EP4381970A1

EP4381970A1 - Atomizer and electronic atomization device

Info

Publication number: EP4381970A1
Application number: EP22852265.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Linhai LU; Zhongli XU; Yonghai LI
Original assignee: Shenzhen FirstUnion Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shenzhen FirstUnion Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-04
Filing date: 2022-08-03
Publication date: 2024-06-12
Also published as: CN215958347U; WO2023011553A1

Abstract

This application provides an atomizer and an electronic atomization device. The atomizer includes a housing, and the housing is internally provided with: a liquid storage cavity; an atomization assembly; a sealing element, configured to at least partially seal the liquid storage cavity; a holder, configured to support the sealing element, so that the sealing element is at least partially positioned between the holder and the liquid storage cavity, where the holder includes an upper surface close to the liquid storage cavity and a side surface surrounding the upper surface; and an air channel, configured to provide a flow path for air to enter liquid storage cavity, and including a first channel portion formed between the side surface of the holder and the sealing element and a second channel portion formed between the upper surface and the sealing element, where the first channel portion has a cross-sectional area greater than that of the second channel portion. The atomizer can supplement air to the liquid storage cavity to relieve or balance the negative pressure in the liquid storage cavity through the air channel formed between the holder and the sealing element; and the air channel includes a portion having a different cross-sectional area, which is advantageous for air to overcome the pressure of a liquid substrate into the liquid storage cavity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202121812932.8, entitled "ATOMIZER AND ELECTRONIC ATOMIZATION DEVICE" and filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on August 4, 2021 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of this application relate to the field of electronic atomization technologies, and in particular, to an atomizer and an electronic atomization device.

BACKGROUND

There are aerosol-providing articles, for example, e-cigarette devices. The devices generally include e-liquid. The e-liquid is heated to be atomized, so as to generate an inhalable vapor or aerosol. The e-liquid may include nicotine and/or fragrance and/or an aerosol-generation article (for example, glycerol), except for the fragrance in the e-liquid.
An existing e-cigarette device generally includes a porous ceramic body that has a large amount of micropores provided inside and is configured to absorb and conduct the e-liquid, and a heating element is arranged on a surface of the porous ceramic body and configured to heat and atomize the absorbed e-liquid. The micropores in the porous body are used as channels for the e-liquid to infiltrate and flow to an atomization surface, and also used as air exchange channels for air to replenish and enter a liquid storage cavity from the outside to maintain balance of the air pressure in the liquid storage cavity after the e-liquid in the liquid storage cavity is consumed, so that bubbles are generated in the porous ceramic body when the e-liquid is heated, atomized, and consumed, and then the bubbles emerge from a liquid absorbing surface and then enter the liquid storage cavity.
For the existing e-cigarette device, as the e-liquid in the liquid storage cavity provided inside is consumed, the liquid storage cavity is gradually in a negative pressure state, to prevent fluid transmission to a certain extent, so that the e-liquid is less conveyed to the atomization surface through the micropore channels of the porous ceramic body for atomization. Particularly, when the existing e-cigarette device is in a continuous inhaling and use state, the air outside the liquid storage cavity can hardly pass through the micropore channels of the porous ceramic body to enter the liquid storage cavity in a short time, slowing down a speed of conveying the e-liquid to the atomization surface, and insufficient e-liquid supplied to the heating element will cause a temperature of the heating element to be excessively high, resulting in decomposition and volatilization of e-liquid components to generate harmful substances such as formaldehyde.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of this application provides an atomizer, including a housing, where the housing is internally provided with:

a liquid storage cavity, configured to store a liquid substrate;
an atomization assembly, configured to atomize the liquid substrate to generate an aerosol;
a sealing element, configured to at least partially seal the liquid storage cavity;
a holder, configured to support the sealing element, so that the sealing element is at least partially positioned between the holder and the liquid storage cavity, where the holder includes an upper surface close to the liquid storage cavity and a side surface surrounding the upper surface; and
an air channel, configured to provide a flow path for air to enter the liquid storage cavity, and including a first channel portion formed between the side surface of the holder and the sealing element and a second channel portion formed between the upper surface and the sealing element, where the first channel portion has a cross-sectional area greater than that of the second channel portion.

