Electronic Cigarette with Push Actuating Arrangement

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes a housing assembly, a cartridge, a control circuitry and a push actuating arrangement. The push actuating arrangement includes an atomizer movably supported in the housing assembly, a mouth piece connected to the atomizer and movably supported in the housing assembly, and an actuating member movably mounted on the housing assembly to operate between an idle position and an actuated position. In the idle position, the actuating member is moved to retain the atomizer and the mouth piece in the housing assembly. In the actuated position, the actuating member is driven to move with respect to the housing assembly so as to expose the mouth piece to an exterior of the housing assembly for user's smoking.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic cigarette, comprising:
 a housing assembly;   a cartridge supported in said housing assembly for storing a predetermined amount of liquid solution;   a control circuitry comprising a main microprocessor connected to said cartridge for controlling a vaporization of said liquid solution; and   a push actuating arrangement, which comprises:   an atomizer having a switch movably supported in said housing assembly and electrically connected to said control circuitry for vaporizing said liquid solution retrieved from said cartridge;   a mouth piece connected to said atomizer and movably supported in said housing assembly; and   an actuating member movably mounted on said housing assembly to operate between an idle position and an actuated position, wherein in said idle position, said actuating member is moved to retain said atomizer and said mouth piece in said housing assembly, wherein in said actuated position, said actuating member is driven to move with respect to said housing assembly so as to expose said mouth piece to an exterior of said housing assembly for user's smoking.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said housing assembly comprises a main housing and at least one end cover provided on a free end portion of said main housing, said main housing having a receiving cavity, wherein said end cover is arranged to selectively open and close said receiving cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a supporting frame received in said receiving cavity of said main housing, said push actuating arrangement further comprises at least one sliding member slidably mounted on said supporting frame, wherein said sliding member is engaged with said actuating member in such a manner that when said actuating member slides with respect to said supporting frame, said actuating member is arranged to drive said sliding member to slide in said same direction with respect to said supporting frame. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said supporting frame has at least one sliding track arranged to slidably engage with said sliding member so that said sliding members is arranged to slide along said sliding track of said supporting frame when said sliding member is driven by said actuating member. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said actuating member is movably connected to said supporting frame, said supporting frame having an actuating slot while said actuating member having a driving latch arranged to engage in said actuating slot in such a manner that when said actuating member is driven to slide with respect to said housing assembly, said supporting frame is also driven to slide with respect to said supporting frame. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said sliding member is elongated in shape and has a stopper protruded from said sliding member, said sliding member further having a depressing portion arranged to normally depress said switch of said atomizer when said actuating member is in said idle position. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said main housing further has at least one restriction groove aligned with said sliding track for restricting a further sliding movement of said sliding member in said sliding track when said stopper is slid to hit an end of said restriction groove. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said housing assembly further comprises at least one resilient element arranged to normally exert an urging force toward said end cover so as to normally retain said end covers to close said receiving cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said housing assembly further comprises a retention frame received in said main housing, said retention frame comprising at least one retention member connected to said end cover while said resilient element is connected to said retention member so that said retention member is arranged to slide with respect to said main housing and is normally pulled to retain said end cover to close said receiving cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic cigarette, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said main housing of said housing assembly further has an access slot align with said driving latch so that said driving latch is arranged to engage with said actuating slot of said supporting frame by penetrating through said access slot.