TW201626908A - Electronic cigarette designs for automated manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a control module, a battery, a heater module and a liquid supply within a tube. The control module and the heater module are positioned on opposite sides of the battery and are electrically connected to each other via a connector strip. The connector strip may have tabs extending into the control and heater modules, to make electrical connections. The electronic cigarette may be free of screw threads on any element and have no soldered connections, to improve reliability and to allow for automated manufacturing.

Description

Electronic cigarette design for automated manufacturing

The field of the invention is the design and manufacture of electronic cigarettes.

The use of electronic cigarettes or so-called electronic cigarettes is rapidly expanding as an alternative to traditional cigarettes that smoke real tobacco. Electronic cigarettes typically have a battery, a sprayer having a heating element, a liquid container, and a power control circuit coupled to the battery, the heating element, and a suction inductor. When the user inhales, the inhalation sensor detects inhalation and the control circuit provides current from the battery to the heating element. The heating element heats the liquid to create a vapor for inhalation by a user.

Even though e-cigarettes are growing rapidly, some of them are still hand-made, usually including electronic connections via hand soldering. Manual assembly of e-cigarettes limits production capacity and stability. It also affects quality control, resulting in inefficient material use and significantly hampers cost-saving goals for automated production.

Many e-cigarettes are sold as disposable or disposable products. In these electronic cigarettes, when the liquid supply has been used up, the battery needs to be discarded along with the electronic cigarette. This limits the type of battery used for the electronic cigarette and/or the complexity of the battery handling environment. More paradox There are motives to overcome some of the shortcomings, and there are still various engineering challenges in order to provide improved e-cigarette design and methods of manufacturing e-cigarettes.

An electronic cigarette comprising: a tube; a control module, a battery, a heater module and a liquid supply are located in the tube, the control module and the heater module are located on opposite sides of the battery, And each of the control module and the heater module has a cylindrical outer casing; and a connector strip electrically connected to the control module without a line.

A method of manufacturing an electronic cigarette, the method comprising the steps of: sequentially providing a control module, a battery, a heater module, and a liquid supply, and axially aligning each other to form a component group; a connector strip electrically connecting the control module and the heater module; aligning a tube to the group of components; moving the tube and/or the group of components to set the entire group of components Within the tube; and placing an end cap over the ends of the tube.

20‧‧‧Electronic cigarette

22‧‧‧ tube

24‧‧‧Control Module

26‧‧‧ front cover

28‧‧‧Battery

30‧‧‧Connector belt

32‧‧‧ tablets

36‧‧‧O-ring

38‧‧‧ Clips

40‧‧‧End contact

42‧‧‧Lighting diode

44‧‧‧Axial air hole

45‧‧‧Internal connector

46‧‧‧Control module housing

48‧‧‧Battery compartment

50‧‧‧heater module

52‧‧‧heater module housing

54‧‧‧O-ring

56‧‧‧ Clips

58‧‧‧ switch

60‧‧‧Spring wire

62‧‧‧ wire

64‧‧‧heating plate

66‧‧‧First electrical contact

68‧‧‧Second electrical contact

70‧‧‧ Washer

72‧‧‧Liquid supply

74‧‧‧Plastic or metal tube

76‧‧‧Central Channel

80‧‧‧ mouth cover

In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic cigarette component.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an electronic cigarette.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the components of Figure 1 mounted within the tube of Figure 2.

4 is a rear perspective view of the heater module shown in FIG. 1.

Figure 5 is a side perspective view of the heater module shown in Figure 4.

6 is a rear perspective view of the electronic control module shown in FIG. 1.

7 is a front perspective view and a side perspective view of the control module shown in FIG. 6.

Figure 8 is a side perspective view of the heater electrically connected to the control module via a connector strip as shown in Figure 1.

9A to 9D illustrate an example of an assembly method.

Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevational view of the battery, heater module, and liquid supply installed in the tube.

Figure 11 is an enlarged side elevational view of the front end of the electronic cigarette shown in Figure 3, the electronic cigarette being mounted with a front cover.

