FIELD OF TH E INVENTION

The present invention pertains to an electronic cigarette. An electronic cigarette is a handheld electronic device that generally emulates or replaces the experience of smoking tobacco. Typically, a liquid is heated to generate an aerosol, or vapor, that is then inhaled by a user. The liquid in the e-cigarette usually comprises nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine, and/or flavorings.

BACKGROU ND OF TH E INVENTION

In many electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes for short, one can replace the supply of the aerosol-generating liquid when it is depleted such that the electronic cigarette may continue to be used.

US 2017/0006917 A1 describes an e-vapor device including a capsule containing a pre-vapor formulation. The capsule is accommodated in a mouthpiece of the e- vapor device that has to be removed from a housing of the e-vapor device when the capsule is to be exchanged. A puncture device such as a hollow needle is arranged within the housing to puncture the capsule in order to release the liquid and deliver it to a heater.

Convenience of use, and safety from injury, is an important factor for designing electronic cigarettes. In the known electronic cigarettes, such as the e-vapor device described above, it is often a cumbersome process to replace the capsule. The user has, in the example given above, to unscrew the mouthpiece from its housing which may require considerable effort given that the connection between the mouthpiece and the housing is preferably liquid-tight. In addition, the puncture device may be able to injure a user when the user tries to pry the used capsule out of the housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide an electronic cigarette that is easier, safer and more convenient to use.

Therefore, an electronic cigarette with the features of claim 1 is provided, as well as an electronic smoking system which comprises the electronic cigarette with the features of claim 1 and which further comprises a capsule configured to be used with said electronic cigarette. An advantage of the slidable cover is that the access to the capsule receiving chamber is facilitated, as the user does not have to dismantle the electronic cigarette in order to replace the capsule. Accordingly, the invention provides, according to a first aspect, an electronic cigarette comprising a housing having an aperture leading to a receiving chamber which may also be designated as a capsule receiving chamber. The receiving chamber is configured to receive and accommodate a capsule within the electronic cigarette, in particular to completely accommodate the capsule within the receiving chamber in the interior of the housing.

The electronic cigarette further comprises a piercing member, which may also be called a puncture device, configured to pierce the capsule within the receiving chamber, preferably when it is accommodated in the receiving chamber or after it has been accommodated in the receiving chamber. The electronic cigarette further comprises a slidable cover configured to be moved at least between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the slidable cover covers the aperture, preferably completely. A capsule is insertable into the receiving chamber only when the slidable cover is not in the closed position, preferably only when the slidable cover is in the open position.

By sliding the slidable cover into the open position, in which the aperture is preferably completely accessible from the outside, the user is able to take the capsule out of the receiving chamber through the aperture. In this way, the user does not have to remove, or disconnect, any part of the electronic cigarette when the user wants to replace the capsule.

The electronic cigarette may have a housing of generally elongated form, e.g. a generally cylindrical housing. In this case, the slidable cover is preferably arranged to be slid in a longitudinal, or axial, direction along the housing. However, the slidable cover may also be arranged to be slid along a circumferential direction along the housing.

The aperture is preferably arranged in a lateral (or: circumferential) side of the generally elongated housing of the electronic cigarette. In this way, the axial continuity of the electronic cigarette is not interrupted by the aperture, and a user of the electronic cigarette may comfortably insert a capsule through the aperture without having to separate any part of the electronic cigarette from one another.

The housing may be formed integrally with a mouthpiece, with the aperture arranged in between a distal and a proximal end of the electronic cigarette.

Preferably, the aperture is formed in a range of between 20% and 80%, more preferably between 30% and 70%, even more preferably between 40% and 60%, along the longitudinal direction of the housing starting from the proximal end, i.e. at the mouthpiece.

