ELECTRONIC VAPOR SYSTEM

Abstract

An electronic cigarette having a shell, an insert, and a mouthpiece component. The shell has a lid with a bracket on the lid's interior surface and a base connected by a hinge that allows the shell to be in an open position or a closed position. The insert has a power on/off switch, a tang, a more power switch and a less power switch, an atomizer connection, electronic circuitry, and a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity. At least one aperture in the shell exposes the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, and the atomizer connection. The mouthpiece component is capable of being properly positioned (a) into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity for safer and more sanitary environment when the electronic cigarette is not being used for smoking purposes and (b) in the atomizer connection when the electronic cigarette is being used for smoking purposes.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/896,774, filed on Oct. 29, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As expressed in Wikipedia, “An electronic cigarette (e-cig or e-cigarette), personal vaporizer (PV) or electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) is a battery-powered vaporizer which simulates tobacco smoking by producing an aerosol that resembles smoke. It generally uses a heating element known as an atomizer, that vaporizes a liquid solution known as e-liquid. E-liquids usually contain a mixture of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine, and flavorings, while others release a flavored vapor without nicotine . . . .

Most electronic cigarettes take an overall cylindrical shape although a wide array of shapes can be found: box, pipe styles etc. First generation electronic cigarettes were usually designed to simulate smoking implements, such as cigarettes or cigars, in their use and appearance. New generation electronic cigarettes often called mods, PVs (personal vaporizer) or APVs (advanced personal vaporizer) have an increased nicotine-dispersal performance, housing higher capacity batteries, and come in various form factors, including metal tubes and boxes. Many electronic cigarettes are composed of standardized replaceable parts that are interchangeable from one brand to the other, while disposable devices combine all components into a single part that is discarded when its liquid is depleted. Common components include a liquid delivery and container system like tanks or cartomizers, an atomizer, and a power source.

Atomizer

An atomizer generally consists of a small heating element responsible for vaporizing e-liquid, as well as a wicking material that draws liquid in. Along with a battery, the atomizer is the central component of every personal vaporizer. Differences between atomizers cause differences in the ingredients and their concentrations delivered to users, even when the same liquid is used.

A small length of resistance wire is coiled around the wicking material and then connected to the positive and negative poles of the device. When activated the resistance wire (or coil) quickly heats up thus turning the liquid into a vapor, which is then inhaled by the user.

The electrical resistance of the coil, the voltage output of the device, the airflow of the atomizer and the efficiency of the wick play important roles in the perceived quality of the aerosol that is produced by an atomizer. They also greatly affect the quantity or volume of aerosol that will be produced by the atomizer.

Atomizer resistances usually vary from 1.50 (ohms) to 3.00 from one atomizer to the next but can go as low as 0.10 in the most extreme cases of DIY coil building which produce large amounts of vapor but could present a fire hazard and other dangerous battery failures if the user is not knowledgeable enough about basic electrical principles and how they relate to battery safety.

Wicking materials vary greatly from one atomizer to another but silica fibers are the most commonly used in manufactured atomizers. “Rebuildable” or “do it yourself” atomizers can use silica, cotton, rayon, porous ceramic, hemp, bamboo yarn, oxidized stainless steel mesh and wire rope cables as wicking materials.

A wide array of atomizers and e-liquid container combinations are available.

Cartomizers

A “cartomizer” (a portmanteau of cartridge and atomizer) or “carto” consists of an atomizer surrounded by a liquid-soaked poly-foam that acts as an e-liquid holder. It is usually disposed of once the e-liquid acquires a burnt taste, which is usually due to an activation when the coil is dry or when the cartomizer gets consistently flooded (gurgling) because of sedimentation of the wick. Most cartomizers are refillable even if not advertised as such.

Cartomizers can be used on their own or in conjunction with a tank that allows more e-liquid capacity. In this case the portmanteau word of “cartotank” has been coined. When used in a tank, the cartomizer is inserted in a plastic, glass or metal tube and holes or slots have to be punched on the sides of the cartomizer to allow liquid to reach the coil.

Clearomizers

Clearomizers or “clearos”, not unlike cartotanks, use a clear tank in which an atomizer is inserted. Unlike cartotanks, however, no poly-foam material can be found in them. There are a lot of different wicking systems employed inside of clearomizers to ensure good moistening of the wick without flooding the coil. Some rely on gravity to bring the e-liquid to the wick and coil assembly (bottom coil clearomizers for example) whereas others rely on capillary action and to some degree the user agitating the e-liquid while handling the clearomizer (top coil clearomizers).

