(19)
`
`(12)
`
`Europäisches Patentamt
`
`European Patent Office
`
`Office européen des brevets
`
`(cid:6)(cid:27)&(cid:11)(cid:11)(cid:12)(cid:17)(cid:12)(cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:11)(cid:14)(cid:23)(cid:12)(cid:6)
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`(11)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC
`
`(43) Date of publication:
`25.01.2006 Bulletin 2006/04
`
`(21) Application number: 04718242.3
`
`(22) Date of filing: 08.03.2004
`
`(51) Int Cl.:
`A24B 15/16(1980.01)
`
`(86) International application number:
`PCT/CN2004/000182
`
`(87) International publication number:
`WO 2004/095955 (11.11.2004 Gazette 2004/46)
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR
`HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
`Designated Extension States:
`AL LT LV MK
`
`(30) Priority: 29.04.2003 CN 03111582
`
`(71) Applicant: Hon, Lik
`Hong Kong (CN)
`
`(72) Inventor: HON, Lik
`168-200, Connaught Rd. Central
`Hong Kong (CN)
`
`(74) Representative: Grünecker, Kinkeldey,
`Stockmair & Schwanhäusser
`Anwaltssozietät
`Maximilianstrasse 58
`80538 München (DE)
`
`(54)
`
`A FLAMELESS ELECTRONIC ATOMIZING CIGARETTE
`
`(57)
`The invention relates to a non-smokable elec-
`tronic spray cigarette which only comprises nicotine with-
`out harmful tar. The cigarette includes a smoke mouth
`integer comprised with a shell, a cell, a high frequency
`ionzer, nicotine solution storage and its container, control
`circuit, a display screen, a human contact sensor, a pie-
`zoelectric supersound atomizer, a high temperature va-
`porization nozzle and attachments, an electro-thermal
`vaporization nozzle installed in the air suction end of the
`shell goes through an electric control pump or a valve
`with a measuring chamber and a liquid storage container
`
`which contains nicotine solution and is connected to the
`electric control pump or a valve with a one-way flow valve,
`the control circuit plate has four export ends individually
`connected with the high frequency ionizer, electric heat-
`er, pump or valve and the display screen, a human re-
`sistence sensor and an air flow sensor are connected to
`the input end of the control circuit. The advantages of the
`present invention are smoking without tar, reducing the
`cancerogenic risk, the user still feel smoking and expe-
`riercing the excitement, the cigarette is no need to be lit
`and is no fire danger.
`
`Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
`
`EP1 618 803A1
`
`Philip Morris Products, S.A.
`Exhibit 1028
`Page 001
`
`

`

`1
`
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`2
`
`Description
`
`Technical Field
`
`[0001] The invention relates to a non-smokable elec-
`tronic spray cigarette which contains only nicotine without
`tar.
`
`Background Art
`
`[0002] Despite it is commonly known that "smoking is
`harmful to your health", the number of smokers worldwide
`is up to 1 billion, and the number is increasing every year.
`On March 3, 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO)
`concluded a global Framework Convention on Tobacco
`Control. According to the statistical data from WHO,
`about 4.9 million people die of diseases caused by smok-
`ing each year. Although smoking may cause serious res-
`piratory diseases and cancer, it remains extremely diffi-
`cult for smokers to quit smoking completely.
`[0003] The active ingredient in a cigarette is nicotine.
`During smoking, nicotine, along with a lot of tar aerosol
`droplets produced in the cigarette burning, enters smok-
`er’s alveolus and is rapidly absorbed. After being ab-
`sorbed into the blood of a smoker, nicotine then produces
`its effect on the receptors of the smoker’s central nervous
`system, which makes him/her relax and enjoy an inebri-
`ety similar to that produced by an exhilarant.
