ATOMIZATION DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD OF ATOMIZATION DEVICE, AND HOOKAH COMPRISING ATOMIZATION DEVICE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119 and the Paris Convention Treaty, this application claims foreign priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411129085.3 filed Aug. 16, 2024, and to Chinese Patent Application No. 202422001798.3 filed Aug. 16, 2024. The contents of all of the aforementioned applications, including any intervening amendments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference. Inquiries from the public to applicants or assignees concerning this document or the related applications should be directed to: Matthias Scholl P.C., Attn.: Dr. Matthias Scholl Esq., 245 First Street, 18th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142.

BACKGROUND

[0002]The disclosure relates to the field of atomization technology, and more particularly to an atomization device, a control method of the atomization device, and a hookah comprising the atomization device.

[0003]Different from other aerosol generating devices, the aerosol produced by heating the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid) in conventional hookahs is pumped through a water container before being inhaled by a user.

[0004]The existing hookahs only heat the top of the accommodation cup containing the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid), and does not heat the bottom of the accommodation cup, and there is a problem that no vapor or only a small amount of vapor is produced.

SUMMARY

[0005]In one aspect, the disclosure provides an atomization device for atomizing an atomizing substance to form an aerosol, the atomization device comprising a heating atomization assembly. The heating atomization assembly comprises: a shell comprising a first accommodation space; an accommodation cup disposed in the first accommodation space for accommodating an atomizing substance; and a heating assembly configured to heat the atomizing substance to form an aerosol, the heating assembly comprising at least a first heating element and a second heating element, the first heating element being disposed on a first side of the accommodation cup for preheating and insulation of the accommodation cup, and the second heating element being disposed on a second side of the accommodation cup for heating external air entering the accommodation cup.

[0006]In another aspect, the disclosure provides a control method of the atomization device, the method comprising: energizing the first heating element to preheat the accommodation cup; and energizing the second heating element to continuously heat air in the first accommodation space, to generate hot air.

[0007]In a third aspect, the disclosure provides a hookah, comprising the atomization device and a water container, and the shell is detachably or fixedly connected to the water container.

[0008]The following advantages are associated with the atomization device, the control method of the atomization device, and the hookah comprising the atomization device of the disclosure. The atomization device of the disclosure comprises at least two heating elements at the top and the bottom of the accommodation cup. The first heating element located on the side of the accommodation cup near the hookah preheats and keeps warm for the accommodation cup, compared with the related technology that does not heat the bottom of the accommodation cup and leads to no vapor or small amount of vapor, the atomization device of the disclosure effectively improves the amount of vapor, the accommodation substance is heated more uniformly, and the atomization is more effective, the taste is highly original, the preheating time is short, and the temperature will not be too high. The airway of the accommodation cup is disposed on one side, and has an anti-leakage design, which can keep the cream liquid not leaking, make the airflow completely through the cream liquid, and reduce the loss of flavor; the accommodation device is compatible with an open cream cup and a disposable closed cream cup. The accommodation device adopts the way of side replenishment of cold air to make the vapor last for a longer period of time and concentrated, and the flavor is more refreshing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a stereograph of an atomization device with the top cover closed according to one embodiment of the disclosure;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an atomization device in FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the atomization device in FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 4 is another sectional view of the atomization device in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a stereograph of an accommodation cup in FIG. 2 comprising a cup body and a cup cover;

[0014]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an accommodation cup comprising a cup body and a cup cover in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a further exploded view of an accommodation cup comprising a cup body and a cup cover in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure;

[0016]FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an accommodation cup in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure;

[0017]FIG. 9 is a top view of the atomization device in FIG. 1;

[0018]FIG. 10 is a top view of a heating element in FIG. 2;

[0019]FIG. 11 is a stereograph of an atomization device with the top cover closed according to another embodiment of the disclosure;

[0020]FIG. 12 is a stereograph of an atomization device with the top cover open in FIG. 11;

[0021]FIG. 13 is a sectional view of an atomization device in FIG. 11;

[0022]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of an atomization device according to another embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0023]FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a control method of an atomization device according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030]To further illustrate the disclosure, embodiments detailing an atomization device, a control method thereof, and a hookah comprising the same are described below. It should be noted that the following embodiments are intended to describe and not to limit the disclosure.

[0031]In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the terms “connected”, “fixed”, etc. are to be understood in a broad sense, e.g., either directly or indirectly through an intermediate medium, or as a connection within two elements or an interaction between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the disclosure may be understood in actual need.

