Patent Publication Number: US-10786012-B2

Title: Electronic cigarette, atomizer and airflow regulator thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a technical field of electronic cigarettes, particularly to an electronic cigarette, an atomizer and its airflow regulator. 
     2. The Related Arts 
     Existing atomizers are mostly designed to adjust an amount of airflows via an airflow adjusting ring, or designed to set a fixed amount of airflows. 
     For an atomizer using the airflow adjusting ring to adjust the amount of airflows, it is required to manually adjust the airflow adjusting ring. Such manual adjustment process is complicated, and is difficult for a particular user to accurately adjust the amount of airflows suitable for the particular user himself. As a result, feelings of larger sucking resistance or nothing to be smoked become common smoking experience for the particular user. In addition, parts for the airflow adjusting ring require higher cost and complicated structures to be made. 
     For an atomizer having a fixed amount of airflows, feelings of larger sucking resistance or nothing to be smoked are common for its users. User experience is therefore poorer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An electronic cigarette, an atomizer and an airflow regulator thereof in accordance with the present invention is therefore provided in order to solve technical problem of poor smoking experience caused by existing technology by using airflow adjusting rings to adjust an amount of airflows or by setting to have a fixed amount of airflows. 
     To solve the above mentioned technical problem, a technical solution in according with the present invention is to provide an airflow regulator. The airflow regulator comprises a main ring body and a regulating ring piece. The main ring body is a hollow structure and a sidewall thereof comprises an air inlet. The regulating ring piece is disposed on an inner periphery of the hollow structure, that is the main ring body, in which, the regulating ring piece extends from a bottom of the inner periphery of the main ring body toward a centre of the main ring body, the regulating ring piece is used to deform correspondingly according to magnitudes of pressures of incoming airflows passing through the air inlet. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cutting line is formed along a radial direction of the regulating ring piece. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a notch is formed along a radial direction of the main ring body. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a counterbore is disposed at a top face of the main ring body. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, an engaging portion is disposed at an outer periphery of the main ring body. 
     To solve the above mentioned technical problem, another technical solution in according with the present invention is to provide an atomizer. The atomizer comprises a main unit, a suction nozzle connected to the main unit and the airflow regulator described above. The airflow regulator is disposed between the main unit and the suction nozzle. The regulating ring piece of the airflow regulator is used to correspondingly deform according to magnitudes of pressures of airflows passing through the air inlet into an inside of the main unit. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the suction nozzle comprises a body portion, an intake ring portion and a threaded portion which are sequentially connected to one another. The air intake ring portion comprises an air intake slot. External air sequentially passes through the air intake slot, the air inlet and the regulating ring piece into the main unit. The threaded portion is used to be connected with a thread of the main unit. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the suction nozzle further comprises an inner contact platform, an inner sleeve and an inner rib. The inner contact platform is used to be pressingly engaged around an outer periphery of the main ring body. The inner sleeve is used to be connectively sleeved with the inner periphery of the main ring body. The inner rib is used to be engaged and fit with a top face of the main ring body. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the main unit comprises an outer cylinder, an atomizing assembly, a central conduit and an electrical connection base. An oil reservoir is formed between an inner periphery of the outer cylinder and an outer periphery of the atomizing assembly. Both ends of the central conduit are respectively connected with the inner sleeve and the atomizing assembly. The regulating ring piece is resiliently engaged around an outer peripheral wall of the central conduit. The electrical connection base is connected to a bottom of the outer cylinder in order to supply power to the atomizing assembly. 
     To solve the above mentioned technical problem, another technical solution in according with the present invention is to provide an electronic cigarette. The electronic cigarette comprises a battery module and the atomizer as depicted above. 