In a more preferred embodiment, a first groove is provided on the side surface of the holder, and the first channel portion is defined and formed between the first groove and the sealing element.
In a more preferred embodiment, a depth dimension of the first groove is greater than a width dimension.
In a more preferred embodiment, the holder includes a liquid guide channel, and the atomization assembly is in fluid communication with the liquid storage cavity through the liquid guide channel; and
the second channel portion partially extends to an inner wall of the liquid guide channel and forms an air outlet end of the air channel on the inner wall of the liquid guide channel.
In a more preferred embodiment, a second groove is provided on the upper surface of the holder, and the second channel portion is defined and formed between the second groove and the sealing element.
In a more preferred embodiment, a width dimension of the second groove is greater than a depth dimension.
In a more preferred embodiment, the first channel portion includes an extending direction different from that of the second channel portion. Preferably, the first channel portion is basically perpendicular to the second channel portion.
In a more preferred embodiment, an extension length of the first channel portion is greater than an extension length of the second channel portion.
In a more preferred embodiment, the sealing element at least partially covers the holder and exposes an air inlet end and/or an air outlet end of the air channel.
In a more preferred embodiment, the sealing element includes an interference fit region, used to provide sealing between the housing and the holder through an interference fit of a part of the region; and the first channel portion crosses interference fit region.
In a more preferred embodiment, a convex rib at least partially surrounding the sealing element is arranged on the sealing element, and the convex rib defines the interference fit region.
Another embodiment of this application further provides an electronic atomization device, including an atomizer configured to atomize a liquid substrate to generate an aerosol and a power supply mechanism configured to supply power to the atomizer, where the atomizer includes the atomizer described above.
The atomizer can supplement air to the liquid storage cavity to relieve or balance the negative pressure in the liquid storage cavity through the air channel formed between the holder and the sealing element; and the air channel includes a portion having a different cross-sectional area, which is advantageous for air to overcome the pressure of a liquid substrate into the liquid storage cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments are exemplarily described with reference to the corresponding figures in the accompanying drawings, and the descriptions do not constitute a limitation to the embodiments. Components in the accompanying drawings that have same reference numerals are represented as similar components, and unless otherwise particularly stated, the figures in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic atomization device according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the atomizer in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded view of the atomizer in FIG. 2 from a perspective;
FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view of the atomizer in FIG. 2 from another perspective;
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the atomizer in FIG. 2 from a perspective;
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a porous body from another perspective;
FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a holder from another perspective;
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a sealing element and a holder after assembly from another perspective;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a position B in FIG. 7; and
FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an air channel formed between a sealing element and a holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For ease of understanding of this application, this application is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementations.
An embodiment of this application provides an electronic atomization device. Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic atomization device includes: an atomizer 100 configured to store a liquid substrate and atomize the liquid substrate to generate an aerosol, and a power supply mechanism 200 configured to supply power to the atomizer 100.
In an optional implementation, as shown in FIG. 1, the power supply mechanism 200 includes: a receiving cavity 270 that is arranged at an end along a length direction and configured to receive and accommodate at least a part of the atomizer 100; and a first electrical contact 230 that is at least partially exposed on a surface of the receiving cavity 270, configured to be electrically connected to the atomizer 100 to supply power to the atomizer 100 when at least a part of the atomizer 100 is received and accommodated in the power supply mechanism 200.
According to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an end portion of the atomizer 100 opposite to the power supply mechanism 200 along the length direction is provided with a second electrical contact 21, so that when at least a part of the atomizer 100 is received in the receiving cavity 270, the second electrical contact 21 forms conductivity through being in contact with and abutting against the first electrical contact 230.
A sealing member 260 is arranged inside the power supply mechanism 200, and at least a part of an internal space of the power supply mechanism 200 is separated through the sealing member 260 to form the receiving cavity 270. In the preferred implementation shown in FIG. 1, the sealing member 260 is configured to extend along a cross section direction of the power supply mechanism 200, and is preferably prepared by using a flexible material such as silica gel, so as to prevent the liquid substrate seeping from the atomizer 100 to the receiving cavity 270 from flowing to a controller 220, a sensor 250, and other components inside the power supply mechanism 200.
In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the power supply mechanism 200 further includes a battery core 210 that is located at another end facing away from the receiving cavity 270 along the length direction and configured to supply power; and a controller 220 that is arranged between the battery core 210 and the receiving cavity 270, where the controller 220 operably guides a current between the battery core 210 and the first electrical contact 230.
During use, the power supply mechanism 200 includes a sensor 250, configured to sense an inhalation airflow generated by the atomizer 100 during inhalation, so that the controller 220 controls the battery core 210 to supply power to the atomizer 100 according to a detection signal of the sensor 250.