`[0004] Nicotine is a kind of alkaloid with low molecular
`weight, a small dose of nicotine is essentially harmless
`to human body and its half-life in blood is quite short. The
`major harmful substance in tobacco is tar, and the tar in
`tobacco is composed of thousands of ingredients, tens
`of which are cancerogenic substances. At present, it has
`been proven that passive smoking can be more harmful
`on non-smokers.
`[0005] Some cigarette substitutes that contain only
`nicotine without tar have been proposed, and many of
`them, such as "nicotine patch", "nicotine mouthwash",
`"spray agent packaged in high pressure gas tank with
`propellant", "nicotine chewing gum", "nicotine drink" etc.,
`are made of pure nicotine. Although these cigarette sub-
`stitutes are free from tar, their major disadvantage is that
`an effective peak concentration can not be reached in
`the blood of a smoker due to slow absorption of nicotine
`and thus it can not make a smoker get real fun, in addition,
`these cigarette substitutes can not satisfy habitual smok-
`ing actions of a smoker, for example, inhaling action or
`sucking action, and thus are not likely to be widely ac-
`cepted as effective substitutes for quitting smoking or
`cigarette substitutes.
`
`Summary of the Invention
`
`[0006] An objective of the present invention is to pro-
`vide a non-smokable electronic spray cigarette that func-
`tions as substitutes for quitting smoking and cigarette
`substitutes, overcomes the above-mentioned disadvan-
`
`tages and provides a humanized cigarette that looks like
`a normal cigarette. The non-smokable electronic spray
`cigarette, which is an integrated assembly resembling a
`cigarette holder, includes a shell, a cell, a high frequency
`generator, nicotine solution and its container, a control
`circuit, a display screen, an airflow sensor, a body sen-
`sitive sensor, a piezoelectric ultrasonic atomizer, a high
`temperature vaporization nozzle and accessories,
`wherein an electro-thermal vaporization nozzle arranged
`within an air suction end of the shell is connected with a
`liquid storage container which contains nicotine solution
`and has an one-way valve for liquid injection, via an elec-
`tronic pump or a valve connected with a metering cavity;
`an ultrasonic piezoelectric element attached on the out-
`side of the vaporization nozzle is connected to the high
`frequency generator in the control circuit board; four out-
`puts of the control circuit are connected to the high fre-
`quency generator, an electric heater, the pump or valve,
`and the display screen respectively; a body sensitive re-
`sistance sensor and an airflow sensor are connected to
`the inputs of the control circuit; the front end of the shell
`also includes a cell and a red LED. The control circuit
`provides starting current to the electric heater and the
`pump within the vaporization nozzle, so as to pump the
`nicotine solution in the solution storage container into the
`vaporization nozzle. Under the high temperature and the
`high frequency oscillation wave in the vaporization noz-
`zle, the liquid is rapidly vaporized, ejected out and then
`condensed to form a puff of smoke. The control circuit is
`activated by the resistance sensor and the airflow sensor
`connected to the control circuit. A liquid crystal display
`screen is also provided to indicate the operating condi-
`tions and the times of initiation numerically or graphically.
`The cell which provides power to the pump, the high fre-
`quency generator and the electric heater via the control
`circuit can be a disposable battery or a rechargeable bat-
`tery.
`[0007] The present invention also provides a simple
`non-smokable electronic spray cigarette. The cigarette
`includes an electro-thermal vaporization nozzle. The va-
`porization nozzle is connected to an electro-thermal drive
`pump with a metering cavity, and further connected to a
`solution storage container that is filled with nicotine so-
`lution and made of tear-resistant silicon gel. Alternatively,
`the pump with a metering cavity can be replaced by a
`meter and an electromagnetic valve or an electro-thermal
`valve. With the provision of compression air or a super
`elastic member on the solution storage container, the
`stored liquid flows out automatically. The super elastic
`member made of nickel-titanium memory alloy is prefer-
`ably used. It includes a control circuit, which provides
`operating current to the electric heater and the pump or
`the valve. The control circuit is activated by the resistance
`sensor connected with the control circuit. The supply
`power connected with the control circuit is a rechargeable
`battery.
