ATOMIZER AND ELECTRONIC ATOMIZATION APPARATUS

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2023/100965, filed on Jun. 19, 2023, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202210908122.5, filed on Jul. 29, 2022. The entire disclosure of both applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

This application relates to the field of atomization technologies, and more specifically, to an atomizer and an electronic atomization apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In the related art, an electronic atomization apparatus mainly includes an atomizer and a power supply component. The atomizer generally includes a liquid storage cavity and an atomization component. The liquid storage cavity is configured to store an atomizable medium, the atomization component is configured to heat and atomize the atomizable medium, so as to form an aerosol for inhalation by a user, and the power supply component is configured to provide energy to the atomizer.

However, in the later use period of the current atomizer, a part of the atomizable medium in the liquid storage cavity cannot reach the atomization component for effective usage. As a result, this part of the atomizable medium remains in the liquid storage cavity, and utilization of the atomizable medium is relatively low.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, the present invention provides an atomizer, comprising: a housing, a liquid storage cavity being provided in the housing; an atomization base provided in the housing, a liquid outlet hole being provided on the atomization base; and a liquid guide member at least partially provided in the liquid outlet hole, wherein the liquid guide member has at least two liquid guide surfaces communicating the liquid storage cavity with the liquid outlet hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Subject matter of the present disclosure will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations. The features and advantages of various embodiments will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate the following:

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an atomizer according to an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a sectional structure of the atomizer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic local structural diagram of the atomizer shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a sectional structure of the atomizer shown in FIG. 1 from another perspective.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, the present invention provides an atomizer and an electronic atomization apparatus.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides an atomizer, including:

• • a housing, where a liquid storage cavity is provided in the housing;
  • an atomization base, provided in the housing; where a liquid outlet hole is provided on the atomization base; and
  • a liquid guide member, at least partially provided in the liquid outlet hole;
  • where the liquid guide member has at least two liquid guide surfaces communicating the liquid storage cavity with the liquid outlet hole.

In an embodiment, the liquid guide member includes a first liquid guide portion and a second liquid guide portion that are on the same side of the liquid guide member and are connected to each other, and the first liquid guide portion and the second liquid guide portion are located on the same liquid guide surface.

In an embodiment, a groove is provided on the inner wall of the liquid outlet hole, one part of the liquid guide member is accommodated in the groove, and the other part of the liquid guide member protrudes out of the groove and extends into the liquid storage cavity and the liquid outlet hole; and

• • the part of the liquid guide member located outside the groove forms the at least two liquid guide surfaces.

In an embodiment, a groove is provided on the inner wall of the liquid outlet hole, one part of the liquid guide member is accommodated in the groove, and the other part of the liquid guide member protrudes out of the groove and extends into the liquid storage cavity or the liquid outlet hole; and

• • the part of the liquid guide member located outside the groove forms the at least two liquid guide surfaces.

In an embodiment, the liquid guide member includes a first protrusion portion in the liquid storage cavity and a second protrusion portion in the liquid outlet hole, the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion each have a first liquid guide portion and a second liquid guide portion that are on the same side and are connected to each other, and the first liquid guide portion and the second liquid guide portion are located on the same liquid guide surface.

In an embodiment, the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion each have at least two first liquid guide portions and second liquid guide portions that are provided on the same side and are connected to each other, and each first liquid guide portion and a corresponding second liquid guide portion are located on the same liquid guide surface.

In an embodiment, the first protrusion portion has a top facing away from the atomization base and a third liquid guide portion that intersects the top, the second protrusion portion has a fourth liquid guide portion that faces away from the inner wall of the liquid outlet hole and is connected to the third liquid guide portion, the third liquid guide portion and the fourth liquid guide portion are on the same side, and the top, the third liquid guide portion, and the fourth liquid guide portion are sequentially connected to each other to form another liquid guide surface.

In an embodiment, the top is inclined to the third liquid guide portion at a downward slope.

In an embodiment, the intersection between the top and the third liquid guide portion is provided as a chamfer.