This case provides a novel electronic cigarette design. A novel method for making an electronic cigarette is also disclosed. Referring next to the drawings, as shown in Figures 1, 2, the electronic cigarette 20 includes elements that can be assembled together and then mounted within the tube 22. Tube 22 can be a thin-walled metal tube, such as stainless steel, having a length and diameter similar to conventional tobacco cigarettes, typically 80-120 mm long and having a diameter of 8-12 mm. In the illustrated example, the components of the electronic cigarette 20 can include a control module 24 and a heater module 50 positioned on opposite sides of the battery 28. The connector strip 30 can be used to provide an electrical connection between the control module 24 and the heater module 50 rather than using conventional circuitry. Still referring to FIG. 1, in the illustrated example, the electronic cigarette 20 can further include a printed circuit board or heater board 64 positioned between the heater module 50 and the liquid supply 72.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, elements 24, 28, 50 and 72 are generally cylindrical or disc shaped and have an outer diameter that is nominally smaller than the inner diameter of tube 22. Thus, by sliding the elements from one end of the tube into the tube 22, the elements are allowed to fit within the tube 22. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 11, the O-ring 36 on the control module 24 maintains the control module 24 in a position proximate the forward end of the tube 22. A front cover 26 is snapped onto the tube 22 to close the open front end of the tube. Similarly, a mouthpiece 80 is snapped onto the rear end of the tube 22.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the heater module 50 can be provided with an O-ring 54 that surrounds the cylindrical outer casing 52. The heater module 50 can have a spring wire 60 or similar heating element located on or at the rear end of the heater module housing 52, wherein the spring wire is used to vaporize the liquid. In the example of Figures 4, 5, the spring wire 60 has a central axis AA perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LL of the tube 22. The wire 62 of the spring wire 60 will pass through the opening in the heater plate 64 and into the heater module housing 52. A first electrical contact 66 on the heater module housing 52 or at its front end, optionally in the form of a spring, contacts one of the wires 62. As shown in FIG. 10, a second electrical contact 68 located in an opening on one side of the heater module housing 52 is electrically in contact with the other conductors 62 and contacts the rear end of the connector strip 30. Optionally, a clip 56 is provided on the side of the heater module housing 52 to form electrical contact between the tube 22 and the heater module 50, and/or to help the heater module 50 remain within the tube 22. Positioning. The heater module 50 can also have a switch 58 that can be used to prevent current from flowing to the spring wire 60 regardless of the control operation provided by the control module 24.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, similar to the heater module 50, the control module 24 can also have a cylindrical outer casing 46, an O-ring 36, and a clip 38. The axial air holes 44 may extend through the outer casing 46 to form a discharge port for the battery compartment 48 formed in the tube 22 between the control module 24 and the heater module 50. A light emitting diode 42 can be provided on the front end of the control module housing 48. As shown in FIG. 11, the end contact 40 on the rear end of the control module housing 46 is electrically coupled to the front end of the connector strip 30 via an internal connector 45.

As shown in FIG. 8, the connector strip 30 electrically connects the control module 24 to the heater module 50. The connector strip can be made of a plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with a conductive coating. The connector strip can be thin (e.g., 0.5 to 1.5 mm) and bent to fit and rest against the inner diameter of the tube. As shown in Figures 2, 10 and 11, the ends of the connector strip 30 can be formed or bent into a sheet 32 that is inserted into the side opening of the control module housing 46 and the heater module housing 52 to form Electrical connection. As the components are assembled within the tube 22, the sheets 32 cannot be pulled out of the modules 24 and 50, thereby forming a reliable electrical connection. Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 8, with the assembly of the electronic cigarette 20, the control module 24 is directly coupled to the positive terminal of the battery via the end contact 40 and is coupled to the negative terminal of the battery by a spring 66 and a contact strip 30.

The connector strip 30 can have a plurality of separate conductive lines to provide power and signals between the control module 24 and the heater module 50. The use of the connector strip 30 allows the electronic cigarette to be manufactured without wiring or soldering. It also allows the battery to be easily removed from the tube 22 for recycling or separation. Tube 22 The body, or a conductive coating on the inside of the tube 22, may alternatively be used as an additional conductor between them.

