CN105722410B

CN105722410B - Aroma vortex device

Info

Publication number: CN105722410B
Application number: CN201480026469.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: R·阿拉孔; D·拉斯马森; S·E·布朗
Original assignee: Futem 4 Ltd
Current assignee: Futum Investment Co ltd
Priority date: 2013-05-10
Filing date: 2014-05-09
Publication date: 2021-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2034-05-09
Also published as: EP2993997A4; CN105722410A; EP2993997A1; EP2993997B1; WO2014183073A1; US20160081394A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling aerosol particle size, flow direction and flow rate within an electronic smoking device. The drainage device 100 within the electronic smoking device 800 includes a body and a through hole 140 . The body is configured to be assembled with the housing 810 of the electronic smoking device 800 and includes a first surface 110 and a second surface 130 . The through holes 140 extend from the first surface 110 to the second surface 130 and are shaped to adjust flow characteristics between the first surface 110 and the second surface 130 . In one particular embodiment, the through hole 140 is shaped to include a throat region 190 and a nozzle that is a diverging region 180 located downstream of the throat region.

Description

Fragrant smell vortex device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a device and method for controlling particle size in an aerosol and controlling the flow direction and flow rate of the aerosol.

Background

An aerosol is defined as a suspension of solid or liquid particles in a gas. In electronic cigarettes, nebulizers, personal atomizers, and the like, aerosols include particles and a suspended gas, such as air. Particle size may be specified in terms of particle diameter or particle size distribution for a given sample.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as electronic cigarettes (eCigs), are electronic inhalers that vaporize or atomize a liquid solution into an aerosol mist, which is then delivered to a user. A typical electronic cigarette has a mouthpiece, a battery, a reservoir, an atomizer, and a liquid solution. The mouthpiece in a conventional electronic cigarette tends to be a cylindrical structure having a pin hole in the center to deliver aerosol from the electronic cigarette to the user. Pinholes tend to be a less effective and inefficient feed mechanism because the majority of the aerosol delivered to the user is delivered at a flow rate and particle size that results in the majority of the aerosol being directed and directed to the user's throat, thus resulting in waste, and more of the need to deliver a greater amount of aerosol to the user.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for effectively and efficiently controlling particle size in an aerosol. The present invention also relates to devices and methods that can effectively and efficiently control the direction and flow of aerosol to enhance the scent, throat feel and delivery of the aerosol to the user.

In one embodiment, a flow discharge device for use in an electronic smoking device includes a body and a through-hole. The body is configured to be assembled with a housing of an electronic smoking device and includes a first surface and a second surface. The through-hole extends from the first surface to the second surface and is shaped to adjust a flow characteristic between the first surface and the second surface.

In another embodiment, an electronic cigarette includes an elongated cylindrical housing, a battery, a reservoir disposed in the housing, an atomizer, and a mouthpiece. The nebulizer is powered by a battery and is configured to receive liquid from the liquid storage region to generate an aerosol. A mouthpiece is attached to the end of the elongated cylindrical housing and has a nozzle for receiving the aerosol generated by the atomizer. The nozzle includes a throat region and a diverging region downstream from the throat region.

In another embodiment, a method for controlling aerosol drainage in an electronic smoking device comprises: the method comprises the steps of drawing air into the electronic smoking device, generating aerosol by the air and an atomizer in the electronic smoking device, drawing the aerosol into a configured channel through a mouthpiece of the electronic smoking device, and adjusting characteristics of the aerosol with the configured channel as the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece.

Drawings

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an example nozzle arrangement constructed according to the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 1B and 1C are a cross-sectional view and a side view, respectively, of the nozzle device shown in fig. 1A.

Fig. 2A and 2B are isometric and cross-sectional views, respectively, of another example nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 3, 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of other example nozzle arrangements constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 6 illustrates an aerosol flow pattern through a nozzle, which is an example of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 7 illustrates another aerosol flow pattern through a nozzle which is another example of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 8A and 8B are, respectively, a partial side isometric view and a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic cigarette (eCig) incorporating a mouthpiece constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figures 8C and 8D are an exploded schematic view and a side isometric view, respectively, of the example electronic cigarette shown in figures 8A and 8B, showing components of the electronic cigarette, such as the heater subassembly, the batting structure, and the sensors.

Figure 9 is a graph of a pair of spectral line densities versus particle size comparing the performance of a prior art electronic cigarette compared to the same electronic cigarette equipped with a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 10A-17B are examples of various patterns that may be provided on a nozzle surface constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 18A and 18B are top and side cross-sectional views, respectively, of another example nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 18C is an alternative embodiment of the nozzle arrangement shown in FIG. 18B.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a nozzle arrangement 100, the nozzle arrangement 100 being one example of a nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Nozzle arrangement 100 includes a substantially planar first surface 110, a substantially planar second surface 130, and a through-hole 140. The nozzle arrangement 100 may include a plurality of ribs 120. The nozzle arrangement 100 generally includes a cylindrical body configured to slide into or otherwise fit into a cylindrical outer housing of an electronic smoking device, such as an electronic cigarette (eCig). The mouthpiece 100 includes a mouthpiece through which the aerosol in the e-cigarette is inhaled by the user.

