Abstract:
An electronic cigarette includes: a housing; a mouthpiece located at one end of the housing, the mouthpiece defining an air outlet; a liquid reservoir received in the housing, the liquid reservoir defining a chamber for storing liquid and a channel communicated with the air outlet; a stopper located at an end of the liquid reservoir adjacent to the mouthpiece sealing the chamber; an atomizing assembly received in the housing and connected to the liquid reservoir, the atomizing assembly including a heating element configured to absorb the liquid and atomize the liquid into atomized gas; and a power source connected to the atomizing assembly, the power source being configured to provide power for the heating element. When refueling the liquid, a syringe needle can penetrate the stopper and inject the liquid into the cavity. Such injection procedure can be more conveniently performed without dissembling the liquid reservoir.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to electronic atomizers, and more particularly relates to an electronic cigarette. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Electronic cigarette, also known as virtual cigarette, electronic atomizers, is a substitute of the cigarette for smoking cessation. The electronic cigarette has a similar appearance and taste as the cigarette, while it generally contains no harmful ingredients of the cigarettes, such as tar, suspended particles, and so on. 
         [0003]    A conventional electronic cigarette is usually composed of an atomizer and a battery to provide power to the atomizer. The atomizer usually includes a housing, a mouthpiece located on the top of the housing, an atomizing component received in the housing, and a liquid container for storing liquid. However, in the conventional electronic cigarette, when the liquid runs out, the liquid container can only be filled after disassembling the mouthpiece and replacing the atomizing component, which results in a higher cost. And the process of assembling a new atomizing component is very complicated. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an electronic cigarette which is convenient to supple liquid. 
         [0005]    An electronic cigarette includes: 
         [0006]    a housing; 
         [0007]    a mouthpiece located at one end of the housing, the mouthpiece defining an air outlet thereof; 
         [0008]    a liquid reservoir received in the housing, the liquid reservoir defining a chamber for storing liquid and a channel communicated with the air outlet; 
         [0009]    a stopper located at an end of the liquid reservoir adjacent to the mouthpiece sealing the chamber; 
         [0010]    an atomizing assembly received in the housing and connected to the liquid reservoir, the atomizing assembly comprising a heating element configured to absorb the liquid and atomize the liquid into atomized gas; and 
         [0011]    a power source received in the housing and connected to the atomizing assembly, the power source being configured to provide power for the heating element. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, the liquid reservoir comprises a first tube and a second tube connected to the first tube, the chamber comprises a first cavity located in the first tube and a second cavity located in the second tube, an outer surface of the first tube and an inner surface of the housing form an air passage therebetween, the first tube is provided with a first plate at a bottom thereof, the first plate and an inner surface of the first tube form a first liquid passage therebetween, the second tube is provided with a second plate on a top thereof, the second tube is further provided with an air pipe connected to the second plate, the first plate and the second plate are spaced apart and arranged opposite to each other, the second plate and an inner surface of the second tube forms a second liquid passage therebetween, the liquid enters the second tube from the first tube via the first liquid passage and the second liquid passage, the channel comprises a first exhaust channel located in the air pipe and a second exhaust channel located between the first plate and the second plate, the first exhaust channel and the second exhaust channel are communicated with the air passage. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the housing has a cylindrical shape, the second tube has a cylindrical shape matching the housing, the first tube has a cross-section shaped as a slotted hole, the number of the air passage is two, and two air passages are located at both sides of the first tube. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, the first plate has a rectangular shape, the number of the first liquid passage is two, and two first liquid passages are located at both sides of the first plate. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the second plate is shaped as a slotted hole, the number of the second liquid passage is two, and two second liquid passages are located at both sides of the second plate. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment, two straight sides of the second plate are respectively connected to two long sides of the first plate by two third plates; the second exhaust channel is formed by surrounding the first plate, the second plate, and the two third plates cooperatively. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, the atomizing assembly includes: 
         [0018]    a fixing holder defining a through hole in a middle portion thereof, the fixing holder further defining two grooves on a side thereof, the two grooves being located at both sides of the through hole and communicated with the through hole; 
         [0019]    the heating element comprising a liquid absorption element and a heating wire wound on the liquid absorption element, both ends of the liquid absorption element being received in the corresponding two grooves, and the heating wire being located in the through hole; and 
         [0020]    a guiding element received in the second tube, the guiding element comprising a main body and a guiding tube located at one side of the main body connected to the air pipe, wherein the guiding element defines a smoke guiding hole through the guiding tube and the main body, the main body resists the fixing holder, such that the heating element is positioned between the fixing holder and the guiding element, the heating element is aligned with the smoke guiding hole, the main body defines a notch, the liquid flows into the liquid absorption element from the second cavity via the notch. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the guiding tube is made of elastic materials, a diameter of the guiding tube gradually decreases in a direction away from the main body, the guiding tube is inserted into the air pipe and is in close contact with an inner surface of the air pipe. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the fixing holder comprises a base and a boss located at one side of the base, the two grooves are defined on the boss, the boss is threadedly fixed to the second tube, the base is threadedly fixed to the housing. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the power source comprises a battery and a sensor located at an end of the battery, positive and negative electrodes of the battery are connected to both ends of the heating wire, the sensor is configured to turn the battery on or off. 
         [0024]    When refueling the liquid, a needle of a syringe containing liquid can penetrate the stopper and enter the inside of the liquid reservoir, and the liquid can then be injected by the syringe into the cavity. Such injection procedure can be performed without dissembling the liquid reservoir, thus it is more convenient. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views. 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a disassembled perspective view of an embodiment of an electronic cigarette; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electronic cigarette of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the fixing holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the guiding element of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic cigarette of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic cigarette of  FIG. 1  viewed from another aspect. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0034]    Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe, in detail, embodiments of the present electronic cigarette. 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. 
         [0035]    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,”“above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of an electronic cigarette  100  includes a housing  10 , a mouthpiece  20 , a liquid reservoir  30 , a stopper  40 , an atomizing assembly  50 , a power source  60 , and a cover  70 . 
         [0037]    The housing  10  is substantially a hollow elongated cylinder. The liquid reservoir  30 , the stopper  40 , the atomizing assembly  50 , and the power source  60  are received in the housing  10 , and the mouthpiece  20  and the cover  70  are located at both ends of the housing  10 . 
         [0038]    The mouthpiece  20  is provided with an outer thread and is threadedly fixed to an end of the housing. The mouthpiece  20  defines an air outlet  22  in a middle portion thereof. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the liquid reservoir  30  is a substantially transparent elongated tube and internally defines a chamber  31  for storing liquid and a channel  33  for exhausting smoke. The liquid reservoir  30  includes a first tube  32  located on the top and a second tube  34  on the bottom. The first and second tubes  32 ,  34  are integrally formed. The cross-section of the first tube  32  has a shape of a slotted hole, which consists of two parallel lines straight lines and two arcs connected to both ends of the two straight lines, respectively. When the first tube  32  is received in the housing  10 , two air passages  322  (see  FIG. 7 ) are formed between two parallel sidewall of the first tube  32  and the two curved inner sidewalls of the housing  10 . It should be understood that, in alternative embodiment, the cross-section of the first tube  32  may have other shape, such as triangle and the like. The number of the air passages  322  can be one, three, or more. The first tube  32  internally defines a first cavity  324  for storing liquid. The first tube  32  is provided with a first plate  326  located at the bottom of the first cavity  324 . The first plate  326  is arranged perpendicular to an axis of the first tube  32 . The first plate  326  is shaped as a substantially rectangle, and two short sides of the rectangle first plate  326  are connected to the two parallel sidewall of the first tube  32 . Accordingly, two first liquid passages  328  are formed between two long sides of the rectangle first plate  326  and the two curved inner sidewalls of the first tube  32 . The first liquid passage  328  has a substantially arched cross-section. It is to be understood that, in alternative embodiment, the number of the first liquid passage  328  can be one, three, or more. 
         [0040]    The second tube  34  is substantially a hollow cylinder matching the housing  10 , such that when the second tube  34  is received in the housing  10 , an outer surface of the second tube  34  can be in close contact with the inner wall of the housing  10 . The second tube  34  internally defines a second cavity  344  for storing liquid. The chamber  31  consists of the second cavity  344  and the first cavity  324 . The second tube  34  is provided with a second plate  346  located on top of the second cavity  344 . The second plate  346  is spaced and parallel to the first plate  326 . The second plate  346  is shaped as slotted hole, and two arc-shaped sides of the second plate  346  are connected to the arc-shaped inner sidewall of the second tube  34 , and two second liquid passages  348  are formed between two straight sides of the second plate  346  and the arc-shaped inner sidewall of the second tube  34 . It should be understood that, in alternative embodiment, the number of the second liquid passage  348  can be one, three or more. The liquid flows from the first cavity  324  to the second cavity  344  via the first liquid passage  324  and the second liquid passage  348 . The two straight sides of the second plate  346  are respectively connected to two long sides of the first plate  326  by two third plates  336 . The first plate  326 , the second plate  346 , and the two third plates  336  surround and cooperatively form a second exhaust channel  334 . The second exhaust channel  334  has two openings at both ends and is communicated with the two air passages  322  (see FIG.  7 ). 
         [0041]    The second tube  34  further includes an air pipe  349  located beneath the second plate  346 . The air pipe  349  is substantially a hollow cylinder and defines internally a first exhaust channel  332  which extends through the second plate  346 . The first exhaust channel  332  is communicated with the second exhaust channel  334  and cooperatively forms the channel  33  with the second exhaust channel  334 . 
         [0042]    The stopper  40  is located at the top of the first tube  32  of the liquid reservoir  30 . The first cavity  324  is sealed by the stopper  40 . The stopper  40  is made of a material with a certain elasticity and density, such as silicone, rubber or other organic polymer materials. The stopper  40  can be easily penetrated by a needle or the like, and after the needle is withdrawn from the stopper  40 , the liquid will not leak from the pinhole due to its elasticity. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 1  again, the atomizing assembly includes a fixing holder  52 , a heating element  54 , and a guiding element  56 . The heating element  54  is mounted on the fixing holder  52 . The guiding element  56 , on the one hand, can guide the liquid to flow into the heating element  54 , on the other hand, can guide to exhaust the smoke generated by the heat of the heating element  54 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the fixing holder  52  includes a base  522  and a boss  524  located on the base  522 . The base  522  is substantially disc-shaped, and the boss  524  is shaped substantially as ring. The fixing holder  52  defines a through hole  526  for exhausting the smoke in a middle portion thereof through the base  522  and the boss  524 . The base  522  is provided with an external thread, by which the base  522  is threadedly fixed in the housing  10 . The boss  524  defines two grooves  528  on the top thereof, the two grooves  528  are located at both sides of the through hole  526 , each groove  528  is communicated with the through hole  526 . The boss  524  is provided with an external thread, by which the boss  524  is threadedly fixed in the second tube  34  of the liquid reservoir  30 . The fixing holder  52  is made of insulating materials, such as silicone, resin or ceramic and the like with heat resistance abilities. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 1  again, the heating element  54  includes a liquid absorption element  542  and a heating wire  544  wound on the liquid absorption element  542 . The liquid absorption element  542  can be made of glass fiber or natural fiber with good liquid absorption abilities. Both ends of the liquid absorption element  542  are received in the two grooves  528 , respectively, and the heating wire  544  is located in the through hole  526 . The winding laps of the heating wire  544  may be three to eight, and the heating wire  544  may be nichrome wire. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the guiding element  56  includes a main body  562  and a guiding tube  564  located at a side of the main body  562 . The guiding element  56  defines a smoke guiding hole  566  through the guiding tube  564  and the main body  562 . The main body  562  has a disc-like shape. The bottom of the main body  562  resists the boss  524  of the fixing holder  52 , such that the heating element  54  is firmly clamped between the fixing holder  52  and the guiding element  56 . The main body  562  is threadedly fixed in the second tube  34 . The main body  562  defines two opposing notches  568  at the edge thereof. Each notch  568  is aligned with one end of the liquid absorption element  542 . Accordingly, the liquid can flow from the second cavity  344  to the liquid absorption element  542  via the notches  568 . The guiding tube  564  is substantially tapered with a diameter gradually decreasing along a direction away from the main body  562 , and the maximum diameter of the guiding tube  564  is greater than or equals to an inner diameter of the air pipe  349 . The guiding tube  564  is made of elastic materials, such as silicon and the like. The guiding tube  564  can be inserted into the air pipe  349 , such that the smoke in the guiding tube  564  can be guided into the air pipe  349 . Since the guiding tube  564  is flexible, when it is inserted into the air pipe  349 , the guiding tube  564  can be in close contact with the inner wall of the air pipe  349 , thus preventing leak of smoke. 
         [0047]    The power source  60  includes a batter  62  and a sensor  64 . The battery  62  can be a lithium battery. The battery  62  is received in the housing  10 , and positive and negative electrodes of the battery  62  are connected to both ends of the heating wire  544  via wires. The sensor  64  is located at one end of the battery  62  functioning as a switch, which can be used to turn on or turn off the battery  62 . 
         [0048]    The cover  70  is located at the end of the housing  10 . An LED (not shown) can be provided inside the cover  70  to simulate the light of fire. The cover  70  defines an air inlet  72  in a middle portion thereof allowing the air to enter the electronic cigarette  100 . It should be noted that, the cover  70  may be omitted. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , in assembly, the stopper  40  is mounted on top of the liquid reservoir  30 , the guiding element  56  is then threadedly engaged in the liquid reservoir  30 , and the guiding tube  564  is inserted in the air pipe  349 . Next, the heating wire  544  is wound on the surface of the liquid absorption element  542 , which is then mounted in the grooves  528  of the fixing holder  52 . The fixing holder  52  is threadedly fixed to the bottom of the liquid reservoir  30 , and the bottom of the liquid reservoir  30  resists the base  522 . After that, the components described above are received in the housing  10  with the power source  60 . After the mouthpiece  20  and the cover  70  are finally mounted to both ends of the housing, the assembly of the electronic cigarette  100  is completed. 
         [0050]    When refueling the liquid, a needle of a syringe (not shown) containing liquid can penetrate the stopper  40  from the air outlet  22  of the mouthpiece  20  and enter the first cavity  324  of the liquid reservoir  30 . The liquid can then be injected by the syringe into the first cavity  324 . The liquid can flow from the first cavity  324  to the second cavity  344  via the first liquid passage  328  and the second liquid passage  348 , then flow into the liquid absorption element  542  via the notch  568  until the liquid absorption element  542  is saturated. After the injection, the needle of the syringe is pulled out from the stopper  40 , and the liquid will not leak from the pinhole due to the elasticity of the stopper  40 . Such injection procedure can be performed without dissembling the liquid reservoir, thus it is more convenient. 
         [0051]    In use, when the user inhales at the end of the electronic cigarette  100  having the air outlet  22 , the air enters the electronic cigarette  100  from the air inlet  72 . The liquid is vaporized into smoke by the heat of the heating element  544 . The smoke is finally inhaled into the user&#39;s mouth through the through hole  526 , channel  33 , air passages  322 , and the air outlet  22 . 
         [0052]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments thereof and the best modes for carrying out the present invention, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.