As shown in Figure 9A, a gasket 70, such as a wood fiber gasket, can be attached to the liquid supply 72 during the initial assembly step. The liquid supply 72 can be a PET filter material within a plastic or metal tube 74 having a central passage 76 extending from the mouthpiece 80 to the heater module 50 by a liquid supply 72. In a second assembly step, as shown in Figure 9B, control module 24, battery 28, heater module 50, and liquid supply 72 can be aligned and placed together on or within a holder to form a group of components. Referring to Figure 9C, in a third assembly step, the sheets 32 are mounted to a connector strip 30 that is inserted into a contact opening in the control module housing 46 and a contact opening in the heater module housing 52. In a fourth assembly step as shown in Figure 9D, the group of components, now including the conductor strip, will be moved, for example, into tube 22. The final assembly step is shown in FIG. 3 with the mouth cover 80 and the front cover 26 pressed or snapped over the ends of the tube 22.

The outer diameter of the O-rings 36 and 54 can be nominally greater than the inner diameter of the tube 22. In this case, when mounted into the tube 22, the O-ring is slightly compressed, creating sufficient friction to hold the elements securely within the tube 22. The O-ring also helps to prevent any leakage of liquid that escapes within the tube 22.

Referring back to Figures 1-3, the electronic cigarette 20 has fewer discrete components than existing electronic cigarettes. Each of these elements is generally cylindrical or disc shaped. Thus, the components can be ordered and processed via automation or robotics. For example, these components can be set via a robot On a bracket or holder, to align with the tube 22 and then push it into the tube 22. In this case, the only assembly step remaining is to install the front cover 26 and the mouth cover 80, and this step can also be done automatically. Unlike many existing electronic cigarettes, this case does not use or require threading, welding, line positioning, heat shrink tubing, and the like.

Therefore, a new electronic cigarette and manufacturing method have been disclosed and described in the present case. Various changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be limited by the following claims and their equivalents. The electronic cigarette cited herein, without solder joints and wiring, refers to the components shown in the drawings, and is not any connection, wiring, or components within the control or heating module, such as having soldered connections or wiring. Microelectronic components.

20‧‧‧Electronic cigarette

24‧‧‧Control Module

26‧‧‧ front cover

28‧‧‧Battery

30‧‧‧Connector belt

32‧‧‧ tablets

50‧‧‧heater module

64‧‧‧heating plate

70‧‧‧ Washer

72‧‧‧Liquid supply

80‧‧‧ mouth cover

Claims (12)

An electronic cigarette comprising: a tube; a control module, a battery, a heater module and a liquid supply are located in the tube, the control module and the heater module are located on opposite sides of the battery, And each of the control module and the heater module has a cylindrical outer casing; and a connector strip electrically connected to the control module without a line. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 wherein the tube comprises a continuous unitary unitary tube. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, wherein the connector strip has a first end piece and a second piece, the first end piece extending into the outer casing of the control module, the second piece extending into the heater The outer casing of the module. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 has no thread on any of the components. The electronic cigarette of claim 1 does not have a welded connection. The electronic cigarette of claim 1, further comprising a battery contact spring and a spring wire, the battery contact spring being located at a front end of the heater module, the spring wire being located at a rear end of the heater module . An electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the connector belt A unique electrical connection between the control module and the heater module is included. The electronic cigarette of claim 3, comprising a single connector strip having a central region having a curvature substantially matching the inner diameter of the tube, wherein the end pieces are vertical In the central area. A method of manufacturing an electronic cigarette, the method comprising the steps of: sequentially providing a control module, a battery, a heater module, and a liquid supply, and axially aligning each other to form a component group; a connector strip electrically connecting the control module and the heater module; aligning a tube to the group of components; moving the tube and/or the group of components to set the entire group of components Within the tube; and placing an end cap over the ends of the tube. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic cigarette does not have a welded connection. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic cigarette does not have a threaded component. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps are performed automatically or mechanically.