`[0008] The advantages of the present invention in-
`clude smoking without tar, significantly reducing the can-
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`2
`
`Philip Morris Products, S.A.
`Exhibit 1028
`Page 002
`
`

`

`3
`
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`4
`
`cerogenic risk. Furthermore, users still feel as if they are
`smoking and experiencing the same excitement, and the
`cigarette has no need to be lit and has no fire risk.
`[0009] With slight modification of the solution storage
`container, the device and connection structure according
`to the present invention can be filled with conventional
`drug for pulmonary administration apparatus.
`
`Description of the Drawings
`
`[0010]
`
`FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the device in the first
`example in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the circuit structure in
`accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the
`high temperature vaporization nozzle and the elec-
`tric-thermal element in accordance with the present
`invention.
`Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the valve made of
`memory alloy in accordance with the present inven-
`tion.
`Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the peristaltic pump
`made of memory alloy in accordance with the
`present invention.
`Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the peristaltic pump
`in accordance with the present invention.
`Fig. 7 is a structural diagram of the electronic ciga-
`rette in the second example in accordance with the
`present invention.
`Fig. 8 is a structural diagram of the electronic ciga-
`rette of pressure type in the third example in accord-
`ance with the present invention.
`Fig. 9 is a structural diagram of the simplified elec-
`tronic cigarette of pressure type in the fourth example
`in accordance with the present invention.
`Fig. 10 is a structural diagram of the metering cavity
`in the fourth example in accordance with the present
`invention.
`
`Detailed Description of the Invention
`
`[0011] The high frequency generator of a control circuit
`board 8 is composed of a capacitance connecting three
`point type oscilltor, an inductance connecting three point
`type oscillator, or a transformer-type oscillating circuit,
`which has the frequency of 35 KHz to 3.3 MHz. The circuit
`includes a automatic frequency fine-adjusting circuit res-
`onating with a piezoelectric element 20. A nicotine solu-
`tion storage container 13 is made of silicon rubber, alter-
`natively, other polymers that can be protected against
`the penetration of nicotine can be used. An one-way valve
`for liquid injection 12 is sealed by a ball or cone member
`under the pressure of a spring. An airflow sensor 18 can
`be comprised of an array of integrated thermal sensitive
`resistors in the shape of film. The electrode of a resist-
`ance or capacitance sensor 19, which is sensitive to
`
`touches of human body, is composed of an upper metal
`film and a lower metal film and located at the end of the
`cigarette holder. The changes of the resistance or ca-
`pacitance parameters due to human touch are inputted
`into the control circuit to perform the operation of a body
`sensitive switch. The electric controlled pump 11, driven
`by a motor or a linear motor, drives a retarder that has a
`large speed ratio, via a shaft coupling, to revolve at a low
`speed but with large torque. The pump can be a peristaltic
`pump, a plunger pump, an eccentric pump or a screw
`pump. Alternatively, the liquid pump can use piezoelec-
`tric pump, a super magnetostrictive pump, a thermal ex-
`pansion drive pump, a thermal contraction drive pump,
`a thermal bubble pump. The electric control pump or
`valve may be thermal contractible. The valve is formed
`on a silicon rubber tube by nickel-titanium memory alloy
`or copper-based memory alloy under the force of elec-
`tro-thermal contractions. The electro-thermal vaporiza-
`tion nozzle 17 is made of high-temperature-resistant ma-
`terials with low thermal conductivity. The nozzle 17 is a
`tubule, with the internal diameter of 0.05-2mm and the
