Electronic cigarette

Abstract

An electronic cigarette is provided. The electronic cigarette includes a casing having an inhalation hole and a substantially cylindrical configuration, ejection means (first ejection means) provided in the casing and at least one ejection head. Pressure in a cavity filled with a liquid flavor generating medium is changed by driving an actuator to eject the flavor generating medium as droplets from a nozzle in communication with the cavity. Control means provided in the casing controls the driving of the ejection means.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-198701 filed Jul. 17, 2003 which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Technical Field to which the Invention Belongs [0003] The present invention relates to an electronic cigarette. [0004] 2. Related Art [0005] Recently, various types of smoking simulators for tasting a flavor resembling that of a cigarette without burning a cigarette have been proposed. [0006] For example, smoking simulators have been proposed, in which a heating element and solid flavor generating medium are provided in a heat-insulating tube and in which the heat-insulating tube and a power supply of the heating element are wrapped in fine quality wrapping paper and formed like a cigarette (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. JP-A-3-232481). [0007] In a smoking simulator having such a configuration, electrical energy is supplied from the power supply...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] By using a flavor generating medium which has no harmful substance, no uncomfortable smell, taste, and the like, it is possible to prevent people around the smoker and the smoker him or herself from being damaged or made uncomfortable by smoking.

[0021] Thus, since particles of flavor components atomized by being heated with the heating means of the atomizing means can be inhaled into the mouth, the flavor components can be efficiently spread in the mouth, and the smoker can feel as if he or she was inhaling smoke of a cigarette.

[0023] Thus, since flavor components atomized by being vibrated with the vibration means of the atomizing means can be inhaled into the mouth, the flavor components can be efficiently spread in the mouth, and the smoker can feel as if he or she was inhaling smoke of a cigarette.

[0025] Thus, the atomizing means can be easily attached in the casing as occasion demands.

[0040] Since this makes it possible to increase or decrease the quantity of light of the light-emitting means according to the inhalation capacity of a smoker, the smoker can feel as if he or she was inhaling smoke of a cigarette.

[0043] Since this makes it possible to generate simulated smoke from the smoke generating means, to stop the generating of smoke, and to adjust the amount of smoke generated according to the inhalation capacity of a smoker, the smoker can feel as if he or she was inhaling smoke of a cigarette.

Problems solved by technology

In a smoking simulator having such a configuration, however, since it takes time to increase the temperature of the flavor generating medium, a long time is required for the flavor generating medium to generate a sufficient amount of flavor components.

Thus, a sufficient amount of flavor components can not be obtained at the beginning of simulated smoking, and a feeling similar to that of a cigarette cannot be provided from the beginning of simulated smoking.

Since the amount of flavor components generated by the flavor generating medium cannot be controlled with high accuracy, the amount of flavor components cannot be adjusted according to the amount of inhalation.

As a result, a feeling similar to that of a cigarette cannot be provided.

Further, since there is no function of generating smoke similar to that of a cigarette and no function of generating a fire similar to that of a cigarette, a feeling similar to that of a cigarette cannot be provided.

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