Electronic cigarette and atomizing assembly and atomizing element thereof

An atomizing element for an electronic cigarette is provided, which includes: a porous body comprising an atomizing surface and a liquid absorbing surface; and a porous heating film formed on the atomizing surface. An electronic cigarette and an atomizing assembly including the same are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201510690956.3, filed Oct. 22, 2015, and Chinese Patent Application No. 201510854348.1, filed Nov. 27, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an electronic cigarette and an atomizing assembly and an atomizing element thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic cigarettes, also known as virtual cigarettes or electronic atomizers, are a cigarette substitute of for smoking cessation. The electronic cigarette has a similar appearance and taste as the cigarette, but it generally does not contain harmful ingredients of the cigarettes, such as tar, suspended particles, and so on.

The electronic; cigarette is mainly composed of an atomizer and a power assembly. The atomizer is the core device of the electronic cigarette to generate atomizing gas; the quality and taste of the smoke are depended on the atomization effect. A conventional heating element of the atomizer is a spiral resistance wire wrapped around a wicking material. When activated, the resistance wire quickly heats up thus turning the liquid absorbed by the wicking material into a vapor, which is then inhaled by the user.

However, during use of this conventional electronic cigarette, only the liquid located close to a heating wire can be heated and atomized, while the atomization effect of the liquid located away from the heating wire or in the gap between the spiral heating wire is poor. Additionally, as the distance of the heating wire increases, the temperature will drop greatly, which results in uneven atomizing particles and deteriorates the atomizing effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to an electronic cigarette and an atomizing assembly and an atomizing element thereof having a better atomizing performance.

An atomizing element for an electronic cigarette includes: a porous body comprising an atomizing surface and a liquid absorbing surface; and a porous heating film formed on the atomizing surface.

An atomizing assembly for an electronic cigarette includes: a housing defining an airflow channel therein and comprising a reservoir for storing liquid; an atomizing core connected to the housing, wherein the atomizing core includes the foregoing atomizing element; wherein the airflow channel is in fluid communication with the atomizing surface, and the reservoir is in fluid communication with the liquid absorbing surface.

An electronic cigarette includes a power supply assembly and the foregoing atomizing assembly, wherein the power supply assembly is electrically coupled to the atomizing element of the atomizing assembly.

The porous body of the aforementioned atomizing element can block the liquid while ensuring the liquid guiding effect. The plurality of micropores on the porous heating film can increase a contact area for the liquid, thus enhancing an atomizing effect. Since the porous heating film is located on the atomizing surface of the porous body, the atomized liquid can be exhausted from the porous body. The porous heating film can further enable the porous body to be heated uniformly, therefore the temperature of the porous body evenly increases at all part, and the problem of generating large atomized particles due to low temperature at local portion can be avoided, thus the taste of the electronic cigarette can be improved due to the uniform atomized particles.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features will become more apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe, in detail, embodiments of the present electronic cigarette and an atomizing assembly and an atomizing element thereof. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3, an electronic cigarette1according to an embodiment includes an atomizing assembly10, and a power supply assembly20connected to the atomizing assembly10. In one embodiment, the power supply assembly20is removably connected to the atomizing assembly10. The atomizing assembly10includes a housing100and an atomizing core200connected to the housing100. The housing100defines an airflow channel120and has a reservoir140surrounding the airflow channel120for storing liquid.

Referring also toFIG. 4andFIG. 5, the atomizing core200includes an atomizing element240configured to atomize the liquid. Referring toFIG. 6, the atomizing element240includes a porous body242and a porous heating film244, both of which are provided with a plurality of micropores thereon. The porous body242includes a liquid absorbing surface242aand an atomizing surface242b. The porous heating film244is formed on the atomizing surface242b. The airflow channel is in fluid communication with the atomizing surface242b, and the reservoir140is in fluid communication with the liquid absorbing surface242a.

Specifically, in one embodiment, the atomizing core200further includes a core body220, which defines an atomizing chamber222therein. The core body220further defines an inlet224and an outlet226thereon, which are in fluid communication with the atomizing chamber222. The outlet226is in fluid communication with the airflow channel120. The atomizing element240is received inside the atomizing chamber222. The core body220further defines a liquid absorbing hole228in fluid communication with the atomizing chamber222and the reservoir140, and the liquid from the reservoir140can reach the liquid absorbing surface242aof the porous body242through the liquid absorbing hole228.

The working principle of the atomizing unit10of the present embodiment can be described as follows: firstly, the liquid enters the porous body242through the liquid absorbing hole228, the porous heating film244then atomizes the liquid in the porous body242into smoke, the generated smoke flows along with the airflow and passes through the outlet226and the airflow channel120, and is finally inhaled by the user.