Rebuildable Atomizers

A rebuildable atomizer or an RBA is an atomizer that allows the user to assemble or “build” the wick and coil themselves instead of replacing them by an off-the-shelf atomizer “head”. They also allow the user to build atomizers at any desired electrical resistance. The materials needed to “rebuild” the atomizers are usually much cheaper than the usual prefabricated replaceable wick and coil assemblies destined to clearomizers.

These atomizers are divided into three main categories; rebuildable tank atomizers (RTAs), rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs), and rebuildable dripping tank atomizers (RDATs).

Rebuildable tank atomizers (RTAs) are similar to clearomizers in that they use a tank or container to hold and bring liquid to the coil. They usually hold significantly more e-liquid than their RDA counterparts.

Rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs) on the other hand lack the container section and hold very little liquid compared to RTAs, but are usually a lot smaller. They typically consist only of an atomizer “building deck” which can accept one or more coils and a “top cap” to cover the coils where a mouth piece can be attached. The user needs to manually keep the atomizer wet by dripping liquid on the bare wick and coil assembly, hence their name.

Rebuildable dripping tank atomizers (RDATs) combine features of both RTAs and RDAs. They usually consist of a RDA build deck with a tank over the deck held up by a spring. The user pushes down on the mouth piece and liquid is then dripped onto the coils. This is unlike a RTA that continuously feeds liquid to the wicks.

Power

Most portable devices contain a rechargeable battery, which tends to be the largest component of an electronic cigarette. The battery may contain an electronic airflow sensor whereby activation is triggered simply by drawing breath through the device, while other models employ a power button that must be held during operation. An LED to indicate activation may also be employed. Some manufacturers also offer a cigarette pack-shaped portable charging case (PCC), which contains a larger battery capable of charging e-cigarettes. Devices aimed at more experienced users may sport additional features, such as variable power output and support of a wide range of internal batteries and atomizer configurations and tend to stray away from the cigarette form factor. Some cheaper devices use a microphone to activate. Other batteries, like Ego type batteries, can use a custom integrated circuit to indicate battery status on the included liquid crystal display and a button to activate.

Variable Power and Voltage Devices

Variable voltage or power personal vaporizers are devices that contain a built in electronic chip that allows the user to adjust the power that goes through the heating element. They usually incorporate a LED screen to display various information. Variable PVs eliminate the need to replace an atomizer with another one of lower or higher electrical resistance to change the intensity of the vapor. They also feature voltage regulation and some battery protection.

Some of these devices offer additional features through their menu system such as: atomizer resistance checker, remaining battery voltage, puff counter, activation cut-off etc.

Mechanical Personal Vaporizers

Mechanical PVs or mechanical “mods”, often called “mechs” are devices without electronic components and battery protection (apart from vent holes drilled in some mechanical devices) or voltage regulation. Because there is neither protection nor regulation, they will work either way the battery is inserted. They are activated by spring loaded or opposing magnetic mechanical switches, hence their name. They rely on the natural voltage output of a battery and the material that the mod is made of.

They are commonly used with “low resistance” (1.0Ω-0.2Ω) rebuildable atomizers. Seeing that most e-cigarettes containing electronic battery protection will interpret sub ohm resistance coils as a short circuit, thus prohibiting the device from being activated, mechanical mods are among the only devices that will accept such atomizer resistances although more recent (2013) electronic devices offers this possibility as well.

Since mechanical PVs are unregulated and unprotected, they require special attention on the user's part that other regulated and protected PVs do not need. Making sure that the battery does not over-discharge and that the atomizer will not require more amperage than what the battery can safely allow are the user's responsibilities.”

As identified above, the basic components of an electronic cigarette are well known and are incorporated into the present invention. Those components will not be discussed at length in in the detailed description of the invention since they are common ordinary components used in most, if not all, electronic cigarettes. What is not disclosed is an effective device and method to protect the atomizer from being damaged while being carried in the user's pocket, purse, hand, or equivalent thereof when not being used for “smoking” purposes.

