Abstract:
The cylindrical connector includes a major body, the major body defining a longitudinal channel through a longitudinal length of the major body from a proximal portion through a distal portion, the proximal portion including a shaft with side walls. The connector further includes a flange located between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the flange at least partially defining at least a first portion of at least one first aperture in communication with the longitudinal channel. A distal portion of the major body being configured to attach to the first section of the e-vaping device and the proximal portion of the major body being configured to attach to the second section of the e-vaping device in order to define an airflow path that enters the longitudinal channel through the at least one first aperture and flows through the proximal portion of the major body.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/051,029, filed Oct. 10, 2013, which claims priority as a Continuation to PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/033329, filed on Apr. 12, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/474,569, filed on Apr. 12, 2011, each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to electronic cigarettes and more specifically to a battery connector for an electronic cigarette having a side air intake for improved air in-flow and out-flow through the electronic cigarette. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Electronic cigarettes are becoming a popular alternative to tobacco smoking because of the many advantages that they offer. One of the main reasons that they are popular is due to their similarities to tobacco smoking. In fact, the closer that they are in providing the experience of a traditional cigarette, the more likely they are to be accepted in the market place. 
         [0004]    An electronic cigarette typically comprises a battery, an atomizer, a container of smoke juice, a heating element and a power control circuit. The battery is used to power the circuit and the atomizer, where the atomizer heats the smoke juice to create smoke or vapor, which is inhaled by a user. 
         [0005]    One example of an electronic cigarette (hereinafter an “Electronic Cigarette” or “E-cigarette”) is a “two-piece” device having a first battery section and a second atomizer section, wherein the atomizer section is detachable from the battery section. 
         [0006]    An example of one such Electronic Cigarette is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In some embodiments, the battery section B contains a power cell, an airflow sensor, and a chipset (hereinafter referred to as, the Battery). In some embodiments, the atomizer section A contains a heating element and a container of “smoke juice” which comprises flavorings and a vaporizing base, such as glycol (hereinafter referred to as a “Cartomizer”). Typically, the Battery and Cartomizer are physically and electrically connected by a threaded engagement. In some embodiments, the Battery has the “male” threaded portion and the Cartomizer has the “female” threaded portion, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0007]    In the beginning stages of development of the Electronic Cigarette, it was natural to copy the air flow and to mimic its path similar to the way it behaves in a traditional cigarette. In a tobacco cigarette, air enters the tip, which collects the smoke and enters the smoker&#39;s mouth through the “filter.” Likewise, early E-cigarettes had one or more notches at the tip of the Battery to allow air intake. Air would enter from the tip, pass through the entire Battery, and continue through the Cartomizer, the vapor-producing portion of the E-cigarette, and enter the smoker&#39;s mouth via the distal end of the Cartomizer, which functions as a mouth piece. 
         [0008]    A cross-section of an example of this arrangement can be seen in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when air  104  is inhaled through the mouthpiece  100 , air enters the tip of the cigarette, travels past an air flow sensor  102  through the spaces provided around the sensor  102 , and continues past the battery B (in this case a lithium cell.) It then goes through the opening in the axis of a post engaged with the Battery&#39;s male connector  106 , and straight into a post  108  engaged to the female connector of the Cartomizer. The air is then inundated with atomized particles of liquid vapor and exits through the mouthpiece of the Cartomizer into the smoker&#39;s mouth. 
         [0009]    Heretofore, there has often been a specific problem with tip-intake Electronic Cigarettes that the present invention aims to eliminate. When the smoker exhales into a tip-intake battery Electronic Cigarette (as smokers often do), the vapors  104 A from the mouth follow the reverse of the path described above—they flow inside the Battery towards the sensor and often condense causing the sensor to become clogged and fail. The exhalation likewise causes excess liquid in the Cartomizer to follow the same path into the Battery part towards the sensor, clogging it further and also causing it to fail. This also causes major difficulties in mass-production in terms of maintaining consistent air flow and consistent sensitivity of the sensor from one Electronic Cigarette to the next. 
         [0010]    Therefore it is desirable to avoid bringing the intake air through the entire length of the Battery through its rear tip (hereinafter “Tip-Intake”), and instead to bring it in through its front side (hereinafter “Side-Intake”), at the point where the Battery and Cartomizer sections meet. 
         [0011]    However, it was always perceived as a necessity for the female threaded portion of the Cartomizer to have air slits at its edges when used in conjunction with a Side Intake Battery, because it was otherwise difficult to mass-produce machined male threads that allow air intake at its base. As a result, if it was desirable to change the design of the E-cigarette from the Tip-Intake type to the Side-Intake type, one would necessarily need to modify the female portion of the E-cigarette, i.e. the Cartomizer. Therefore, if it was desirable to make slits on the Battery section of the E-cigarette, one would need to redesign the entire E-cigarette so that the Battery section would be the female threaded portion and the Cartomizer section would be the male threaded portion. Additionally, one could never offer an option of interchanging the male Battery section between the Tip-Intake type with the Side-Intake type, while maintaining compatibility with the same female portion, since in the latter, the female Cartomizer would require slits at the engagement point, whereas in the former, the female Cartomizer could not have slits, otherwise the resulting airflow through the E-cigarette would be too great. 
