Electronic cigarette with woven fiber tube atomizer
An electronic cigarette ( 10 ) includes an atomizer ( 26 ) having a coil-less heating element ( 4 ) with a heating section ( 6 ) connected to an electrical power source and two end sections in contact with a liquid supply ( 34 ). The heating element ( 4 ) is made of one or more woven fiber tubes ( 2 ) having a hollow interior such that the liquid can be transported from the liquid supply ( 34 ) to the heating section ( 6 ) through the hollow interior along the woven fiber tubes ( 2 ) or through the fiber materials via capillary action.
1. An electronic smoking device comprising:
a housing;
an electrically conductive wick comprising
a first conductive section including a first wick end,
a heating section, and
a second conductive section including a second wick end, where the heating section, between the first conductive section and the second conductive section, has a higher electrical resistance than the first and the second conductive sections; and
wherein the electrically conductive wick is a bent woven sheet connected on opposite edges of the sheet; and
a liquid source, wherein the first wick end and the second wick end are in fluid contact with the liquid source.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive wick comprises carbon fibers, nickel-chromium, steel, titanium, iron-chromium-aluminum, molybdenum disilicide, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, Dacron, ceramic fibers, or a combination thereof.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the electrically conductive wick includes a plurality of fibers, wherein the fibers are woven in a weave pattern comprising one or more of a 2/2 twill weave, a plain weave, a satin weave, a harness weave, and a fish weave.
4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the electrically conductive wick is coupled with the printed circuit board.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the heating section is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the heating section comprises:
a first side connected to a first electrical contact or a first lead; and
a second side connected to a second electrical contact or a second lead;
wherein the first or the second electrical contacts or the first and second leads are connectable to an electrical power source; and one or more of the first conductive section and the second conductive section are in contact with the liquid supply.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive wick is U-shaped, L-shaped, or C-shaped.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the heating section is straight and the first and second conductive sections are longer than the heating section.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive sections are perpendicular to the heating section of the electrically conductive wick.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises two or more electrically conductive wicks.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the two or more electrically conductive wicks are positioned in parallel to each other.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the two or more electrically conductive wicks are positioned in direct contact of each other.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid supply contains free-flowing liquid.
14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid supply comprises a porous medium that stores liquid.