[0032]As used herein, “communication” refers to fluid communication, i.e., a fluid (including a liquid and/or a gas) can flow from one component to another. In addition, as used herein, communication between two components may refer to direct connectivity between two components, e.g., at least partial alignment between two holes, or connectivity through an intermediate medium.

[0033]“Atomizing substance” means a mixture or auxiliary substance that can be atomized, in whole or in part, into an aerosol by an electronic or similar device.

[0034]The term “aerosol” refers to a colloidal dispersion system comprising small solid or liquid particles dispersed and suspended in a gaseous medium.

[0035]“Atomization device” means a device in which a stored atomizable substance is atomized into an aerosol by means of heat or ultrasound. An atomization core is one of the main components of an atomization device.

[0036]The disclosure provides an atomization device comprising at least two heating elements in combination for heating. The first heating element located on one side of the atomization cup close to the hookah functions to preheat and insulate the atomization cup. Compared with related technologies that do not heat the bottom of the atomization cup, resulting in no vapor or low vapor output, the atomization device of the disclosure effectively improves the vapor output.

[0037]The atomization device of the disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13.

[0038]In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides an atomization device 105 for atomizing an atomizing substance to form an aerosol; the atomization device comprises: a heating atomization assembly 120; the heating atomization assembly comprises: a shell 130 comprising a first accommodation space 140; an accommodation cup 150 disposed in the first accommodation space 140 for accommodating an atomizing substance; and a heating assembly 160 configured to heat the atomizing substance to form an aerosol; the heating assembly comprises at least a first heating element 170 and a second heating element 180; the first heating element is disposed on a first side of the accommodation cup for preheating and insulation of the accommodation cup, and the second heating element 180 is disposed on a second side of the accommodation cup 105 for heating external air entering the accommodation cup 150.

[0039]FIG. 1 is a stereograph of an atomization device with the top cover closed according to one embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an atomization device in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the atomization device in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is an another sectional view of the atomization device in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a stereograph of an accommodation cup in FIG. 2 comprising a cup body and a cup cover; FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an accommodation cup comprising a cup body and a cup cover in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 7 is a further exploded view of an accommodation cup comprising a cup body and a cup cover in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an accommodation cup in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 9 is a top view of the atomization device 105 in FIG. 1; FIG. 10 is a top view of a heating element in FIG. 2.

[0040]As shown in FIGS. 1-10, the atomization device 105 comprises a heating atomization assembly 120. The heating atomization assembly 120 comprises a shell 130, an accommodation cup 150, and a heating assembly 160. The shell 130 comprises a top cover 190 and a shell body 200 connected to the top cover 190. Understandably, the top cover 190 can be connected to the shell body 200 through a hinge connection to avoid the detachment of of the top cover 190, or other detachable connection methods can be used. The disclosure does not limit this. In some embodiments, the top cover 190 and the shell body 200 are made of high temperature resistant plastic materials, and a conductive wire for supplying power to the second heating element 180 is disposed between the top cover 190 and the shell body 200. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, at least one hole 210 is provided on the top cover 190. The at least one hole 210 provided on the top cover 190 facilitates rapid heat dissipation through the at least one hole 210 when the second heating element 180 is not in use, and the at least one hole also assists in air intaking when smoking. In some embodiments, the at least one hole 210 is located near the edge of the top cover 190 for air intaking. As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of holes 210 are provided on the top cover 190. The central holes 210 are mainly used for heat dissipation and assist in air intaking, while the outer holes 210 are mainly used for air intaking. According to some embodiments, considering that there is no seal between the top cover 190 and the shell body 200, even without the provision of the at least one hole 210, the air intaking is not affected.

[0041]According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the shell 130, in particular the shell body 200, is coupled to the water container 110. In the example shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the heating assembly 160 for heating the atomizing substance to produce an aerosol comprises a first heating element 170 and a second heating element 180. The first heating element 170 is disposed underneath the accommodation cup 150, i.e., disposed on the side of the accommodation cup 150 proximate to the water container 110. The second heating element 180 is disposed above the accommodation cup 150, i.e., on the side of the accommodation cup 150 that is away from the water container 110.

[0042]The arrangement of the first heating element 170 for preheating and heat preservation effectively improves the vapor output of the atomization device 105, and there will be no problems such as no vapor or small vapor output due to the low temperature at the bottom of the accommodation cup 150.

[0043]According to certain embodiments of the disclosure, the heating temperatures of the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180 can be independently controlled. To independently control the heating temperatures of the two heating elements, the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180 are each provided with a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the airflow around the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180, respectively. In some embodiments, the temperature sensors may be provided at a location adjacent to the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180. Understandably, the temperature sensor may be in contact with the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180, or may be spaced apart from the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180, as long as the temperature sensor is capable of measuring the temperature of the airflow around the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may be provided upstream of the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180 along the airflow direction of the atomization device 105. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may be provided downstream of the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180 along the airflow direction of the atomization device 105.