In an embodiment, the first protrusion portion protrudes out of the liquid outlet hole by at least 0.1 mm in the axial direction of the liquid outlet hole.

In an embodiment, at least a part of the liquid guide member is made of an oleophilic material. An electronic atomization apparatus includes a power supply component and the atomizer in the foregoing embodiment; where the power supply component is electrically connected to the atomizer.

DESCRIPTIONS OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 100: atomizer; 10: housing; 11: liquid storage cavity; 20: atomization base; 21: liquid outlet hole; 211: groove; 22: atomization body; 23: atomization core; 24: seal member; 30: liquid guide member; 31: first protrusion portion; 32: second protrusion portion; 33: liquid guide surface; 331: first liquid guide portion; 332: second liquid guide portion; 333: third liquid guide portion; 334: fourth liquid guide portion; 335: top; and 60: center tube.

To make the above objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and comprehensible, specific implementations of this application are described in detail below with reference to drawings. In the following description, many specific details are described for thorough understanding of this application. However, this application may be implemented in many other manners different from those described herein. A person skilled in the art may make similar improvements without departing from the connotation of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

In the description of this application, it should be understood that orientation or position relationships indicated by terms such as “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “anticlockwise”, “axial direction”, “radial direction”, and “circumferential direction” are based on orientation or position relationships shown in the drawings, and are merely used for ease and brevity of description of this application, rather than indicating or implying that the mentioned device or element needs to have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, such terms should not be construed as a limitation on this application.

In addition, the terms “first” and “second” in this application are merely intended for a purpose of description, and shall not be understood as an indication or implication of relative importance or implicit indication of the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined by “first” or “second” may explicitly indicate or implicitly include at least one of such features. In description of this application, “plurality of” means at least two, such as two and three unless it is specifically defined otherwise.

In this application, unless otherwise explicitly specified or defined, the terms such as “install”, “connect”, “connection”, and “fix” should be understood in a broad sense. For example, the connection may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; or the connection may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; or the connection may be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise specified explicitly. A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand the specific meanings of the foregoing terms in this application according to specific situations.

In this application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and defined, a first feature being “on” or “under” a second feature may mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature by using an intermediate medium. In addition, that the first feature is “above”, “over”, or “on” the second feature may indicate that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may merely indicate that the horizontal position of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. That the first feature is “below”, “under”, and “beneath” the second feature may be that the first feature is right below the second feature or obliquely below the second feature, or may merely indicate that the horizontal position of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

It should be noted that, when an element is referred to as “being fixed to” or “being arranged on” another element, the element may be directly located on the another element, or an intermediate element may exist. When an element is considered to be “connected to” another element, the element may be directly connected to the another element, or an intermediate element may exist. The terms “vertical”, “horizontal”, “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, and similar expressions used in this specification are merely used for illustration and do not indicate a unique implementation.

The following describes the atomizer and the electronic atomization apparatus in this application with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an atomizer according to an embodiment of this application; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a sectional structure of the atomizer shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a schematic local structural diagram of the atomizer shown in FIG. 1; and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a sectional structure of the atomizer shown in FIG. 1 from another perspective. For ease of description, only a structure related to this application is shown in the accompanying drawings.

An electronic atomization apparatus disclosed in at least one embodiment of this application includes a power supply component and an atomizer 100. The power supply component is electrically connected to the atomizer 100. The atomizer 100 is configured to atomize an atomizable medium under the action of electric energy provided by the power supply component, and form an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the atomizer 100 includes a housing 10, an atomization base 20, and a liquid guide member 30. A liquid storage cavity is provided in the housing 10. The atomization base 20 is provided in the housing 10, and a liquid outlet hole 21 is provided on the atomization base 20. At least a part of the liquid guide member 30 is provided in the liquid outlet hole 21, and is configured to guide the atomizable medium stored in the liquid storage cavity 11 into the liquid outlet hole 21.

