Electronic cigarette capable of being automatically opened and closed to prevent oil leakage

Abstract

The electronic cigarette capable of automatically opening and closing and preventing oil leakage comprises an oil cavity, a smoke channel and a switch structure arranged between the oil cavity and the smoke channel, the switch structure comprises a cylinder sleeve and an inner pipe which are coaxially arranged, the cylinder sleeve is provided with a columnar cavity, the inner pipe is arranged in the cylinder sleeve in a penetrating mode, and the middle of the inner pipe extends outwards in the radial direction to be provided with a sliding ring. The slip ring is in sliding fit with the inner wall of the cylinder sleeve; a memory alloy spring and a reset spring are arranged on the two sides of the sliding ring respectively, the two ends of the memory alloy spring abut against the side wall of the sliding ring and the bottom wall of the cylinder sleeve respectively, and the two ends of the reset spring abut against the side wall of the sliding ring and the top wall of the cylinder sleeve respectively. An oil inlet is formed in the side wall of one end, close to the oil cavity, of the inner pipe, a smoke outlet communicated with the flue is formed in the other end of the inner pipe, and the oil inlet is normally communicated with the smoke outlet; when the memory alloy material spring is electrified, the elasticity of the memory alloy material spring is greater than that of the reset spring and drives the inner pipe to slide, so that the oil inlet extends out of the cavity of the cylinder sleeve to form a conducting state; and when power is cut off, the reset spring drives the inner pipe to reset, so that the oil inlet retracts into the cavity of the cylinder sleeve to form a closed state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electronic cigarette technology, specifically to an automatic switch and an oil-leakage prevention structure for electronic cigarettes. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, e-cigarettes, as an alternative to traditional tobacco, have gained widespread popularity in recent years due to their convenience and lack of combustion pollution. Their core structure typically includes an e-liquid reservoir, an atomizing component, and a vapor chamber. Powered by a battery, they heat the e-liquid to produce an aerosol for the user to inhale. However, in actual use, e-cigarettes commonly suffer from e-liquid leakage, especially when not in use. Because the connection between the reservoir and the vapor chamber lacks an effective seal, the e-liquid is easily leaked due to gravity, temperature changes, or external pressure. This not only results in waste but also contaminates the device or the user's belongings, severely impacting the user experience.

[0003] In existing technologies, to address the oil leakage problem, some e-cigarettes use manual mechanical valves or elastic seals to control the oil circuit. For example, the oil inlet is physically sealed by rotating or pressing a component. However, this type of design relies on active user operation, which is cumbersome, prone to being forgotten to close, and the seals are easily worn after long-term use, leading to seal failure. Other solutions attempt to use sensors to detect the usage status and drive solenoid valves to control the oil circuit, but such systems are complex in structure and expensive, and the solenoid valves are prone to jamming or excessive power consumption during frequent opening and closing, making them difficult to stably apply in miniaturized e-cigarettes. In addition, some designs use gravity sensing or tilt triggering mechanisms, but the device's posture changes frequently during carrying, which can easily lead to false triggering or poor sealing, resulting in insufficient reliability.

[0004] In recent years, shape memory alloys (SMAs) have been increasingly applied in the field of micro-actuators due to their ability to deform with temperature changes. They can be triggered by heating with electricity and return to their original shape after cooling when the power is off, offering advantages such as fast response, small size, and high driving force. However, current electronic cigarette designs rarely combine shape memory alloys with mechanical seal structures to address dynamic sealing and automatic control issues. Furthermore, the collaborative design of traditional spring return mechanisms and shape memory alloys still presents technical challenges in terms of spatial layout, force matching, and durability. For example, how to ensure efficient cooperation between the two springs within a limited space while avoiding fatigue failure due to long-term deformation.

[0005] It is necessary for those skilled in the art to develop a compact, automatic switching device that requires no manual intervention, capable of precisely opening the oil circuit during e-cigarette use and reliably sealing the oil chamber when not in use, thereby fundamentally solving the oil leakage problem. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide an electronic cigarette with an automatic switch to prevent oil leakage. This invention combines a memory alloy spring and a return spring in a coordinated driving mechanism, along with a precision fit structure of slip ring, cylinder liner and inner tube, to achieve intelligent opening and closing of the oil circuit. This simplifies the design while significantly improving the reliability and service life of the oil leakage prevention system.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model is achieved through the following means:

[0008] This utility model discloses an electronic cigarette with automatic switch to prevent oil leakage, including an oil chamber and a flue, as well as a switch structure disposed between the oil chamber and the flue.