         [0012]    Accordingly, implementation of a Side-Intake Electronic Cigarette has, until the present invention, been considered an expensive and complicated proposition which would, by necessity, require redesign of all parts of the device and eliminate the possibility of backwards-compatibility of the majority of internal parts of the device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0013]    The present invention resolves the above problems and provide an air intake path from the side of the E-cigarette via modification to the male Battery connector, without modifying the female Cartomizer connector, while maintaining ease of manufacture—especially ease of machining the male Battery connector during mass production, and backwards compatibility whereas the same un-slited female Cartomizer could be used together with the male Battery connector for both the Tip-Intake and Side-Intake types of E-cigarettes. 
         [0014]    The present invention also provides the possibility to create an air path that will allow a silent air intake, unlike other Side-Intake solutions that generate substantial hissing noise as the air enters from the side. 
         [0015]    A cross-section of an Electronic Cigarette utilizing the Battery connector of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4 . As can be seen there, the spaces  110  around the sensor are blocked so no air flow takes place through the cavity of the battery part. During inhalation, air  104  enters from the side  112  of the Battery and enters the post  108  of the Battery B via a groove in the battery post. It then enters into the Cartomizer A through the axial opening in the Cartomizer post and exits the Cartomizer into the smoker&#39;s mouth. Although there is also provided an opening  114  into the Battery through the battery post, there is minimal air or vapor flow through said opening  114  (hereinafter “pressure differential channel”  114 ) because the spaces  110  around the sensor are blocked. As a result, during inhalation, the sensor  102  can detect a pressure differential via said pressure differential channel  114 . 
         [0016]    During exhalation, the vapors do not enter into the battery part towards the sensor; they travel out through the side vents, opposite to the direction that air entered upon inhalation. Such a construction greatly extends the life of the product. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an assembled view of a typical two-piece electronic cigarette. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a disassembled view of a typical two-piece electronic cigarette. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic cigarette in the prior art showing inhaled and exhaled air paths. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic cigarette using the novel connector herein described showing inhaled and exhaled air paths. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 5-13  are alternative embodiments of the connector of the present invention showing various arrangements of side vent apertures. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 14-15  illustrate an alternative embodiment of a connector of the present invention with a battery post of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic cigarette using the connector and battery post shown in  FIGS. 13-15 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a battery post of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic cigarette using the connector of  FIG. 13  and the battery post of  FIG. 17 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    The present invention concerns various embodiments of a Battery-Cartomizer connector for an Electronic Cigarette that creates an air-intake path that enters through the male connector (i.e. the Battery section), without the need to modify the female connector (i.e. the Cartomizer section) thereof. Accordingly, the present invention permits flexibility of design and product diversification for the E-cigarette manufacturer, maintains ease of manufacture and mass-production, and creates additional advantages such as reducing noise and hissing during air-intake (i.e. a “puff or “drag”). 
         [0027]      FIGS. 5-13  depict various embodiments of the connector of the present invention. It is understood that these figures depict a sectional view of an E-cigarette connector  1 , which joins the Battery section to the Cartomizer section by a threaded engagement. As shown in  FIGS. 5-13 , it is intended that the male Battery connector M at the proximal end  3  of the connector mates to a female portion of a Cartomizer, and the distal end  5  of the connector is attached, through a pressure or friction fit, or through other suitable means, to the Battery portion B (not shown) and functions as a “cap” thereof. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments of the present invention, an air intake path starts at the outer circumference of the connector  1  between the Battery and the Cartomizer of the E-cigarette, running inside notch  9  on connector  1 . The air is thus brought into the Battery through grooves  10  formed on the attachment (i.e., non-threaded) distal end  5  of the connector. Once inside the battery, the air path loops around and exits the Battery housing towards the Cartomizer, via a hole along the central axis of connector  1 . In accordance with the desired air-intake path, notch  9  is cut out on the side of connector  1  at strategic location and with strategic geometry. 
         [0029]    In most E-cigarettes, connector  1  has a flange  7  that appears from the outside as a metallic ring when the separate parts of the E-cigarette are screwed together, like that shown in  FIG. 1 . The resulting ring is usually very thin, and has little purpose other than cosmetic—to create a decorative divider between the two major parts of the E-cigarette (i.e. the Battery section and the Cartomizer section) and to cover the inside edge of the Battery housing. Cutting into this ring or removing a portion of it to create the desired air-intake characteristics of the present invention would expose the dull edge of the Battery housing and detracts from the esthetics of the product. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of the flange is increased so that a portion of it can be cut or milled away, resulting in notch  9 , while the remaining portion of the flange thickness will still retain the aesthetic design and still cover the internal edge of the housing. 
         [0030]    Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 5 , in some embodiments of connector  1 , notch  9  begins at the outer perimeter of the flange  7 , toward distal end  5  and travels toward the center axis of flange  7 , resulting in a rectangular shape. 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 6 , aperture  11  is bored through the wall of the distal end  5  of connector  1  at substantially the same radial location as notch  9 . This configuration increases the air-intake volume, permitting less-constricted air flow through the connector  1  and the Battery section. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 7 , slot  13  is milled along the curved wall of the distal end  5  of connector  1 , with notch  9  located substantially across from the center of slot  13 , radially. As shown, slot  13  is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of connector  1 . 
         [0033]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 8 , channel  15  is milled across the outer surface of the distal end  5  of connector  1 , beginning at notch  9  and terminating at the end of distal end  5 . In this configuration, notch  9  has a substantially curved profile that transitions uniformly into channel  15 . In this configuration, channel  15  is milled substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of connector  1 . 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 9 , fanned channel  17  is milled across the outer surface of the distal end  5  of connector  1 , beginning at notch  9  and terminating at the end of distal end  5 . Notch  9  has a substantially curved profile that transitions into fanned channel  17 . Fanned channel  17  is milled substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of connector  1 . 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 10 , channel  19  is milled away all around the outer circumference of flange  7 , along its distal edge. The purpose of channel  19  is to allow for air intake even when a user happens to hold his finger over notch  9  during smoking. When that happens, air enters channel  19  and runs along the channel until it reaches and enters notch  9 . 
         [0036]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 11 , channel  21  is milled away all around the outer circumference of flange  7 , substantially in the middle of the flange. Several apertures  23  are bored through the wall of the flange. The purpose of channel  21  is to allow for air intake even when a user holds his finger over an aperture  23  during smoking. When that happens, air enters channel  21  and runs along the channel until it reaches and enters an aperture  23 . 
         [0037]    In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 12 , notch  25  is cut out through the wall of flange  7  on the side of connector  1  at strategic location and with strategic geometry. Slot  27  is cut out of the distal end  5  of connector  1 , beginning at notch  25  and terminating at the end of distal end  5 . In this configuration, notch  25  has a rectangular profile that transitions uniformly into slot  27 . 
         [0038]    Another embodiment of the connector of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 13-15 .  FIG. 13  shows the connector without a battery post,  FIG. 14  shows the battery post and  FIG. 15  shows the battery post and connector assembled. As shown in  FIG. 13 , instead of a notch in the outer perimeter of the flange  7 , toward distal end  5 , perpendicular surface channels  30  are drilled on shelf  31  of flange  7 . The channels continue and penetrate through the shaft  32  of connector  1  (in which threads are not shown for purposes of clarity) at orifices  33  and continue through inner shelf  45 . The engaging battery post  34 , shown in  FIG. 14 , includes a longitudinal orifice  35  (beginning on the surface of post head  37  and continuing longitudinally completely through the post) that forms the pressure differential channel, as well as a groove  36  which assists in guiding air inhaled or exhaled through perpendicular surface channel  30  and orifice  33 . 
         [0039]    It should be noted here that although in  FIG. 15  groove  36  is shown aligned with perpendicular surface channel  30  and orifice  33 , because the outer diameter of post head  37  is smaller than the inner diameter of shaft  32 , such alignment is not necessary to allow for unimpeded air flow through connector  1 . 
         [0040]    The airflow  104  through the connector and battery post combination shown in  FIGS. 13-15  is illustrated in  FIG. 16 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , one possible draw-back of this arrangement is that upon exhalation, any excess fluid  116  (vapor, saliva, etc.) could be blown through orifice  35 , into the pressure differential channel and into the Battery B. 
         [0041]    An alternative embodiment for a battery post designed to minimize this problem is shown in  FIG. 17 . As shown in this figure, there is no orifice drilled through post head  37 . Rather, the air path to the pressure differential channel is created by channel  38  which is drilled beneath groove  36  on the side  39  of post head  37 . Channel  38  perpendicularly intersected by the pressure differential channel (not shown) which is drilled longitudinally from battery post end  40 . 
         [0042]    The airflow through a connector such as that shown in  FIG. 13  using the battery post shown in  FIG. 17  is illustrated in  FIG. 18 . As is shown in this figure, there is no direct path for excess liquid  116  to migrate into the Battery compartment B. 
         [0043]    The connector  1  of the present invention has an additional major advantage in that those embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5-18  allow for a substantially silent air-intake without the excessive hissing or noise associated with other known E-cigarettes. Another major advantage of the present invention is its application in newly introduced V-Go and E-go (large-capacity electronic cigarettes) E-cigarettes. V-go and E-go E-cigarettes, which almost always have a side-intake, cannot be used with non-vented female Cartomizers. Heretofore manufacturers always had to resort either to vented female Cartomizers or non-vented male Cartomizers. However, with the present invention, it is possible to create V-go and E-go E-cigarettes that will be interchangeable with Tip-Intake E-cigarettes so that they are compatible with the same existing female unvented Cartomizers, without the need to modify the Cartomizers. 
         [0044]    It should be appreciated that although the above-described embodiments demonstrate that some embodiments of the present invention are designed such that the Battery comprises the “male” connection and the Cartomizer comprises the “female” connection, the reverse configuration may be equally suitable, depending on design requirements. Accordingly, the Cartomizer may comprise the “male” connection and the Battery may comprise the “female” connection. 
         [0045]    It will be understood that the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed by way of example and that other modifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosure herein.