However, in an alternative embodiment the slidable cover is rotatable, at least partially, around the axial direction of the electronic cigarette, whereby the slidable cover can be opened and closed depending on the angular position of the cover in relation to the center axis of the electronic cigarette. The capsule may be shaped spherically, or may have another geometrical shape such as a bean form, a bullet form or a conical form. The outer shell or skin of the capsule which surrounds the liquid on the inside may comprise, or consist of, a food grade material such as silicone. The outer shell or skin of the capsule may consist of a single material, or may comprise multiple materials. For example, the capsule may be formed with a rigid outer shell having at least one opening sealed by a sealing member made of a material that is more easily pierced by the piercing member. For example, the sealing member may be a metal or plastic foil.

The present invention provides, according to a second aspect, also an electronic smoking system comprising an electronic cigarette and a capsule configured to be inserted into the electronic cigarette and to be pierced by the piercing member inside the receiving chamber of the electronic cigarette.

The shape of the receiving chamber may be adapted to the shape of the capsule so that capsules without certain geometrical features are not able to be inserted into the receiving chamber, thus preventing damage to the electronic cigarette and/or the use of unsafe capsules. For example, inserting a capsule that has a rigid, unpiercable section in a position where the capsule would be pierced by the piercing member might result in damage to the piercing member.

The piercing member may advantageously be formed as a hollow needle with at least two openings, specifically at least one outlet opening in a tip of the needle and at least one inlet opening in the shaft, or body, of the needle.

Preferably, the piercing member is movably arranged in the electronic cigarette. This allows, for example, to design the receiving chamber with smaller dimensions, as the piercing member may be moved to make room for inserting the capsule, through the aperture, into the receiving chamber. In addition, it allows for the piercing member to be moved into a position that might be safer for the user during a time in which the piercing member could otherwise be in a position to injure the user if handled carelessly. Further advantageous modifications and embodiments are evident from the dependent claims and from the following detailed description and the drawings.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member is movable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the piercing member extends into the receiving chamber in the extended position when the slidable cover is in the closed position. The piercing member is retracted from the receiving chamber in the retracted position when the slidable cover is in the open position.

In this way, the piercing member may be moved into the extended position e.g. to pierce the capsule to release the liquid contained therein, but may also be moved to the retracted position where it may be easier to remove or insert the capsule, or where there is less potential danger for injury to the user by the piercing member. The piercing member may be provided with an electronic or mechanical actuator to effect, or cause, the moving of the piercing member between the extended position and the retracted position. In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member and the slidable cover are coupled and configured to be moved in unison or substantially in unison. Preferably, the piercing member and the slidable cover are coupled mechanically. In this way, the slidable cover itself doubles as both a cover for the aperture and as the actuator for the movement of the piercing member. The slidable cover may even have additional functions such as a function of activating the electronic cigarette and the like.

This design is based on the idea that, when the piercing member is to pierce the capsule, usually the slidable cover will have to be closed in any case, and, similarly, when the slidable cover is opened for the capsule to be retrieved or inserted, there is no need for the capsule to continue to be pierced by the piercing member. On the contrary, the piercing of the capsule by the piercing member may render retrieving the spent capsule more difficult, or may even prevent retrieving the spent capsule. In fact, the piercing of the capsule by the piercing member may be one, or the only one, way to fix the position of the capsule within the receiving chamber.

Advantageously, the piercing member and the slidable cover are coupled linearly, i.e. a movement of the slidable cover along a certain distance causes also the piercing member to move in the same direction. In this way, when the slidable cover covers the aperture, the piercing member may be disposed within the receiving chamber, and when the slidable cover is slid to reveal the aperture and the receiving chamber, the piercing member is, slid away from the receiving chamber in unison with the slidable cover so that the user may never be

inconvenienced when carelessly reaching into the receiving chamber.

In an especially simple design, the piercing member is moved along the same distance, although along a parallel line, as the distance the slidable cover is moved. Alternatively, the electronic cigarette may also be designed such that movement of the slidable cover along a certain distance in a certain direction causes the piercing member to be moved in an opposite direction and/or along a different, i.e. smaller or larger, distance.