As identified above, the atomizer attaches to a conventional electronic cigarette. Electronic cigarettes, with the atomizer attached, are “smoked” and then normally stored in unsanitary environments like pockets, purses or equivalents thereof. The atomizer directly contacts those unsanitary environments and as a result transfers the particles from the unsanitary environment to the user's mouth when the user elects to remove the electronic cigarette from the unsanitary environment and elect to take a “puff.” A crux of the current invention is to properly store the atomizer with remainder of the electronic cigarette to avoid unnecessarily breaking the atomizer and retain everything in a more sanitary casing environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electronic cigarette having a shell, an insert, and a mouthpiece component. The shell has a lid with a bracket on the lid's interior surface and a base connected by a hinge that allows the shell to be in an open position or a closed position. The insert has a power on/off switch, a tang, a more power switch and a less power switch, an atomizer connection, electronic circuitry, and a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity. At least one aperture in the shell exposes the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, and the atomizer connection. The mouthpiece component is capable of being properly positioned (a) into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity for safer and more sanitary environment when the electronic cigarette is not being used for smoking purposes and (b) in the atomizer connection when the electronic cigarette is being used for smoking purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1a-e illustrate different embodiments of the shell in the closed position.

FIGS. 2a-e illustrate FIGS. 1a-e from a different angle.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of FIG. 1a taken along the lines 3-3 and which are representative samples of the insert in the shell.

FIG. 4 is an alternative version of the insert in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an generic electrical schematic of the claimed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention utilizes the above-identified conventional components in a different configuration to obtain a safer, more sanitary electronic cigarette product.

Casing Structures

The current embodiment of an electronic cigarette 10 has an exterior casing (identified as 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e respectively in FIGS. 1a-e). The casing 12a-e is preferably made of metal, preferably brass, and manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company. In particular, the casing 12a is similar to the famous Zippo Manufacturing Company's BLU brand pyrophoric lighter design except for a few modifications. As with Zippo Manufacturing Company's classic, original pyrophoric lighter design, the casing 12a-e is designed to receive a removable insert 30—which will be discussed in greater detail below.

Common features of each casing 12a-e include a top section 14a-e connected to a bottom section 15a-e by a hinge 16—a two, three, four, five, six part or more part hinged system. Top section 14a (as illustrated at FIG. 2a), bottom section 15a (as illustrated at FIG. 2a) without apertures—discussed in greater detail below—and hinge 16 (as illustrated at FIGS. 2a-e) have been made by the Zippo Manufacturing Company since the 2000's or a variation thereof since the 1930's.

The shell 12a-e has the bottom section (a.k.a., base) 15a-e and the top section (a.k.a., lid) 14, connected by the hinge 16. A bracket 220, as illustrated in FIG. 3, is secured to an inner wall 221 of the lid 14a-e for reasons to be described below. The base 15a-e has a base lip 260, a rear wall 280, a front wall 300, and two side walls—hinged side surface 20 and non-hinged side surface 20a. The bottom section 15a-b, and e has a floor 240; while the bottom section 15c, d is a tubular piece having a lower lip 261 that allows an insert 30 with a ledge section 31 to be pushed into, in relation to the hinge 16, the distal end 32 of the bottom section 15.

The lid 14a-e has a roof 322, a roof interior surface 322a, a lid lip 320, a rear wall 340, a front wall 360, and two side walls—lip hinged side surface 920 and lip non-hinged side surface 920a. The lid 14-a-e has sufficient distance between the insert 30 and the roof interior surface 322a to allow a mouthpiece component 99 to be positioned in a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 on a top surface 97 of the insert 30 and allow the lid 14a-e to be in a closed position 989 as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-e and 2a-e.

As previously expressed, the casing 12a as illustrated at FIG. 1a is the same or about the same size as Zippo Manufacturing Company's Blu brand lighter product with a few modifications. The casing 12b and e as illustrated at FIGS. 1b and e, and the exposed casing 12d and insert 30 as illustrated at FIG. 1d, each has a height of about 3 inches, a width about 2 inches and a depth of about ⅞ inches. The bottom section 15b, e is shorter than the bottom section 15c; likewise the top section 14b, e is longer than the top section 15c to obtain the desired size. In the metal casing 12c illustrated in FIG. 1c, the bottom section 15c is tubular and is about ⅞ inch square.

Aperture Positions

On the hinged side surface 20 is a power switch aperture 21, a more heat switch aperture 22, and a less heat switch aperture 23 as illustrated at FIG. 2a. At FIGS. 2b-c, the hinged side surface 20 has the power switch aperture 21, and a LED display aperture 24 that exposes an LED device, a more heat switch and a less heat switch—which will be described in greater detail below—from the insert 30.

