Electronic steam supply system

Abstract

An electronic vapor supply system (10) comprises a vaporizer for generating vapor for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor supply system; a power supply (5) for supplying power to the vaporizer; a user input unit (40) for detecting manual user actuation; and a control unit (28) configured to control, from an available power level range (70), a power level supplied from the power supply to the vaporizer in proportion to a level of manual user actuation detected by the user input unit during vapor generation.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese patent invention application "Electronic steam supply device with variable power supply" with application date of March 23, 2018 and application number 201880036380.0. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to steam supply devices, such as electronic steam supply devices, having user operable controls. Background Art

[0003] Aerosol or vapor supply systems, such as electronic cigarettes, typically include a reservoir of a source liquid that contains a formulation that typically includes nicotine, such as generating an aerosol from the formulation by vaporization or other means. Therefore, an aerosol source for a vapor supply system may include a heating element or other vapor generating component that is coupled to a portion of the source liquid from the reservoir. In some systems, the heating element and reservoir are included in a first section or component that can be connected to a second section or component that houses a battery to provide power to the heating element. In use, the user inhales on the device to activate the heating element, which vaporizes a small amount of the source liquid, thereby converting it into an aerosol for the user to inhale.

[0004] Simple electronic suction products can provide a single on-off switch or button to provide power from a battery to a heating element. The user cannot control the level of power supplied from the battery to the heating element. Some electronic suction products can provide variable power in the following manner, that is, select the desired power level with a dedicated control, and then operate a separate button to activate the heating element with the selected power. However, the power level must be selected before the user activates the heating element, and then the button only provides a single power that is constant during the activation duration. In some cases, changing the power level requires resetting the device, thereby causing a poor user experience.

[0005] In other devices, heating curve can be selected so that the power level supplied to heating element is changed according to the order during the operation period of heating element (such as during the user's suction). Heating curve is predefined, or needs to be programmed before use, and usually requires external software and device communication facilities or a large amount of display and user interface facilities. In other devices, air flow can be detected via the sensor placed in the air channel of electronic suction article, and when air flow is detected, a single power level is supplied to heater. In some cases, power level can be automatically modified during suction according to air flow level.

[0006] Methods aimed at improving power supply operation are of interest. Summary of the invention

[0007] According to a first aspect of certain embodiments described herein, there is provided an electronic vapor supply system comprising: a vaporizer for generating vapor for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor supply system; a power source for supplying power to the vaporizer; a user input unit for detecting manual user actuation; and a control unit configured to control a power level supplied from the power source to the vaporizer from a range of available power levels in proportion to a level of manual user actuation detected by the user input unit during vapor generation.

[0008] These and other aspects of certain embodiments are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. It will be understood that the features of the dependent claims may be combined with each other and with the features of the independent claims in combinations other than those explicitly set out in the claims. Furthermore, the methods described herein are not limited to specific embodiments such as set out below, but include and contemplate any suitable combination of the features presented herein. For example, a component comprising an electronic steam supply system or for an electronic steam supply system may be provided according to the methods described herein, which includes any one or more of the various features described below, as appropriate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Various embodiments will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 shows a simplified schematic cross-sectional view of an example electronic cigarette or vapor supply device;

[0011] Figure 2 a graph showing an example relationship between manual actuation and a power level to be supplied in an example implementation;

[0012] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the functional components of a variable power supply system of an example electronic cigarette.

[0013] Figure 4 shows a perspective external view of an example electronic cigarette;

[0014] Figure 5 shows a perspective external view of another example electronic cigarette; and

[0015] Figure 6 A perspective external view of yet another example electronic cigarette is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of certain examples and embodiments may be conventionally implemented, and for the sake of brevity, these aspects and features are not discussed / described in detail. Therefore, it will be appreciated that aspects and features of the apparatus and methods discussed herein that are not described in detail may be implemented according to any conventional techniques for implementing these aspects and features.

[0017] As mentioned above, the present disclosure relates to (but is not limited to) electronic aerosol or vapor delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes. In the following description, the terms "e-cigarette" and "electronic cigarette" may sometimes be used; however, it should be understood that these terms can be used interchangeably with aerosol (vapor) delivery systems or devices. Similarly, "aerosol" can be used interchangeably with "vapor".

[0018] As used herein, the term "component" is used to refer to a part, section, unit, module, assembly or the like of an electronic cigarette that incorporates several smaller parts or elements, usually within a housing or wall. An electronic cigarette may be formed or constructed from one or more such parts, and the parts may be removably connected to each other, or may be permanently joined together during manufacturing to define the entire electronic cigarette.