Fig. 1B and 1C are a cross-sectional view and a side view of the nozzle device 100, respectively. As shown in fig. 1C, the nozzle arrangement 100 includes an inlet disk 150 configured to be located inside the housing of the e-cigarette, and an outlet disk 160 configured to be located outside the housing of the e-cigarette. Specifically, the inlet disk 150 is configured to fit snugly within the e-cigarette housing to connect the mouthpiece device 100 and the housing, while the outlet disk 160 is sized to have a diameter equal to the e-cigarette housing diameter. Thus, the inlet disk 150 is slightly smaller in diameter than the outlet disk 160. Ribs 120 extend between the inlet disk 150 and the outlet disk 160 to support the nozzle arrangement 100 and the through-hole 140 extending between the disks. The ribs 120 may be provided by injection molding and allow the nozzle arrangement 100 to be made lighter. In the illustrated embodiment, four ribs 120 are equally spaced around the through-hole 140.

Referring to fig. 1B, the through hole 140 of the nozzle device 100 may have an hourglass shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the through-hole 140 includes an inlet region 170, an outlet region 180, and a throat region 190. The opening diameter of the through hole 140 at the planar first surface 110 may be significantly smaller than the opening diameter of the through hole 140 at the second surface 130, as shown in fig. 1B. The through-holes 140 extend through the mouthpiece apparatus 100 from the inlet disc 150 to the outlet disc 160 to allow aerosol in the housing of the e-cigarette to flow therethrough. In the various embodiments described, the through-holes are shaped or contoured to influence the flow characteristics (e.g., velocity, direction, and particle size) of the aerosol flowing through the nozzle, thereby modulating the consumer experience of the aerosol, as will be described in greater detail below.

Fig. 2A and 2B are isometric and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a nozzle arrangement 200, the nozzle arrangement 200 being another example constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In the embodiment of fig. 2A and 2B, the nozzle arrangement 200 comprises a stepped cylindrical body, rather than the ribbed cylindrical body shown in fig. 1A-1C.

Referring to fig. 2A, the nozzle arrangement 200 includes a substantially planar first surface 210, a first annular portion 220, a second annular portion 230, a substantially planar second surface 250, and a through-hole 240. The diameter of the first annular portion 220 may be larger than the diameter of the second annular portion 230. As shown in the e-cigarette 800 of figures 8A-8D, the diameter of the first annular portion 220 may be configured to be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the e-cigarette housing to provide a substantially flush and seamless e-cigarette outer housing. The diameter of the second annular portion 230 may be approximately the same as the inside diameter of the e-cigarette housing, allowing the nozzle assembly 200 to fit snugly and securely when fitted to the e-cigarette housing (as shown in figure 8B). Thus, the first and second

annular portions

220, 230 form a step 260 in the diameter of the nozzle arrangement.

As shown in fig. 2B, the through-hole 240 may have an hourglass shape, including three separate regions: an inlet zone 270, a throat zone 290, and an outlet zone 280. The geometric characteristics (e.g., diameter, length, and shape) of the inlet region 270, throat region 290, and outlet region 280 may be adjusted to coordinate with one another to affect the formation and flow of particles within the aerosol suspension gas. Studies have shown that aerosol ingested by users of electronic smoking devices equipped with the mouthpiece device of the present invention provides a better user experience, including: depending on the better mouth feel, impact force, inhalation characteristics and perceived aroma obtained by the mouthpiece arrangement.

The through-holes 240 may have a diameter that is smaller at the outlet end of the outlet region 280 of the nozzle arrangement 200 (e.g., at the planar first surface 210) than at the inlet end of the inlet region 270 of the nozzle arrangement 200 (e.g., at the planar second surface 250). Height t2 of outlet zone 280 may be greater than height t1 of throat zone 290, and height t3 of throat zone 290 may be greater than height t3 of inlet zone 270. The walls of the inlet region 270 may be curved or contoured, such as in a tangential curve or other particular curve type. The term "tangent curve" as used in this specification refers to a pair of tangent curves that move away from each other to form a nozzle-or a pair of opposite curves that would be tangent if moved together. In one embodiment, the diameter of the inlet opening in the surface 250 (inlet zone inlet diameter) may be 70% to 95% of the diameter of the annulus 230. It should be noted that the inlet diameter may also be close to (or be) 100% of the diameter of the annulus 230, or less than 70% of the diameter of the annulus 230. The exit diameter of the inlet region 270 (inlet region exit diameter) may be equal to the entrance diameter of the throat region 290 (throat region entrance diameter).