The slidable cover may be permanently coupled to the housing so that it cannot be removed from the housing. This advantageously prevents the slidable cover from becoming lost. The slidable cover may be moveable (in particular: slidable) with respect to the mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette. This allows users having the electronic cigarette inserted in their mouths to manipulate the slidable cover at the same time. In this way, the electronic cigarette can be stabilized by the users' teeth, keeping their hands free for manipulating the slidable cover and the cartridge simultaneously. This is especially advantageous when the slidable cover is biased in the closed position so that the user has to exert some force to keep the aperture open while preparing the capsule for insertion, e.g. peeling away a wrapper or foil. With similar advantages, the slidable cover may be arranged to be moveable with respect to the distal end of the electronic cigarette, i.e. with respect to the end which often contains a power section, in particular a battery. The distance between the distal end of the electronic cigarette and the slidable cover in any position is preferably smaller than 10 centimeters, more preferably smaller than 5 centimeter, such that a user may hold the electronic cigarette at its distal end with some fingers of one hand, and may still manipulate the slidable cover with at least one finger of the same hand. Thus, the other hand is free for manipulating the capsule for inserting it into the aperture. For example, when the piercing member is smaller than the capsule in the axial direction and thus also smaller than the receiving chamber and the aperture adapted to the size of the capsule, it is sufficient to move the piercing member a small distance out of the way although the slidable cover has to be moved a larger distance in order to completely reveal, or unblock, the aperture into the receiving chamber.

Similarly, in certain designs the piercing member may have larger dimensions than the receiving chamber in the longitudinal direction, for example when it is intended that the piercing member emerges from one end of the receiving chamber (e.g. the distal end with respect to the mouth piece), pierces the capsule from end to end and is received by another end of the receiving chamber (e.g. the proximal end with respect to the mouth piece). In that case, in order to completely remove the piercing member from the receiving chamber when the slidable cover is slid to reveal, or unblock the aperture and the receiving chamber, the piercing member may be configured to be moved, in unison with the slidable cover, along a larger distance than the slidable cover is moved.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member is configured to allow, or enable, extraction of the liquid stored in the capsule when the capsule has been pierced by the piercing member and the piercing member is in the extended position. In this way, the piercing member may not only serve to pierce the capsule but may also be used as part of a conducting system for conducting the liquid from the capsule to a heater structure of the electronic cigarette where the liquid is vaporized to generate the aerosol (or vapor). In some advantageous embodiments, the slidable cover is moveable in the longitudinal, or axial, direction of the electronic cigarette.

In some advantageous embodiments, the slidable cover is rotatable around the axial direction of the electronic cigarette, whereby the slidable cover can be opened and closed depending on the angular position of the slidable cover in relation to a center axis (along which the axial direction is arranged) of the electronic cigarette.

In some advantageous embodiments, the electronic cigarette comprises a vaporizer structure configured to vaporize the liquid to generate the aerosol. The piercing member may comprise at least one inlet opening in a portion of the piercing member that is disposed within the capsule when the capsule has been pierced by the piercing member and the piercing member is in the extended position.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member is provided with at least one inlet opening configured to receive liquid from the capsule when the inlet opening is located inside the capsule.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member further comprises a delivery structure such as a conduit or a channel network or a manifold, the delivery structure flu idically connected to the at least one inlet opening of the piercing member and configured to conduct the liquid stored in the capsule from the at least one inlet opening towards a vaporizer structure of the electronic cigarette, in particular to a heater structure of the electronic cigarette. In some advantageous embodiments, the electronic cigarette comprises a liquid intermediate storage portion for storing the liquid extracted, or conducted, from the pierced capsule somewhere between (spatially and/or with respect to the direction of flow) the vaporizer structure and the capsule. For example, the liquid intermediate storage may be used to more finely regulate, and/or more uniformly distribute, the amount of liquid conducted to the vaporizer structure.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member comprises a tip with at least one outlet opening fluid ically connected to the delivery structure and, therefore, via the delivery structure to the at least one inlet opening of the piercing member. The piercing member is configured such that the at least one outlet is fluidically connected to the liquid intermediate storage portion when the piercing member is in the extended position. In particular, the piercing member may open into or onto the liquid intermediate storage portion for conducting the liquid stored in the capsule to the liquid intermediate storage portion. In some advantageous embodiments, the vaporizer structure comprises, or consists of, a heater structure. The heater structure may be configured to heat the liquid in order to generate the aerosol, or vapor. The liquid intermediate storage portion may comprise, or consist of, a fiber such as cotton, e.g. in the form of a fiber pad such as a cotton pad. In some advantageous embodiments, the liquid intermediate storage is connected to a wick extending to, or through, a heater structure of the electronic cigarette for transporting the liquid from the liquid intermediate storage portion to the heater structure.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member in the retracted position does not extend into the receiving chamber. In this way, the possibility of any injury of the user caused by the piercing member is minimized, or eliminated.

