Patent Publication Number: US-2019191764-A1

Title: Electronic cigarette

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electronic cigarette, and more particularly to a refillable push-pull electronic cigarette. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     An electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is a handheld electronic device simulates the feeling of tobacco smoking. E-cigarettes do not release tar, nicotine and second-hand smoke that are harmful to the human body. Therefore, it can improve the success rate of nicotine replacement therapy to help people stop smoking. 
     However, most of the electronic cigarettes in the prior art have a complicated structure. The mouthpiece is exposed to the outside and occupies a certain space. The mouthpiece tends to become dirty. As a result, the mouthpiece is unhygienic. The electronic cigarette is large in size, and it is not easy to carry. Most electronic cigarettes cannot be refilled with the liquid, only one-time use, which leads to a waste and is not beneficial for environmental protection. Some electronic cigarettes may have the function of refilling the liquid, but the structure is complicated and is not easy to operate, affecting the user experience. 
     Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a refillable push-pull electronic cigarette which is compact in structure and easy to carry. The push-pull electronic cigarette solves the problem that the mouthpiece is easily dirty and unhygienic. The electronic cigarette is provided with a liquid chamber which can be refilled with the liquid. The electronic cigarette is reusable and environmentally friendly. The design of the refilling structure is ingenious and reasonable and is easy for operation. 
     In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the electronic cigarette of the present invention comprises a housing. The housing has an accommodating space therein. A cartridge assembly, a circuit board and a switch are provided in the accommodating space. The housing is provided with a charging interface. The cartridge assembly, the switch and the charging interface are electrically connected to the circuit board. 
     The circuit board is mounted in the housing. The cartridge assembly is detachably mounted above the circuit board. A rear cover of the housing is provided with a button assembly which can be moved up and down. The cartridge assembly is linked by the button assembly to move up and down. 
     The button assembly includes a button and a first link portion. The cartridge assembly includes a second link portion. The first link portion is linked with the second link portion. The button is linked with the switch. When the button is pushed upward, an upper end of the cartridge assembly is exposed out of an upper cover of the housing, and the switch is linked by the button to be turned on. When the button is pushed downward, the second link portion is linked by the first link portion to move downward, the cartridge assembly is hidden in the upper cover, and the switch is linked by the button to be turned off. When the button is pushed inwardly by an external force, the second link portion is released from the first link portion, the cartridge assembly and the button assembly are separated from each other, and the cartridge assembly can be detached from the housing. 
     The cartridge assembly includes a liquid chamber, a mouthpiece, and a cap detachably mounted on the liquid chamber. The mouthpiece is exposed above the liquid chamber. The liquid chamber is provided with a liquid filling hole. The cap detachably blocks the liquid filling hole. 
     Compared with the prior art, the present invention has obvious advantages and beneficial effects. Specifically, it can be seen from the above technical solution that the push-pull design of the cartridge assembly is realized through the linkage structure of the button and the cartridge assembly, so that the cartridge assembly can be hidden inside, thereby solving the problem that the mouthpiece is easily dirty and unhygienic. The structure is clever and reasonable and more compact and smooth for operation and easy to carry. The liquid chamber is provided with the detachable cap to realize the refilling function of the electronic cigarette. The electronic cigarette is reusable and environmentally friendly. The design of the refilling structure is simple, ingenious and reasonable, and is easy for operation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is another exploded view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a further exploded view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is another sectional view in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7 . The electronic cigarette in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing. The housing includes an upper cover  10 , a lower cover  20 , a front cover  30 , and a rear cover  40 . The upper cover  10 , the lower cover  20 , the front cover  30  and the rear cover  40  are connected to form an accommodating space therein. A cartridge assembly  50 , a circuit board  60  and a switch are provided in the accommodating space. The rear cover  40  is provided with a charging interface  90 . Preferably, the charging interface  90  is a USB interface. The cartridge assembly  50 , the switch and the charging interface  90  are all electrically connected to the circuit board  60 . The circuit board  60  is mounted on the lower cover  20 . The cartridge assembly  50  is detachably mounted above the circuit board  60 . The upper portion of the rear cover  40  and the upper cover  10  are adapted to cover the cartridge assembly  50 . The front cover  30  is provided with a button assembly  70  which can be moved up and down. The button assembly  70  includes a button  71 . The button assembly  70  is linked with the cartridge assembly  50 . The upper cover  10  has a stroke guide groove  11  for the button  71  to move up and down. The button  71  has a button main body  73  which is fitted in the stroke guide groove  11 . The rear cover  40  has an opening  41  for mounting the button assembly  70 . The button assembly  70  is mounted in the opening  41 . 