[0019] According to the examples of this article, an electronic cigarette is proposed, which provides users with comprehensive control over the desired power level by providing a user input unit on the electronic cigarette to operate aerosol generation, which allows the user to modify the power level supplied for aerosol generation in continuous grades during actual puffing in response to the amount by which the control or input unit is operated. The term "user input unit" is used in the following description; however, it should be understood that the term can be used interchangeably with "user control", "manual activation device", "manual actuation device" and other such terms. The user input unit can be, for example, a pressure-sensitive button, a spring-loaded slider or a touch-sensitive ring, a grid or a pad.

[0020] This interactive device control allows the user to immediately control their desired power level by simply changing the level of actuation applied to the user control during the puff, such as by pressing hard, sliding the control further, or touching a separate area of ​​the interface. Real-time control of the amount of steam generated is thereby provided, and the user can change the amount of steam generated for inhalation during the puff. This arrangement eliminates the need to preset the power level and reset the device when a change is desired. In addition, by changing the power directly during the puff, this provides the user with in-use (puff) control of the power level.

[0021] Figure 1 is a highly schematic diagram (not drawn to scale) of an example aerosol / vapor supply system such as an electronic cigarette 10. The electronic cigarette 10 has a generally cylindrical shape, extends along a longitudinal axis indicated by a dashed line, and includes two major components, a control or power component or section 20 and a cartridge assembly or section 30 that operates as a vapor generating component (sometimes referred to as a vaporizer, transparent vaporizer, or atomizer).

[0022] The cartridge assembly 30 includes a reservoir 3, which contains a source liquid, which includes a liquid formulation from which an aerosol is to be generated, such as nicotine. For example, the source liquid may contain about 1 to 3% nicotine and 50% glycerol, the remainder containing approximately equal amounts of water and propylene glycol, and may also contain other components, such as flavorings. The reservoir 3 has the form of a storage tank, which is a container or receiver in which the source liquid can be stored so that the liquid can move and flow freely within the limits of the storage tank. Alternatively, the reservoir 3 may include a certain amount of absorbent material, such as cotton wool or glass fiber, which keeps the source liquid in a porous structure. The reservoir 3 can be sealed after filling during manufacturing so that it can be discarded after the source liquid is used up, or it can have an inlet port or other opening to which a new source liquid can be added. The cartridge assembly 30 also includes an electric heating element or heater 4 located outside the reservoir 3 for generating an aerosol by vaporizing the source liquid by heating. A liquid conduit arrangement, such as a wick or other porous element 6, may be provided to convey the source liquid from the reservoir 3 to the heater 4. The wick 6 has one or more parts located inside the reservoir 3 so as to be able to absorb the source liquid and transfer it by wicking or capillary action to other parts of the wick 6 in contact with the heater 4. The liquid is thereby heated and vaporized, being replaced by new source liquid transferred to the heater 4 by the wick 3. The wick thus extends through the walls defining the interior volume of the reservoir 3, and can be considered as a bridge or conduit between the reservoir 3 and the heater 4.

[0023] The combination of the heater and wick (or the like) is sometimes referred to as a vaporizer, atomizer, or atomizer assembly, and the reservoir and vaporizer with its source liquid may be collectively referred to as an aerosol source. Various designs are possible, including Figure 1Compared to the highly schematic diagram of FIG. 4 , the parts may be arranged differently. For example, the core 6 may be an element completely separate from the heater 4, or the heater 4 may be configured to be porous and capable of directly performing the wicking function (e.g., a metal mesh). Alternatively, the liquid conduit may be formed by one or more slots, pipes, or channels between the reservoir and the heater, which are narrow enough to support capillary action to draw the source liquid out of the reservoir and transport it for vaporization. For example, other devices for steam generation may be used instead of the heater, such as a vibrating vaporizer based on the piezoelectric effect. In addition, the heating element may be operated by ohmic heating, generating heat by a current directly applied to the heating element from the power supply of the electronic cigarette, or may be an induction heater, in which heat is generated by the flow of eddy currents generated by applying a magnetic field, and the electronic cigarette includes additional components required for induction heating. Therefore, in general, a vaporizer can be considered to be a steam generating or vaporizing element capable of generating steam from a source liquid transported thereto, and a liquid conduit (pathway) capable of transporting or conveying liquid from a reservoir or similar liquid reservoir to a steam generator, such as by capillary force. Alternatively, the vaporizer can generate vapor or aerosol by heating a solid source (e.g., tobacco material) in a so-called "heat-not-burn" device. Embodiments of the present invention are applicable to all and any such configurations in which power is provided to operate the vapor generating component such that the amount of vapor generated depends on the level of power provided.

[0024] return Figure 1 The cartridge assembly 30 also includes a mouthpiece 35 having an opening or air outlet through which a user can inhale the aerosol generated by the heater 4.

[0025] The power component 20 includes a battery cell or battery 5 (hereinafter referred to as a battery, and may be rechargeable) to power the electrical components of the electronic cigarette 10, particularly the heater 4. In addition, there is a control unit 28, which includes a printed circuit board and / or other electronic devices or circuit systems for controlling the electronic cigarette as a whole. The control unit connects the heater 4 to the battery 5 when steam is required, and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it responds to manual user actuation detected by a user input unit (not shown, but described below) operated by the user when steam is required. When the heating element 4 receives power from the battery 5, the heating element 4 vaporizes the source liquid delivered by the core 6 from the reservoir 3 to generate an aerosol, and then the user inhales it through the opening in the mouthpiece 35. The aerosol is carried from the aerosol source to the mouthpiece 35 along an airway (not shown) from the aerosol source, which connects the air inlet 26 in the wall of the power component 20 to the aerosol source and the air outlet when the user inhales on the mouthpiece 35. Thus, an airflow path through the electronic cigarette is defined between the air inlet(s) leading to the atomizer (which may or may not be in the electrical component) and the air outlet leading to the mouthpiece.

[0026] In this particular example, the power segment 20 and the cartridge assembly 30 are separate parts that are detachable from each other by separation in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, such as Figure 1 . When the device 10 is in use, the components 20, 30 are joined together by mating engagement elements 21, 31 (e.g., screws or bayonet fittings) that provide a mechanical and electrical connection between the power segment 20 and the cartridge assembly 30. However, this is merely an example arrangement and the various components may be distributed differently between the power segment 20 and the cartridge assembly 30 and may include other components and elements. The two segments may be as Figure 1 The electronic cigarette 10 may be connected end to end in a longitudinal configuration as shown or in a different configuration (e.g., parallel side-by-side arrangement). The system may or may not be generally cylindrical and / or have a generally longitudinal shape. One or both of the two sections may be intended to be discarded or replaced when exhausted (e.g., the reservoir is empty, or the battery is dead), or intended to be used for multiple uses by actions such as refilling the reservoir and recharging the battery. Alternatively, the electronic cigarette 10 may be an integral device (disposable or refillable / rechargeable) that cannot be separated into two or more parts, in which case all components are included in a single body or housing. Embodiments and examples of the present invention may be applied to any of these and other configurations that will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

[0027] Figure 1 The example devices in are presented in highly schematic form to provide a high level indication of the operation of the example electronic cigarette. Figure 1 No user input unit or control is shown in the electronic cigarette, and in fact, some electronic cigarettes are not equipped with any such control, or may only include a simple on-off switch. However, in the current example, a user input unit (user control or switch) is provided to enable the user to instantly modify the operation of the electronic cigarette according to the user's specific needs at any given time (especially during inhalation).

[0028] The user input unit is configured so that the level of electrical power supplied from the battery to the heater or other vapor generating element in the aerosol source can be continuously changed in use. The power level is delivered according to the level at which the user input unit is actuated or operated at the time, and when the actuation amount changes, the power level changes accordingly immediately or almost immediately. Therefore, the user can easily and as much as possible and as frequently as possible adjust the amount of vapor generated when actually using the electronic cigarette, especially during the puffing (inhalation) process. Manual actuation of the user input unit reconfigures the electrical connections within the device (for example, via a control unit such as Figure 1The control unit 28 in the aerosol source) or sends / modifies an electrical control signal to start supplying power at a specific power level. When the actuation level changes, the connection or control signal changes in response to the corresponding change that causes the power level. The control unit 28 receives an input signal reflecting the actuation level, interprets the manual actuation level and configures an appropriate response, that is, selects the corresponding level of the electrical power provided from the battery to the heater or other steam generating elements in the aerosol source. Then, if the manual actuation amount changes, the control unit will reconfigure the response by changing the supplied power level. The process is continuous because the electrical power level provided from the battery to the heater or other steam generating elements in the aerosol source can be continuously changed according to the manual actuation of the user input unit, and because the electrical power level can be selected from the continuous available power levels. The continuity can be truly continuous because any power level between the maximum or minimum value can be selected, or it can be divided into multiple small discrete power levels for easy implementation. These alternatives can be considered as "analog" and "digital" respectively, but these terms do not mean any specific features of the physical implementation and operation of the device. Higher levels of manual actuation produce higher power levels, and in turn higher power levels produce elevated temperatures at the heater, resulting in an increased amount of steam generated, and / or initiation of steam generation earlier at the start of a heating cycle. For a given heater, the power level may be varied by varying the voltage applied to the heater or by varying the current through the heater, or both, and the particular design of the electronic cigarette may be configured accordingly to achieve appropriate operation of the variable power delivery. Thus, the user may almost instantaneously vary the amount of steam provided simply by varying the amount of manual actuation of the user input unit.