In some advantageous embodiments, the piercing member is provided with a catch configured to engage with the capsule such that, when the piercing member is being retracted from the extended position towards the retracted position, the capsule is pulled from a capsule seating within the receiving chamber. Such a capsule seating may be provided in the receiving chamber according to any embodiments of the electronic cigarette. When said catch is provided, the user does not have to manipulate, to unseat the capsule from its seating, the capsule inside the receiving chamber where there may be little room. In other words, the receiving chamber may be designed without additional space for the user to reach in and grab the capsule, as the capsule is unseated from the capsule seating by the catch. In addition, the user may not want to manipulate the capsule directly since the capsule might be covered by leaked liquid.

Advantageously, when the piercing member is configured to be retracted to a retracted position such that no part of the piercing member remains in the receiving chamber, the wall of the receiving chamber into which the piercing member is retracted may be configured to release, or extricate, the piercing member from the capsule. In this way, retracting the piercing member into the retracted position serves also to unseat the capsule from its seating in the receiving chamber and also to release the capsule from the piercing member. By turning the aperture towards the ground, the user may then simply let the capsule fall out of the receiving chamber even though the capsule has previously been held securely and tightly by the piercing member.

When, as has been described in the foregoing, the slidable cover and the piercing member are furthermore coupled such that the piercing member is always in the retracted position when the slidable cover is in the open position, then opening the slidable cover serves also to perform the steps described before. In this way, the user may have, at the time the user has opened the slidable cover completely, have, at the same time and without any additional effort, performed all necessary steps to be able to simply let the capsule fall out of the aperture of the receiving chamber and to insert a new capsule.

In some advantageous embodiments, the electronic cigarette comprises a biasing structure, such as a helical spring, that is arranged and configured to bias the slidable cover to one position, in particular into, or towards, the closed position. Alternatively, or additionally, the slidable cover may be provided with a releasable catch to secure the slidable cover in the open position and/or in the closed position. In this way, an undesired opening or closing, respectively, of the slidable cover may be prevented. In some advantageous embodiments, the housing is provided with an abutment limiting the movement of the slidable cover. One advantage of this is that the movements of the slidable cover are more restricted and there is less, or no, chance for an inexperienced user to handle the electronic cigarette wrongly.

In some advantageous embodiments, the electronic cigarette comprises a controlling circuit configured to activate or deactivate the electronic cigarette based on the position of the slidable cover. In this way, the slidable cover, which may also serve for a number of different functions as described in the foregoing, may also serve as an activator/deactivator switch of the electronic cigarette. In this way, it is possible to provide less circuitry and less manipulatable elements at the surface of the housing in the electronic cigarette, bringing down production cost and allowing more design choices for the exterior of the electronic cigarette.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawings as appended. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the present invention and many of the intended

advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other.