Further, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a charging interface 240 is provided on another end of the power supply mechanism 200 facing away from the receiving cavity 270, and the charging interface is configured to charge the battery core 210.
The embodiments in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 are schematic structural diagrams of an embodiment of the atomizer 100 in FIG. 1. The atomizer includes:
a housing 10. According to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the housing 10 is approximately in a shape of a flat cylinder; and the housing 10 includes a proximal end 110 and a distal end 120 opposite to each other along a length direction. According to a requirement of common use, the proximal end 110 is configured as an end for a user to inhale the aerosol, and a suction nozzle A for the user to inhale is arranged at the proximal end 110. The distal end 120 is used as an end combined with the power supply mechanism 200, and the distal end 120 of the housing 10 is an opening on which a detachable end cover 20 is installed, where an opening structure is configured to install various necessary functional components inside the housing 10.
Further, in specific embodiments shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the second electrical contact 21 is penetrated into the atomizer 100 from a surface of the end cover 20, so that at least a part of the second electrical contact is exposed outside the atomizer 100, so as to form conductivity through being in contact with the first electrical contact 230. In addition, the end cover 20 is further provided with a first air inlet 23, configured to supply external air into the atomizer 100 during inhalation.
Further, referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the housing 10 is internally provided with a liquid storage cavity 12 configured to store the liquid substrate, and an atomization assembly 3 configured to absorb the liquid substrate from the liquid storage cavity 12 and heat and atomize the liquid substrate. The atomization assembly 3 generally includes a capillary liquid guide element configured to absorb the liquid substrate, and a heating element combined with the liquid guide element. The heating element heats at least a part of the liquid substrate in the liquid guide element to generate an aerosol when powered on. In an optional implementation, the liquid guide element includes flexible fibers such as cotton fibers, non-woven fabrics, and glass fiber ropes, or includes porous materials with a microporous structure, such as porous ceramics. The heating element may be combined onto the liquid guide element or wound on the liquid guide element through printing, deposition, sintering, physical assembly, or the like.
Further, in the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the atomization assembly 3 includes: a porous body 30 configured to absorb and transfer the liquid substrate, and a heating element 40 configured to heat and atomize the liquid substrate absorbed by the porous body 30. Specifically:
In the schematic cross-sectional structural view shown in FIG. 5, the housing 10 is internally provided with a vapor conveying tube 11 arranged along an axial direction; and the housing 10 is further internally provided with a liquid storage cavity 12 configured to store the liquid substrate. In this implementation, at least a part of the vapor conveying tube 11 extends toward the inside of the liquid storage cavity 12, and the liquid storage cavity 12 is formed by a space between an outer wall of the vapor conveying tube 11 and an inner wall of the housing 10. A first end of the vapor conveying tube 11 opposite to the proximal end 110 is in communication with the suction nozzle A, and a second end opposite to the distal end 120 is in airflow connection with an atomization chamber 340 defined and formed between an atomization surface 310 of the porous body 30 and the end cover 20, so as to transmit the aerosol generated by the heating element 40 by atomizing the liquid substrate and released to the atomization chamber 340 to the suction nozzle A for inhalation.
Referring to the structure of the porous body 30 shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, a shape of the porous body 30 is configured to be, but not limited to, approximately a blocky structure in this embodiment. According to a preferred design of this embodiment, the porous body includes the atomization surface 310 that is in an arched shape and faces the end cover 20 along an axial direction of the housing 10. During use, a side of the porous body 30 facing away from the atomization surface 310 is in fluid communication with the liquid storage cavity 12, so as to absorb the liquid substrate, then a microporous structure inside the porous body 30 transmits the liquid substrate to the atomization surface 310 to be heated and atomized to form the aerosol, and the formed aerosol is released or escapes from the atomization surface 310 into the atomization chamber 340.
Certainly, the heating element 40 is formed on the atomization surface 310; and after assembly, the second electrical contact 21 abuts against the heating element 40, so as to supply power to the heating element 40.
On an aerosol output path during an inhalation process, referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, a first insertion hole 72 for a lower end of the vapor conveying tube 11 to insert is provided on the sealing element 70, a second insertion hole 62 is correspondingly provided on the holder 60, and an aerosol output channel 63 through which the atomization surface 310 is in airflow communication with the second insertion hole 62 is provided on one side of the holder 60 opposite to the housing 10. A complete inhalation airflow path after installation is shown by an arrow R2 in FIG. 3. The external air enters the atomization chamber 340 through the first air inlet 23 on the end cover 20, then carries the generated aerosol to flow from the aerosol output channel 63 to the second insertion hole 62, and then outputs to the vapor conveying tube 11 through the first insertion hole 72.
Referring to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the porous body 30 is in an arched shape and includes a first side wall 31 and a second side wall 32 that are opposite to each other along a thickness direction, and a base portion 34 extending between the first side wall 31 and the second side wall 32; and a lower surface of the base portion 34 is configured as the atomization surface 310. In addition, the first side wall 31 and the second side wall 32 extend along a length direction of the porous body 30. Further, a liquid channel 33 extending along the length direction of the porous body 30 is defined among the first side wall 31, the second side wall 32, and the base portion 34, and the liquid substrate flowing through a first liquid guide hole 71, a second liquid guide hole 61, and a third liquid guide hole 51 is received and absorbed through the liquid channel 33.
Further, referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the holder 60 is approximately in a shape of a cylinder, and a detailed structure thereof includes:

a channel surface 611 defining the second liquid guide hole 61, where the channel surface 611 is in fluid communication with the liquid storage cavity 12 to transmit the liquid substrate, and the second liquid guide hole 61 is a liquid guide channel;
an upper surface 610, arranged adjacent to the liquid storage cavity 12; and
a side surface 620, configured to support the sealing element 70, where the sealing element 70 mainly surrounds or covers the side surface 620 to be stably kept.

Further, in the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, an air channel 65 is further provided on the holder 60, for the air in the atomization chamber 340 and/or the first air inlet 23 to enter the liquid storage cavity 12.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the air channel 65 is defined by grooves formed on the upper surface 610 and the side surface 620 of the holder 60. Specifically, a first groove 651 extending along a longitudinal direction is provided on the side surface 620 of the holder 60, and a second groove 652 extending along a width direction is provided on the upper surface 610 of the holder 60.
Further, it may be seen from FIG. 9 that, the first groove 651 runs through the side surface 620, and the second groove 652 extends from an upper end of the first groove 651 to the channel surface 611 of the second liquid guide hole 61; the first groove 651 and the second groove 652 further form a specific angle, so that the two grooves have different extending directions; and in the preferred implementation in the figure, the first groove 651 is basically perpendicular to the second groove 652.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, an extension length dimension d1 of the first groove 651 approximately ranges from 2.2 mm to 2.5 mm; a width dimension d2 of the first groove 651 approximately ranges from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm; and a depth dimension d3 of the first groove 651 approximately ranges from 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm. It may be seen from the above that, the depth dimension d3 of the first groove 651 is greater than the width dimension d2, and the flexible sealing element 70 is less recessed into the first groove 651 under an extrusion force after assembly, which is advantageous to prevent a cross section space of the first groove 651 from being affected by the assembly of the sealing element 70.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, an extension length dimension d4 of the second groove 652 approximately ranges from 0.8 mm to 1 mm; a width dimension d5 of the second groove 652 approximately ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm; and a depth dimension d6 of the second groove 652 approximately ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm. In contrast, the width dimension d5 of the second groove 652 is greater than the depth dimension d6, which is advantageous for air overflowing.
It may be also seen from the foregoing embodiments that, a cross-sectional area of the first groove 651 is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second groove 652. In addition, an extension length of the first groove 651 is greater than an extension length of the second groove 652. It is advantageous for the air to overcome the pressure of the liquid substrate to enter the second groove 652 from the first groove 651.
In addition, after assembly is performed according to FIG. 8, the first groove 651 and the second groove 652 are covered by the sealing element 70, the first groove 651 and the second groove 652 jointly define the air channel 65 formed between the holder 60 and the sealing element 70. After the sealing element 70 and the holder 60 are assembled, the sealing element 70 does not cover an air inlet end and an air outlet end of the air channel 65. Specifically, it may be seen from FIG. 8 and FIG. 10 that, a lower end of the first groove 651 used for air intaking is exposed, and an air outlet end of the second groove 652 located on the channel surface 611 is also exposed.
During use, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, the lower end of the first groove 651 forms airflow communication with the atomization chamber 340 through a gap between the holder 60 and the housing 10. Further, when the negative pressure in the liquid storage cavity 12 exceeds a specific threshold during use, the air in the atomization chamber 340 and/or the first air inlet 23 can sequentially flow through, as shown by an arrow R3 in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, the first groove 651 and the second groove 652 and then enter the second liquid guide hole 61, and finally enter the liquid storage cavity 12 to relieve the negative pressure in the liquid storage cavity 12.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, several capillary trenches 66 extending along a circumferential direction are further provided on the holder 60. During use, on one hand, space of the capillary trenches 66 can keep a sufficient gap between the holder 60 and the housing 10, and further provide a gap for airflow communication between the lower end of the first groove 651 and the atomization chamber 340; and on the other hand, each capillary trench 66 has a width of about 0.5 mm, so that aerosol condensate in the atomization chamber 340 can be absorbed and kept through a capillary action, thereby preventing the condensate from leaking from the first air inlet 23.
Alternatively, in another variant embodiment, the air channel 65 may alternatively be formed on an inner wall of the sealing element 70 adjacent to the holder 60. For example, the first groove 651 is formed on an inner side wall extending along a circumferential direction of the sealing element 70, and the second groove 652 is formed on an inner top wall of the sealing element 70.
Further, in the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 10, a convex rib 73 extending along the circumferential direction is arranged on an outer side wall of the sealing element 70; and During assembly, the convex rib 73 provides interference fit between the sealing element 70 and the housing 10, and the convex rib 73 is extruded after assembly, so as to provide sealing. Alternatively, in some variant embodiments, the convex rib 73 is located on the inner side wall of the sealing element 70 and is arranged adjacent to the side surface 620 of the holder 60; and after assembly, the convex rib 73 is extruded by the side surface 620 of the holder 60 to form interference fit, thereby improving a sealing effect.
Further, referring to FIG. 10, the first groove 651 defining the air channel 65 crosses an interference fit region defined by the convex rib 73.
It should be noted that, the specification and the accompanying drawings of this application illustrate preferred embodiments of this application, but this application is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art may make improvements or modifications according to the foregoing description, and all the improvements and modifications shall fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of this application.

Claims

An atomizer, comprising a housing, wherein the housing is internally provided with:
a liquid storage cavity, configured to store a liquid substrate;

an atomization assembly, configured to atomize the liquid substrate to generate an aerosol;

a sealing element, configured to at least partially seal the liquid storage cavity;

a holder, configured to support the sealing element, so that the sealing element is at least partially positioned between the holder and the liquid storage cavity, wherein the holder comprises an upper surface close to the liquid storage cavity and a side surface surrounding the upper surface; and

an air channel, configured to provide a flow path for air to enter the liquid storage cavity, and comprising a first channel portion formed between the side surface of the holder and the sealing element and a second channel portion formed between the upper surface and the sealing element, wherein the first channel portion has a cross-sectional area greater than that of the second channel portion.
The atomizer according to claim 1, wherein a first groove is provided on the side surface of the holder, and the first channel portion is defined and formed between the first groove and the sealing element.
The atomizer according to claim 2, wherein a depth dimension of the first groove is greater than a width dimension.
The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holder comprises a liquid guide channel, and the atomization assembly is in fluid communication with the liquid storage cavity through the liquid guide channel; and
the second channel portion partially extends to an inner wall of the liquid guide channel and forms an air outlet end of the air channel on the inner wall of the liquid guide channel.
The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a second groove is provided on the upper surface of the holder, and the second channel portion is defined and formed between the second groove and the sealing element.
The atomizer according to claim 5, wherein a width dimension of the second groove is greater than a depth dimension.
The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first channel portion comprises an extending direction different from that of the second channel portion.
The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an extension length of the first channel portion is greater than an extension length of the second channel portion.
The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sealing element at least partially covers the holder and exposes an air inlet end and/or an air outlet end of the air channel.
The atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sealing element comprises an interference fit region, used to provide sealing between the housing and the holder through an interference fit of a part of the region; and the first channel portion crosses interference fit region.
The atomizer according to claim 10, wherein a convex rib at least partially surrounding the sealing element is arranged on the sealing element, and the convex rib defines the interference fit region.
An electronic atomization device, comprising an atomizer configured to atomize a liquid substrate to generate an aerosol and a power supply mechanism configured to supply power to the atomizer, wherein the atomizer comprises the atomizer according to any one of claims 1 to 11.