[0029] The user input unit may be configured to be adjustable or actuatable over a continuous range, such as by gradual depression of a button, rotation of a dial, or sliding of a linear slider. Alternatively, the user input unit may be configured to be placed in different positions achievable by different amounts of user actuation, each of which activates a different control signal sent to a control circuit of the electronic cigarette, the control circuit (which may be programmable) being operable in response to modifying the voltage or current supplied from the battery to the heater. During inhalation of the electronic cigarette, the user may thereby continuously adjust and control the level of power supplied from the power supply to the vaporizer by varying the level of manual user activation applied to the user input unit.

[0030] Typically, the amount of power delivered from the available continuous power range or scale is proportional to the amount of manual actuation, as an increase in actuation increases the power level and a decrease in actuation decreases the power level. In other words, the power level is related to the actuation level by a monotonically increasing function. Within this general feature, the actual relationship (function, ratio) between the actuation level and the power level can have any mathematical form. The relationship can be linear or non-linear, and both the actuation level and the power level can be limited by maximum and minimum values, which can be fixed or variable or limited by thresholds.

[0031] Figure 2 A graph showing the relationship between the manual actuation level in the example and the power level to be supplied is shown. The power level is variable over a range 70 of available continuous power levels, which depends on the relationship with the manual actuation level and is limited by an upper power level 72 and a lower power level 74. These upper and lower power levels are assigned to and therefore correspond to the upper and lower actuation amounts 76 and 78 of the user input unit. In this example, the relationship between the actuation level and the supplied power level is linear. The maximum available power level increase 80 is the difference between the maximum power level 72 and the minimum power level 74. The user input unit can be actuated between its minimum state 78 and the maximum state 76, and any actuation level therebetween is part of the range defined by these states. The minimum actuation state (zero operation of the user input unit) will deliver zero power, but in order to ensure that at least some steam is generated under actuation conditions, the minimum power level 74 sufficient to generate steam at a low level corresponds to the beginning of the actuation range. In other words, when actuation is initiated, power delivery gradually reaches the available minimum value from zero. Thus, the power level supplied at any given moment may follow the formula: Power Supplied = Maximum Available Power Increase x Manual Actuation Ratio + Minimum Power. Depending on the manual actuation, i.e., as a ratio between the minimum activation state and the maximum activation state, the power level supplied will be the same as the ratio of "Maximum Power Increase 80" plus "Minimum Power 74". In some instances, manual actuation levels below a threshold level do not result in power being supplied to the heater at any power level, as shown by the offset of line 78 relative to the axis. In these instances, the offset serves to prevent accidental activation from a touch-only device, thereby maintaining safety and extending battery life.

[0032] For some other examples, the relationship or function between the actuation level and the supplied power level can be nonlinear. Although in some examples the relationship can be described as a polynomial, such as a linear or quadratic relationship, in other examples, the relationship can be exponential or logarithmic. In addition, in some examples, the available continuous power level range 70 includes a discrete power level range, that is, the available values ​​in the power level range are discrete values. In these examples, the number of discrete values ​​may be large, and the step size between them is very small, so that the user does not know that the power level range is discontinuous. Typically, the configuration allows the user to directly control the power supplied to the steam generating component by selecting and modifying the amount of his actuation or operation user input unit. A small amount of actuation will produce a low power level, while a larger amount of actuation will produce a higher power level.

[0033] In some instances, the maximum and minimum available power levels may be fixed at the time of manufacture so as to remain constant during the life of the electronic cigarette. In other instances, the user is able to set or change (reset) the maximum and minimum power levels by a programmed action. This may be used as a single event when the user first acquires the electronic cigarette, or may be repeated according to the user's changing preferences. For example, using a different source liquid, perhaps a new flavor or a different nicotine strength, may suggest to the user that the available range of the amount of vapor may be desired to be adjusted. For convenience, the ability to modify the operation in this way may be achieved by implementing at least a portion of the variable power supply system in software that can be reprogrammed according to user input. A complex electronic cigarette may have a built-in user interface that allows the user to adjust operating parameters. Otherwise, the electronic cigarette may be connected to an external computing device, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, notebook computer, or desktop computer (e.g., wirelessly or wired, via Bluetooth or USB), where the user can enter new maximum and minimum power levels and communicate the new settings to the relevant parts of the electronic cigarette, such as the control unit. In addition, the user's settings and other data about their personal relationship between actuation and power can be stored remotely or in the electronic cigarette itself as a personal profile that can be imported into other electronic cigarettes. This provides users with continuity across devices.

[0034] The user input unit for modifying the electrical power supplied to the steam generating element can be presented to the user directly as a power control, for example by marking it as a power control with an indication of the relative size of the possible settings (e.g. high to low, or 1 to 10), or by marking the numerical value of the voltage, current or wattage available. It is not necessary for the user to know the actual level of voltage, current or wattage for successful control of the electronic cigarette, but it may be preferred for users with scientific or technical aspects. The option of marking the input unit in this way depends on the form of the unit. Some example units will be discussed further below.

[0035] Alternatively, where steam generation includes a heating element, the user input unit for adjusting the electrical power may be presented to the user as a temperature control. A given power level may produce a specific temperature or temperature range output from the heater (e.g., according to an algorithm, lookup table, or other hardware or software relationship embodied in the device), so changing the power and changing the temperature may in some circumstances be considered equivalent, at least from the user's perspective, at least in terms of the operation of the electronic cigarette. Thus, the user input unit may be labeled as a temperature control and be labeled as adjustable between high and low settings (e.g., stepwise or continuously) or on a simple 1 to 10 scale. Alternatively, the scale may indicate the actual temperature values ​​or temperature ranges intended to be produced at each setting; these may indicate the heater temperature or the temperature of the inhaled aerosol.

[0036] Figure 3 A simplified schematic diagram of functional components of an example variable power system for an example electronic cigarette 10 is shown, the example variable power system including a user input unit as disclosed herein. The components can be distributed between different sections of the electronic cigarette (such as the cartridge and power sections) according to design preferences. A manually actuatable user input unit 40 is mounted on the exterior of the electronic cigarette and is configured to detect the level or amount of manual user actuation applied to it from a minimum (or zero) level to a maximum level of actuation range. In response to the user input unit detecting the manual user actuation, the user input unit sends a control signal 42 to the control unit 28. The control signal may include a value representing the manual actuation level of the user input unit. Depending on the type of user input unit and its detection method, the signal value may be one of a continuous range of values ​​or one of a discrete range. For example, each position of the switch may be electrically connected differently, such as by connecting one of resistors of different values. Alternatively, a variable resistor may be used to provide an adjustable resistance, which has the advantage of allowing continuous adjustment of the resistance and thereby the power level, rather than a step adjustment corresponding to a set of different resistances. Alternatively, the user input unit may detect a physical position of a switch, or position of a user's finger / hand on a switch, which position is known to correspond to a particular level of actuation, and the control signal 42 indicates this position to the control unit 28 .

[0037] The control unit 28 is in communication with the battery or other power source 5. In addition, the control unit 28, which may be embodied in hardware, software, or a combination thereof, has a predetermined relationship between the actuation level and the power level, such as Figure 2. For example, the relationship can be provided as a formula, a lookup table or an algorithm. In response to the control unit 28 receiving an actuation level or value carried by the control signal 42 from the user input unit 40, the control unit 28 determines the required electrical power level corresponding to the received actuation value according to the defined relationship. The control unit then generates an output signal 44 for communication with the battery 5. The output signal 44 indicates the power level to be delivered by the battery 5 according to the amount of actuation detected at the user input unit 40. In other words, the control unit 28 is configured to control the power level supplied from the battery 5 to the heater 4 based on the value of the signal received from the user input unit 40, the value of the signal corresponding to the level of manual user actuation. In response to receiving the output signal 44, the battery 5 provides the required level of electrical power 46 to the heating element 3.

[0038] For the example of using a threshold value 78 for the minimum manual actuation level required to activate the heating element 3, the threshold value may be implemented by the control unit 28 or by the user input unit 40. For example, the user input unit 40 may detect manual user actuation and may generate a control signal value for any detected actuation amount as described above. The control unit 28 is then configured to determine whether the value exceeds the threshold value and to generate an output signal 44 or not, as appropriate. Alternatively, if the actuation level does not exceed the threshold value, the user input unit may be configured to determine this and not send a control signal value to the control unit 28. When the actuation exceeds the threshold value, the user input unit generates a corresponding control signal for the control unit.

[0039] Figure 4 A simplified perspective side view of an example electronic cigarette 10 is shown, which is provided with a user input unit 40, such as a button or pad, in a pressure-sensitive form. The button or pad can be operated by a push, press or touch actuation by the user applying a force inwardly to the body of the electronic cigarette substantially perpendicular to the surface on which the button is mounted. Due to manual actuation by the user, the button or pad may be sensitive to the level of force applied thereto. In this way, the user input unit 40 can be considered to be pressure-sensitive and can also be configured to transmit the level of force applied thereto to the control unit 28. During inhalation of the electronic cigarette, the user can continuously vary the force applied to the user input unit 40 and thereby control the power level supplied from the power supply to the vaporizer.

[0040] Mechanical buttons can be used and can be protected under a flexible protective film or skin (e.g., formed of a flexible polymer, plastic, rubber, etc.) to provide a smoother surface appearance and / or make the control impermeable to water or foreign matter. For mechanical buttons, the level of manual user actuation can correspond to the amount of mechanical movement of the button in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface on which the button is mounted, i.e., the travel of the button in the direction of the applied thrust. This can correspond to the amount of pressure applied by the user. The level of manual user actuation has two limits corresponding to the range of mechanical movement of the button, i.e., when the button is fully pressed and when the button is not pressed. The physical movement of the button in response to pressure is obvious to the user.

