Atomizers and electronic cigarettes

Abstract

The present invention relates to an atomizer and an electronic smoking device. The atomizer comprises a shell, a central column and a heating element. The central column is located in the shell and is a hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia body. The hollow part of the central column forms an airflow channel. The central column and the shell form a liquid storage cavity for storing atomized liquid. The heating element is located in the central column and is used to atomize the atomized liquid in the liquid storage cavity. The above-mentioned atomizer has high safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electronic smoking devices, and in particular to an atomizer and an electronic smoking device. Background Art

[0002] Electronic cigarettes are electronic products that imitate cigarettes, with the same appearance, smoke, taste and feel as cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes mainly include a power supply and an atomizer. The power supply supplies power to the atomizer, and the atomizer mainly includes an oil storage chamber for storing tobacco oil and a heating element for generating heat to atomize the tobacco oil.

[0003] As society progresses, people have higher and higher requirements for the safety of edible substances. However, heavy metals are easily detected in electronic cigarettes that store e-liquid. Therefore, the safety of electronic cigarettes needs to be further improved. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an atomizer with higher safety and an electronic smoking device containing the atomizer.

[0005] An atomizer, comprising:

[0006] case;

[0007] A central column is located in the shell, the central column is a hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia body, the hollow portion of the central column forms an air flow channel, and the central column and the shell form a liquid storage chamber for storing atomized liquid; and

[0008] The heating element is located in the central column and is used to atomize the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber.

[0009] The material of the center column in the traditional atomizer is metal material, such as brass, stainless steel or aluminum oxide, etc. These materials contain a lot of heavy metals, which are easy to precipitate during use. The material of the center column in the above-mentioned atomizer is yttria-stabilized zirconia, which makes it difficult for fungi to grow on the center column, greatly reducing the risk of inhaling harmful fungi, and also makes the center column smooth and beautiful without glazing, avoiding the precipitation of heavy metals, and it is not easy to cause the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber to deteriorate after contact with the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber, so that it is not easy to produce harmful substances during atomization; in addition, the insulation of the yttria-stabilized zirconia body of the center column also makes the atomizer not easy to short-circuit, further improving the safety of the atomizer.

[0010] In one embodiment, the atomizer includes a fixing member, the fixing member includes a fixing portion, the central column has an air inlet, the fixing portion is sleeved on the central column and close to the air inlet, and the fixing portion is fixedly connected to the central column.

[0011] In one embodiment, the fixing part is a brass ring, the fixing part is riveted to the center column, and the thickness of the portion where the fixing part is riveted to the center column does not exceed 1 mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the thickness of the portion where the fixing portion and the central column are riveted is 0.3 mm to 1 mm.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, the atomizer further includes a decorative ring, and the decorative ring is sleeved on the fixing portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, the decorative ring is a yttria-stabilized zirconia ring.

[0015] In one embodiment, the atomizer further includes a buffer member, wherein the buffer member is located between the housing, the center column and the decorative ring, and the decorative ring abuts against the buffer member and the fixing portion.

[0016] In one embodiment, the decorative ring has a first slot and a second slot, the first slot is close to the buffer, the second slot is close to the air inlet, the fixing portion has a limiting protrusion, the first slot abuts against the buffer, and the second slot abuts against the limiting protrusion.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, an elastic seal is provided between the shell and the center column.

[0018] An electronic smoking device comprises the above-mentioned atomizer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] One or more embodiments are exemplarily described by pictures in the corresponding drawings, and these exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the pictures in the drawings do not constitute proportional limitations.

[0020] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an atomizer according to one embodiment;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A front view of the atomizer is shown;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The atomizer is shown in cross-section along line AA.

[0023] Reference numerals:

[0024] 10. Atomizer; 110. Shell; 130. Center column; 131. Air flow channel; 133. Liquid inlet; 135. Air inlet; 150. Liquid storage chamber; 160. Elastic sealing member; 170. Fixing member; 171. Fixing portion; 172. Connecting portion; 180. Decorative ring; 190. Buffer member; 181. First slot; 183. Second slot; 171a. Limiting protrusion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully below, and the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present invention more thorough and comprehensive.

[0026] It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more centered elements can exist between them. When an element is described as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more centered elements can exist between them. When the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right", "up", "down", "inside", "outside", "bottom", etc. are used to indicate an orientation or positional relationship, it is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, only for the convenience of description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present invention. The terms used in the specification of the present invention herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0028] An embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic cigarette device, which includes a power supply assembly and an atomizer 10. The power supply assembly supplies power to the electronic cigarette. Optionally, the power supply assembly includes a battery. Of course, in some embodiments, the power supply assembly may not include a battery. In this case, the power supply assembly is electrically connected to an external power supply so that the external power supply supplies power to the electronic cigarette.

