Electronic Cigarette

Abstract

The present application discloses an electronic cigarette. The electronic cigarette comprises an oil cup assembly and a base cup assembly. The oil cup assembly comprises an oil tank, a mouth piece coupled to the oil tank, a fixed portion coupled to the oil tank, and an oil cup tube located inside the oil tank. The base cup assembly comprises a sleeve, a pair of snaps coupled to the sleeve and removably coupled to the fixed portion, a heat wire located inside the sleeve, and an electrode coupled to the sleeve. The sleeve comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, a protruded portion and at least one air inlet. The heat wire is disposed inside the upper portion. The pair of snaps is partially disposed inside the lower portion. The electrode is disposed inside the protrusion portion. The at least one air inlet hole is located at the lower portion.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present application generally relates to electronic cigarettes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom side of the base of the current electronic cigarette generally has four holes 10a/10b for air inlet. However, the oil may leak out from the four air inlet holes 10a/10b at the bottom of the base when the heat wire fails to lock the oil.

[0003] In addition, the oil cup assembly and the base assembly are generally connected by threading. The user may unscrew the atomizer when smoking. It is easy to separate the oil cup assembly from the base assembly, making the oil to be leaked directly from the oil cup easily

[0004] Sometimes the manufacture may add a silica gel between the oil cup assembly and the base assembly. However, it is hard to separate the oil cup assembly and the base assembly. The oil cup assembly may be broken when using too much strength for separation, making the oil be leaked out from the oil cup assembly.

[0005] Therefore, a need remains for an electronic cigarette to provide a more convenient structure for keeping the oil inside the electronic cigarette.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present application discloses an electronic cigarette to provide a more convenient structure for keeping the oil inside the electronic cigarette.

[0007] The electronic cigarette comprises an oil cup assembly and a base cup assembly. The oil cup assembly comprises an oil tank, a mouth piece coupled to the oil tank, a fixed portion coupled to the oil tank, and an oil cup tube located inside the oil tank. The base cup assembly comprises a sleeve, a pair of snaps coupled to the sleeve and removably coupled to the fixed portion, a heat wire located inside the sleeve, and an electrode coupled to the sleeve.

[0008] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the fixed portion comprises a fixed column and a fixed ring. The fixed column is coupled to the oil cup tank. The fixed ring is coupled around the fixed column, wherein the pair of snaps is removably coupled to the fixed ring. Specifically, the fixed ring comprises a fixed ring body and at least one protrusion. The at least one protrusion is coupled to the fixed ring body, wherein the pair of snaps is removably coupled to the at least one protrusion.

[0009] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the base cup assembly further comprises a fabric disposed between the sleeve and the heat wire.

[0010] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the sleeve is a silicon sleeve.

[0011] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the pair of snaps are plastic snaps.

[0012] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the base cup assembly further comprises a central tube disposed inside the sleeve.

[0013] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the sleeve comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, a protruded portion and at least one air inlet. The heat wire is disposed inside the upper portion. The pair of snaps is partially disposed inside the lower portion. The electrode is disposed inside the protrusion portion. The at least one air inlet hole is located at the lower portion. A size of the air inlet hole is 2 mm.sup.2.

[0014] In one embodiments, wherein a capacity of the oil cup tank is 0.5 mL and an overall size of the electronic cigarette is 11*50.35 min.

[0015] In another embodiment. wherein a capacity of the oil cup tank is 1.0 mL and an overall size of the electronic cigarette is 11*60.15 mm.

[0016] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the mouth piece is made of glass.

[0017] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein the oil cup tank is made of glass.

[0018] In various exemplary embodiments, wherein a resistance of the electronic cigarette is 1.4 ohm.

[0019] Based on the above, the electronic cigarette of the present application utilizes the snap-lock structure to avoid the oil be leaked out. Specifically, after the oil cup assembly and the base assembly are assembled, the base assembly and the oil cup assembly may not be loosened due to the external fastening of the fixed portion to the internal fastening of the snaps.

[0020] In addition, the oil may be hard to leak out since the air inlet hole is located at lower portion of the base assembly which is relatively higher than common electronic cigarette as shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] Numerous other advantages and features of the present application will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of disclosed embodiments, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The objects, features and advantages of the present application will be more readily appreciated upon reference to the following disclosure when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to identify identical components in the various views, and wherein reference numerals with alphabetic characters are utilized to identify additional types, instantiations or variations of a selected component embodiment in the various views, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a current electronic cigarette.

[0024] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an oil cup assembly of the present application.

[0025] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a base assembly of the present application.

[0026] FIGS. 3-4B are cross-sectional views of the electronic cigarette of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the present representative embodiments of the present application, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the sane or like parts.

[0028] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an oil cup assembly 100 of the present application. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a base assembly 200 of the present application. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic cigarette of the present application.

[0029] In the present application, an overall size of the electronic cigarette is 11*50.35 mm or 11*60.15 nm depending on a capacity of the oil cup tank which will be described later. A resistance of the electronic cigarette is 1.4 ohm as an example but not limited either.

[0030] The oil cup assembly 100 comprises an oil tank 110, a mouth piece 120, a fixed portion 130 and an oil cup tube 140.

[0031] The oil tank 110, the mouth piece 120 and the oil cup tube 140 are made of glass but is not limited. The capacity of the oil cup tank 110 is 0.5 mL or 1.0 mL as an example but is not limited. If the capacity of the oil tank 110 is 0.5 mL, the overall size of the electronic cigarette will be 11*50.35 mm. If the capacity of the oil tank 110 is 1.0 mL, the overall size of the electronic cigarette will be 11*60.15 mm. However, the capacity of the oil tank 110 and the overall size of the electronic cigarette are not limited. The present application here only provides two embodiments as examples. The mouth piece 120 is coupled to the oil tank 110. Specifically, the mouth piece 120 and the oil tank 110 are molded integrally.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 2A and 3, the fixed portion 130 comprises a fixed ring 132, a fixed column 134 and a positioning column 136. The fixed ring 132 comprises a fixed ring body 132a and at least one protrusion 132b coupled to the fixed ring body 132a. Specifically, the at least one protrusion 132b forms at least one slot for locking snaps 220. The details about the mechanism of the snaps 220 will be described later with FIG. 2B. The fixed column 134 is made of glass. In detail, the fixed column 134 and the oil tank 110 are molded integrally. The fixed ring 132 is wrapped around the fixed column 134. The positioning column 136 is made for making the base assembly 200 to be coupled with the oil cup assembly 100 more accurately and conveniently.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 2B and 3, the base assembly 200 comprises a sleeve 210, a pair of snaps 220, an electrode 230, a heat wire 240. a fabric 250, a central tube 260 and an insulator 270.

[0034] The sleeve 210 comprises an upper portion 212, a lower portion 214, a protruded portion 216 and at least one air inlet hole 218. The upper portion 212, the lower portion 214 and the protruded portion are molded integrally but is not limited. The air inlet hole 218 is located at the lower portion 214. Rather than the electronic cigarette 10 as shown in FIG. 1 which the air inlet holes 10a/10b are located at the protruded portion, the air inlet hole 218 of the present application is located at the lower portion 214, providing more room for oil. A size of the air inlet hole 218 is 2 mm.sup.2 as an example but is not limited. The detail of the above structure will be described later with FIG. 4B. In the present application, the sleeve 210 is a silicon sleeve as an example but is not limited.

[0035] The pair of snaps 220 are partially coupled to the lower portion 214 of the sleeve 210 and removably coupled to the fixed portion 130. Specifically, the pair of snaps 220 is coupled to the at least one protrusion 132b of the fixed ring 132. The oil cup assembly 100 and the base assembly 200 may not be rotate relative to each other since the at least one protrusion 132b forms at least one slot for locking snaps 220. In the present application, the pair of snaps 220 is made of plastic in order to deform for locking with the fixed portion 130. However. the material of the snaps 220 is not limited as long as the snaps 220 could be removably coupled to the fixed portion 130. In addition, the amount of the snaps 220 is not limited either. The electronic cigarette of the present application could comprise one or more than one snap 220.

[0036] The electrode 230 is disposed inside the protruded portion 216 for contacting to the power.

[0037] The heat wire 240 is located inside the upper portion 212 of the sleeve 210. The fabric 250 is disposed between the heat wire 240 and the sleeve 210. In the present application, the fabric 250 is a non-woven fabric as an example.

[0038] The central tube 260 is located between the upper portion 212 and the lower portion 214 for stabling the whole structure. The insulator 270 is coupled between the electrode 230 and the protruded portion 216.

[0039] FIGS. 3-4B are cross-sectional views of the electronic cigarette of the present application.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4A, the oil 50 is located within the oil cup tank 110. When the heat wire assembly fails to absorb the oil falling, the oil 50 may flow into the bottom area for storage as shown in

[0041] FIG. 4B. The oil may only be leaked from the air inlet hole 218 when the amount of the oil 50 flowing down exceeds the storage area.

[0042] Based on the above, the electronic cigarette of the present application utilizes the snap-lock structure to avoid the oil be leaked out. Specifically, after the oil cup assembly and the base assembly are assembled, the base assembly and the oil cup assembly may not be loosened due to the external fastening of the fixed portion to the internal fastening of the snaps.

[0043] In addition, the oil may be hard to leak out since the air inlet hole is located at lower portion of the base assembly which is relatively higher than common electronic cigarette as shown in FIG. 1.

[0044] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present application without departing from the scope or spirit of the present application. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present application cover modifications and variations of this application provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette, comprising: an oil cup assembly comprising: an oil tank; a mouth piece coupled to the oil tank: a fixed portion coupled to the oil tank; and an oil cup tube located inside the oil tank; a base cup assembly comprising: a sleeve; a pair of snaps coupled to the sleeve and removably coupled to the fixed portion; a heat wire located inside the sleeve; an electrode coupled to the sleeve.

2. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed portion comprises: a fixed column coupled to the oil cup tank; and a fixed ring coupled around the fixed column, wherein the pair of snaps is removably coupled to the fixed ring.

3. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixed ring comprises: a fixed ring body; and at least one protrusion coupled to the fixed ring body, wherein the pair of snaps is removably coupled to the at least one protrusion.

4. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base cup assembly further comprises a fabric disposed between the sleeve and the heat wire.

5. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a silicon sleeve.

6. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of snaps are plastic snaps. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base cup assembly further comprises a central tube disposed inside the sleeve. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises: an upper portion, wherein the heat wire is disposed inside the upper portion; a lower portion, wherein the pair of snaps is partially disposed inside the lower portion; and a protruded portion, wherein the electrode is disposed inside the protrusion portion.

4. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sleeve further comprises at least one air inlet hole located at the lower portion.

10. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 9, wherein a size of the air inlet hole is 2 mm.sup.2.

11. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein a capacity of the oil cup tank is 0.5 mL.

12. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 11, wherein an overall size of the electronic cigarette is 11*50.35 mm.

13. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein a capacity of the oil cup tank is 1.0 mL

14. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 13, wherein an overall size of the electronic cigarette is 11*60.15 mm.

15. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mouth piece is made of glass.

16. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil cup tank is made of glass.

17. The electronic cigarette as claimed in claim 1, wherein a resistance of the electronic cigarette is 1.4 ohm.