[0041] For a pressure pad, the amount of pressure applied may be detected directly by the input unit, and the level of manual user actuation corresponds to the amount of pressure applied, within the range of sensitivity of the pressure pad. The pressure pad is sensitive to pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface on which it is mounted. The limits of sensitivity will set a threshold on a "light" squeeze that will trigger a minimum response to the squeeze, and will set a threshold on a maximum "heavy" squeeze so that only the maximum value is triggered regardless of any pressure applied beyond the maximum threshold. For any market, the upper and lower limits may be constant across many models of device, or may vary in light of the target demographics or intended geographic market for the device model. Again, the thresholds may be preset at manufacture, or may be modifiable by the user. Any form of pressure sensitive button may be employed.

[0042] Because the button does not have an easily visible range of movement to which a scale or other markings may be applied, the operating condition selected by actuation of the button according to the amount of pressure applied may be difficult for the user to determine. Therefore, for user controls in the form of buttons, it may be desirable to provide a display on the electronic cigarette housing that can present to the user an indication of the value of the power / temperature or push / pressure level selected by actuation of the control. The display may also show other operating parameters of the electronic cigarette, such as predicted battery life and source liquid level. The display may take the form of a screen for displaying the numerical value of each parameter (e.g., a liquid crystal display or a full-color pixel display), or may include one or more lights (e.g., including light emitting diodes) corresponding to, for example, illumination of various parameter values.

[0043] Figure 5A simple perspective side view of another example electronic cigarette 10 is shown, which is provided with a user input unit 45 including a touch pad. "Touch pad" means that the input unit includes a touch-sensitive detection area or interface on the surface of the electronic cigarette, which is capable of detecting the touch of a user, possibly regardless of the level of pressure applied, and determining the position within the detection area that is being touched or has been touched, and / or determining any movement of the touch position when the user slides a finger on the area relative to one or more edges of the area or relative to the starting touch position. For example, the touch pad is operable to determine the touch by capacitive or resistive technology. In this case, the push or press actuation can be minimal, requiring only a contact touch by the user. Alternatively, the power level of the steam generator can be selected using a touch-sensitive pad, for example, according to the location of a specific touch on the touch-sensitive pad, where different locations are mapped to correspond to different power levels. The touch-sensitive area can have an associated visual scale indicating the power level or actuation level of each position, and these two elements can be embodied in a single touch-sensitive screen. The user input unit 45 can additionally or alternatively be capable of detecting manual user actuation including sliding. That is, after detecting a first manual user actuation comprising a touch at a first location, it is then able to detect subsequent manual user actuations towards an adjacent location by a sliding or swiping actuation by the user. Thus, in response to detecting a sliding actuation, the device can adjust the power level. The distance of the sliding motion from a starting point or from a specified location on the touchpad (such as an edge or side of the touchpad) can be used to specify the actuation level, and / or the speed of the sliding motion can be used. A set of lights or a display or a written or other graphical scale may be provided to indicate the actuation level / power level. Figure 4 In the example of a touch sensitive pad, a linear strip of a certain width is shaded in different colors or tones along its length. For example, one end may be red, one end may be blue, and the middle portion may be shaded from red to blue. Thus, a user may interpret a "red" position on the pad as higher power and a "blue" position as lower power. For a linear strip touch pad, different positions along the length of the pad may correspond to different power levels and may be accessed by a separate touch at a selected position or by swiping from one position to another. The advantage of a touch pad is that power levels that are widely separated from each other can be directly accessed by moving a large distance between touches. This is in contrast to buttons that require traveling through intermediate levels to reach a new level.

[0044] An alternative approach utilizing capacitive touch sensors requires the user to increase manual pressure on the touchpad, such as a button. As pressure increases, the area of ​​the user's finger in contact with the touchpad will also increase, increasing the capacitance and, thus, the output signal from the sensor.

[0045] In an arrangement like this, it may be useful to add functionality to provide positive feedback to the user indicating the level of manual actuation and thereby the power level, without detectable overt physical movement by the user (as opposed to a sliding motion over a touchpad or a slide or push of a mechanical input unit). For example, the input unit may be linked to a feedback arrangement to provide tactile, visual or audio feedback to the user to indicate the current power level or actuation level. This may prevent the user from over-actuating the user input unit.

[0046] Figure 4 There are many alternative geometric shapes for the linear strip of the electronic cigarette. The touch-sensitive plate can be shaped as a touch-sensitive ring or circle so that the clockwise or counterclockwise movement of the touch position along the ring causes a change in the power supplied. In addition, instead of a full ring, the touch-sensitive plate can form a semicircle, a quarter circle, or in fact any substantially curved strip, one end of which can be associated with the maximum power and the other end can be associated with the minimum power. The curvature can be located on a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the electronic cigarette, and in other instances, the whole or part of the ring can extend around the circumference or perimeter of the electronic cigarette having a longitudinal form. In some instances, the physical limitations of the strip define the limits of the manual user actuation level so that the possible positions of the user actuation have a setting value associated with it, corresponding to a specific value between the maximum and minimum possible values, depending on the absolute position on the strip. For a touch pad shaped to allow full circular movement, an arbitrary position can be selected to mark the end and the beginning of the strip, corresponding to the maximum and minimum actuation, respectively. For example, the ring or circle can be divided into strips by an artificial line from the center of the ring to the position on the circumference.

[0047] In the example, the user input unit 45 detects a first instance of manual user actuation at a first position on the touch sensitive interface and sends a signal to the control unit 28 to supply power at a default power level. The user input unit detects subsequent manual user actuations as sliding actuations and sends a signal proportional to the displacement of the end position of the manual user actuation from the first position to the control unit 28. The power associated with each possible position of user actuation is relative and depends on the position of the initial user actuation and the direction of greater or lesser power.

[0048] Touch-sensitive user input units may be more susceptible to accidental actuation than buttons and it is therefore preferred to place such controls on a part of the surface of the electronic cigarette that is unlikely to be touched during normal operation, or to provide a cover over the unit, or some form of lock which must be operated to place the unit in an actuatable state or a state in which actuation can be detected.

[0049] Figure 6A schematic side view of another example electronic cigarette 10 having a user input unit configured as a mechanical slider or sliding switch 50 is shown. Therefore, a user actuation including a sliding motion is required to adjust the user input unit, wherein the sliding includes pushing or pulling the slider in a plane substantially parallel to the surface on which the user input unit is mounted. The distance of the slider from the static position at one end of its range indicates the actuation level. The slider includes a handle, a knob or a similar graspable protrusion 50, which can be moved by sliding along a slot 55 in the housing of the electronic cigarette. The slot 55 limits the movement of the slider 50, and therefore, the level of manual user actuation is determined by the position of the slider 50 in the slot 55. The movement of the slider 50 to different positions along the slot 55 corresponding to different distances from the static state (indicated by arrows) can, for example, bring the slider 50 into a position for making different electrical connections or trigger different electrical signals to adjust electrical control. The slider 50 may be spring-loaded, wherein a spring or other biasing means provides a return force against the user having to push to actuate the input unit and thereby activate the steam supply device, and the return force returns the slider to the initial (resting) position, i.e. the position before the user actuation when the actuation force from the user is removed. This will obtain a zero power level corresponding to the resting position to close the vaporizer. Alternatively, the user may have to manually return the slider to the closed position. During the inhalation of the electronic cigarette, the user can continuously change the position of the slider 55, and as a result, the power level supplied from the power supply to the vaporizer can be controlled. Considering that the restoring force will increase when the slider 50 is further moved from its initial position, the slider's spring (or other biasing means) can also act as an indicator of the current manual actuation level to the user. Therefore, the spring provides tactile feedback indicating the actuation level. This effect is somewhat similar to the increased pressure that can be applied in the instance involving the button 40 for higher actuation levels. The sliding control can be used in a manner such as Figure 5 The example shown may operate in a straight slot, or the slot may be curved or have some non-linear shape. The slider movement may be, for example, around the periphery of the electronic cigarette, or, for example, along the length as shown.

[0050] The various user input units described above have been presented as an "on" switch (thereby enabling a user to start steam generation from an electronic cigarette in "off" or "sleep" mode) and an interactive "puff" power control, which provides instant (on-the-fly) adjustment of the power provided to the steam generator. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. In an alternative example, the electronic cigarette may include an activation switch or unit that, when operated, starts the steam generation process by starting to provide power to the vaporizer, and includes a separate user input unit to provide the above-mentioned variable power control function. The activation unit and the user input unit may be physically separated elements that are operated by the user in the same or different ways, or may include a single element that is capable of receiving different input actions from the user for activation and subsequent actuation. For example, a single touch-sensitive interface may start the power supply in response to an initial touch from the user, and then operate the variable power control in response to a sliding action of the user on the interface surface or in response to a subsequent increase or decrease in pressure on the surface that has been contacted. An on-off switch or button (which may be a simple mechanical unit, or an electronic interface, such as a biometric sensor for reading a user's fingerprint) for initial activation and subsequent deactivation may be provided in combination with a separate or combined variable user input unit according to the various examples already described. Moreover, the activation unit need not be configured for manual operation. Instead, the electronic cigarette may include an "inhalation detector", such as an airflow sensor or an air pressure sensor or detector, which is a sensor capable of detecting the user's inhalation of the electronic cigarette. In response to the detected inhalation, the power supply to the vaporizer may be started, and then the power supply may be changed during the puff by using the user input unit. At the end of the inhalation (or when the airflow or air pressure level drops below a threshold indicating that the inhalation is about to end), the sensor detects the stopped or reduced airflow and stops supplying power to the vaporizer. This can be independent of any continuous actuation of the user input unit to ensure that vapor generation stops at the end of the puff. This can improve safety and save liquid sources.

