rotation between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20 , the location of the first vent hole  111  may correspond one to one with that of the second vent hole  222 , so that it will appear several kinds of vent holes with different sizes. Accordingly, the smoke volume will also be different, and thus the electronic cigarette functions to satisfy the smoker&#39;s requirement on smoke volume with different tastes. 
       Embodiment 3 
       [0051]    The differences between embodiments 3 and 1 are, as shown in  FIGS. 8-12 , a first vent hole  111  with a semicircle arc shape is defined in the first smoke volume adjustment element  10  around the center of the first smoke volume adjustment element  10 , and a second vent hole  222  with the semicircle arc shape is defined in the second smoke volume adjustment element  20  around the center of the second smoke volume adjustment element  20 . The first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  are both communicated with the airflow channel  6 . Further, the area sizes of the first and second vent holes  111  and  222  are the same, and there locations correspond one to one with each other. With the relative rotation between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20 , the overlapped area between the first and second smoke volume adjustment elements  10  and  20  will be gradually changed. Thus, the actual size of the vent hole will be gradually changed, which maybe gradually increased or decreased. Accordingly, the smoke volume will be gradually changed to satisfy the smoker&#39;s requirement on smoke volume with different tastes. In addition, with such structure, it facilitates smoke volume adjustment and beautifies the appearance of the electronic cigarette. 
         [0052]    Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first vent hole  111  defined in the first lamp cap  110  and the second vent hole  222  defined in the second lamp cap  220  may also defined in the side wall of the interference fit or clamp connection between the first and second lamp caps  110  and  220 . Understandably, in another embodiment, a smoke volume adjustment tube (not shown) is defined on the outer tube  1 . The first and second vent holes  111  and  222  with locations corresponding to each other are respectively defined in the outer tube  1  and the smoke volume adjustment tube. The outer tube  1  and the smoke volume adjustment tube constitute the smoke volume adjustment mechanism. 
         [0053]    The above embodiments are illustrative, but not limited. The intension of the present invention is not completely contained in above embodiments. For one of ordinary skill in the art, changes and replacement may be made according to above illustration, which all fall into the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.