The walls of the throat region 290 may be generally cylindrical, and the inlet diameter d of the throat region may be approximately equal to the outlet diameter of the throat region 290 (throat region outlet diameter). The throat region outlet diameter d may be approximately equal to the inlet diameter of the outlet region 280 (outlet region inlet diameter). The walls of the exit region 280 may be tapered (or funnel-shaped), with the exit diameter of the exit region 280 (exit region exit diameter) being significantly larger than the exit region entrance diameter. For example, the walls of the exit region 280 may form an exit region angle of about 30 ° ± 10 °. In another embodiment of the nozzle arrangement, the inlet zone may have straight tapered walls and the outlet zone may have curved walls.

According to one aspect of the invention, the nozzle arrangement may have the following size ranges:

t 1: about 0.75 mm to about 3 mm;

t 2: about 1.0 mm to about 4 mm;

t 3: about 0.75 mm to about 2.0 mm;

d: about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, we have found that the nozzle arrangement performs better at t2 ═ 1.5 mm.

In one example, the nozzle size may be expressed by the following equation:

t 2/d.gtoreq.0.5, wherein the nozzle starts to have good effect at t2/d of about 0.75 mm;

t1/d ≧ 0.325, where the nozzle appears to have good effect at a t1/d of about 0.75 mm.

As will be discussed in fig. 6, 7 and 9, the flow characteristics of the aerosol generated by the through-hole shape can be adjusted, such as increasing or decreasing the aerosol velocity through the mouthpiece and adjusting the flow direction. Research has shown that aerosol velocity affects the morphology and distribution of particle sizes in the suspension gas. The shape of the through-hole also affects the trajectory of the aerosol out of the mouthpiece into the user's mouth. Thus, by varying the geometrical characteristics of the through-holes, the overall user experience may be coordinated to provide a desired user experience from each nozzle arrangement, subject to the co-acting decisions of fluid mechanics and particle morphology.

Fig. 3, 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of other example nozzle arrangements constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the size of

nozzle arrangements

300 and 400 may differ significantly in proportion to the size of nozzle arrangements 100 and 200 (shown in fig. 1B and 2B, respectively). As shown in fig. 5, the nozzle arrangement 500 may have different regions from the

nozzle arrangements

100, 200, 300 and 400. By manipulating the size of the regions within the through-holes, the flow of aerosol through the through-holes (including ingress and egress) can be controlled to adjust the particle flow velocity and direction within each region of the respective nozzle arrangement (as shown in figures 6 and 7), and the form (e.g. morphology), velocity and direction of the aerosol as it exits the nozzle arrangement (as shown in figure 9).

Fig. 3 shows a nozzle arrangement 300 comprising a substantially planar first surface 310, a substantially planar second surface 330 and a through hole 340. In the illustrated embodiment, through-hole 340 includes an inlet region 370, an outlet region 380, and a throat region 390. The through-hole 340 is similar to the through-hole 140 shown in fig. 1B, but the opening diameter of the through-hole 340 at the planar first surface 310 may be smaller than the opening diameter of the through-hole 140 shown in fig. 1B at the planar first surface 110. The exit region 380 is thus more cylindrical and less tapered than the exit region 180. The effect of the through-holes 340 on aerosol velocity and atomization is different from that of the through-holes 140. For example, because the outlet of the through-holes 340 is narrower than the outlet of the through-holes 140, a more focused or narrow aerosol flow may be provided. In particular, a narrow exit may provide a more direct sense of particle impact for the throat or soft palate.

Fig. 4 shows a nozzle arrangement 400 comprising a substantially planar first surface 410, a substantially planar second surface 430 and a through hole 440. In the illustrated embodiment, the through-hole 440 includes an inlet region 470, an outlet region 480, and a throat region 490. The through-hole 440 is similar to the through-hole 340 shown in fig. 3, but has a shorter length of the inlet region 470 than the inlet region 370. And throat region 490 is longer than throat region 390. A longer throat region will increase the speed through the nozzle arrangement 400, which is generally associated with smaller particle sizes. Generally, a longer, narrower throat region will produce greater velocity and shear, resulting in smaller particles. In addition, the exit angle and length of the exit region (e.g., exit region 480) generally slows the flow rate, allowing a puff of aerosol to stay in the user's mouth. The combination of throat region geometry and exit velocity geometry first accelerates the flow and then slows the flow to achieve the desired effect. Varying the ratio of throat to outlet zones allows for tailoring of the effect.

Fig. 5 shows a nozzle arrangement 500 comprising a substantially planar first surface 510, a substantially planar second surface 530 and a through hole 540. In the illustrated embodiment, through-hole 540 includes an exit region 580 and a throat region 590. The nozzle arrangement 500 differs from the

nozzle arrangements

100, 200, 300 and 400 in that there is no specific inlet area. In other embodiments, the nozzle arrangement 500 may include a separate mechanism (not shown) that can regulate, e.g., direct, the flow of aerosol into the throat region 590. Outlet zone 580 and throat zone 590 may be provided with any geometric features, including those described with respect to fig. 1A-4. The effect of the through-holes 540 on aerosol velocity and atomization is different from the other described through-holes, depending on the selected geometry of the through-holes. In addition, the nozzle assembly 500 provides other benefits, such as being more compact and lighter than other nozzle assemblies having longer through-holes.

