Nanotextured Airflow Passage

Abstract

A texturing of the surface of a post wick air flow passage is employed to create a hydrophobic surface upon which e-liquid droplets can form and be deposited. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the surface, the droplets will not remain or cling to the surface, and will instead either roll or slide to the bottom. This surface texturing is of a fine enough scale to decrease the wettability of the surface and provide the hydrophobicity of the surface. The texturing can be achieved through molding or through a secondary process that introduces the desired texture to an existing post wick air flow passage.

1 . A pod for use in a vaporizing system, the pod comprising:
 a heater for atomizing an atomizable liquid stored within a reservoir; and   a post wick air flow passage having a wall, at least a portion of the wall having a surface texture causing a decreased wettability of the portion of the wall with respect to the atomizable liquid in comparison to the wettability of the wall without the texture.   
     
     
         2 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the atomizable liquid is an e-liquid comprising at least one of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, nicotine and a flavoring. 
     
     
         3 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the vaporizing system is an electronic nicotine delivery system. 
     
     
         4 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the heater is located within an atomization chamber in communication with the post wick air flow passage. 
     
     
         5 . The pod of  claim 4  further comprising a wick within the atomization chamber, in fluid communication with the reservoir and in contact with the heater, for drawing the atomizable liquid from the reservoir towards the heater. 
     
     
         6 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the surface texture is a texturing of a material from which the wall is formed. 
     
     
         7 . The pod of  claim 6  wherein the surface texture is sufficiently fine to result in an interaction between the atomizable liquid and the portion of the wall to be governed by Cassie-Baxter equations. 
     
     
         8 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the wall comprises a coating deposited upon a substrate of the wall. 
     
     
         9 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein the coating has a texture sufficiently fine to result in an interaction between the atomizable liquid and the coating to be governed by Cassie-Baxter equations. 
     
     
         10 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein a surface texturing has been applied to the coating. 
     
     
         11 . The pod of  claim 10  wherein the coating is comprised of one of glass and a polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein the surface texture is defined by the coating and the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein the coating is one of a plurality of coatings, and the surface texture is defined by the plurality of coatings. 
     
     
         14 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the surface texture creates a surface that is hydrophobic to the atomizable liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the post wick air flow passage and the reservoir are integrally formed.