In the following Figures: Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an electronic cigarette according to an embodiment of the present invention in a closed position;

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the electronic cigarette of Fig. 1 in an open position;

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a needle piercing member and slidable cover

according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 schematically illustrates the function of a vaporizer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 schematically illustrates an electronic cigarette according to another

embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates an electronic cigarette according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

In the figures, like reference numerals denote like or functionally like components, unless indicated otherwise. Any directional terminology like "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "above", "below", "horizontal", "vertical", "back", "front", and similar terms are merely used for explanatory purposes and are not intended to delimit the embodiments to the specific arrangements as shown in the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a cross-section through an electronic cigarette 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, Fig. 1 illustrates the electronic cigarette 10 in a closed state. The schematic cross-section in Fig. 1 is intended to illustrate the workings of the electronic cigarette 10 and should not be taken as an accurate technical drawing. The electronic cigarette 10 comprises a housing 12 with an aperture 14 leading to a receiving chamber 16 arranged inside the housing 12. The housing 12 as illustrated in Fig. lmay have a generally elongated form, although other shapes are possible.

The receiving chamber 16 is configured to receive and accommodate a capsule containing a liquid within the electronic cigarette 10, in particular to completely accommodate the capsule within the receiving chamber 16 in the interior of the housing 12. The aperture 14 substantially corresponds to the shape and dimensions of the capsule such that the capsule can be easily introduced into the receiving chamber 16.

The aperture 14 may, in axial direction and/or in circumferential direction, have the same, or substantially the same, dimensions as the receiving chamber 16 in the respective directions. In this way, the user can comfortably insert a capsule, through the aperture 14, into the receiving chamber 16, without having to guide the capsule around and edge or the like.

The aperture 14 is preferably arranged in a lateral side of the housing 12 of the electronic cigarette 10. In this way, the axial continuity of the electronic cigarette 10 is not interrupted by the aperture 14, and a user of the electronic cigarette 10 may comfortably insert a capsule through the aperture 14 without having to separate any part of the electronic cigarette 10 from one another.Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the electronic cigarette 10 of Fig. 1 in an open state, wherein a capsule 40 has been inserted through the lateral aperture 14 and accommodated in the receiving chamber 16. The capsule 40 is insertable into the receiving chamber 16 only when the slidable cover 18 is in the open position, in which the aperture 14 is preferably completely uncovered, or unblocked.

As best seen in figures 1-3, the electronic cigarette 10 of further comprises a slidable cover 18 configured to be moved between open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the slidable cover 18 covers the aperture 14.

The electronic cigarette may further comprises a seal 21 located between the slidable cover 18 and the housing 12. A sealed connection between the slidable cover 18 and the housing 12 enables a liquid-tight connection when the slidable cover 18 is in the closed position in order to avoid liquid from escaping from the receiving chamber 16.

As seen in figures 1 and 2, the slidable cover 18 is arranged to be slid in the longitudinal, or axial, direction along the housing 12. The electronic cigarette 10 further comprises a biasing structure 22. The biasing structure 22 may be realized as a helical spring as indicated in Fig. 1. Advantageously, the biasing structure 22 is configured to bias the slidable cover 18 into the closed position (Fig. 1). In the open position of the slidable cover 18, the biasing structure 22 is compressed (Fig. 2).

The slidable cover 18 is in this embodiment moveable (in particular: slidable) with respect to the mouthpiece 50 of the electronic cigarette 10 and/or with respect to the distal end of the electronic cigarette, with the advantages described in the foregoing for either and both cases. In particular, having the possibility to fixedly hold the electronic cigarette 10 (e.g. with a user's teeth or mouth) at the

mouthpiece 50 allows manipulating the slidable cover 18, overcoming the biasing structure 22, with one hand and inserting the capsule 40 with another hand. The electronic cigarette 10 further comprises a piercing member 20, configured to pierce the capsule 40 when the capsule 40 is accommodated in the receiving chamber 16 and the sliding cover is moved to the closed state.