Figure 6 illustrates an aerosol flow pattern through an example of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The illustrated nozzle arrangement 600 includes an inlet region 670, an outlet region 680, and a throat region 690, similar in shape to that shown in FIG. 3. In fig. 6, the shaded areas indicate flow, each shaded area having a different color (indicated by cross-hatching in fig. 6), representing a simplification of the various color flow lines generated by the actual model. As shown at 602, each color (or hatched) represents a different rate. The aerosol includes a high velocity flow region 610, a decelerating flow region 620, and an accelerating flow region 630. By manipulating the flow velocity, the shear forces acting on the aerosol properties can be controlled. Stronger shear forces tend to produce smaller particles, while weaker shear forces can produce larger particles. The magnitude of the shear force depends on the nature of the incoming aerosol. The regions of weaker shear do not alter the incoming aerosol. The desired particle size and consumer experience can be produced by reasonably simultaneously controlling the intensity of shear forces in the nozzle to tailor the flow characteristics to the product application.

Low velocity flow is represented by the lighter shaded areas and high velocity flow is represented by the darker shaded areas. Specifically, the aerosol flow may be slower at the beginning of the inlet region 670 and the end of the outlet region 680, as shown by the lighter shaded region in fig. 6. In these low flow regions, the aerosol experiences less friction and shear and does not change particle size. The aerosol may accelerate by the arcuate walls of the inlet region 670 and reach a maximum velocity through the throat region 690, shown as a darker shaded region. In such high velocity flow regions, the aerosol experiences greater frictional and shear forces, which helps to produce smaller particle sizes. At the outlet of the throat region 690, the aerosol may be greatly slowed by the funnel-shaped wall of the outlet region. The reduced flow reduces the outflow rate of the aerosol, allowing the aerosol to be more efficiently delivered to the user, reducing the impact on the back of the user's throat and soft palate. Furthermore, the conical outlet region may also diffuse the aerosol cloud generated as the aerosol leaves the mouthpiece device. It was found that reducing the particle velocity through a tapered outlet can reduce the velocity without a correlation effect on the particle size. In general, any opening in the exit region can reduce particle velocity. However, if the opening of the exit zone is too large, undesirable effects may occur, such as the creation of a vacuum or boundary layer effects, which result in turbulence or change in particle size. For example, if the velocity is too slow, the particles may come together, making the particle size larger. It was found that when the exit angle alpha (shown in fig. 2) is 30 degrees, the particle velocity is reduced to obtain the desired user experience. Other angles can achieve similar desired effects, such as 15 degrees.

Figure 7 illustrates another aerosol flow pattern through another example of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Nozzle arrangement 700 is shown to include an inlet region 770, an outlet region 780, and a throat region 790, similar in shape to that of fig. 4. The aerosol includes a high velocity flow region 710, a decelerating flow region 720, and an accelerating flow region 730, each represented by a different colored (represented in different gray scale in fig. 7) region indicated by reference numeral 702.

The acceleration, high speed and deceleration zones shown in fig. 7 are similar to those shown in fig. 6. However, the inlet region 770 of FIG. 7 is shorter in length than the inlet region 670 of FIG. 6, and the outlet region 780 is longer than the outlet region 680 of FIG. 6. Thus, the accelerated flow region 730 is more compact and the velocity profile of the high velocity flow region 710 is more uneven. Also, because of the uneven velocity distribution of throat region 790 and the shape of outlet region 720, decelerated flow region 720 experiences less deceleration and less uniformity than outlet region 620 shown in FIG. 6. The structure of the nozzle arrangement 700 may provide a more powerful inhalation experience for the user than the nozzle arrangement 600. As mentioned before, the user experience produced by the nozzle arrangements shown in fig. 6 and 7 only represents two specific user experiences, which can be adjusted almost infinitely by adjusting the number of flow areas and the geometry of each flow area.

Fig. 8A and 8B are a partial side isometric view and a partial cross-sectional view, respectively, of an electronic smoking device 800, which electronic smoking device 800 is an example of an electronic cigarette, incorporating a nozzle arrangement, such as nozzle arrangement 100, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Figures 8C and 8D are an exploded schematic view and a side isometric view, respectively, of the components of the e-cigarette shown in figures 8A and 8B, such as the heater subassembly 802, the

batting structures

804A and 804B, the battery 806, the sensor and processor subassembly 808, and the housing 810. Figures 8A-8D are merely examples of embodiments of electronic smoking devices that utilize the nozzle arrangement of the present invention. The nozzle arrangement of the present invention can be used in almost any type of electronic smoking device, such as electronic cigarettes using other atomisers.

