Soft Tip for an Electronic Cigarette

Abstract

A soft-tip for an electronic cigarette. The device is a soft mouthpiece for an electronic cigarette, having the tactile feel of a filter similar to a traditional cigarette without actually filtering or obstructing the aerosol created by the atomizer in the electronic cigarette. The device is a soft tip extending from an end of an electronic cigarette shell, the soft tip having a small vapor passage tube through it, the vapor passage tube being sealed with the body or shell of the electronic cigarette, the vapor passage tube being wrapped in sponge-like material and the sponge-like material being covered with paper or a sticker.

Description

[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 768,240, filed Feb. 22, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to soft tips for electronic cigarettes. More specifically, to a mouthpieces that emulate the look and feel of a traditional cigarette filter without actually filtering the vapor flavoring or the nicotine vapor solution.[0003]Current electronic cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices lack many of the aesthetic features common to traditional cigarettes, and to which many smokers are accustomed. Electronic cigarettes also function much differently than traditional cigarettes, having an electronic atomizer rather than relying on combustion. Traditional cigarettes typically employ a sponge-like filter to prevent ash and other combustion by-products from being inhaled by a smoker, while electronic cigarettes do not have such by-products ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is for a soft mouthpiece for an electronic cigarette that does not filter or obstruct the aerosol produced by the atomizer. The device has a soft tip that extends from the end of the shell of the electronic cigarette and has a small impermeable tube for vapor passage. The tube is wrapped in sponge-like material and covered with paper or a sticker. The technical effect is to provide a comfortable and realistic experience for users who switch to electronic cigarettes.

Problems solved by technology

Current electronic cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices lack many of the aesthetic features common to traditional cigarettes, and to which many smokers are accustomed.

These electronic cigarettes do not have the same tactile feel as traditional cigarettes and, as a result, many smokers who are accustomed to the feel of traditional cigarettes have been hesitant to adopt them.

It is also not ideal to place an actual filter on the end of an electronic cigarette because it may disrupt operation and impede the flow of vapor to the smoker's mouth.

One of the significant problems presented in making an electronic cigarette feel like a traditional cigarette is that the internal circuitry, sensors and atomizer assembly for an electronic cigarette are not crushable.

This solution provides a padded feel to an electronic cigarette, but does not allow a person to crush or chew the tip without damaging the components in the electronic cigarette.

This approach does not resolve the issue of providing a crushable / chewable tip and may increase the potential for leakage because the person would be chewing directly on the liquid storage container.

While this device allows a person to crush or chew the tip, the padded material is in direct contact with the vapor, which would saturate the padded material after repeated use and may increase the chance for leakage.

Additionally, the device is complicated and may be prone to malfunction.

As mentioned above, this approach is not ideal because it places an actual filter in the path of the vapor exiting the electronic cigarette.

What is needed is a soft tip for an electronic cigarette, which is crushable, feels like a filter but is separated from the liquid storage area to prevent leakage, and does not allow the soft padded tip material to contact or absorb any of the liquid vapor exiting the electronic cigarette.

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