The piercing member 20 is configured to be moved in unison with the sliding cover 18 between the extended position and the retracted position. In the extended position, the piercing member 20 extends at least partially into the receiving chamber 16. In the retracted position, the piercing member 20 is completely retracted from the receiving chamber 16. When the piercing member 20 is completely retracted, it does not extend into the receiving chamber 16, whereby it positioned out of reach from the user.

The piercing member 20 and the slidable cover 18 are mechanically coupled such that they move in unison. Hence, when the sliding cover 18 is moved, the piercing member 20 is moved in the same direction, and preferably for the same distance.

In this way, the piercing member 20 is in the extended position when then slidable cover 18 is in the closed position, and the piercing member 20 is in the retracted position when the slidable cover 18 is in the open position.

Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic detail of an exemplary embodiment of the mechanical coupling between the sliding cover 18 and the piercing member 20. As illustrated in the figure, a mechanical connection 19 is arranged between the slidable cover 18 and the piercing member 20. The mechanical connection 19 may be an integral, stiff connecting element. However, the mechanical connection 19 may also comprise a geared or mechanical translation device.

The housing 12 may be formed with an abutment 28 configured to limit the movement of the slidable cover 18 in the longitudinal direction, or axial direction A, of the electronic cigarette 10. The abutment 28 also limits the position of the piercing member 20, in the axial (or longitudinal) direction A. In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a variant is shown in which the abutment 28 limits the movement of the slidable cover 18 and the piercing member 20 in the forward direction towards a

mouthpiece 50 of the electronic cigarette 10.

The slidable cover 18 comprises an abutting portion 30 that is configured to engage with the abutment 28 to restrict further movement of the slidable cover 18 in the longitudinal direction.

In the retraction direction, towards power section 32 of the electronic cigarette 10, the movement of the slidable cover 18 and the piercing member 20 may be limited by a spring retainer 26. The power section may comprise a battery for powering the electronic cigarette 10. The spring retainer 26 prevents a translation of the biasing structure 22 and limits the maximum compression of the biasing structure 22. The spring retainer 26 may be a fixed portion on the housing 12 of the electronic cigarette 10. The spring retainer 26 may be encircling the body 12 and provide a flange for retaining the biasing structure 22.

In an alternative (non-illustrated) embodiment the slidable cover is rotatable around the axial direction of the electronic cigarette 10, whereby the slidable cover can be opened and closed depending on the angular position of the cover in relation to the center axis A of the electronic cigarette. The slidable cover can be spring-biased into a closed position and the piercing member 20 can be

connected to a motion translation mechanism, configured to convert a rotary displacement of the slidable cover to a linear displacement of the piercing member 20.

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. As seen in the figure, the electronic cigarette 10 may comprise a slidable block 17, to which the piercing member 20 is connected. The slidable block 17 is operationally connected to the slidable cover 18 and moves in unison therewith. The slidable block 17 may further comprise the heater structure 46 and the wick 44, as described in the foregoing. The slidable block 17 may be biased into a closed position by a biasing structure 22. As the slidable block 17 moves in the longitudinal direction, or axial direction A, of the electronic cigarette 10, the piercing member 20 is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The piercing member 20 is configured to extend into the receiving chamber 16 in the extended position when the slidable cover 18 is in the closed position. The piercing member 20 is retracted from the receiving chamber 16 in the retracted position when the slidable cover 18 is in a retracted position.

The slidable block 17 is connected to the power section 32, preferably through a first set of contacts 80 on the internal side of the housing 12 and a second set of contacts 82 on the slidable block 17. The first set of contacts 80 and the second set of contacts 82 are configured to align when the piercing member 20 is in the extended position. When the first set of contacts 80 and the second set of contacts 82 are aligned, the electric circuit to the power section 32 is established.