Specifically, the atomization base 20 includes an atomization body 22 and an atomization core 23. The atomization body 22 has an installation cavity, and the atomization core 23 is installed in the installation cavity, and defines an atomization cavity with the cavity wall of the installation cavity. The liquid outlet hole 21 is in communication with the liquid storage cavity 11 and the installation cavity. In actual use, the atomizable medium in the liquid storage cavity 11 may enter the installation cavity through the liquid outlet hole 21 to be absorbed and used by the atomization core 23.

In some embodiments, the atomization base 20 further includes a seal member 24 that is fitted to the top of the atomization body 22 to seal the spacing between the housing 10 and the atomization body 22. In this case, the liquid outlet hole 21 runs through the seal member 24 and extends into the installation cavity of the atomization body 22. The seal member 24 may be sealing silicone made of a silicone material.

However, in the later use period of the atomizer 100, with the gradual decrease of the atomizable medium in the liquid storage cavity 11, a part of the atomizable medium remains on the side of the liquid outlet hole 21 and cannot enter the liquid outlet hole 21, resulting in a relatively high residual rate of the atomizable medium in the liquid storage cavity 11, which cannot be fully used.

Referring to FIG. 3, therefore, at least a part of the liquid guide member 30 is provided in the liquid outlet hole 21, and at least two liquid guide surfaces 33 communicating the liquid storage cavity 11 with the liquid outlet hole 21 are formed on the surface of the liquid guide member 30. In actual use, the residual atomizable medium on the periphery of the liquid outlet hole 21 can be adsorbed to the liquid guide surface 33 due to the adsorbing force of the liquid guide surface 33, transmitted to the liquid outlet hole 21 through the liquid guide surface 33, then separated from the liquid guide surface 33 under the gravity of itself, reaches the installation cavity through the liquid outlet hole 21, and adsorbed and atomized by the atomization core 23. In this way, the residual rate of the atomizable medium is reduced, and utilization of the atomizable medium is improved.

In addition, at least a part of the liquid guide member 30 is made of an oleophilic material. For example, the liquid guide member 30 may be made of a plastic material with a good oleophilic property. The plastic liquid guide member 30 has a relatively strong suction force on the atomizable medium, so that it can be ensured that more residual atomizable medium on the periphery of the liquid outlet hole 21 can be absorbed. Certainly, the liquid guide member 30 may alternatively be made of another oleophilic material, which is not specifically limited herein in this application.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the liquid guide member 30 includes a first liquid guide portion 331 and a second liquid guide portion 332 that are on the same side and are connected to each other. Specifically, in some embodiments, the first liquid guide portion 331 is located in the liquid storage cavity 11, and the second liquid guide portion 332 is located in the liquid outlet hole 21. In actual use, the residual atomizable medium in the liquid storage cavity 11 is first adsorbed on the first liquid guide portion 331, then flows along the first liquid guide portion 331 to the second liquid guide portion 332, and finally drips into the liquid outlet hole 21 under the gravity of itself from the second liquid guide portion 332.

It may be understood that if the first liquid guide portion 331 and the second liquid guide portion 332 are provided in a non-coplanar manner, for example, when they are respectively located in two planes perpendicular to each other, the atomizable medium on the first liquid guide portion 331 needs to flow through the connection part between the first liquid guide portion 331 and the second liquid guide portion 332, and then travel to the second liquid guide portion 332 to enter the liquid outlet hole 21. In this way, the flow resistance of the atomizable medium on the liquid guide surface 33 is relatively large, resulting in poor performance of actual liquid guiding of the liquid guide member 30.

Therefore, in some embodiments, the first liquid guide portion 331 and the second liquid guide portion 332 are located on the same liquid guide surface, that is, the first liquid guide portion 331 and the second liquid guide portion 332 are located in the same plane. That is, the first liquid guide portion 331 and the second liquid guide portion 332 jointly construct a liquid guide surface, that is, the atomizable medium on the first liquid guide portion 331 needs to flow directly to the second liquid guide portion 332 in the same plane, without needing to detour between different planes, thereby greatly reducing the flow resistance for the atomizable medium. In this way, the liquid guide capability of the liquid guide member 30 is improved, so that the atomizable medium residue in the liquid storage cavity 11 is reduced.

