Electronic smoking device with wickless atomizer

Abstract

An electronic smoking device (10) is provided including a power supply portion (12) comprising a power supply (18), an atomizer/liquid reservoir portion (14) comprising a liquid reservoir (34) storing a liquid, and an atomizer (26) adapted to atomize the liquid stored in the liquid reservoir (34) when operated by the power supply (18). The atomizer (26) extends away from the liquid reservoir (34) in a first direction (L). The atomizer (26) comprises first atomizer sections (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d), wherein each of the first atomizer sections defines an opening (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d) that is at least partly encircled by the first atomizer section. The sizes of the openings defined by the first atomizer sections decrease with increasing distance of the first atomizer sections from the liquid reservoir in the first direction.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An electronic smoking device comprising:
 an atomizer/liquid reservoir portion including
 a liquid reservoir configured to store a liquid, and 
 the atomizer extends away from the liquid reservoir in a first direction and is configured to atomize the liquid received from the liquid reservoir when operated by a power supply, the atomizer includes
 a plurality of first atomizer sections, each of the first atomizer sections defines an opening, the size of the respective opening defined by each of the first atomizer sections decreases with an increasing distance of the first atomizer sections from the liquid reservoir in the first direction, and 
 a conical frustum casing that circumferentially extends about the plurality of first atomizer sections and is radially offset therefrom, wherein an apex of the conical frustum casing points in the first direction, away from the liquid reservoir, the conical frustum including a plurality of air inlet openings that extend radially relative to the first direction through the casing 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein the first atomizer sections are spaced apart from each other along the first direction. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 17 , wherein the first atomizer sections respectively extend in a plane not containing the first direction. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic smoking device  claim 16 , wherein the first atomizer sections are connected to each other by second atomizer sections  20 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first atomizer sections are configured to form ring-like sections or frame-like sections to define the openings. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first atomizer sections include a plurality of circular rings to define the openings, wherein each of the circular rings is centered on an axis running along the first direction and respectively extends in a plane that is orthogonal to the axis, and wherein the diameters of the circular rings decrease with increasing distance from the liquid reservoir in the first direction. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein the first atomizer sections include a plurality of turns of a helical coil, wherein the diameters of the turns decrease as the coil extends along the first direction, away from the liquid reservoir. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein the atomizer further includes a heating element with a linear heating wire that extends from the apex of the casing along a central axis thereof 
     
     
         24 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein the atomizer further includes a heating element, and at least one of the first atomizer sections forms a part of the heating element. 
     
     
         25 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein a first of the first atomizer sections closest to the liquid reservoir is configured and arranged to receive a liquid from the liquid reservoir, if the surface tension characteristics of the liquid is insufficient to hold the liquid on the first of the first atomizer sections, the liquid will descend to the next of the first atomizer sections having a smaller diameter than the first of the first atomizer sections; and
 wherein the next of the first atomizer sections is configured and arranged to hold the liquid where the smaller diameter facilitates liquids with lower surface tension characteristics than the first of the first atomizer sections.   
     
     
         26 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , further comprising a perforated plate located at the side of the atomizer facing the liquid reservoir, and configured to supply liquid from the liquid reservoir to the atomizer through perforations in the perforated plate. 
     
     
         27 . The electronic smoking device according to  claim 26 , wherein the perforated plate forms a base of the liquid reservoir. 
     
     
         28 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic smoking device is configured and arranged to transfer the liquid from the liquid reservoir directly to the first atomizer sections of the atomizer without a wick. 
     
     
         29 . An atomizer for an electronic smoking device, the atomizer comprising:
 the atomizer configured to
 atomize liquid stored in a liquid reservoir of the electronic smoking device when operated by a power supply of the electronic smoking device, and 
 when integrated in the electronic smoking device, to extend away from the liquid reservoir in a first direction; 
   a plurality of atomizer sections, wherein each of the atomizer sections defines an opening that is at least partly encircled by the first atomizer section, and the sizes of the openings defined by the atomizer sections decrease with increasing distance of the atomizer sections from the liquid reservoir, in the first direction; and   a pair of linear heating wires extend from the closest and the furthest of the atomizer sections from the liquid reservoir along a central axis of the atomizer.   
     
     
         30 . The atomizer of  claim 29 , wherein the first atomizer sections are spaced apart from each other along the first direction, respectively extend in a plane not containing the first direction, and are connected to each other by second atomizer sections. 
     
     
         31 . The atomizer of  claim 29 , wherein the atomizer further includes a casing that at least partially encases the atomizer sections, and the casing includes wall portions located at a predetermined distance from the atomizer sections. 
     
     
         32 . The atomizer of  claim 29 , further including a conical frustum casing that circumferentially extends about the plurality of atomizer sections and is radially offset therefrom, the conical frustum casing including a plurality of air inlet openings that extend radially relative to the first direction through the casing. 
     
     
         33 . The atomizer of  claim 29 , wherein the first atomizer sections include a plurality of circular rings, each of the circular rings is centered on an axis running along the first direction and respectively extends in a plane orthogonal to the axis, and wherein the diameters of the circular rings decrease with increasing distance from the liquid reservoir, in the first direction. 
     
     
         34 . The atomizer of  claim 29 , wherein the atomizer further includes
 an envelope that is cone-shaped or pyramidal, and an apex of the envelope points in the first direction, away from the liquid reservoir.   
     
     
         35 . The atomizer of  claim 29 , wherein a first of the atomizer sections is configured and arranged to receive a liquid from the liquid reservoir, if the surface tension characteristics of the liquid is insufficient for the liquid to be held on the first of the atomizer sections, the liquid will fall to an adjacent atomizer section of the plurality of atomizer sections having a smaller diameter than the first of the atomizer sections; and wherein the adjacent atomizer section is configured and arranged to hold the liquid where the smaller diameter facilitates liquids with smaller surface tension characteristics than the first atomizer section.