At FIG. 2d, the hinged side surface 20 has the LED display aperture 24 that exposes the LED device, the more heat switch and the less heat switch—which will be described in greater detail below—from the insert 30; and a bottom surface 555 of the insert 30 has the power switch aperture 21 and an atomizer connector 52.

At FIG. 2e, the non-hinged side surface 20a has the LED display aperture 24 that exposes the LED device, the more heat switch and the less heat switch—which will be described in greater detail below—from the insert 30; and the floor 240 has the power switch aperture 21 and the atomizer aperture 51.

The positioning of the apertures and connectors need not be in the order as illustrated. For example the more heat switch aperture 22, the atomizer aperture 51, the atomizer connector 52, the less heat switch aperture 23, power switch aperture, and LED display aperture may be any of the above-identified positions or in different locations on the hinged side surface 20 or other surfaces of the exterior casing.

Alternatively, the casing 12a-e can have a re-charging aperture 53 (see FIG. 2a) and the insert 30 would then have a re-charging outlet 54 that corresponds to the re-charging aperture 53; or the ledge section 31 of the insert 30 or the insert's top surface 97 can have a re-charging outlet 54 (see FIG. 2d). The corresponding re-charging aperture 53 and the re-charging outlet 54 can be positioned anywhere on the respective device 10.

The various apertures and positioning of those apertures on the casing 12a-e are to promote a smooth, comfortable feeling to the user in their pocket, purse, hand, or equivalents thereof; and positioning while “smoking”. The apertures can be vertical—in particular for the atomizer aperture 51—, or beveled—in particular the other apertures—such that the beveled apertures on the casing's 12a-e exterior surface 41 protrudes downwardly and inwardly to the casing's 12a-e interior surface 42. The beveled aperture opening is preferred for the other apertures because it decreases the chances that the casing 12a-b will inadvertently latch or snag to anything.

Insert

The insert 30 is a material that contains a conventional battery used for electronic cigarettes 130, a power on/off switch 132, a more heat switch 134, a less heat switch 136, the atomizer connector 52 and optionally a LED display 138. Insert 30 is designed to be inserted into the casing 12a-e and in most embodiments, removed. When properly inserted, the power on/off switch 132, the more heat switch 134, the less heat switch 136, the atomizer connector 52 and optional the LED display 138 are aligned with, respectively and when appropriate, the casing's power switch aperture 21, more heat switch aperture 22, less heat switch aperture 23, atomizer aperture 51, and LED display aperture 24. The electrical circuitry that interconnects the power on/off switch 132, the more heat switch 134, the less heat switch 136, the atomizer connector 52, the LED display 138, and the battery 130 are admittedly well known to those skilled in the art.

As previously identified, the insert 30 also has a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 on its top surface 97. The mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 is able to receive a mouthpiece component 99. When the mouthpiece component 99 is properly positioned in the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98, the mouthpiece component 99 is not damaged by the lid 14a-e because there is sufficient distance between (a) the insert 30 and the roof interior surface 322a and (b) the mouthpiece component 99 and the roof interior surface 322a.

The insert 30 also has a tang 561 that engages with the bracket 220. The tang 561 and bracket 220 are ensure the lid 14a-e and the base 15a-e remain in the closed position 989 or the open position 987 (see FIG. 3) until the user elects to alter the open/close position of the electronic cigarette 10. In addition, by utilizing certain (a) materials known to Zippo Manufacturing Company, and (b) shapes for the bracket and the tang, the electronic cigarette 10 is able to generate the famous Zippo click sound, that has been utilized in numerous movies to convey quality U.S. manufacturing, when the lid 14a-e is moved from the closed position to the open position; the open position to the closed position, and from the closed position to the open position and back to the closed position.

First Self-Contained Atomizer/Liquid Container

The mouthpiece component 99 can be a self-contained atomizer and liquid container that is equivalent to, for example and not limited to, Lorillard's trademark infringing blu brand cartridges. When the electronic cigarette 10 is directed to utilize the mouthpiece component 99 as a self-contained atomizer/liquid container manufactured by a third party, the mouthpiece component 99 is threaded into the atomizer connector 52 prior to the user wanting the “smoke”. To “smoke” using the electronic cigarette, the user presses the power on/off switch 132 and begins to smoke. The power on/off switch 132, depending on the conventional electrical schematics, the power on/off switch 132 has to be (a) continuously contacted to allow the user to continue to smoke, or (b) switched on once, like a conventional light switch, for the user to continue to smoke and then switched off once to discontinue smoking. For safety reasons, the former method is preferred.