`effective working length of 3-20mm. An electric heating
`element is provided within the nozzle, and the shapes of
`the electric heating element and the cavity of the nozzle
`are designed to facilitate vaporization and ejection of liq-
`uid. The vaporization nozzle 17 may be made of conven-
`tional ceramics, or be made of aluminum silicate ceram-
`ics, titanium oxide, zirconium dioxide, yttrium oxide ce-
`ramics, molten silicon, silicon dioxide, molten aluminum
`oxide. The vaporization nozzle 17 may be in the shape
`of straight tube or spiral, and may also be made from
`polytetrafluoethylene, carbon fiber, glass fiber or other
`materials with similar properties. The electric heating el-
`ement arranged within the vaporization nozzle 17 may
`be made of wires of nickel chromium alloy, iron chromium
`aluminum alloy, stainless steel, gold, platinum, tungsten
`molybdenum alloy, etc., and may be in the shape of
`straight line, single spiral, double spiral, cluster or spiral
`cluster, wherein the straight line and cluster are pre-
`ferred. The heating function of the electric heating ele-
`ment may be achieved by applying a heating coating on
`the inner wall of the tube, and the coating may be made
`from electro-thermal ceramic materials, semiconductor
`materials, corrosion-resistant metal films, such as gold,
`nickel, chromium, platinum and molybdenum. The meth-
`od for coating can include a coat sintering process, a
`chemical deposition sintering process and an ion spray-
`ing process. The materials mentioned above can be pro-
`vided within the inner wall of vaporization nozzle in any
`of the processes mentioned above. The nozzle with high
`resistance, made of metal, can have no electric heating
`element being attached, and can be directly applied with
`heating current. Alternatively, the materials mentioned
`above can be arranged outside of the nozzle in any of
`the ways mentioned above, and an appropriate response
`time can also be achieved in the power supply mode of
`short-term preheating. Nicotine solution used in the at-
`omization process comprises nicotine, propylene glycol,
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`3
`
`Philip Morris Products, S.A.
`Exhibit 1028
`Page 003
`
`

`

`5
`
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`6
`
`glycerol, organic acids, anti-oxidation agents, essence,
`water and alcohol, in which the nicotine content is 0.1
`%-6%, propylene glycol content 80%-90%, organic acids
`0.2%-20%, the rest is glycerol, essence, anti-oxidation
`agents, water and alcohol.
`
`Example 1: the structural diagram of the device in ac-
`cordance with the present invention is shown in Fig. 1.
`
`[0012] The fundamental principle of the device is that,
`when a smoker puts the cigarette holder on his/her
`mouth, the resistance sensor 19 activates the control cir-
`cuit board 8. The control circuit board 8 then outputs two
`driving voltages respectively, one used to supply power
`to the electric heating element of the vaporization nozzle
`17 and the other used to activate the micro pump 11
`(shown in Fig. 6). The stored solution is then pumped to
`the nozzle 17 by the solution storage container 13. On
`the electric heating element of the nozzle 17, the nicotine
`solution is then vaporized into high temperature vapor
`which is subsequently ejected from the opening end. In
`the air, the vapor ejected out is then expanded and con-
`densed into micro aerosol droplets. The effect of the ul-
`trasonic piezoelectric element 20 mounting on the nozzle
`is that, firstly, the large liquid droplets in the unstable
`thermal airflow under high pressure will be in sufficient
`contact with the electric heating element, and thereby be
`vaporized; secondly, the liquid droplets in the nozzle 17
`is directly fragmented and atomized; thirdly, possible
`bumping occurred when the liquid is above a boiling point
`will be avoided. The effect of integrated atomization will
`allow the aerosol droplets with diameters of 0.2-3 um to
`enter into the alveolus easily and be absorbed. The air-
`flow sensor 18 is sensitive to the diluted air which enters
`through air inlet 16 when a "suction" action take places.
