Electronic smoking device with capillary buffer
View Patent ↗An electronic smoking device, comprising a capillary buffer having a first end, a second end, a capillary buffer portion between the first end and a second end, and a vapor channel and a liquid conduit formed between first end and the second end and through the capillary buffer portion; the capillary buffer portion is operable to receive under capillary effect excessive liquid from the liquid supply.
1 . A liquid buffer for an electronic smoking device, comprising:
a capillary buffer component including a plurality of buffer plates;
a capillary opening in each buffer plate;
a buffer space formed between adjacent buffer plates;
a vapor channel extending through the capillary buffer component;
a liquid conduit extending through the capillary buffer component; and
an air channel extending through each of the buffer plates, the air channel connecting each buffer space to an air vent.
2 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 further including a recess at a first end of the capillary buffer component configured to fit with a liquid guiding structure.
3 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 wherein the capillary opening is a capillary slit and the air channel is opposite to the capillary slit.
4 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 with the vapor channel inside the liquid conduit.
5 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 wherein the capillary buffer is configured to hold excess liquid of a liquid supply in the buffer spaces.
6 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 further including a liquid supply attached to the capillary buffer component.
7 . The liquid buffer of claim 6 with the capillary buffer and the liquid supply comprising a single component.
8 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 with the vapor channel side by side with the liquid conduit.
9 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 with each capillary opening having a width of 0.05 to 0.2 mm.
10 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 with the capillary opening radially offset from the air channel.
11 . The liquid buffer of claim 1 wherein the buffer plates are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the capillary openings.
12 . A liquid buffer for an electronic smoking device, comprising:
a cylindrical capillary buffer component including a plurality of buffer plates forming buffer spaces;
a capillary slit in each buffer plate;
a vapor channel extending through the capillary buffer component;
a liquid conduit extending through the capillary buffer component; and
an air channel extending through each of the buffer plates.
13 . The liquid buffer of claim 12 wherein the buffer plates are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the capillary slit.
14 . The liquid buffer of claim 12 further comprising an air vent in the capillary buffer connected to the air channel, the air vent connecting to a housing vent, to allow bi-directional airflow in the air channel.
15 . The liquid buffer of claim 12 with the air channel opposite from the capillary slit.