[0009] The switch structure includes a cylinder liner and an inner tube arranged coaxially. The cylinder liner has a cylindrical cavity, and the inner tube extends through the cylinder liner. A slip ring is provided in the center and extends radially outward. The slip ring slides in contact with the inner wall of the cylinder liner.

[0010] The slip ring is provided with a shape memory alloy spring and a return spring on both sides. The two ends of the shape memory alloy spring abut against the side wall of the slip ring and the bottom wall of the cylinder liner, respectively, and the two ends of the return spring abut against the side wall of the slip ring and the top wall of the cylinder liner, respectively.

[0011] The inner tube has an oil inlet on one side wall near the oil chamber and a smoke outlet at the other end that communicates with the flue. The oil inlet and the smoke outlet are normally connected.

[0012] When the shape memory alloy spring is energized, its elastic force is greater than that of the return spring and drives the inner tube to slide, so that the oil inlet extends out of the cylinder liner cavity to form a conductive state; when the power is off, the return spring drives the inner tube to return to its original position, so that the oil inlet retracts into the cylinder liner cavity to form a closed state.

[0013] As a further limitation of this utility model, the cylinder liner is provided with an annular groove along the axial direction at one end near the oil chamber. The inner diameter of the annular groove is larger than the inner diameter of the cylindrical cavity. The corresponding end of the inner tube is provided with an annular plug that is interference-fitted with the annular groove.

[0014] As a further limitation of this utility model, the outer edge of the slip ring is provided with a slider extending radially, and the inner wall of the cavity of the cylinder liner is provided with an axially extending groove, and the slider and the groove form a sliding pair.

[0015] As a further limitation of this utility model, the shape memory alloy spring is installed in the cavity between the slip ring and the bottom wall of the cylinder liner, and the return spring is installed in the cavity between the slip ring and the top wall of the cylinder liner.

[0016] As a further limitation of this utility model, the bottom wall of the cylinder liner is detachably connected to the cylinder liner.

[0017] As a further limitation of this utility model, it also includes a battery compartment, in which a battery module is installed, and the battery module is connected to a smoking trigger circuit, which is electrically connected to the circuit terminals of a shape memory alloy spring.

[0018] This invention achieves the following significant technical effects through a collaborative drive structure of shape memory alloy spring and return spring, combined with a precise fit design of slip ring, cylinder liner and inner tube:

[0019] Firstly, by leveraging the temperature-controlled deformation characteristics of the shape memory alloy spring and the elastic reset mechanism of the return spring, intelligent on / off switching of the oil circuit can be achieved without manual intervention. When smoking, the electric heating triggers the shape memory alloy spring to contract, driving the inner tube to slide and allowing the oil inlet to extend out of the cylinder liner to open the oil circuit. When not in use, after the power is turned off and the cooling process begins, the return spring quickly pushes the inner tube back to its original position, and the oil inlet retracts into the cylinder liner, completely sealing it off. This fundamentally eliminates oil leakage when not in use and effectively avoids the risk of leakage caused by user forgetfulness or environmental factors (such as changes in temperature and pressure).

[0020] Secondly, the sliding fit design between the slip ring and the inner wall of the cylinder liner, combined with the axial sliding pair of the sliding groove and the slider, ensures precise and controllable movement trajectory of the inner tube, avoiding skewing or jamming. The shape memory alloy spring and the return spring are placed in independent chambers on both sides of the slip ring. Through elastic force matching, the driving efficiency is optimized, ensuring both rapid response (millisecond-level action) when the shape memory alloy spring is energized and immediate sealing after power failure using the stable elasticity of the return spring. The system reliability is significantly higher than traditional solenoid valves or mechanical seal solutions.

[0021] Thirdly, the interference fit design between the annular plug at the end of the inner tube and the annular groove of the cylinder liner forms a double radial seal in the closed state, effectively preventing the penetration of soot and oil; the memory alloy spring is made of nickel-titanium alloy with high cycle life, and combined with the fatigue resistance of the return spring, it can maintain stable performance under frequent opening and closing conditions, avoiding the failure problems caused by aging and wear of traditional rubber seals, and significantly extending the service life of the equipment.