In one embodiment, the plurality of micropores on the porous body242has a diameter of about 1 μm to about 100 μm. In another embodiment, a sum volume of the micropores on the porous body242having a diameter of about 5 μm to about 30 μm is more than 60% of a sum volume of total micropores on the porous body242. The porous body242can perform a “blocking” effect for it can make sure the liquid cannot flow to the porous heating film244too quickly, meanwhile, it can guide guild the liquid to be infiltrated slowly onto the contact surface with the porous heating film244. The diameter range of the micropores can enable the porous body242to have a better blocking effect which can prevent leakage of the liquid and a better guiding effect to prevent boil away of the liquid.

In one embodiment, the porous body242has a porosity of about 30% to about 83%. The porosity is a measure of the void (i.e., “empty”) spaces in a material, and is a fraction of the volume of voids over the total volume. The porosity of the porous body242can be adjusted in accordance with the composition of the liquid; for the electronic cigarette1, for example, the porosity can be a little higher as long as the liquid has a larger viscosity, thus ensuring a better liquid guiding effect.

In addition, in one embodiment, the porous heating film244can be made of metal, such as one of titanium, nickel, or nickel-chromium. The porous heating film244has a thickness of about 0.5 μm to about 1.5 μm, preferably from about 0.8 μm to about 1 μm. The plurality of micropores formed on the porous heating film244has a diameter of about 5 μm to about 30 μm. The plurality of micropores on the porous heating film244can increase a contact area for the liquid, thus enhancing an atomizing effect. Since the porous heating film244is located on the surface of the porous body242, the atomized liquid can easily flow out of the porous body242. The porous heating film244can ensure a uniform heating to the surface of the porous body242, such that the temperature of the porous body242evenly increases at all part, and the problem of generating large atomized particles due to low temperature at local portion can be avoided, thus the taste of the electronic cigarette1can be improved due to the uniform atomized particles.

The porous heating film244can be formed on the porous body242by vapor deposition, such that the porous heating film244can have a certain thickness while maintaining porous. The diameter of the plurality of micropores on the porous body242is greater than a thickness of the porous heating film244, such that the porous heating film244will not block the micropores during vapor deposition of the porous heating film244. Specifically, the vapor deposition can include chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition method, such as evaporation, or sputtering.

In the illustrated embodiment, the porous body242can be made of porous ceramic. The porous ceramic is chemically stable and does not react chemically with the liquid. In addition, the porous ceramic is heat-resisting and can hardly be affected by the heat of the porous heating film244. Furthermore, the porous ceramic is an insulator, which will not be electrically connected to the porous heating film244, and it is easy to manufacture and has a lower cost. In an alternative embodiment, the porous body242can be made of other porous medium containing pores, such as porous glass, porous plastic, or porous metal. When the porous body242is made of porous plastic with a low temperature resistance, a heat insulating material layer can be formed on the porous body242before depositing the porous heating film244. When the porous body242is made of conductive porous metal, an insulation material layer can be formed on the porous body242before depositing the porous heating film244, for example, an oxidation treatment or the like can be performed on the surface of the porous heating film244.

Referring toFIG. 4andFIG. 5, in one embodiment; the atomizing core200further includes a first sealing element260, which is received in the atomizing chamber222. Therefore a gap between an inner sidewall of the core body220and the porous body242can be sealed by the first sealing element260, and the porous heating film244is isolated from the liquid absorbing hole228. In one embodiment, the core body220includes a supporting portion232. The inlet224and the liquid absorbing hole228are located on the bottom side of the supporting portion232. The porous body242defines a vent2422in fluid communication with the inlet224. The first sealing element260seals the gap between the porous body242and the sidewall of the supporting portion232.

In one embodiment, the core body220further includes a connecting portion234made of conducting material connected to the supporting portion232. The inlet224is located on the connecting portion234. The atomizing core200further includes an outlet pipe280and an insulating sleeve320. The outlet pipe280is made of conducting material and is located at the outlet226. The insulating sleeve320is positioned between the outlet pipe280and the second tubular structure180, thus insulating the outlet pipe280from the second tubular structure180. The connecting portion234is configured to be electrically coupled to a negative of the atomizing element240and the power supply assembly20, the outlet pipe280is configured to be coupled to a positive of the atomizing element240and the power supply assembly20. The insulating sleeve can be generally made of an elastic silicone material which has a sealing effect.

Referring toFIG. 6again, in one embodiment, the atomizing element240further includes two electrodes246and two wires248. The two electrodes246are electrically coupled to the porous heating film244. In addition, in one embodiment, the two electrodes246are opposite configured and located adjacent to the edge of the porous heating film244. The wires248are electrically coupled to the electrodes246by brazing technology, and at least partial wire248extends inside the porous body242, thus ensuring a secured connection. One wire248coupled to one electrode246is located between the outlet pipe280and the insulating sleeve320, while the other wire248coupled to another electrode246can be located between the insulating sleeve320and the connecting, portion234. The wires248are pressed by the elastic insulating sleeve320, thus ensuring a secured connection.

Referring toFIG. 4,FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the atomizing core200further includes a liquid stopper340, which is located between the atomizing element240and the inlet224. When the liquid is absorbed by the porous body242, the liquid may leak out from the atomizing element in case of vibration, then the liquid stopper340can prevent the liquid from flowing out through the inlet224. During normal use of the electronic cigarette1, the airflow can pass through the liquid stopper340, and the liquid dropped on the liquid stopper340can be brought to the porous heating film244by the airflow for atomizing, thus further preventing leakage. The liquid stopper340defines a plurality of though holes342thereon having a diameter of about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm, which can prevent the liquid from flowing out effectively due to the surface tension. The liquid stopper340can be made of plastic, silicon and the like. In one embodiment, the liquid stopper340further defines a wiring hole344thereon allowing the wires248to pass through. The wiring hole344can be used to restrain the location of the wires248, so as to avoid a short circuit.

Referring toFIG. 3, in one embodiment, the housing100includes a first tubular structure160and a second tubular structure180. The first tubular structure160has a greater diameter than that of the second tubular structure180, thus the second tubular structure180can be located inside the first tubular structure160. The airflow channel120is formed inside the second tubular structure180, and the reservoir140is formed between the first tubular structure160and the second tubular structure180. Referring toFIG. 4andFIG. 5, in one embodiment, the atomizing core200further includes an inlet pipe360and a second sealing element380. The inlet pipe360is located at the inlet224. The second sealing element380is sleeved on the inlet pipe360, and partial inlet pipe360extends beyond the second sealing element380.

In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 to 6, the opposite surfaces of the porous body242serve as the liquid absorbing surface242aand the atomizing surface242b, however, the configuration of the liquid absorbing surface242aand the atomizing surface242bmay not be limited to this, for instance, the liquid absorbing surface242acan be positioned on the sidewall of the porous body242, and the atomizing surface242bcan be positioned on the inner sidewall of the vent2422of the porous body242, as long as the atomizing surface242bis in contact with the airflow passing through the electronic cigarette1. The number of the liquid absorbing surface242aand the atomizing surface242bcan both be plural.

Referring toFIG. 7, in one embodiment, the porous body242has a tubular shape, the liquid absorbing surface242ais an outer surface of the porous body242; the atomizing surface242bis an inner surface of the porous body242. The reservoir140can surround the porous body242, the airflow channel120is in fluid communication with an cavity245of the porous body242. In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIG. 7, the porous heating film244covers the whole atomizing surface242b. In alternative embodiment, referring toFIG. 8, the porous heating film244may cover partial atomizing surface242b.

Referring toFIG. 9, in one embodiment, the porous body242has a tubular shape and includes a first porous body2422and a second porous body2424, which are connected together. The porous body2422is sleeved on the second porous body2424. The liquid absorbing surface242ais located on the first porous body2422, and the atomizing surface242bis located on the second porous body2424. At least one of materials, diameter of micropores, and porosities of the first porous body2422and the second porous body2424are different. For example, in one embodiment, the first porous body2422can be made of metal, the second porous body2424can be a porous insulating layer formed by the oxidation treatment, such that the first porous body2422is insulated from the porous heating film244. In an alternative embodiment, the diameters of the micropores on the first porous body2422is greater than the diameters of the micropores on the second porous body2424, such that the first porous body2422has a better liquid storage capacity, while the second porous body2424has a better liquid guiding performance, further ensuring a better blocking effect and guiding effect of the porous body242.

Referring toFIG. 10, in one embodiment, the porous body242can have a columnar shape, such as cylindrical or prismatic. Both ends of the porous body242extends inside the reservoir140, such that the middle portion of the porous body242is located inside the atomizing chamber222. In this case, the liquid absorbing surface242ais a part of sidewall of the porous body242close to both ends thereof; and the atomizing surface242bis the rest of sidewall of the porous body in the middle thereof. Referring also toFIG. 11, in one embodiment, the porous body242defines a liquid communication hole2426extending axially. In this case, an inner surface of the liquid communication hole2426also functions as the liquid absorbing surface242a, thus the area of the liquid absorbing surface242ais increased, and the liquid guiding ability is improved.