`The sensed signals are transmitted to the control circuit,
`and the control circuit then stop to supply power to the
`micro pump and the electric heater after a certain time
`delay. The relay relationship between the time delays of
`the micro pump and electric heater is as follows: after
`the electric heater is activated, the micro pump is acti-
`vated after a time delay of 0.1-0.5 seconds; the electric
`heater is then turned off after a time delay of 0.2-0.5 sec-
`onds when the control circuit of the micro pump is turned
`off, so as to guarantee a complete vaporization of the
`liquid after quantitative liquid injection without any lefto-
`vers. The nicotine solution container may be designed
`to be different sizes as required. The nicotine solution
`may be refilled once a day, or once a couple of days. The
`liquid crystal display screen 10 can show operating state
`parameters, such as cell capacity, smoking times per
`day, average using cycle and warnings for over smoking.
`A red LED 3 blinks for each smoking action, and a saw-
`tooth wave signal that lasts for 1.2 seconds is given by
`the control circuit for blinking signals, which provides a
`gradual change of luminance to imitate the ignition and
`combustion process of a conventional cigarette. The
`charger 1, charging jack 2, spring 4, shell 6, threads 7,
`
`switch 9, passage tube 14 and baffle plate 15 are shown
`in Fig. 1. The silicon gel tube 601, pinch roller 602, worm
`603 and motor 604 are shown in Fig. 6.
`[0013] The design of the present invention will not ex-
`clude the possibility of integrating the control circuit and
`the ultrasonic micro pump on one single chip by using a
`Micro Electronic Mechanical System (MEMS).
`
`Example 2; the simplified electronic cigarette
`
`[0014] Fig. 7 is a structural diagram of the simplified
`device in accordance with the present invention, in which
`the ultrasonic atomization high frequency generator and
`the piezoelectric ceramic element 20 are omitted. To
`achieve a desirable atomization effect, tiny heating wires
`are used in combination with the nozzle (see Fig. 3), so
`that the maximum diameters of one or more vaporization
`cavities formed between the heating wire and the inner
`wall of the nozzle range from 0.02mm to 0.6mm. The
`function of the airflow sensor 18 omitted is replaced by
`the manner that the initial signal of the resistance or ca-
`pacitance sensor 119 is delayed a certain time via the
`control circuit and acts as the ending signal. The elec-
`tronic cigarette is configured as follow: the vaporization
`nozzle 117, the thermal drive pump III (see Fig. 5) made
`of nickel titanium memory alloy wire, and the liquid stor-
`age container 113 connected to the thermal drive pump
`consitute a liquid transmission system, two outputs of the
`control circuit board 108 are respectively connected to
`the electric heater and the pump or valve, and a body
`sensitive resistance sensor 119 is connected to the input
`of the control circuit; the cell 105 and red LED 103 are
`provided in the front end within the shell, and constitute
`an integrity resembling a cigarette holder, a pipe or a
`pen. The thermal drive pump is an electro-thermal shrink-
`able peristaltic pump, made of wires of nickel titanium
`memory alloy or copper based alloy, with gel tube which
`is pressed at three points respectively during the process
`of electro-thermal contraction to form a pressure cavity
`for pumping out liquid. The change of volume of the cavity
`within the thermal drive pump determines the quantity of
`the solution to be atomized each time. Upon contacting
`with user’s mouth, the resistance sensor 119 activates
`the control circuit 108, the control circuit 108 then pro-
`vides operating current to the thermal drive pump and
`the electric heater, and the output of the control circuit is
`turned off after the delay of 2 seconds for reactivation at
`the next smoking action. Alternatively, a thermal expan-
`sion drive pump or a thermal bubble. pump is also appli-
`cable. The thermal expansion drive pump forms a pres-
`sure cavity for pumping out liquid by allowing a micro
`hydrogen container with an embedded electric heating
`element to block the liquid inlet and open the liquid outlet
`at the time of thermal expansion. The charging jack 102,
`LED 103, cell 105, switch 109, liquid-refilling valve 112
`and air hole 116 are shown in Fig. 7.
`[0015] The electrode lead wire 401, heating wire 402,
`thread 403, base 404 and nozzle 405 are shown in Fig.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`4
`
`Philip Morris Products, S.A.