[0029] See also Figure 1The atomizer 10 includes a housing 110, a central column 130 and a heating element. The central column 130 is located in the housing 110. The central column 130 is a hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia body. The hollow part of the central column 130 forms an airflow channel 131. The central column 130 has a liquid inlet 133. The central column 130 and the housing 110 form a liquid storage chamber 150 for storing atomized liquid. The heating element is located in the central column 130, and the heating element is close to the liquid inlet 133, and is used to atomize the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150. When the atomizer 10 is working, the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150 flows out of the liquid storage chamber 150, enters the central column 130 through the liquid inlet 133 of the central column 130, and contacts the heating element of the central column 130, and is then atomized into an aerosol, which flows out from the airflow channel 131 of the central column 130 for inhalation.

[0030] Specifically, the housing 110 is a hollow structure. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 110 is roughly a hollow cylinder. Of course, in other embodiments, the shape of the housing 110 is not limited to a hollow cylinder, but may be other shapes, such as a hollow quadrangular prism. In the present embodiment, the housing 110 is a food-grade glass housing 110. The glass housing 110 facilitates observation of the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150 formed by the housing 110 and the central column 130. In addition, the food-grade glass housing 110 also makes it more difficult to detect substances harmful to health in the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150. Of course, in other embodiments, the material of the housing 110 is not limited to the above, but may be other food-grade rigid materials.

[0031] Specifically, the central column 130 is substantially in the shape of a hollow tube. Figure 2 and Figure 3 ,exist Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, the diameter of the portion of the central column 130 close to the heating element is larger than the diameter of the portion away from the heating element, so as to facilitate the storage of the heating element. Of course, in other embodiments, the shape of the central column 130 is not limited to a hollow cylindrical shape, but can also be other shapes.

[0032] The center column of a traditional atomizer is generally made of brass, stainless steel or other metals, but brass and stainless steel have many impurities, are easy to conduct electricity, and have the risk of short circuits. They also contain heavy metals such as lead, which are easy to breed fungi. Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a ceramic material that changes the phase transition temperature range of zirconium dioxide by adding yttria to produce cubic crystals and tetragonal crystals that are stable at room temperature. Yttria-stabilized zirconia is usually white, odorless and tasteless crystals, which are difficult to dissolve in water, hydrochloric acid and dilute sulfuric acid, are chemically inactive, and are insulating and resistant to high temperatures. Therefore, the above-mentioned central column 130 is a hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia body, which makes it difficult for fungi to grow on the central column 130, greatly reducing the risk of inhaling harmful fungi; it also makes the central column 130 have a smooth and exquisite appearance without the need for glazing, has good physical ductility, and is not easy to cause the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150 to deteriorate when in contact with the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150, thereby making it difficult to produce harmful substances during atomization; in addition, the insulating property of the central column 130 being a yttria-stabilized zirconia body also makes it difficult for the atomizer 10 to short-circuit, further improving the safety of the atomizer 10.

[0033] Further, in the central column 130, the mass ratio of zirconium oxide to yttrium oxide is (86.5-97): (3-13.5). Further, in the central column 130, the mass ratio of zirconium oxide to yttrium oxide is (93-97): (3-7). In an optional specific example, the mass ratio of zirconium oxide to yttrium oxide is 94.8:5.2. Setting the mass ratio of zirconium oxide to yttrium oxide to 94.8:5.2 can make the molding more stable when preparing the yttrium oxide stabilized zirconia body. Optionally, in some embodiments, yttrium oxide powder and zirconium oxide powder are used to prepare the central column 130. In some embodiments, at least one of paraffin wax, polypropylene and polyethylene is also added when preparing the central column 130. Paraffin wax can improve the fluidity of powdered zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide, which is beneficial for injection molding; polypropylene and polyethylene can improve the strength of the embryo after injection molding, making the embryo less likely to deform. Of course, paraffin wax, polypropylene and polyethylene will be removed in the subsequent debinding process.

[0034] Specifically, an elastic seal 160 is provided between the shell 110 and the center column 130. The elastic seal 160 seals the gap between the shell 110 and the center column 130 to prevent leakage of the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber 150 formed by the shell 110 and the center column 130; at the same time, the elastic seal 160 also serves as a buffer component between the rigid shell 110 and the rigid center column 130, so that the shell 110 and the center column 130 are not easily deformed or broken. In an optional specific example, the elastic seal 160 is a food-grade silicone ring. Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, there are two elastic seals 160 , one elastic seal 160 is close to the air inlet 135 , and the other elastic seal 160 is far away from the air inlet 135 .

[0035] The atomizer 10 includes a fixing member 170, which is used to connect the central column 130 and the battery assembly. Specifically, the fixing member 170 includes a fixing portion 171 and a connecting portion 172 connected to the fixing portion 171, and the fixing portion 171 is a portion where the fixing member 170 is fixedly connected to the central column 130; the central column 130 has an air inlet 135, and the fixing portion 171 is sleeved on the central column 130 and close to one end of the air inlet 135, and the fixing portion 171 is fixedly connected to the central column 130. Optionally, the fixing portion 171 is riveted on the central column 130. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 171 is a brass ring, and the thickness of the portion where the fixing portion 171 is riveted to the central column 130 does not exceed 1mm. Setting the thickness of the portion where the fixing portion 171 is riveted to the central column 130 to not more than 1mm can enable the fixing portion 171 to be riveted to the central column 130 without causing the central column 130 to deform and break. In an optional specific example, the thickness of the portion where the fixing portion 171 is riveted to the center column 130 is 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, or 0.85 mm. Of course, in other embodiments, the material of the fixing portion 171 is not limited to brass, and other materials may be used. At this time, the thickness of the portion where the fixing portion 171 is riveted to the center column 130 may be adjusted according to the specific material.