[0022] In summary, through mechatronics design, while simplifying the structure and reducing costs, precise and intelligent control of the e-cigarette oil circuit is achieved. It also has comprehensive advantages such as leak prevention, high response, long life and low power consumption, which significantly improves the user experience and product market competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is one of the cross-sectional view diagrams of the switch structure of an embodiment of the automatic switch-type oil-leakage-proof electronic cigarette of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 2 This is the second cross-sectional view of the switch structure of an embodiment of the automatic switch-type oil-leakage-proof electronic cigarette of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 3 This is one of the overall structural schematic diagrams of an embodiment of the electronic cigarette with automatic switch to prevent oil leakage according to this utility model;

[0027] Figure 4 This is the second overall structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the electronic cigarette with automatic switch to prevent oil leakage according to this utility model;

[0028] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the switch structure of an embodiment of the automatic switch for preventing oil leakage of this utility model electronic cigarette;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cylinder liner structure of an embodiment of the electronic cigarette with automatic switching and oil leakage prevention according to this utility model;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the inner tube structure of an embodiment of the electronic cigarette with automatic switching and oil leakage prevention according to this utility model.

[0031] Figure reference numerals: Oil cavity 1; flue 2; cylinder liner 3; cavity 31; bottom wall 32; top wall 33; annular groove 34; sliding groove 35; inner tube 4; slip ring 41; slider 411; oil inlet 42; smoke outlet 43; annular block 44; shape memory alloy spring 5; return spring 6; battery compartment 7; mouthpiece 8 Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The automatic switch-on leak-proof electronic cigarette of this embodiment includes: an oil chamber 1 and a flue 2, and a switch structure disposed between the oil chamber 1 and the flue 2. It also includes a battery compartment 7, in which a battery module is installed for power supply, and a mouthpiece 8 is connected to the flue 2.

[0034] The switching structure includes a cylinder liner 3 and an inner tube 4 arranged coaxially. The cylinder liner has a cylindrical cavity 31, and the inner tube 4 passes through the cylinder liner 3, with a slip ring 41 extending radially outward from the center. The slip ring 41 slides against the inner wall of the cylinder liner 3. A shape memory alloy spring 5 and a return spring 6 are respectively provided on both sides of the slip ring 41. The shape memory alloy spring 5 abuts against the side wall of the slip ring 41 and the bottom wall 32 of the cylinder liner 3 at both ends, while the return spring 6 abuts against the side wall of the slip ring 41 and the top wall 33 of the cylinder liner 3 at both ends. The return spring 6 is made of metal. An oil inlet 42 is provided on one side wall of the inner tube 4 near the oil chamber 1, and a smoke outlet 43 communicating with the flue 2 at the other end. The oil inlet 42 and the smoke outlet 43 are normally connected.

[0035] When using, such as Figure 1 As shown, when the shape memory alloy spring 5 is energized, its elastic force is greater than that of the return spring 6, driving the inner tube 4 to slide, causing the oil inlet 42 to extend out of the cavity 31 of the cylinder liner 3, forming a conductive state; as Figure 2 As shown, when the power is off, the reset spring 6 drives the inner tube 4 to reset, causing the oil inlet 42 to retract into the cavity 31 of the cylinder liner 3 to form a closed state.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, an annular groove 34 is provided at one end of the cylinder liner 3 near the oil chamber 1 along the axial direction. The inner diameter of the annular groove 34 is larger than the inner diameter of the cylindrical cavity 31 of the cylinder liner 3. An annular plug 44 is provided at the corresponding end of the inner tube 4, which is interference-fitted with the annular groove 34.

[0037] The outer edge of the slip ring 41 is radially extended with a slider 411. There are two sliders 411, which are symmetrically arranged. The inner wall of the cavity 31 of the cylinder liner 3 is correspondingly provided with an axially extending groove 35. The slider 411 and the groove 35 form a sliding pair.

[0038] A shape memory alloy spring 5 is installed in the cavity 31 between the slip ring 41 and the bottom wall 32 of the cylinder liner 3, and a return spring 6 is installed in the cavity 31 between the slip ring 41 and the top wall 33 of the cylinder liner 3. The bottom wall 32 of the cylinder liner 3 is detachably connected to the main body of the cylinder liner 3, which facilitates the installation of the inner tube 4 in the inner cavity 31 of the cylinder liner 3.

[0039] The battery module is connected to a smoking trigger circuit, which is electrically connected to the circuit terminals of the shape memory alloy spring 5.

[0040] The automatic switch-on leak-proof electronic cigarette of this utility model works on the synergistic effect of the temperature-controlled deformation characteristics of the memory alloy spring and the elastic reset mechanism of the reset spring, combined with a precision sliding structure to realize the intelligent opening and closing of the oil circuit.