`Exhibit 1028
`Page 004
`
`

`

`7
`
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`8
`
`3. The support 501, extension spring 502, pumping-out
`pressure plate 503, silicon gel tube 504, stop pressure
`plate 505, supporting spring 506, memory alloy wire 507,
`electrode A 508, electrode B 509 and electrode C 510
`are shown in Fig. 5.
`
`Example 3: the electronic cigarette made of a Ni-Ti mem-
`ory alloy
`
`[0016] Fig. 8 is a structural diagram of the electronic
`cigarette. The electro-thermal vaporization nozzle 217 of
`the device is connected to the liquid storage container
`213 via a pneumatic valve 220, the super elastic member
`210 is connected to the pressure plate 211 which is con-
`nected to the liquid storage container 213 by pressure,
`the pneumatic valve is composed of a pneumatic film
`214, a magnetic steel ring 218, a steel valve needle 220
`and a reset spring 221. The super elastic member 210,
`which is made of Ni-Ti memory alloy, is used to apply a
`constant pressure on the liquid storage container via the
`pressure plate 211. When the pneumatic valve opens,
`the liquid with nicotine enters the vaporization nozzle
`from the liquid storage container via the pneumatic valve
`and is vaporized and condensed subsequently to form a
`puff of smoke at high temperature. Upon contacting with
`user’s mouth, the resistance sensor activates the control
`circuit to supply power to the electric heater. When the
`user performs suction action, the Nd-Fe-B permanent
`magnetic alloy ring attracts the valve needle to move in
`response to the pneumatic film being subjected to neg-
`ative pressure. Liquid is supplied when the valve needle
`opens, and after the pneumatic valve is reset, power sup-
`ply to the electric heater is turned off after the delay of
`0.5 seconds by the control circuit. The LED 203, charging
`jack 202, cell 205, control circuit 208, switch 209, refilling
`valve 212, baffle plate 215, air hole 216 and resistance
`sensor 219 are shown in Fig. 8.
`
`Example 4: the electronic spray cigarette utilizing the
`pressure of a container
`
`[0017]
`In the device (see Fig. 9), the electro-thernnal
`vaporization nozzle 317, the electronic valve 311 con-
`nected with the metering cavity 320, and the liquid stor-
`age container 313 form a liquid transmission passage. A
`gas vessel filled with high-pressure nitrogen is arranged
`around the periphery of the liquid storage container to
`exert pressure thereon to facilitate the transmission of
`the liquid. When a control signal is applied to the elec-
`tronic valve, the electronic valve is activated, and the
`solution with nicotine enters the metering cavity from the
`liquid storage container under pressure and pushes a
`piston so as to allow a constant volume of liquid at the
`other side of the piston to enter the vaporization nozzle
`via the electronic valve and be vaporized and condensed
`to form aerosols. The metering cavity provided at the
`valve is a cylinder having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet.
`Located within the cylinder are the piston micro holes
`
`and the reset spring connected onto the piston. The con-
`trol circuit which is activated by the resistance sensor
`319 controls the states of the electronic valve and the
`electric heater respectively. Due to slow infiltration of the
`micro hole of the piston in the metering cavity and the
`force of the reset spring, the piston returns to its original
`position within 5-8 seconds after each atomization proc-
`ess. The cell 305, pressure vessel 321, pressure cham-
`ber 322, seal threaded-opening 323, control circuit board
`308 and air hole 316 are showed in Fig. 9.
`[0018] The silicon gel tube 406, pressure-stopping
`plate 407, memory alloy wires 408, support 409, elec-
`trode lead wire 410 and pressure spring 411 are shown
`in Fig. 4. The inlet 701, piston 702, micro hole of the
`piston 703, metering cavity 704, reset spring 705 and
`outlet 706 are shown in Fig. 10.
`[0019] The recipes of nicotine solution used for the
`electronic spray cigarette in accordance with the present
`invention are as follows:
`
`1. 6% nicotine, 85% propylene glycol, 2% glycerol,
`2% essence, 1% organic acid and 1% anti-oxidation
`agent;
`2. 4% nicotine, 80% propylene glycol, 5% glycerol,
`1% butyl valerate, 1% isopentyl hexonate, 0.6% lau-
`ryl laurate, 0.4% benzyl benzoate, 0-5% methyl oc-
`tynicate, 0.2% ethyl heptylate, 0.3% hexyl hex-
`anoate, 2% geranyl butyrate, 0.5% menthol, 0.5%
`citric acid and 4% tobacco essence;
`3. 2% nicotine, 90% propylene glycol, 2.5% citric ac-
`id, 1% essence and 4.5% tobacco essence;
`4. 0.1% nicotine, 80% propylene glycol, 5% glycerol,
`8% alcohol, 2.9% water, 1% essence, 1% tobacco
`essence and 2% organic acid.
`
`Claims
`
`1. A non-smokable electronic spray cigarette, includes
`a shell, a battery, a high frequency generator, a con-
`tainer for nicotine solution, a control circuit, a display
`screen, an airflow sensor, a body sensitive sensor,
`a piezoelectric ultrasonic atomizer, an electro-ther-
`mal vaporization nozzle and accessories as an inte-
`grated assembly, wherein
`a liquid storage container (13), which contains nico-
`tine solution and has one-way valve for liquid injec-
`tion (12), being connected with the electro-thermal
`vaporization nozzle (17) arranged in the air suction
`end of the shell (6), via the electronic pump (11) or
`the valve with a metering cavity,
`an ultrasonic piezoelectric element (20) attached on
`the outside of the vaporization nozzle (17) being con-
`nected to the high frequency generator in the control
`circuit board (8),
`four outputs of the control circuit board (8) being con-
`nected to the high frequency generator, an electric
`heater, the pump or valve and the display screen
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`5
`
`Philip Morris Products, S.A.
`Exhibit 1028
`Page 005
`
`

`

`9
`
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`10
`
`respectively,
`a body sensitive resistance sensor (19) and an air-
`flow sensor (18) are connected to the inputs of the
`control circuit, and
`a cell and a red LED are provided in the front end of
`the shell (6),
`together constituting an integrity resembling a ciga-
`rette holder, a pipe or a pen.
`
`2. A non-smokable electronic spray cigarette, includes
`a liquid transmission system formed by a vaporiza-
`tion nozzle (117), a thermal drive pump (111) made
`of nickel titanium memory alloy wire, and a liquid
`storage container (113) connected with the thermal
`drive pump,
`two outputs of a control circuit board (108) being con-
`nected to an electric heater and a pump or valve
`respectively,
`a body sensitive resistance sensor (119) being con-
`nected to inputs of the control circuit, and
`a cell (105) and a red LED (103) being arranged with-
`in the front end of a shell,
`together constituting an integrity resembling a ciga-
`rette holder, a pipe or a pen.
`
`3. A non-smokable electronic spray cigarette, wherein
`an electro-thermal vaporization nozzle (217) is con-
`nected to the liquid storage container (213) via a
`pneumatic valve,
`a super elastic member (210) is connected to a pres-
`sure plate (211) which is connected to the liquid stor-
`age container by pressure, and
`the pneumatic valve is composed of a pneumatic film
`(214), a magnetic steel ring (218), a steel valve nee-
`dle (220) and a reset spring (221).
`
`4. A non-smokable electronic spray cigarette, wherein
`an electro-thermal vaporization nozzle (317), an
`electronic valve (311) which is connected with a me-
`tering cavity (320), and a liquid storage container
`(313) forms a liquid transmission passage, and
`a gas vessel filled with high pressure nitrogen is ar-
`ranged around the periphery of the liquid storage
`container.