When the user has elected to store the electronic cigarette 10, the user should detach the mouthpiece component 99 from the atomizer connector 52 and properly position the mouthpiece into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 for safer and more sanitary environment.

The atomizer aperture 51 and/or atomizer connection 52 is located on, respectively, the bottom surface 555 or the floor 280 for ergonomical and aesthetic reasons. For example, when a person elects to use the electronic cigarette 10, the person should have the top section 14a-e and bottom section 15a-e in the closed position 989 as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-e (1) so the top section 10 does not protrude into the person's face and (2) to allow the electronic cigarette to be comfortably held in a hand.

The insert 30 has three distinct embodiments. The first embodiment exists when the electronic cigarette uses the self-contained atomizer/liquid container. The insert 30 then has a tang section 700, a battery section 710, and a storage section 720 as illustrated at FIG. 5 and applicable to the embodiments of casings 1a, b, d and e.

The tang section has (a) the tang 561 that operates as described above, (b) many of the conventional electronic and heating components used in electronic cigarette devices, and (c) the atomizer connector 52.

The battery section 210 has (a) a hinged top surface 711 with a first electrical contact 712 on the top surface's interior side 714, (b) a battery cavity 716 that receives a conventional battery, rechargeable or not, used for electronic cigarettes, and (c) a second electrical contact 718 at or near the bottom of the battery cavity 716.

The storage section 720 has the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 that is capable of holding the self-contained atomizer/liquid container in a more sanitary environment when the lid 14a-e is in a closed position 989 and the user is not smoking. The storage section 720 may also have electrical components therein, depending on the desired ergonomical and aesthetic concerns.

Distinct Mouthpiece Components

When the mouthpiece component 99 has a distinct mouthpiece for smoking device 979 and a liquid container 978 that allow the liquid container, as conveyed in FIG. 4, to be (1)(a) removed from the insert 30 or (b) permanently affixed in the insert 30 and (2) filled with a desired vapor liquid.

The atomizer aperture 51 (see FIGS. 2a-b and e) or an atomizer connector 52 (see FIGS. 2c-d) is (i) on the bottom surface 555 or the floor 280 because of ergonomical, practical, and aesthetic reasons. When the insert 30 has the tang 561 that ensures the lid 14a-e is in either the closed position 989 (see FIGS. 1a-e) or open position 987 (see FIG. 3) due to the bracket 220, then the liquid container 987 is preferably positioned near the non-hinged side surface 20a in order to have sufficient room to remove the liquid container and/or fill the liquid container with a desired vapor liquid.

The insert 30 also has a tang section 700a, a battery section 710a, and a storage section 720a.

The tang section 700a has (a) tang 561 that operates as described above, (b) many of the conventional electronic components used in electronic cigarette devices.

The battery section 710a has (a) a hinged top surface with the first electrical contact 712 on the top surface's interior side 714, (b) the battery cavity 716 that receives a conventional battery, rechargeable or not, used for electronic cigarettes, and (c) the second electrical contact 718 at the bottom of the battery cavity 716.

The storage section 720a has (a) mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 that is capable of securing or removably securing the liquid container 978 and containing the mouthpiece 979 when the lid 14a-e is in a closed position 989 and therefore in a more sanitary environment (in relation to a user's pocket or purse) for the mouthpiece device 99 when the user is not “smoking”, (b) heating and electrical components that can be within the liquid container or outside the liquid container, and (c) the atomizer connector 52.

The storage section 720 may also have electrical components therein, depending on the desired ergonomical and aesthetic concerns.

Second Self-Contained Atomizer/Liquid Container

The insert 30 also has a tang/storage section 700b, and a battery section 710b that is applicable to the embodiments of casing 1c.

The tang section 700b has (a) a tang 561 that operates as described above, (b) many of the conventional electronic components used in electronic cigarette devices, and (c) the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98. The mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 is capable of holding the self-contained atomizer/liquid container in a more sanitary environment (in relation to a user's pocket or purse) when the lid 14c is in the closed position 989 and the user is not smoking.