Liquid separator 812 and spacer 814 facilitate the arrangement of other components in device 800. A heat pipe 816 is located above the liquid zone separator 812. Heated wick 818 is fluidly connected to

batt structures

804A and 804B by heated tube 816 and to heater subassembly 802. The inner batt structure 804A is wrapped around the heating tube 816, heater subassembly 802, and heating wick 818. The outer batt structure 804B is wrapped around the inner batt structure 804A, while the outer batt structure 804B itself is wrapped within the tube 820. A spacer 814 separates the battery 806 from the liquid separator 812 and the sensor and processor subassembly 808. Lens 822 is mounted on housing 810 proximate to sensor and processor subassembly 808. The inlet 824 lets air into the housing 810.

As shown in fig. 8A and 8B, the inlet end of nozzle arrangement 100 may be inserted into opening 826 of housing 810, and the outer diameter at the inlet portion of nozzle arrangement 100 is approximately the same as (but slightly smaller than) the diameter of opening 826, allowing for a snug and secure fit of nozzle arrangement 100 when fitted to device 800.

With particular reference to fig. 8C and 8D, the liquid zone separator 812 may separate the liquid zones while allowing the heater subassembly 802 to pass through the heating tube 816 and align it in the device 800 to extend along a centerline. The liquid separator 812 has a large diameter portion that fits tightly against the interior of the housing 810 to stabilize the housing internal components. The small diameter portion of the liquid zone separator 812 provides alignment for the heating conduit 816. The heater tube 816 contains a cylinder of woven material, such as non-permeable fiberglass, that separates the liquid region from the gas flow path. Heated wick 818, also comprising a woven material, such as fiberglass, draws fluid from inner batt structure 804A and outer batt structure 804B into heater subassembly 802 for vaporization. The inner and

outer batting structures

804A and 804B can also help prevent liquid leakage. Tube 820 holds batting

structures

804A and 804B in contact with heating tube 816 within housing 810 and may hold vaporized liquid or provide a barrier mechanism for evaporation.

The heater subassembly 802 comprises a coil wrapped around a heated wick 818, electrically coupled to the battery 806 via the sensor and processor subassembly 808. The sensor and processor subassembly may include, for example, a processor, a transistor, and a sensor. Thus, electrical wires (not shown) form a circuit between the battery 806 and the heater subassembly 802, controlled by the sensor and processor subassembly 808. The sensor and processor subassembly 808 contains a visual indicator, such as a Light Emitting Diode (LED), that activates in the event the sensor and processor subassembly 808 trips or otherwise becomes abnormal. The lens 822 is at least partially translucent and is positioned adjacent the indicator to allow a user of the device 800 to see if the sensor and processor subassembly 808 and the heater subassembly 802 are activated. In one embodiment, the sensor and processor subassembly 808 may contain a pressure-triggered sensor capable of monitoring the presence of airflow into the housing 810.

The liquid zone separator 812 includes internal axial passages that allow gas flow along the axis of the device 800 from one side of the support 812 to the other. The shim 814 also includes an internal axial passage that allows airflow along the axis of the device 800 from one side of the shim 814 to the other. The shim 814 also includes lateral radial apertures that allow airflow from the outer perimeter of the shim 814 into the interior, such as air from an inlet 824 (FIG. 8B). Second, air may enter the device 800 between the lens 822 and the housing 810, each of which includes appropriate ports. Air is drawn from the device 800 in the nozzle arrangement 100 by the action of the user.

By action of the user, air is drawn into the inlet 824 as the user of the device 800 sucks on the nozzle arrangement 100. Creating a pressure drop across the sensor and processor subassembly 808. The gas flow entering from inlet 824 enters shim 814 radially, passes axially through liquid zone separator 812, then enters heater tube 816, and passes through heater subassembly 802. All, or almost all, of the gas entering the apparatus 800 is exhausted at the nozzle arrangement 100.

Airflow detected by the sensor and processor subassembly 808 causes the indicator and heater subassembly 802 to activate. Activation of heater subassembly 802 causes the coil to begin to heat up, thereby vaporizing liquid within heated wick 818 associated with the coil and into the gas stream from inlet 824. The vaporized liquid and air flow form an aerosol which flows through the through-holes of the nozzle arrangement 100 where it affects the desired user experience provided, as discussed throughout this document, especially with reference to fig. 9.

Figure 9 is a pair of graphs of spectral density versus particle size showing a comparison of a prior art electronic cigarette with standard pin holes (left graph) versus the same electronic cigarette equipped with a nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention (right graph). The horizontal axis represents the particle size, and the horizontal axis of the two figures is on the same scale. The vertical axis represents the particle size frequency, the scale of the vertical axis of the two graphs is different, and the frequency of the left graph is higher. As shown, the new e-vaping device is capable of delivering larger amounts of aerosol due to improved morphology control.

The left graph shows a line graph 910, including

peak regions

912 and 914. The right graph shows a line plot 916 including a peak region 918. Each of the

line graphs

910 and 916 are a plurality of coincidence curves showing multiple data sets. The base of plot 910 is approximately as wide as the base of plot 916, indicating that the particle sizes in both plots are approximately in the same range. At the same time, peak 912 and peak 918 lie on nearly the same particle size, indicating that each plot contains a majority of particles of equal diameter. However, peak 912 is orders of magnitude higher (different scale of view) than peak 918 of plot 916, indicating that plot 910 contains a greater number of particles with equal particle size. In addition, the peak 914 of the line graph 910 is much higher in magnitude than the line graph 916 at a particular particle size.

Figure 9 demonstrates that the morphology of the particle size can be adjusted to create different aerosol characteristics, thereby affecting the user experience of the electronic smoking device. As shown by the shape of

plots

910 and 916, the morphology of the particles produced by the different nozzles represented by the left and right plots are quite different from each other. The morphology may generally include all or some of the following elements, such as: distribution, particle frequency, peak, and range of specific line graphs. Different modalities may provide different user experiences, including different mouth feel, aroma, impact force, inhalation characteristics, and exhalation characteristics. With the different rate adaptations that can be produced by the different nozzle arrangements described herein, a large number of different user experiences can be provided by the different geometric features of the through-holes in the nozzle arrangements.

Fig. 10A-17B are examples of various patterns that may be used for nozzle surfaces constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The purpose of these patterns includes indicating the internal design function of the nozzle through-holes. In addition, each pattern may provide a tactile feel to a user of the electronic smoking device. This tactile sensation may have different purposes, such as indicating a function of the internal design of the spout, or simply to provide a pleasant or desired sensation. Referring to the description of an example of a nozzle arrangement incorporated into an example electronic smoking device, fig. 10A-17B illustrate examples of patterns that may be applied to a surface of the nozzle arrangement or an outlet end of the nozzle arrangement to make the patterns visible when assembled to a housing.

Fig. 10A and 10B show a "twist" pattern at the outlet end of nozzle arrangement 1001. The electronic smoking device 1000 includes a housing 1002 to which a nozzle arrangement 1001 is connected. Nozzle arrangement 1001 includes a substantially planar first surface 1003, an inlet disk 1016, and a through bore 1014, through bore 1014 penetrating first surface 1003 at inlet 1005. Portions of the nozzle assembly 1001, such as an outlet disk like the outlet disk 150 shown in FIG. 1C, are positioned within the housing 1002 such that the outlet disk 1016 presses against the housing 1002 to secure the nozzle assembly to the assembly 1000.

The pattern of the first surface 1003 includes depressed portions 1004 (e.g., grooves) and raised portions 1006 (e.g., protrusions). The recessed portion 1004 is slightly recessed into the substantially planar first surface 1003 so that the pattern can be perceived visually and tactilely. Specifically, the recessed portion 1004 has a certain depth, thereby creating a stereoscopic pattern feeling that can be felt by the user's fingers. In addition, the raised portion 1006 may be felt by the tongue of the user as the electronic smoking device 1000 and mouthpiece device 1001 are fed into the user's mouth.

With particular reference to FIG. 10B, the groove 1004 includes a spiral portion 1008 that is interwoven with the vortex ray portions 1010A-1010F. The spiral portion 1008 starts at the inlet 1005 and extends in a spiral to the outer diameter of the substantially planar first surface 1003. Each line of vortical ray segments 1010A-1010F extends arcuately from the inlet 1005 to the outer diameter of the substantially planar first surface 1003. In the embodiment of FIGS. 10A and 10B, portion 1008 and portions 1010A-1010F have the same depth, which is not necessary in other embodiments. The visual pattern formed by the spiral portion 1008 and the vortical ray portions 1010A-1010F is related to the geometry of the via 1014, and thus the user experience, including, for example, that illustrated in the description of fig. 1B, 2B, 3, 4, or 5, or any other via geometry.

Fig. 11A and 11B show a "residual wave" pattern at the outlet end of the nozzle arrangement 1101. The smoking device 1100 comprises a housing 1102 to which a mouthpiece 1101 is attached. The nozzle arrangement 1101 includes a planar first surface 1103, an inlet disk 1116 and a through bore 1114. FIGS. 11A and 11B include the same pattern as FIGS. 10A and 10B, but with the depth of the spiral portion 1108 being different than the depth of the vortex ray portions 1010A-1010F. The spiral portion 1108 is formed by a concave portion 1104 entering into a convex portion 1106. As shown in this particular embodiment, the spiral portion 1108 is deeper than the vortex ray portions 1110A-1110F.

Fig. 12A and 12B show a "spiral" pattern at the outlet end of the nozzle arrangement 1201. The smoking device 1200 comprises a housing 1202 to which the mouthpiece arrangement 1201 is connected. The nozzle arrangement 1201 includes a planar first surface 1203, an inlet disk 1216 and a through hole 1214. The pattern of fig. 12A and 12B is similar to the pattern of fig. 10A-10B, but without the vortex ray portions 1810A-1810F, such that the concave portion 1204 includes only the spiral portion 1208 that enters the convex portion 1206.

Fig. 13A and 13B show a "hurricane" pattern located at the exit end of the nozzle arrangement 1301. The smoking device 1300 comprises a housing 1302 to which a mouthpiece arrangement 1301 is attached. Nozzle arrangement 1301 includes a planar first surface 1303, an inlet disk 1316, and a through bore 1314. The concave portions 1304 and the convex portions 1306 form a "hurricane" pattern. As shown in fig. 13B, the recessed portion 1304 includes a single connected leaf shape 1312, similar to the overlapping portions of the yin-yang pattern separation.

Fig. 14A and 14B show a "tornado" pattern at the exit end of the nozzle arrangement 1401. The smoking device 1400 includes a housing 1402, a mouthpiece 1401 to the housing. The nozzle arrangement 1401 comprises a planar first surface 1403, an inlet disc 1416 and a through hole 1414. The recessed portions 1404 and raised portions 1406 form a "tornado" pattern. As shown in fig. 14B, the recessed portion 1404 includes a pair of fibonacci spirals 1415 that emanate from the through hole 1414.

Fig. 15A and 15B show a "swirl" pattern at the outlet end of the nozzle arrangement 1501. The smoking device 1500 includes a housing 1502 to which a mouthpiece 1501 is attached. Nozzle arrangement 1501 includes a planar first surface 1503, an inlet disk 1516, and a throughbore 1514. The concave portions 1504 and the convex portions 1506 form a "vortex" pattern. As shown in FIG. 15B, recessed portion 1504 includes a plurality of identical arcs or curves 1517, emanating from through-hole 1514. In the illustrated embodiment, there are 8 equidistantly spaced arcs 1517 around the through-hole 1514.

Fig. 16A and 16B show a "cyclonic" pattern at the outlet end of the nozzle arrangement 1601. The smoking device 1600 includes a housing 1602 to which a nozzle arrangement 1601 is connected. The nozzle arrangement 1601 comprises a planar first surface 1603, an inlet disk 1616 and a through hole 1614. The recessed portions 1604 form the vortex ray portions 1610A-1610F that enter the raised portions 1606. FIGS. 16A, 16B are similar to the patterns of FIGS. 10A-10B, but FIGS. 16A and 16B do not have a spiral portion 1008, so the recessed portion 1604 includes only the vortical ray portions 1610A-1610F.

Fig. 17A and 17B show a "paddle" pattern at the outlet end of nozzle arrangement 1701. The cigarette device 1700 includes a housing 1702 to which a mouthpiece device 1701 is attached. The nozzle arrangement 1701 comprises a flat first surface 1703, an inlet disc 1716 and a through bore 1714. Recessed portions 1704 form vortex ray portions 1718A-1718D that enter convex portions 1706. 17A, 17B are similar to the patterns of FIGS. 16A, 16B, but with 6 swirl rays for swirl ray portions 1610A-1610F and 4 swirl rays for swirl ray portions 1718A-1718D. The vortex rays of vortex ray portions 1718A-1718D are equally spaced around throughbore 1714, with the vortex rays being spaced wider than vortex rays 1610A-1610F.

Any of the patterns of fig. 10A-17B may be uniquely used to represent the design of the nozzle arrangement and the particular through-holes provided therein. Also, the user may select a nozzle arrangement that provides the user with an enhanced or different user experience based on the external indicia. Fig. 10A-17B provide only a few of the available patterns that are selected. Other embodiments may have any other pattern type that will provide a visual and/or tactile indication of the internal features of the nozzle arrangement.

Fig. 18A and 18B are top and side cross-sectional views, respectively, of a nozzle arrangement 1800, the nozzle arrangement 1800 including yet another example of a nozzle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The nozzle arrangement 1800 may include a plurality of through holes 1810. As shown in fig. 18B, one or more (or all) of the through-holes may have a funnel shape similar to the through-holes 240 (shown in fig. 2B). The nozzle arrangement 1800 may also include optional protrusions 1820 that may be configured and positioned to direct the flow direction of aerosol entering (or exiting) the nozzle arrangement 1800. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, protrusion 1820 is centrally located on the inlet surface of nozzle arrangement 1800 to facilitate airflow into through-hole 1810.

Although not providing the same gyroscopic force control as an hourglass shape, the plurality of through holes 1810 have the benefit of controlling flow by having a larger wall surface area relative to the surface area formed on the surface 1830. The increased surface area creates a boundary layer effect and thus may limit the flow velocity.

FIG. 18C is another embodiment of the nozzle arrangement shown in FIG. 18B. In fig. 18C, the nozzle arrangement 1800 'includes a plurality of through holes 1810', each having an hourglass shape.

The invention and the details of the different features and advantages are explained in more detail with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples shown and/or described in the drawings and detailed description. It is noted that the features in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and those skilled in the art will recognize that features of one embodiment may be employed in other embodiments even if not explicitly stated. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not obscure the embodiments of the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments set forth herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the different views of the drawings.

As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," and other similar words are intended to mean "including, but not limited to," unless specified otherwise.

As used herein, the terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more" unless otherwise specified.

In the case where there is no particular description, if the devices communicate with each other, the communication is not necessarily continuous. In addition, if devices communicate with each other, such communication may be achieved directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

Although process steps, method steps, operations, and other similar processes may be performed in a sequential order in the description, the process steps, method steps, operations, and other similar processes may be performed in other orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps described may not necessarily be performed in that order. The steps of processes, methods, and operations described may be performed in any other order. Also, some steps may be performed simultaneously.

It will be apparent that when a single device or article is described, multiple devices or articles may be substituted for the single device or article. Also, when multiple devices or articles are described, a single device or article may be substituted for the multiple devices or articles. A function or feature of a device may be implemented by one or more other devices which are not explicitly recited as having that function or feature.

Claims

1. A drainage device for an electronic smoking device, the drainage device comprising:

a body configured to be assembled with an electronic smoking device housing, the body including a first surface and a second surface; and

a through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface, the through hole shape configured to adjust flow characteristics between the first surface and the second surface;

This via includes:

an exit on the first surface;

an inlet located on a second surface, wherein the second surface is located on the body for insertion into the electronic smoking device; and

the throat between the outlet and the inlet;

The converging inlet region of the through hole between the inlet and the throat has an arcuate shape;

The diverging outlet region of the through hole between the throat and the outlet has a cone with an outlet angle of 15 degrees to 30 degrees;

The throat region between the inlet and outlet regions has a cylindrical shape.

2. The drainage device of claim 1, wherein the through hole has an hourglass shape.

3. The drainage device of claim 2, wherein the inlet has a larger diameter than the outlet and the throat has a smaller diameter than both the outlet and the inlet.

4. The drainage device of claim 3, wherein the diameter of the throat is between 1.0 mm and 3.0 mm.

5. The drainage device of claim 2, wherein:

an inlet region of the through hole located between the inlet and the throat has a first length;

an outlet region of the through hole between the throat and the outlet has a second length;

the throat region between the inlet region and the outlet region has a third length;

Wherein, the second length is greater than the third length, and the third length is greater than the first length.

6. The drainage device of claim 5, wherein:

the first length is between 0.75 mm and 2.0 mm;

the second length is between 1.0 mm and 4.0 mm; and

The third length is between 0.75 mm and 3.0 mm.

7. The drainage device of claim 2, wherein:

The shape of the inlet region of the through hole between the inlet and the throat is configured to increase the flow rate; and

The shape of the outlet region of the through hole between the throat and the outlet is configured to slow the flow rate.

8. The drainage device of claim 1, wherein the first surface includes a pattern indicative of the shape of the through holes.

9. The drainage device of claim 8, wherein the pattern has a depth into the first surface.

10. The drainage device of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a plurality of ribs extending along the length of the through hole from the first surface to the second surface.

11. The drainage device of claim 1, wherein the body includes a cylindrical wall between the first surface and the second surface.

12. The drainage device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of through-holes extending from the first surface to the second surface, the plurality of through-holes collectively being shaped to accommodate the first and second surfaces flow characteristics between.

13. The drainage device of claim 12, wherein the body further comprises a protrusion positioned to direct flow toward at least one of the plurality of through holes.

14. An electronic cigarette comprising:

slender cylindrical shell;

Batteries placed in enclosures;

a storage area within the enclosure;

a battery powered nebulizer configured to receive the liquid in the reservoir to generate the aerosol; and

The drainage device of claim 1 attached to an end of an elongated cylindrical housing having a nozzle for receiving aerosol inhaled from a nebulizer, the nozzle comprising a throat region and a nozzle located in the throat The diverging zone downstream of the zone.

15. The electronic cigarette of claim 14, wherein the nozzle includes an inlet opening in the housing and an outlet opening outside the housing.

16. The electronic cigarette of claim 14, wherein the drainage device has a three-dimensional pattern that is visible from outside the electronic cigarette when the drainage device is assembled to the elongated cylindrical housing.

17. The electronic cigarette of claim 14, wherein the drainage device includes a plurality of through holes.

18. The electronic cigarette of claim 14, wherein the nozzle includes a tapered outlet region having an outlet angle of 15 degrees to 30 degrees.

19. A method of controlling aerosol drainage in an electronic smoking device, the method comprising:

inhaling air into the electronic smoking device;

Using air and a nebulizer installed in an electronic smoking device to generate aerosols;

inhaling the aerosol through the evacuation device of claim 1 of the electronic smoking device into the configured channel of the evacuation device; and

The aerosol properties are adjusted by means of the shaped channel as the aerosol passes through the evacuation device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the properties of the aerosol comprises controlling the flow rate of the aerosol.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the properties of the aerosol includes controlling the flow direction of the aerosol.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the properties of the aerosol includes controlling the uniformity of aerosol particle size.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the properties of the aerosol comprises the following:

Accelerates the flow of aerosols in the configured inlet region; and

The flow of the aerosol is slowed in the exit region of the shaped channel.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein adjusting the properties of the aerosol comprises flowing the aerosol through a contoured channel having an hourglass shape.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the properties of the aerosol comprises slowing the flow of the aerosol in the exit region of the shaped channel.