`
`5. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein
`the high frequency generator on the control circuit
`board (8) is a capacitance connecting three point
`type oscilltor, an inductance connecting three point
`type oscillator, or a transformer-type oscillating cir-
`cuit,
`the high frequency generator has the frequency of
`35 KHz to 3.3 MHz, and
`the circuit includes a automatic frequency fine-ad-
`justing circuit resonating with a piezoelectric element
`(20).
`
`6. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the nicotine solution stor-
`age container (13) is made of silicon rubber or other
`polymers that can be protected against the penetra-
`tion of nicotine.
`
`7. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the one-way valve for
`liquid injection (12) is sealed by a ball or cone mem-
`ber under the pressure of a spring.
`
`8. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the airflow sensor (18)
`is composed of an array of integrated thermal sen-
`sitive resistors in the shape of film.
`
`9. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the electrode of resist-
`ance or capacitance sensor (19) which is located at
`the end of the non-smokable electronic spray ciga-
`rette for human body contacting is composed of an
`upper metal film and a lower metal film, and a body
`sensitive switch is formed by inputting of changes of
`resistance or capacitance parameters caused by
`contacting human body into the control circuit.
`
`10. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein
`the electronic pump (11) is driven by a motor or a
`linear motor, via a shaft coupling, the electronic
`pump drives a retarder which has a large speed ratio,
`to revolve at a low speed but with large torque,
`the pump can be a peristaltic pump, a plunger pump,
`an eccentric pump or a screw pump, and
`the pump can be a piezoelectric pump, a super mag-
`netostrictive pump, a thermal expansion drive pump,
`a thermal contraction drive pump, or a thermal bub-
`ble pump.
`
`11. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the electro-thermal va-
`porization nozzle (17) is a tubule with an internal di-
`ameter of 0.05-2mm and an effective working length
`of 3-20mm, made of materials which are high tem-
`perature resistant and of low thermal conductivity,
`an electric heating element is provided within the
`tube,
`the electric heating element and the shape of the
`tube are designed to facilitate vaporization and ejec-
`tion of the liquid,
`the vaporization nozzle (17) may be made of con-
`ventional ceramics, aluminum silicate ceramic, tita-
`nium oxide, zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide ceramic,
`molten silicon or molten aluminum oxide,
`the shape of the nozzle is a straight tube or a spiral,
`and
`the nozzle (17) may also be made from poly-
`tetrafluoethylene, carbon fiber, glass fiber or other
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`6
`
`Philip Morris Products, S.A.
`Exhibit 1028
`Page 006
`
`

`

`11
`
`EP 1 618 803 A1
`
`12
`
`uid inlet and open a liquid outlet at the time of thermal
`expansion.
`
`16. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 10, wherein the thermal bubble
`pump forms a pressure cavity for pumping out liquid
`by rapidly vaporizing liquid on a electric heating film.
`
`17. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the electronic pump or
`valve is a thermal contractible valve made of nick-
`el-titanium memory alloy or copper-based memory
`alloy wires on the silicon gel tube which is pressed
`by the nickel-titanium memory alloy or copper-based
`memory alloy wires under the force of electro-ther-
`mal contractions.
`
`18. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein the metering cavity pro-
`vided at the valve connected with the metering cavity
`is a cylinder configured with a liquid inlet and a liquid
`outlet, and the cylinder comprises a piston with micro
`holes and a reset spring connected to the piston.
`
`materials with similar properties.
`
`12. The non-smokable electronic spray cigarette ac-
`cording to claim 11, wherein
`the electric heating element within the vaporization
`nozzle (17) can be made of wires of nickel chromium
`alloy, iron chromium aluminum alloy, stainless steel,
`gold, platinum, tungsten molybdenum alloy, in the
`shape of linear configuration, single spiral configu-
`ration, cluster configuration or spiral cluster config-
`uration, among them, the linear con