     Beneficial advantages of the present invention are as below. Distinguished from situations of existing technology, the electronic cigarette, the atomizer and the airflow regulator thereof in accordance with the present invention are structurally novel and convenient to use, and the regulating ring piece thereof can correspondingly deform according to magnitudes of sucking forces of the user when the user smokes in order to automatically adjust an amount of air intake. As a result, smoking experience of the user can be extremely enhanced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to more explicitly explain technical solutions in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, appendix drawings required to be used for description(s) of embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described as following are only certain embodiment(s) of the present invention. For those of ordinary skilled in the art, other drawings can be further obtained based on these drawings without creative due diligence, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic structural perspective view of an airflow regulator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic structural perspective view of the airflow regulator shown in  FIG. 1  viewed from another viewing angle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic structural exploded side view of an atomizer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic structural perspective view of a suction nozzle of the atomizer shown in  FIG. 3  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic structural sectional view of the atomizer shown in  FIG. 3  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic structural side view of an electronic cigarette in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following accompanying appendix drawings in accordance with the present invention will be used to clearly and completely described technical solutions in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiment(s) is merely a part of complete embodiments of the present invention rather than all of them. Based on the embodiment(s) of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skilled in the art without creative due diligence shall fall within the protective claimed scope of the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an airflow regulator  300  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is provided. The airflow regulator  300  comprises a main ring body  310  and a regulating ring piece  320 . The main ring body  310  is a hollow structure and a sidewall thereof comprises an air inlet  311 . The regulating ring piece  320  is disposed on an inner periphery of the hollow structure, that is the main ring body  310 , and is located below the air inlet  311 . The regulating ring piece  320  is used to deform correspondingly according to magnitudes of pressures of incoming airflows passing through the air inlet  311 . The operating principle of the regulating ring piece  320  is described below. 
     Preferably, the airflow regulator  300  may be integrally formed by elastic material, such as silicone, etc. The air inlet  311  may be a circular hole, a slot-shaped hole, etc. A number of these holes is not limited by any specific embodiment of the present invention. The regulating ring piece  320  is preferably located at a bottom of the inner periphery of the main ring body  310  and is extending from the bottom of the inner periphery of the main ring body  310  toward a centre of the main ring body  310 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the regulating ring piece  320  may be an integrated body or a piece having one cutting line  321  or a plurality of cutting lines  321  formed along a radial direction of the regulating ring piece  320 . When one cutting line  321  or a plurality of cutting lines  321  are disposed long the radial direction of the regulating ring piece  320 , the regulating ring piece  320  is divided into two or a plurality of small ring segments. A force required for deformation of the regulating ring piece  320  is relatively smaller than the regulating ring piece  320  being an integrated body. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the main ring body  310  comprises a notch  312  formed along a radial direction of the main ring body  310 . The notch  312  is used to be engaged and fit with an inner rib  260  of a suction nozzle  200  (Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The main ring body  310  further comprises a counterbore  313  disposed at a top face of the main ring body  310 . A space provided by the counterbore  313  facilitates assembly of the airflow regulator  300 . 
     In addition, an outer periphery of the main ring body  310  further comprises an engaging portion  314 . The engaging portion  314  is used to engage against an inner contact platform  240  of the suction nozzle  200  (Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
     Please also refer to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , an atomizer  11  is further provided in accordance with the present invention. The atomizer  11  comprises a main unit  100 , the above mentioned suction nozzle  200  connected to the main unit  100  and the airflow regulator  300  described above. In particular, the airflow regulator  300  is disposed between the main unit  100  and the suction nozzle  200 . The regulating ring piece  320  of the airflow regulator  300  is used to correspondingly deform according to magnitudes of pressure of airflows passing through the air inlet  311  into an inside of the main unit  100 . 
     Especially, the suction nozzle  200  comprises a body portion  210 , an intake ring portion  220  and a screw threaded portion  230 . The body portion  210 , the intake ring portion  220  and the screw threaded portion  230  are sequentially connected to one another. In particular, the air intake ring portion  220  comprises one or a plurality of air intake slots  221 . External air can sequentially pass through the air intake slot  221 , the air inlet  311  and the regulating ring piece  320  into the main unit  100 . The screw threaded portion  230  is used to be connected with screw threads of the main unit  100 . The suction nozzle  200  can be integrally made of ceramic, plastic or stainless steel. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the suction nozzle  200  further comprises the above mentioned inner contact platform  240 , an inner sleeve  250 , and the above mentioned inner rib  260 . The inner contact platform  240  is used to be pressingly engaged around the outer periphery of the main ring body  310 , and more specifically, to be pressingly engaged on the engaging portion  314  of the main ring body  310 . The inner sleeve  250  is used to be connectively sleeved with the inner periphery of the main ring body  310 . The inner rib  260  is used to be engaged and fit with the top face of the main ring body  310 , and more specifically, to be engaged and fit with the slot  312  of the main ring body  310 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the main unit  100  comprises an outer cylinder  110 , an atomizing assembly  120 , a central conduit  130  and an electrical connection base  140 . 