In some embodiments, a groove 211 is provided on the inner wall of the liquid outlet hole 21, and a part of the liquid guide member 30 is accommodated in the groove 211. The liquid guide member 30 protrudes out of the groove 211 and extends into the liquid storage cavity 11 or the liquid outlet hole 21, or the liquid guide member 30 simultaneously extends into the liquid storage cavity 11 and the liquid outlet hole 21. The part of the liquid guide member 30 located outside the groove 211 forms the at least two liquid guide surfaces 33.

In a preferred embodiment, the liquid guide member 30 protrudes out of the groove 211 and simultaneously extends into the liquid storage cavity 11 and the liquid outlet hole 21, so as to ensure the liquid guide capability of the liquid guide member 30. Specifically, the liquid guide member 30 includes a first protrusion portion 31 in the liquid storage cavity 11 and a second protrusion portion 32 in the liquid outlet hole 21, the first protrusion portion 31 and the second protrusion portion 32 each have a first liquid guide portion 331 and a second liquid guide portion 332 that are on the same side and are connected to each other, and the first liquid guide portion 331 and the second liquid guide portion 332 are located on the same liquid guide surface 33. The first liquid guide portion 331 that extends into the liquid storage cavity 11 can absorb the residual atomizable medium on the periphery of the liquid outlet hole 21, and the second liquid guide portion 332 that extends into the liquid outlet hole 21 can guide the atomizable medium on the first liquid guide portion 331 to the liquid outlet hole 21.

Further, the first protrusion portion 31 and the second protrusion portion 32 each have at least two first liquid guide portions 331 and second liquid guide portions 332 that are provided on the same side and are connected to each other, and each first liquid guide portion 331 and a corresponding second liquid guide portion 332 are located on the same liquid guide surface 33. Specifically, in some embodiments, the first protrusion portion 31 has two first liquid guide portions 331, and the two first liquid guide portions 331 are respectively located on two opposite sides along the width direction of the first protrusion portion 31. Correspondingly, the second protrusion portion 32 has two second liquid guide portions 332, and the two second liquid guide portions 332 are respectively located on two opposite sides along the width direction of the second protrusion portion 32. The two first liquid guide portions 331 are respectively connected to the two second liquid guide portions 332, and are located on the same liquid guide surface 33.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion portion 31 has a top 335 facing away from the seal member 24 and a third liquid guide portion 333 that intersects the top 335, the second protrusion portion 32 has a fourth liquid guide portion 334 that faces away from the inner wall of the liquid outlet hole 21 and is connected to the third liquid guide portion 333, the third liquid guide portion 333 and the fourth liquid guide portion 334 are on the same side, and the top 335, the third liquid guide portion 333, and the fourth liquid guide portion 334 are sequentially connected to each other to form another liquid guide surface 33. Specifically, in some embodiments, the first protrusion portion 31 extends in the radial direction of the liquid outlet hole 21, and the second protrusion portion 32 extends in the axial direction of the liquid outlet hole 21. The top 335 of the first protrusion portion 31 is provided at a right angle to the third liquid guide portion 333, and the third liquid guide portion 333 and the fourth liquid guide portion 334 are provided in a coplanar manner. The top 335 may be a straight surface, or may be a curved surface, but preferably a straight surface, so as not to affect the liquid guide capability of the top 335.

In a preferred embodiment, the top 335 is inclined to the third liquid guide portion 333 at a downward slope. In actual use, after the atomizable medium is absorbed on the top 335, the atomizable medium can flow to the third liquid guide portion 333 along the top 335 under the gravity of itself. In this way, the liquid guide capability of the liquid guide member 30 can be improved. In a preferred embodiment, the intersection between the top 335 and the third liquid guide portion 333 is provided as a filleted corner. In actual use, when the atomizable medium on the top 335 flows to the third liquid guide portion 333, because the intersection between the top 335 and the third liquid guide portion 333 is provided as a filleted corner, the flow resistance for the atomizable medium can be reduced. In this way, the liquid guide capability of the liquid guide member 30 can be improved.