The battery section 210, positioned below the tang section 700b, has (a) a hinged surface 711b with a first electrical contact 712 on the hinged surface's interior side 714, (b) a battery cavity 716 that receives a conventional battery, rechargeable or not, used for electronic cigarettes, (c) a second electrical contact 718 at the bottom of the battery cavity 716, (d) some electronic components used in electronic cigarette devices, and (e) the atomizer connector 52 positioned at, relative to the lid 14c, the electronic cigarette's distal end.

The lighter style Electronic Vapor System, as illustrated at the various figures, illustrates at various possible position of a battery unit and at least one cartomizer or clearomizer (collectively or individually referred to as “cartomizer/clearomizer”) in an insert with a cam spring when the cartomizer/clearomizer is being stored, and how the insert is positioned in a lighter style casing, preferably a Zippo brand lighter casing wherein a cam spring associated with the tang, linked to the insert, extends into the casing's flip top section. The casing's insert containing section has a bottom surface aperture. The bottom surface aperture corresponds with an insert's female cartomizer/clearomizer connection. A user can thread or push a male section of the cartomizer/clearomizer (mouth piece device 99) into the insert's female cartomizer/clearomizer (atomizer connection 52) connection. When the male section is positioned in the insert's female cartomizer/clearomizer connection the male section is removably secured therein. Likewise, the battery unit 130 can be (a) removed from the insert 30 and replaced with a comparable battery unit—for example, like replacing a battery unit in a calculator; or (b) non-removable from the insert without damaging the insert. In either case, the battery unit could be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery—the former is preferred.

An alternative tube style version, illustrated at FIG. 1c, contains a similar removable battery carriage with switch and bottom aperture that contains the female cartomizer/clearomizer connection. The carriage is inserted into the outer case for use by the consumer. The top of the battery carriage contains a storage aperture(s) to hold cartomizer/clearomizer as the user determines. The unit will have a cam spring and cam that will be integral components of the battery carriage as per above. The battery carriage unit can be a complete self-contained battery unit or can be an injection molded part that will hold a removable and rechargeable standard size battery

Prior to, during, or after properly positioning the male section into the female cartomizer/clearomizer connection, the user activates the battery by activating the power switch. The power switch could be, for example, a side switch on the insert that is exposed by the casing through a switch opening, the cam spring, or properly positioning the male section into the female cartomizer/clearomizer connection. In any case, the battery, preferably a rechargeable battery, is on an electrical circuit having at least one resistor to generate a sufficient amount of heat or energy that is transferred to the cartomizer's nicotine container. Once the nicotine container is heated to a desired temperature, the nicotine container delivers a desired intensity of nicotine to the user who has positioned his or her mouth about the cartomizer's mouth piece—opposite the male section.

To recharge the battery, the insert or the casing and insert are positioned on a standard re-charging system. As illustrated, the re-charging may occur at the side switch through the casing switch opening or the insert's female cartomizer/clearomizer connection through the casing bottom surface aperture.

Alternatively, the shell 12 can have a liquid aperture that allows the user to determine the quantity of liquid in the liquid container 978.

A conventional, generic fundamental electronic circuitry is illustrated at FIG. 5. The battery's power is transmitted to the power on/off switch 132, which is connected to the more heat switch 134 and the less heat switch 136. Depending on the desired heat switch switches selected, the power is transmitted to the heaters/resistors that warm the vapor liquid to the desired temperature for smoking. The power then reverts to the battery. The power may also pass through the optional LED display 138 that displays the desired power, temperature or equivalents thereof.

Although embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be understood that the invention may be carried out with many variations, modifications, and adaptations, without exceeding the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette having

a shell having a lid with a bracket on the lid's interior surface and a base connected by a hinge that allows the shell to be in an open position or a closed position;

an insert having a power on/off switch, a tang, a more power switch and a less power switch, an atomizer connection, electronic circuitry, and a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity wherein (a) the tang contacts the bracket in the shell's open position and closed position and (b) when the lid is in the closed position, the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity is enclosed in the shell;

at least one aperture in the shell to expose the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, and the atomizer connection;

a mouthpiece component capable of being properly positioned (a) into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity for safer and more sanitary environment when the electronic cigarette is not being used for smoking purposes and (b) in the atomizer connection when the electronic cigarette is being used for smoking purposes.

2. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the base has at least one beveled aperture to expose the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, or combinations thereof.

3. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the base has a bottom surface.

4. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the base has an aperture to receive the insert.

5. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece component is a self-contained atomizer/liquid container.

6. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece component has a mouthpiece apparatus and a liquid container.

7. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 further comprises a re-charging outlet.