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US 11,026,451 B2Granted
Electronic cigarette fluid pump
OwnerMartin Wensley, Khe Kubel +4inventors
InventorsMartin Wensley, Khe Kubel, Stefan Biel, Mark Brinkerhoff, Tom Geraty, Reynaldo Quintana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims14
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.
3 more elements
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.
2 more elements
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.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.