In some embodiments, the first protrusion portion 31 protrudes out of the liquid outlet hole 21 by at least 0.1 mm in the axial direction of the liquid outlet hole 21. That is, the first protrusion portion 31 is at least 0.1 mm higher than the seal member 24 in the axial direction of the liquid outlet hole 21. It should be noted that, theoretically, the higher the first protrusion portion 31 protrudes out of the liquid outlet hole 21 the better, so as to improve the liquid guide capability of the first protrusion portion 31.

However, in an actual production process, the height of the first protrusion portion 31 needs to be specifically configured in combination with a usage requirement.

Referring to FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the housing 10 is oval in the radial cross-sectional shape thereof, and the outer outline of the seal member 24 is also oval in a shape that matches the cross-sectional shape of the housing 10, so as to match the inner surface of the housing 10. A center hole is provided on the seal member 24, and is configured to set a center tube 60 communicating the atomization cavity with the outside of the apparatus. The quantity of liquid outlet holes 21 is two, and the two liquid outlet holes 21 are provided at two opposite ends of the center hole in the direction of the long axis of the seal member 24. Therefore, in the later use period of the atomizer 100, the atomizable medium easily remains on the seal member 24 on the side of each of the two liquid outlet holes 21 facing away from each other.

Therefore, when the liquid guide member 30 is provided, one liquid guide member 30 should be provided in each of the two liquid outlet holes 21, and a respective first protrusion portion 31 should be provided on the seal member 24 on the side of each of the two liquid outlet holes 21 facing away from each other. In this way, the atomizable medium in the main residual region on the seal member 24 can be pertinently adsorbed and used. It may be understood that, the foregoing description is merely used as an example, and cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. For example, the quantity of liquid outlet holes 21 may be one, three, or the like. Correspondingly, the quantity of liquid guide members 30 may be one, three, or the like. For another example, at least two liquid guide members 30 are provided in each liquid outlet hole 21, and all liquid guide members 30 are provided around each liquid outlet hole 21 in the circumferential direction of each liquid outlet hole 21. In this way, the probability that the atomizable medium remains on the periphery of the liquid outlet hole 21 can be effectively reduced.

The atomizer 100 and the electronic atomization apparatus are provided with the liquid guide member 30, at least a part of the liquid guide member 30 is provided in the liquid outlet hole 21, which has at least two liquid guide surfaces 33 communicating the liquid storage cavity 11 with the liquid outlet hole 21. In the later use period of the atomizer 100, the residual atomizable medium in the liquid storage cavity 11 is less, and stays on the periphery of the liquid outlet hole 21. The residual atomizable medium is adsorbed to the liquid guide surface 33 due to the adsorbing force of the liquid guide surface 33, transmitted to the liquid outlet hole 21 through the liquid guide surface 33, then separated from the liquid guide surface 33 under the gravity of itself, and finally reaches an atomization component for use through the liquid outlet hole 21. In this way, the residual rate of the atomizable medium is reduced, and utilization of the atomizable medium is improved.

Further, each liquid guide surface 33 includes a first liquid guide portion 331 and a second liquid guide portion 332 that are on the same side and are connected to each other.

That is, the liquid guide surface 33 is a plane without turning, and the flow resistance for the atomizable medium is greatly reduced. In this way, the liquid guide capability of the liquid guide member 30 is improved, so that the atomizable medium residue in the liquid storage cavity 11 is reduced.

The technical features in the foregoing embodiments may be randomly combined. For concise description, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments are described. However, provided that combinations of the technical features do not conflict with each other, the combinations of the technical features are considered as falling within the scope described in this specification.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. Additionally, statements made herein characterizing the invention refer to an embodiment of the invention and not necessarily all embodiments.

The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.