[0041] 1. Standby State (Oil Circuit Closed): The return spring is in its naturally extended state. Its elasticity pushes the slip ring and inner tube to slide, causing the oil inlet on the side wall of the inner tube to completely retract into the cylindrical cavity of the cylinder liner. The annular plug at the end of the inner tube forms an interference fit with the annular groove of the cylinder liner, achieving a radial seal and blocking the connection between the oil chamber and the flue. In the non-use state, the oil chamber is completely isolated from the outside, preventing oil leakage caused by gravity, vibration, or temperature changes.

[0042] 2. Smoke Trigger (Oil Circuit Connection): When the user inhales, the airflow sensor in the flue detects a negative pressure signal, and the smoke trigger circuit supplies power to the shape memory alloy spring. Current flows through the shape memory alloy spring (such as nickel-titanium alloy), causing its temperature to rise rapidly to the phase transition point. The shape memory alloy spring recovers its memory shape upon heating, generating a driving force greater than that of the return spring. The elastic force of the shape memory alloy spring overcomes the resistance of the return spring, driving the slip ring and inner tube to slide towards the oil chamber. The oil inlet extends out of the cylinder liner cavity as the inner tube moves, connecting the flue and the oil chamber.

[0043] 3. Cessation of Use (Automatic Reset and Seal): After the user stops intake, the trigger circuit cuts off the current to the shape memory alloy spring, which gradually cools to ambient temperature. Once cooled, the driving force disappears. The return spring's elasticity pushes the slip ring and inner tube to slide in the opposite direction, and the oil inlet retracts into the cylinder liner cavity.

[0044] This invention's electronic cigarette achieves intelligent control of the oil circuit through the combination of shape memory alloy and mechanical structure, fundamentally solving the oil leakage problem. It also has the technical advantages of fast response, high reliability and long life, significantly improving the user experience.

[0045] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette with automatic switching and leak-proof function, comprising an oil chamber (1) and a flue (2), and a switching structure disposed between the oil chamber (1) and the flue (2), characterized in that: The switch structure includes a cylinder sleeve (3) and an inner tube (4) arranged coaxially. The cylinder sleeve (3) has a columnar cavity (31). The inner tube (4) passes through the cylinder sleeve (3) and has a slip ring (41) extending radially outward in the middle. The slip ring (41) slides with the inner wall of the cylinder sleeve (3). The slip ring (41) is provided with a shape memory alloy spring (5) and a return spring (6) on both sides respectively. The shape memory alloy spring (5) abuts against the side wall of the slip ring (41) and the bottom wall (32) of the cylinder liner (3) at both ends, and the return spring (6) abuts against the side wall of the slip ring (41) and the top wall (33) of the cylinder liner (3) at both ends. The inner tube (4) has an oil inlet (42) on one side wall near the oil chamber (1) and a smoke outlet (43) connected to the flue (2) at the other end. The oil inlet (42) and the smoke outlet (43) are normally connected. When the shape memory alloy spring (5) is energized, its elastic force is greater than that of the return spring (6) and drives the inner tube (4) to slide, so that the oil inlet (42) extends out of the cavity (31) of the cylinder liner (3) to form a conductive state; when the power is off, the return spring (6) drives the inner tube to reset, so that the oil inlet (42) retracts into the cavity (31) of the cylinder liner (3) to form a closed state.

2. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder liner (3) has an annular groove (34) along the axial direction at one end near the oil chamber (1). The inner diameter of the annular groove (34) is larger than the inner diameter of the cylindrical cavity (31). The inner tube (4) has an annular plug (44) at the corresponding end that is interference-fitted with the annular groove (34).

3. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer edge of the slip ring (41) is provided with a slider (411) extending radially, and the inner wall of the cavity (31) of the cylinder liner (3) is provided with an axially extending groove (35), and the slider (411) and the groove (35) form a sliding pair.

4. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape memory alloy spring (5) is installed in the cavity (31) between the slip ring (41) and the bottom wall (32) of the cylinder liner (3), and the return spring (6) is installed in the cavity (31) between the slip ring (41) and the top wall (33) of the cylinder liner (3).

5. The electronic cigarette according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom wall (32) of the cylinder liner (3) is detachably connected to the cylinder liner (3).

6. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a battery compartment (7), in which a battery module is installed. The battery module is connected to a smoking trigger circuit, which is electrically connected to the circuit terminals of a shape memory alloy spring (5).

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