[0044]In certain embodiments, the first heating element 170 has a heating temperature of 100-300° C., for example, the first heating element 170 has a heating temperature of 180-220° C. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the second heating element 180 is 200-400° C., for example, the second heating element 180 is 290° C. Since the first heating element 170 is mainly used for preheating and insulating the atomization cup 150, and the second heating element 180 is mainly used for continuously heating the air in the first atomization space 140 defined by the shell 130 to generate hot air, i.e., for continuous heating, the heating temperature of the second heating element 180 is set to be higher than the heating temperature of the first heating element 170.

[0045]According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the temperature sensor may, in response to the energization of the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180, obtain a temperature value measured by the temperature sensor and control the heating power of the first heating element 170 or the second heating element 180 based on the temperature value.

[0046]As shown in FIG. 5, the accommodation cup 150 comprises a cup body 220 and a cup cover 230. The cup body 220 further comprises a bottom wall 240, a first side wall 250, and a lug boss 260. As shown in FIG. 5, the first side wall 250 is connected to the bottom wall 240. As shown in FIG. 4, an opening 270 is provided in the center of the bottom wall 240. The lug boss 260 is provided at the opening 270. The lug boss 260 comprises a top wall 280 and a second side wall 290. The second side wall 290 is used to connect the top wall 280 and the bottom wall 240. As shown in FIG. 5, the cup body 220 adopts a bowl-like shape and the cup cover 230 adopts a saucer-like shape, and the cup cover 230 is disposed on the cup body 220, which may be provided, e.g., by a press-fit on the cup body 220 to form a second accommodation space 300. The second accommodation space 300 is used to hold an atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid).

[0047]As shown in FIG. 4, the top cover 190 comprises a top cover body 320 having a first recess 310 and a fixed plate 330 fixedly coupled to the top cover body 320. The fixed plate 330 is fixedly coupled to the top cover body 320 by means of threaded fasteners. Understandably, the fixed plate 330 may also be fixedly coupled to the top cover body 320 in other ways. In some embodiments, the second heating element 180 may be provided on one side of the fixed plate 330 facing the first recess 310. That is, the second heating element 180 is disposed between the fixed plate 330 and the top cover body 320. The fixed plate 330 serves to fix the second heating element 180 on the one hand, and on the other hand, it can prevent a user's hand from accidentally touching the second heating element 180 and getting burned, and prevent the second heating element and its circuitry from being exposed. In some embodiments, both the fixed plate 330 and the cup cover 230 may be made of an aluminum material, which is characterized by high temperature resistance without discoloration. Optionally, the fixed plate 330 and the cup cover 230 may also be made of other materials with similar performance.

[0048]As shown in FIG. 4, the atomization device 105 further comprises a heating cup 340. The first heating element 170 is provided on a side of the heating cup 340 that is back from the first atomization space 140. The heating cup 340 is used to transfer heat from the first heating element 170 to the cup body 220. As shown in FIG. 4, the first heating element 170 is disposed on the lower side of the heating cup 340. Similar to the shape of the cup body 220, the heating cup 340 likewise has a bowl-like shape. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, a protective cup 350 is disposed between the heating cup 340 and the cup body 220. The protective cup 350 is used to prevent leakage of the atomized substance within the second atomization space 300 onto the heating cup 340. The protective cup 350 mainly serves as an anti-fouling member, thus preventing the e-liquid inside the atomization cup 150 from leaking onto the heating cup 340. The atomization cup 150 and the protective cup 350 may be designed to be removable, and the atomization cup 150 and the protective cup 350 may be directly removed together for washing.

[0049]Referring to FIG. 10, each of the at least two heating elements has a plurality of annular structures 360, and at least one bridging portion 370 is disposed between every two adjacent annular structures 360. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180 are both made of 316 stainless steel or iron-chromium alloy, and are connected by the annular structures 360 in combination with the bridging portion 370. The bridging portion 370 serves both to strengthen the fixing function and to conduct electricity. In some embodiments, the at least two heating elements may also adopt a mosquito coil-type structure in combination with the bridging portion 370. Compared to a structure with a solid heating element, a structure with a hollowed out annular structure 360 combined with the bridging portion 370 has a relatively high resistance value, and thus can generate sufficient heat value.