     An oil reservoir  111  is formed by and between an inner periphery of the outer cylinder  110  and an outer periphery of the atomizing assembly  120 . Both ends of the central conduit  130  are respectively connected with the inner sleeve  250  and the atomizing assembly  120 . The regulating ring piece  320  is resiliently engaged around an outer peripheral wall of the central conduit  130 . The electrical connection base  140  is connected to a bottom of the outer cylinder  110  for supplying power to the atomizing assembly  120 . The outer cylinder  110  may be a cylindrical, a square prism, or a polygonal prism, and may be made of ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel. In an embodiment of the present invention, a connecting seat  112  is disposed at a top of the outer cylinder  110  in order to be connectively screwed with the suction nozzle  200 , and with top screw threads of the atomizing assembly  120 , respectively. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the atomizing assembly  120  comprises an inner cylinder body  121 , an oil absorbing body  122  disposed in the inner cylinder body  121 , and a heating wire  123  disposed in the oil absorbing body  122 . The inner cylinder body  121  comprises an oil sucking hole  124  to allow tobacco oils stored in the oil reservoir  111  entering the oil absorbing body  122  through the oil sucking hole  124 . The entering tobacco oils of the oil absorbing body  122  are heated and atomized by the heating wire  123 . The atomized tobacco oils then exit via conduction of the central conduit  130 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the electrical connection base  140  comprises a negative electrode bottom case  141 , a bottom case insulating sleeve  142 , and a positive electrode connecting rod  143 . The positive electrode connecting rod  143  is inserted and disposed in the negative electrode bottom case  141  via electrical insulation of the bottom case insulating sleeve  142  from the negative electrode bottom case  141 . The negative electrode bottom case  141  and the positive electrode connecting rod  143  are further electrically connected to the heating wire  123  in order to supply power to the heating wire  123  when the electrical connection base  140  is externally electrically connected to a battery. 
     When a user smokes by using the atomizer  11  comprising the airflow regulator  300 , sucking forces of the user applying on the suction nozzle  200  causes low air pressure inside the atomizer  11 . The caused low air pressure results in a drawing force to pull the regulating ring piece  320  downward (Referring to  FIG. 3 ). At this moment, a free end (an inner peripheral portion of the regulating ring piece  320 ) of the regulating ring piece  320  deforms under influence of the drawing force, and separates away from the outer peripheral wall of the central conduit  130  to achieve air intake. The magnitudes of the sucking forces of the user applying on the suction nozzle  200  is positively proportional to an extent of deformation of the free end of the regulating ring piece  320 . When the sucking force of the user applying on the suction nozzle  200  is larger, the extent of deformation of the free end of the regulating ring piece  320  is higher. A gap formed due to separation of the free end of the regulating ring piece  320  away from the outer peripheral wall of the central conduit  130  is larger, and therefore an amount of air intake is larger. When the sucking force of the user applying on the suction nozzle  200  is smaller, the extent of deformation of the free end of the regulating ring piece  320  is lower. A gap formed due to separation of the free end of the regulating ring piece  320  away from the outer peripheral wall of the central conduit  130  is smaller, and therefore an amount of air intake is smaller. Hence, the above mentioned function of the regulating ring piece  320  being used to correspondingly deform according to magnitudes of pressure of incoming airflows passing through the air inlet  311  can be achieved. 
     Please also referring to  FIG. 6 , an electronic cigarette  10  in accordance with the present invention is further provided. The electronic cigarette  10  comprises a battery module  12  and the atomizer  11  described above. 
     In summary, those skilled in related art can easily understand that the electronic cigarette  10 , the atomizer  11  and the airflow regulator  300  provided in accordance with the present invention are structurally novel and convenient to use, and the regulating ring piece  320  thereof can correspondingly deform according to magnitudes of sucking forces of the user when the user smokes in order to automatically adjust the amount of air intake. As a result, smoking experience of the user can be extremely enhanced. 
     The above is merely embodiment(s) of the present invention, and therefore does not limit the claimed scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made according to the content of specification and appendix drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect application of the present invention on other technical fields shall equally fall within the claimed scope of claims of the present invention as follows.