     The button assembly  70  includes a button  71  and a first link portion  72 . The cartridge assembly  50  includes a second link portion  51 . The first link portion  72  is linked with the second link portion  51 . The button  71  is linked with the switch. When the button  71  is pushed upward, (In this embodiment, the upper cover  10  is provided with a limit portion. The upper end of the button  71  is pushed to the limit portion, and the cartridge assembly  50  exposes about two thirds thereof outside the upper cover  10 .) The first link portion  72  drives the second link portion  51  to move upward. The upper end of the cartridge assembly  50  is exposed above the upper cover  10 . The switch is linked by the button  71  to be turned on. At this moment, the cartridge assembly  50  is exposed so as to facilitate the smoking action. When the button  71  is pushed downward, the second link portion  51  is linked by the first link portion  72  to move downward. The cartridge assembly  50  is hidden in the upper cover  10 . The switch is linked by the button  71  to be turned off. When the button  71  is pushed inwardly by an external force, the cartridge assembly  50  and the button assembly  70  are separated from each other. The cartridge assembly  50  can be detached from the housing for subsequent refilling operations. The cartridge assembly  50  further includes a liquid chamber  52 , a mouthpiece  53 , and a cap  54  detachably mounted on the liquid chamber  52 . The mouthpiece  53  is exposed above the liquid chamber  52 . The liquid chamber  52  is provided with a liquid filling hole  55 . The cap  54  detachably blocks the liquid filling hole  55 . When the cartridge assembly  50  is removed, an external force may be applied to the cap  54  to pull up the cap  54  to a certain distance, and then the cap  54  is rotated until the cap  54  is detached from the liquid chamber  52 . At this time, the liquid filling hole  55  is exposed for the liquid chamber  52  to be refilled with the liquid. 
     The push-pull design of the button  71  is linked with the cartridge assembly  50  to achieve the hidden design of the cartridge assembly  50 . The overall structure is ingenious and reasonable. The structure is more compact and easy to carry. The cartridge assembly  50  is detachably provided with the liquid chamber  52  and the cap  54  to realize the refilling function of the electronic cigarette. Meanwhile, the tightness between the cap  54  and the liquid chamber  52  is good to prevent the liquid from leaking. The disassembly and replacement are easy and convenient. 
     A support assembly  80  is provided below the cartridge assembly  50 . The support assembly  80  movably abuts against the lower end of the cartridge assembly  50 . The bottom of the support assembly  80  abuts against the front cover  30 . The support assembly  80  is connected with the button  71  of the button assembly  70 . When the button  71  is pushed upward, the support assembly  80  is linked to move upward. When the button  71  is pushed downward, the support assembly  80  is linked to move downward. 
     The button  71  has a first positioning portion  711  extending outwardly from a lower end thereof. Correspondingly, the support assembly  80  has a second positioning portion  81 . The first positioning portion  711  is fitted on the second positioning portion  81 . The first positioning portion  711  has a positioning protrusion  712 . Correspondingly, the second positioning portion  81  has a positioning recess  82 . The positioning protrusion  712  is fitted under the positioning recess  82 . 
     The first link portion  72  extends outwardly from one side of the button  71 . The outer sidewall of the liquid chamber  52  is recessed to form the second link portion  51 . The first link portion  72  is fitted in the second link portion  51 . The first link portion  72  is symmetrically provided with positioning buckles  721 . Correspondingly, the second link portion  51  is provided with positioning slots  511 . The positioning buckles  721  are fitted in the positioning slots  511 . 
     In addition, in this embodiment, buffer springs  83  are symmetrically provided above the support assembly  80 . Correspondingly, the bottom end of the liquid chamber  52  is symmetrically provided with positioning posts  56 . The positioning posts  56  are fitted on the corresponding buffer springs  83 . The support assembly  80  is symmetrically provided with positioning pillars  84 , correspondingly, the bottom end of the liquid chamber  52  is symmetrically provided with positioning holes  57 . The positioning pillars  84  are fitted in the corresponding positioning holes  57 . A positioning hole  84  is symmetrically disposed on the support assembly  80 . Correspondingly, a positioning hole  57  is provided symmetrically at a bottom end of the liquid chamber  52 . The positioning hole  84  fits into the corresponding positioning hole  57 . 
     Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.