[0050]As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first side wall 250 comprises at least one first air inlet 380 for directing hot air heated by the second heating element 180 into the second accommodation space 300. The second side wall 290 comprises at least one second air inlet 390 for directing the aerosol into the internal airway 400. As shown in FIG. 4, the aerosol flows in the direction of the solid arrows. In some embodiments, an airflow channel is provided between the at least one hole 210 and the at least one first air inlet 380. In reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the hookah 100 comprises an atomization device 105 and a water container 110. The shell 130 is removably connected or fixedly connected to the water container 110. A mouthpiece is disposed on the third side wall 410 of the water container 110. The mouthpiece comprises an inhaling port 420. A water pipe 430 is provided in the water container 110. Two ends of the water pipe 430 are in fluid communication with at least one second air inlet 390 and water in the water container 110, respectively. The lumen of the water pipe 430 forms a portion of the internal airway 400. Additionally, a connection base 440 is disposed between the water container 110 and the heating atomization assembly 120. The connection base 440 has a hollow portion 450. The hollow portion 450 forms a portion of the internal airway 400. In some embodiments, the connection base 440 may be made of silicone. By means of side air inlet and side air outlet, i.e., the first air inlet 380 is provided on the side of the cup body 220, the second air inlet 390 is provided on the side of the lug boss 260, and the second air inlet 390 is connected to the water pipe 430, whereby the outside air, after being heated by the second heating element 180, passes through, in turn, the first air inlet 380, the atomizing substance (e.g., e-liquid), the second air inlet 390, and then discharged into the hookah 110 through the water pipe 430. The side air intake of the accommodation cup extends the contact path of the hot air (generated by the second heating element 180) with the e-liquid, i.e., the air path is longer, resulting in a full mixing of the e-liquid and the hot air, increasing the amount of vapor produced and a more intense flavor.

[0051]In some embodiments, the cup cover 230 may be provided with at least one first air inlet 380 for directing the hot air heated by the second heating element 180 into the second accommodation space 300. The top wall 280 comprises at least one second air inlet 390 for directing the aerosol into the internal airway 400. A gap is provided between the top wall 280 and the cup cover 230 to allow the aerosol to enter the internal airway 400. i.e., the first air inlet 380 is not restricted on the side wall of the accommodation cup, but may also be provided in the cup cover 230, as long as the outside air is heated by the second heating element 180 before passing through the first air inlet 380. The second air inlet 390 is not restricted on the side wall of the lug boss 260, but may also be provided on the top of the lug boss 260, and the disclosure does not restrict the position of the first air inlet 380 and the second air inlet 390.

[0052]As shown in FIG. 6, the cup cover 230 further comprises a second recess 315. The size of the second recess 315 in the radial direction is greater than the size of the second heating element 180 in the radial direction. At least one first air inlet 380 is provided on the second recess 315 and located between the edge of the second recess 315 and the edge of the second heating element 180. Due to the use of a straight up and straight down air intake method, the first air inlet 380 is located on the cup cover 230 and below the second heating element 180. Hot air directly enters the accommodation cup 150, and the atomized substance (such as e-liquid) is prone to be burned. By setting the size of the second heating element 180 in the radial direction to be smaller, slightly smaller than the second recess 315 of the cup cover 230, and setting at least one first air inlet 380 on the periphery of the second recess 315 of the cup cover 230, the first air inlet 380 is offset from the second heating element 180, avoiding hot air from directly entering the accommodation cup 150 by bypassing from the side.

[0053]Referring further to FIGS. 7 and 8, the cup cover 230 comprises a protrusion 325 and a third recess 335 surrounded by the protrusion 325. The size of the second recess 315 in the radial direction is greater than the size of the protrusion 325 in the radial direction. In the examples shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cup cover 230 is raised as a whole to form the protrusion 325, and its center is recessed to form the third recess 335, thereby reducing the heating area, avoiding burning, and not occupying the space of the accommodation cup 150.

[0054]As shown in FIG. 4, at least one third air inlet 460 is provided on the shell 130 for guiding cold air from outside the shell 130 into the shell 130. At the same time, at least one fourth air inlet 470 is provided on the connection base 440 to guide the cold air entering through at least one third air inlet 460 into the internal airway 400. By supplementing with cold air (as indicated by the multiple dashed arrows in FIG. 4), the meeting of cold and hot air increases the amount of vapor, thereby reducing the possibility of burning of the cigarette paste and affecting the taste.

