Electronic cigarette fluid pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11026451-B2
Application number	US-201815994680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Aspects of the instant disclosure relate to electronic cigarettes with an active delivery system for transporting a liquid solution from a tank to an atomizer; and more particularly to oscillating diaphragm pumps that facilitate flow of the liquid solution from the tank and onto a heating coil of an atomizer for vaporization.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electronic cigarette comprising:
a tank configured and arranged to contain eCig juice;
an atomizer including a heating element, and configured and arranged to vaporize eCig juice into an airflow; and
an oscillating diaphragm pump including a diaphragm and a permanent magnet, the oscillating diaphragm pump is positioned in fluid communication with the tank and the atomizer, and configured and arranged to draw eCig juice from the tank and deposit the eCig juice on to the heating element;
wherein the oscillating diaphragm pump further includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve, the inlet valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the diaphragm, and the outlet valve in fluid communication with an outlet of the diaphragm, the inlet and outlet valves configured and arranged to prevent reverse flow of the eCig juice through the oscillating diaphragm pump;
wherein the oscillating diaphragm pump further includes an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing containing the outlet valve and the lower housing containing the inlet valve, and at least one of the upper and lower housing including a support member circumferentially extending around at least a portion of one or both of the inlet and outlet valves, the support member configured and arranged to stiffen one or both of the inlet and outlet valves and reduce back flow.

2. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 , further including an electro-magnet configured and arranged to transmit an oscillating magnetic field in proximity to the permanent magnet; and the permanent magnet is configured and arranged to produce a non-oscillating magnetic field that interacts with the oscillating magnetic field of the electro-magnet to linearly oscillate the diaphragm, which draws eCig juice from the tank and injects the eCig juice on to the heating element.

3. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 , wherein the oscillating diaphragm pump further includes a deformable membrane configured and arranged to facilitate expansion and contraction of the diaphragm.

4. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 , wherein the atomizer is configured and arranged to direct the airflow through a cavity of the heating element; and the heating element includes a ceramic coating configured and arranged to facilitate wetting the heating element with eCig juice and to mitigate electrical shorting of adjacent heating element coils.

5. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 , wherein the oscillating diaphragm pump is configured and arranged to pump eCig juice at a flow rate of up to 10 milligram/second with a pressure of approximately 0.5 pounds-per-square-inch.

6. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 , wherein the oscillating diaphragm pump has a diaphragm travel length between 0.03 and 0.05 inches.

7. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 , wherein the heating element includes a rough exterior surface configured and arranged to facilitate wetting the heating element with eCig juice, and to mitigate electrical shorting of adjacent heating element coils.

8. An electronic cigarette comprising:
a tank configured and arranged to contain eCig juice;
an atomizer including a heating element, and configured and arranged to vaporize eCig juice into an airflow; and
an oscillating diaphragm pump including a diaphragm and a permanent magnet, the oscillating diaphragm pump is positioned in fluid communication with the tank and the atomizer, and configured and arranged to draw eCig juice from the tank and deposit the eCig juice on to the heating element;
wherein the atomizer further includes a frit that houses the heating element, the frit includes one or more apertures extending through the frit, the apertures configured and arranged to deliver eCig juice to the heating element.

9. The electronic cigarette of claim 8 , wherein the heating element is a non-circular, helical coil configured and arranged to minimize contact between the heating element and the frit.

10. The electronic cigarette of claim 9 , wherein the heating element is one of a square-shaped, helical coil, and a triangle-shaped, helical coil.

11. The electronic cigarette of claim 8 , wherein the heating element is offset from an inner diameter of the frit by less than 0.25 millimeters.

12. An electronic cigarette comprising:
a tank configured and arranged to contain eCig juice;
an atomizer including a heating element, and configured and arranged to vaporize eCig juice into an airflow;
an oscillating diaphragm pump including a diaphragm and a permanent magnet, the oscillating diaphragm pump is positioned in fluid communication with the tank and the atomizer, and configured and arranged to draw eCig juice from the tank and deposit the eCig juice on to the heating element;
an electro-magnet configured and arranged to transmit an oscillating magnetic field in proximity to the permanent magnet; and the permanent magnet is configured and arranged to produce a non-oscillating magnetic field that interacts with the oscillating magnetic field of the electro-magnet to linearly oscillate the diaphragm, which draws eCig juice from the tank and injects the eCig juice on to the heating element;
controller circuitry electrically coupled to the electro-magnet and the heating element, the controller circuitry configured and arranged to
detect a user draw strength on the electronic cigarette,
in response to the detected draw strength, transmit an oscillating electric signal that drives the electro-magnet, and thereby the permanent magnet of the oscillating diaphragm pump which causes eCig juice to be deposited on to the heating element,
further in response to the detected draw strength, drive the heating element with a current sufficient to maintain a consistent vapor content per airflow volume delivered to a user.

13. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 ,
wherein the diaphragm, the inlet valve and the outlet valve are positioned coaxial to a longitudinal axis of the electronic cigarette.

14. The electronic cigarette of claim 13 , further including an electro-magnet configured and arranged to transmit an oscillating magnetic field in proximity to the permanent magnet; and the permanent magnet is configured and arranged to produce a non-oscillating magnetic field that interacts with the oscillating magnetic field of the electro-magnet to linearly oscillate the diaphragm, which draws eCig juice from the tank and injects the eCig juice on to the heating element; and
wherein the electro-magnet and the permanent magnet are also positioned coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the electronic cigarette.

Assignees

• Fontem Holdings 1 Bv

Inventors

• Wensley Martin
• Kubel Khe
• Biel Stefan
• Brinkerhoff Mark
• Geraty Tom
• Quintana Reynaldo

Classifications

• F04B43/043 Primary

  Micropumps · CPC title

• F04B19/00

  Machines or pumps having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B17/00 · CPC title

• A24F40/46

  Shape or structure of electric heating means · CPC title

• H05B3/44

  heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material · CPC title

• A24F40/485

  Valves; Apertures · CPC title