[0051] The present disclosure is not limited to the form and configuration of the user input unit described so far. Alternatively, other types of user input units can be used, which are constructed to allow user adjustment on a certain range of levels by manual actuation. Other examples include dials, wheels and levers, each of which can include a certain type of recovery mechanism (reset spring or biasing device). Dials, wheels, levers, mechanical sliders, touch pads and other input units that allow movement substantially on the surface plane of the steam supply device (as opposed to buttons in which the actuation direction is perpendicular to the surface plane) have an easily visible range of motion, and therefore scales or other marks can be conveniently set to indicate the current and optional power levels to the user.

[0052] The user input unit may be included as part of an aerosol generating component (reusable or disposable) for removable connection to a battery section to form an electronic cigarette or other vapor supply device (electronic or non-electronic), or may be included as part of a battery section (reusable or disposable) for removable connection to an aerosol generating component (various terms are known, including atomizer cartridges and cartridge devices), or may be directly incorporated into an electronic cigarette or other vapor supply device (electronic or non-electronic) that does not include a removable or detachable component.

[0053] In addition to or in lieu of a dynamic power level control by which the power can be varied during a puff, the user input unit can be configured so that actuation of the unit initiates a previously programmed or preset power operation (this could be a constant power supply for the duration of the puff, or a power level that varies for the duration of the puff). For example, as described above, a range of actuation inputs can be matched to a variable power supply, plus an additional unique actuation input, such as a single quick push or touch, or two touches or a quick sliding motion within a certain time period can be matched to access a preset power mode. The user can thus select between dynamic or static power. The preset mode can be set at the time of manufacture, or can be set by the user for future access.

[0054] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to help understand and teach the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as representative examples of embodiments, and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention defined by the claims or limitations on the equivalent forms of the claims, and other embodiments can be utilized and can be modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. In addition to those specifically described herein, various embodiments of the present invention may appropriately include, be formed by or substantially consist of appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, devices, etc. In addition, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. An electronic steam supply system, comprising: a vaporizer for generating vapor for inhalation by a user of the electronic vapor supply system; a power source for supplying power to the vaporizer; A user input unit for detecting manual user operations; as well as a control unit configured to control the amount of steam generated by the vaporizer in proportion to the level of manual user actuation detected by the user input unit during steam generation, such that an increase in actuation produces an increased amount of steam and a decrease in actuation produces a decreased amount of steam and such that the amount of steam generated is dependent on the level of manual actuation at the time of actuation. 2 . The electronic vapor supply system of claim 1 , wherein the manual user actuation comprises pressing, and the user input unit comprises a mechanical button or a pressure-sensitive button. 3 . The electronic vapor supply system of claim 1 , wherein the manual user actuation comprises touch and the user input unit comprises a touch-sensitive interface. 4 . The electronic vapor supply system of claim 3 , wherein the touch-sensitive interface is formed as a linear strip, a curved strip, or a touch-sensitive ring.

5. The electronic steam supply system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The amount of steam is selected based on the location of the manual user actuation on the touch-sensitive interface.

6. The electronic steam supply system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the user input unit is configured as: detecting a first instance of manual user actuation at a first location on the touch-sensitive interface to cause steam generation in a first amount; and A deviation of the manual user actuation from the first position is then detected to cause steam generation in an amount proportional to the displacement of the position of a subsequent manual user actuation from the first position. 7 . The electronic vapor supply system of claim 1 , wherein the manual user actuation comprises sliding, and the user input unit comprises a slide switch.

8. The electronic vapor supply system of claim 7, wherein the slide switch includes a biasing element configured to bias its position toward a position corresponding to zero amount of vapor generation.

9. The electronic vapor supply system of claim 2, wherein the system further comprises a display configured to present to the user an indication of the amount of vapor generated that is proportional to a current actuation of the user input unit.

10. An electronic steam supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the amount of steam is generated proportionally to the level of manual user actuation according to a monotonically increasing function, the monotonically increasing function comprising one of a linear function, a quadratic function, a polynomial function, a logarithmic function, and an exponential function.

11. An electronic steam supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to prevent the generation of steam when the level of the manual user actuation detected by the user input unit is below a threshold value.

12. An electronic vapour supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and comprising an activation unit configured to detect an input and in response initiate the supply of power to the vaporiser prior to control of the amount of vapour generated by the control unit.

13. The electronic vapor supply system of claim 12, wherein the activation unit is configured to detect a manual input.

14. The electronic vapor supply system of claim 12, wherein the activation unit is configured to detect inhalation by a user.

15. The electronic vapor supply system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vaporizer is configured to generate vapor from a liquid.

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