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates an electronic cigarette 10 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The electronic cigarette 10 of Fig. 6

comprises a mouthpiece 50, a vaporizer structure 24, a slidable cover 18 covering an aperture in a lateral side of the electronic cigarette 10, a receiving portion (not shown) and a piercing member (not shown) as described in the foregoing, e.g. with respect to Fig .1-5. In some preferred embodiments and variants, the housing 12 and the mouthpiece 50 are formed integrally, i.e. in non-separably, with the aperture 14 being formed in the lateral side of the housing 12. Preferably, the slidable cover 18 is

permanently (but slidably) coupled to the housing 12 and the mouthpiece 50 such that the electronic cigarette 10 comprises no, or almost no, detachable

components. In this way, there is no danger of losing any components as the only detachable part is the capsule 40, even during a procedure of replacing a spent capsule 40 with a new one. The electronic cigarette 10 further comprises a sensor structure 49 configured to detect whether the slidable cover 18 is in the open or in the closed position, and to emit, via an output interface of the sensor structure 49, a signal 71 indicating the determined position of the slidable cover 18. The sensor structure 49 may employ any technique known in the art to determine the position, or state, of the slidable cover 18. For example, the sensor structure 49 may comprise a capacitive sensor in which the capacitance of an electronic element changes with the position of the slidable cover 18, a magnetic sensor in which a magnet field changes with the position of the slidable cover 18, a circuit- type sensor in which an electric circuit is closed/opened in the closed/open position of the slidable cover 18 (or vice versa), an optical sensor and so on.

The electronic cigarette 10 also comprises a controller 48 that is configured to receive the signal 71 and to activate and deactivate the electronic cigarette 10, preferably the vaporizer structure 24 of the electronic cigarette 10, based on the signal 71.

The controller 48 may activate (or deactivate, respectively) the vaporizer structure 24 by transmitting (or stopping to transmit, respectively), or allowing (or preventing, respectively) the transmission of electrical energy, from the power section 32 to the vaporizer structure 24. When the vaporizer structure 24 is activated (active), it vaporizes the liquid L to create the vapor to be inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece 50.

When the vaporizer structure 24 is deactivated (inactive), it does not vaporize the liquid L, e.g. because the heater structure 46 is not heating and/or because no liquid L is transmitted to the heater structure 46. In particular, the controller 48 may be configured to activate the electronic cigarette 10, preferably at least the vaporizer structure 24, when (and, optionally, only when) the signal 71 indicates that the slidable cover 18 is in the closed position, and to deactivate the electronic cigarette 10, preferably at least the vaporizer structure 24, when (and, optionally, only when) the signal 71 indicates that the slidable cover 18 is in the open position.

The controller 48 may be implemented as pure hardware, i.e. comprising transistors, logic gates and other types or elements of circuitry. Additionally, the controller 48 may be partially realized in terms of software. As such, the controller 48 may comprise a processor and a memory storing a software or a firmware that is executed by the processor. The signal 71 may be received by an input interface of the controller 48 and signals that the processor of the controller 48 creates may be outputted by an output interface of the controller 48. The controller 48 may be implemented as a microcontroller, an ASIC, an FPGA and so on.

Alternatively, the sensor structure 49 and the controller 48 are implemented in a purely mechanical way, e.g. in that an electrical circuit that supplies electrical energy, or a signal allowing the supply of electrical energy, to the vaporizer structure 24 and/or the delivery structure, is only closed when the slidable cover 18 is in the closed position, and is interrupted when the slidable cover 18 is not in the closed position (e.g. in the open position).

It should be understood that instead of the mechanical coupling of the slidable cover 18 and the piercing member 20, both the slidable cover 18 and the piercing member 20 may be configured to be moved electronically, i.e. by a motor. Limits for the movement of the slidable cover 18 and the piercing member 20 may thus be either implemented by geometric forms as depicted in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and/or may be implemented by controlling the motor to only move the slidable cover 18 and/or the piercing member 20 within certain limits.

Although other arrangements are possible, in the shown embodiment a vaporizer structure 24 is arranged, both functionally and spatially, between the mouthpiece 50 and the receiving chamber 16. The piercing member 20 is configured to allow the liquid stored in the capsule 40 to leave the capsule 40 and to be delivered to the vaporizer structure 24. The vaporizer structure 24 is configured to vaporize the liquid to generate the aerosol, or vapor, which is then inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece 50, according to techniques known in the art.

The functional relationship between the piercing member 20 and the vaporizer structure 24 in the electronic cigarette 10 of Fig. 1-3 is explained in detail with reference to Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 schematically illustrates a vaporizer structure 24 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Herein and in the following, the term "distal" is used as meaning "further removed from the mouthpiece 50" and the term "proximal" is used as meaning "closer to the mouthpiece 50".

The piercing member 20 may be further configured to traverse the whole axial length AL of the receiving chamber 16 extending from the distal wall 38 to a proximal end 39 of the receiving chamber 16. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the capsule 40 is provided with similar dimensions as the receiving chamber 16. In this way, the position of the capsule 40 within the receiving chamber 16 can be held fixedly inside the capsule chamber by the contact between the capsule 40 and the internal wall of the receiving chamber 16. Additionally or alternatively, the receiving chamber 16 may comprise a capsule seating insert, which fixates the capsule 40 inside the receiving chamber 16. The piercing member 20 is further configured to contact, or enter, a liquid intermediate storage portion 42 arranged at the proximal end 39 of the receiving chamber 16 with a tip, in particular a pointed tip, of the piercing member 20.

The preferably elongated, needle-like piercing member 20 comprises at least one inlet opening 34 (e.g. the three openings 34 shown in Fig. 4) and at least one outlet opening. The at least one inlet opening 34 is arranged such that, when the capsule 40 is pierced by the piercing member 20 and the piercing member 20 is in the extended position, the at least inlet opening 34 is arranged within the capsule 40, within a liquid storage portion of the capsule 40.

Within the piercing member 20, there is a delivery structure 36 in the form of a conduit connecting the at least one inlet opening 34 to the at least one outlet opening 35, which is arranged at the tip of the piercing member 20. In this way, the liquid L is transported, e.g. by capillary effect, from the storage portion of the capsule 40, via the at least one inlet opening 34, the delivery structure 36, and the at least one outlet opening 35 in the tip, and to the intermediate liquid storage portion 42. The intermediate liquid storage portion 42 may be a pad of a fibrous or porous material such as cotton, silica, ceramics or silicon.

In the shown embodiment, the liquid intermediate storage portion 42 is part of the vaporizer structure 24; however, the liquid intermediate storage portion 42 and the vaporizer structure 24 may also be configured as separate parts spaced apart from each other. In the discussed exemplary embodiment, the liquid intermediate storage portion 42 is flu idically connected to a wick 44 that passes through, or adjacent to, a heater structure 46 such as a heating wire.

The liquid L is vaporized by the heater structure 46 to generate the aerosol inhaled by the user via the mouthpiece 50. By capillary effect, the vaporized liquid L in the wick 44 close to the heater structure 46 is transferred from the storage portion of the capsule 40 via the liquid intermediate storage portion 42.

It will be understood that the shown functional and geometrical relationship between the vaporizer structure 24 and the piercing member 20 is only exemplary. For example, the piercing member 20 may be configured to emerge, when being extended from the retracted position into the extended position, from the proximal end of the receiving chamber 16. In this case, the piercing member 20 may be configured as not completely traversing the receiving chamber 16, the tip of the piercing member 20 may be intended to be positioned within the capsule 40 in the extended position, and the at least one inlet opening 34 of the piercing member 20 might be configured and arranged to deliver the liquid L from the tip to a liquid intermediate storage portion.

While detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. In particular, features presented and described in separate dependent claims may be applied in combination and any advantageous combination of such claims are herewith disclosed.

Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language).

It will be evident that the described embodiments may be varied in many ways. All such modifications as would be evident to one skilled in the art starting from what is explicitly described are intended to be included.