[0036] The connecting portion 172 is the part where the fixing member 170 is connected to the battery assembly. Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, the connection portion 172 has threads to facilitate installation of the battery assembly. It is understandable that the connection between the fixing member 170 and the battery assembly is not limited to the above-mentioned screw connection, and can also be other fixed connection methods, such as clamping. Of course, in some embodiments, the connection portion 172 is a conductive material. In this case, the connection portion 172 serves as an element connecting the battery assembly and the central column 130, and also as a conductive element to power the heating element in the central column 130.

[0037] In some embodiments, the atomizer 10 further includes a decorative ring 180. Specifically, the decorative ring 180 is close to the connection between the housing 110 and the central column 130, and is sleeved on the fixing portion 171. Optionally, the decorative ring 180 is fixedly connected to the fixing portion 171, such as by screwing, clamping or hinge connection. Of course, the decorative ring 180 can be detachably connected to the fixing portion 171.

[0038] In this embodiment, the decorative ring 180 is a yttria-stabilized zirconia ring. By setting the decorative ring 180 as a yttria-stabilized zirconia ring, the decorative ring 180 can be smooth and beautiful without glazing, has good ductility and insulation, and fungi are not easy to grow on the decorative ring 180, which is both beautiful and safe. Of course, it is understandable that in other embodiments, the material of the decorative ring 180 is not limited to yttria-stabilized zirconia, and other materials can be used.

[0039] Furthermore, the atomizer 10 further includes a buffer 190. The buffer 190 is located between the housing 110, the decorative ring 180, the fixing portion 171 and the central column 130. The decorative ring 180 has a first slot 181 and a second slot 183. The first slot 181 is close to the housing 110, and the second slot 183 is close to the air inlet 135 of the central column 130. The buffer 190 abuts against the first slot 181, the housing 110 and the central column 130. The fixing portion 171 has a limiting protrusion 171a, and the limiting protrusion 171a is engaged with the second slot 183. The decorative ring 180 is fixed on the center column 130 by means of the buffer 190, the first and second grooves 181 and 183 on the decorative ring 180, and the limiting protrusion 171a on the fixing portion 171, thereby avoiding damage caused by interference fit between the fixing portion 171 and the rigid center column 130 and the rigid decorative ring 180.

[0040] In this embodiment, the heating element is a ceramic heating element. Specifically, the heating element is an aluminum oxide ceramic heating element or a silicon oxide ceramic heating element. Further, the heating element includes a substrate and a heating portion located on the substrate, the substrate is used to guide the atomized liquid to the heating portion, and the heating portion is used to atomize the atomized liquid.

[0041] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0042] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An atomizer, characterized in that: include: case; A central column is located in the shell, the central column is a hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia body, the hollow portion of the central column forms an air flow channel, and the central column and the shell form a liquid storage chamber for storing atomized liquid; and A heating element, located in the central column, for atomizing the atomized liquid in the liquid storage chamber; Among them, at least one of paraffin wax, polypropylene and polyethylene is added during the preparation of the central column, the paraffin wax is used to improve the fluidity of zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide, the polypropylene and polyethylene are used to improve the strength of the central column, and the paraffin wax, polypropylene and polyethylene will be removed in the subsequent debinding process.

2. The atomizer according to claim 1, characterized in that The atomizer comprises a fixing member, which comprises a fixing portion. The central column has an air inlet. The fixing portion is sleeved on the central column and close to the air inlet. The fixing portion is fixedly connected to the central column.

3. The atomizer according to claim 2, characterized in that The fixing part is a brass ring, and the fixing part is riveted to the center column. The thickness of the part where the fixing part and the center column are riveted does not exceed 1 mm.

4. The atomizer according to claim 3, characterized in that The thickness of the portion where the fixing portion and the central column are riveted is 0.3 mm to 1 mm.

5. The atomizer according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The atomizer further comprises a decorative ring, and the decorative ring is sleeved on the fixing portion.

6. The atomizer according to claim 5, characterized in that The decorative ring is a yttria-stabilized zirconia ring.

7. The atomizer according to claim 6, characterized in that The atomizer further includes a buffer member, wherein the buffer member is located between the housing, the center column and the decorative ring, and the decorative ring abuts against the buffer member and the fixing portion.

8. The atomizer according to claim 7, characterized in that The decorative ring has a first slot and a second slot, the first slot is close to the buffer, the second slot is close to the air inlet, the fixing portion has a limiting protrusion, the first slot abuts against the buffer, and the second slot abuts against the limiting protrusion.

9. The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6 to 8, characterized in that: An elastic sealing member is provided between the shell and the central column.

10. An electronic smoking device, characterized in that: A nebulizer comprising the atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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