[0055]As shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 14, FIG. 11 is a stereograph of an atomization device 105 with the top cover closed according to another embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 12 is a stereograph of an atomization device with the top cover open in FIG. 11; FIG. 14 is a sectional view of an atomization device 105 according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

[0056]The features of the atomization device 105 in FIGS. 13 and 14 are basically the same as those of the atomization device 105 in FIG. 4. The difference between the two is that the position of at least one third air inlet 460 or fourth air inlet 470 of the atomization device 105 in FIGS. 13 and 14 is different from the position of at least one third air inlet 460 or fourth air inlet 470 of the atomization device 105 in FIG. 4.

[0057]In the example shown in FIG. 14, the at least one fourth air inlet 470 is provided on the same horizontal plane as the at least one third air inlet 460. In the example shown in FIG. 13, instead of the separate at least one third air inlet 460 in the previous two examples, the pre-existing at least one bar heat sink on the side of the shell body 200 is used as the third air inlet 460 for cold air.

[0058]In the examples shown in FIGS. 4, 13, and 14, the at least one third air inlet 460 and the at least one fourth air inlet 470 are disposed downstream of the accommodation cup 150 along the direction of flow of the aerosol in the internal airway 400 (i.e., in the direction of the solid arrow shown in FIG. 4). By providing the at least one third air inlet 460 and the at least one fourth air inlet 470 located below the accommodation cup, it is possible to replenish cold air (with reference to the plurality of dashed arrows in FIGS. 4, 12, and 13), i.e., to produce hot vapor first, then to meet with cooler air, where the hot and cold air collide, thereby further increasing the amount of vapor (i.e., the hot and cold air meet to increase the amount of vapor). Although a variety of placement locations for the at least one third inlet 460 or the fourth air inlet 470 are illustrated in FIGS. 4, 13, and 14, the disclosure is not limited in this regard as long as the at least one third air inlet 460 and the at least one fourth air inlet 470 are located underneath the accommodation cup.

[0059]It should be understood herein that, in addition to the features described above, other features (e.g., the first heating element 170, the second heating element 180, etc.) of the atomization device 105 of FIGS. 13 and 14 may be the same as those of the corresponding features of the atomization device 105 depicted in FIG. 4, and will not be described in detail herein for the sake of brevity.

[0060]Referring to FIGS. 1, 4, and 13, the atomization device 105 further comprises a plug-in port 480, a power charging port 490, a power supply 500, and a push button 510. The supply of the power may be achieved by either a built-in power supply 500 or by plugging in. In the example shown in FIG. 13, a battery is installed as the power supply 500 between the water container 110 and the heating atomization assembly 120.

[0061]Referring to FIG. 2, as can be seen from the exploded view of the atomization device, the atomization device 105 further comprises a connector 520, a fixing cover 530, a seal gasket 540, a heat shield 550, a mid shell 560, a decorative ring 570, a main control board 580, a bottom shell 590, a hookah cover 600, and a hookah body 610.

[0062]In another aspect, the disclosure provides a control method of the abovementioned atomization device, the method comprising: S1501: energizing the first heating element 170 to preheat the accommodation cup 150; and S1502: energizing the second heating element 180 to continuously heat air in the first accommodation space 140, to generate hot air.

[0063]For example, when in use, a user operates (e.g., presses) the push button 510 of the atomization device 105, the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180 are energized and heated. The first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180 are provided with separate control circuits that independently control the power and the heating temperatures of the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180. The first heating element 170 is heated to 100-300° C., thereby preheating the e-liquid in the accommodation cup. The second heating element 180 is heated to 200-400° C. to heat the air around the accommodation cup.

[0064]During vaping by a user, hot air heated by the second heating element 180 is mixed with cold air entering through the hole 210 and the mixed air enters the accommodation cup through the first air inlet 380 in the first side wall 250 of the accommodation cup and heats and atomizes the e-liquid inside the accommodation cup, thereby generating an aerosol (i.e., vapor). The aerosol then enters the internal airway 400 via the second air inlet 390 in the second side wall 290 of the accommodation cup, where it mixes with the cooler air entering the internal airway 400 via the third and fourth air inlets 470 to produce a larger volume of vapor. The vapor enters the water pipe 430, where it is filtered by water and drawn out of the inhaling port 420.

[0065]At intervals of vaping by the user, the first heating element 170 always insulates the accommodation cup to prevent the e-liquid in the accommodation cup from becoming cold and less likely to produce aerosols.

[0066]When the user does not want to use the atomization device 105, the push button 510 of the atomization device is operated (e.g., pressed), and the first heating element 170 and the second heating element 180 are de-energized, so that the heating effects thereof are terminated.

[0067]Although each operation is depicted in a specific order in the figures, this should not be understood as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order shown or in a sequential order, nor should it be understood as requiring all shown operations to be performed to achieve the desired result.

[0068]It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications.