Electronic Cigarette with Near Field Communication

Abstract

An electronic cigarette includes an inhaler body and a removable capsule with a base, connectable to the inhaler body. The inhaler body includes a first NFC tag and the removable capsule includes a second NCF tag, the first NFC tag and the second NFC tag being configured to exchange data when the removable capsule is connected to the inhaler body. The inhaler body includes an opening for receiving the removable capsule and at least one aperture for facilitating the electromagnetic connection between the first NFC tag and the second NFC tag.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette comprising an inhaler body and a removable capsule with a base, the removable capsule being connectable to the inhaler body, wherein the inhaler body comprises a first NFC tag and the removable capsule comprises a second NCF tag, the first NFC tag and the second NFC tag being configured to exchange data when the removable capsule is connected to the inhaler body, wherein the inhaler body comprises an opening for receiving the removable capsule, and wherein the inhaler body comprises at least one aperture for facilitating an electromagnetic connection between the first NFC tag and the second NFC tag.

2. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the at least one aperture comprises two apertures diametrically opposed to each other.

3. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the at least one aperture is filled with a material that lets through electromagnetic waves.

4. The electronic cigarette according to claim 3, wherein the material is transparent to visible light.

5. The electronic cigarette according to claim 3, wherein the material is colourless transparent polycarbonate.

6. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the removable capsule comprises at least one element for attenuating electromagnetic noise.

7. The electronic cigarette according to claim 6, wherein the element for attenuating electromagnetic noise is a ferrite sheet.

8. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein that the base is made of a non-metallic material and the removable capsule further comprises at least one ferrous plug for connection with the inhaler body.

9. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the inhaler body is made of a non-metallic material.

10. The electronic cigarette according to claim 9, wherein the inhaler body is made of glass and/or plastic.

11. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the first NFC tag is disposed over at least a half of a circumference of the inhaler body and/or the second NFC tag is disposed over at least a half of a circumference of the removable capsule.

12. An inhaler body for an electronic cigarette comprising a first NFC tag, the inhaler body configured to connect to a removable capsule, the first NFC tag configured to exchange data with a second NFC tag of the removable capsule when the removable capsule is connected to the inhaler body, wherein the inhaler body further comprises an opening for receiving the removable capsule, and wherein the inhaler body further comprises at least one aperture for facilitating an electromagnetic connection between the first NFC tag and the second NFC tag.

13. The inhaler body according to claim 12, wherein the inhaler body is made of a non-metallic material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] For a more complete understanding of the invention and the advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representative of an electronic cigarette according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the electronic cigarette according the first embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of an inhaler body of the electronic cigarette according to a second embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of an inhaler body of the electronic cigarette according to a third embodiment;

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of vectors of a simulated magnetic field of an NFC reader antenna without an aperture in an inhaler body of an electronic cigarette; and

[0033] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of vectors of a simulated magnetic field of an NFC reader antenna with an aperture in an inhaler body of an electronic cigarette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an electronic cigarette 100 comprising an inhaler body 200 and a removable capsule 300 with a base 400.

[0036] The inhaler body 200 has a generally elongate cylindrical enclosure 210, which encloses or houses a power source such as a battery unit (not shown) for supplying electrical power or current to an aerosol generating means (not shown) for vaporizing a liquid solution or to heat the heat-not-burn material in order to generate a vapour for inhalation. The liquid solution or the heat-not-burn material are stored in a reservoir 310, which in this embodiment is incorporated in the capsule 300. The inhaler body 200 comprises the enclosure 210 or housing and the removable capsule 300 is disposed at least partially in the enclosure 210, in particular in a chamber in which the capsule 300 is removably disposed. The chamber may be thermally isolated from the external environment. The chamber could be located at any suitable position between the distal end and the proximal end of the enclosure 210 of the inhaler body 200. The inhaler body 200 may be made of a metal such as aluminium or of a non-metallic material such as glass or plastic. The inhaler body 200 may comprise a control unit (not shown) for controlling operation of the aerosol generating means. The inhaler body 200 encloses the power source such as the battery unit (not show) which connects electrically with the control unit provided on a printed circuit board arranged in the enclosure of the inhaler body 200. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the aerosol generating means for vaporizing the liquid solution or for heating the heat-not-burn material to generate vapour for inhalation and/or the control unit for controlling operation of the aerosol generating means may be incorporated in the removable capsule 300.

[0037] As will be appreciated, the power source or battery unit (not shown) will typically cooperate with the control unit (not shown) or microcontroller module present in the inhaler body 200. These are operatively connected to the aerosol generating means in order to provide electric power or current to a heating element for example an inductive heating arrangement or a heating coil and to control the aerosol generating process. The control unit may be arranged to control the operation of the heating element, based on a detected characteristic, to provide a desired heating profile. The heating profile can be set automatically upon recognition of the removable capsule 300 (i.e. by reading of the data contained in the corresponding NFC tag) so that the liquid solution as a flavour-release medium is heated in an optimum manner to release the flavour and aroma therefrom.

[0038] The removable capsule 300 includes a generally cylindrical casing or enclosure, which defines the reservoir 310 for storing a volume of the liquid solution or of the heat-not-burn material to be vaporized. A mouthpiece 320 is provided at an end of the removable capsule 300 for conveying or delivering the aerosol generated to a user. Further, the removable capsule 300 includes the base 400, which surrounds an end region. The base 400 may include coupling means (not shown) which provide a connection between the removable capsule and the inhaler body 200. The base 400 may be made of metal or a non-metallic material. For example, the inhaler body 200 including an end portion with corresponding coupling means and the removable capsule 300 can be connected by a magnetic connection, screwing or otherwise. The magnetic connection is preferable if the base 400 of the removable capsule 300 is made of metal material. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the enclosure 210 is made of a metal material and includes at least one aperture 224 such as an opening of the enclosure 210 in the form of a window.

[0039] In FIG. 2, the electronic cigarette 100 is shown in a cross-sectional view, wherein the inhaler body 200 includes a first near field communication (NFC) tag 220. When the inhaler body 200 and the removable capsule 300 are connected by the coupling means, the electronic cigarette 100 can be set by means in an activated state for electrically connection and activation of the aerosol generating means to generate vapour for inhalation. Further, the first NFC tag 220 is activated. The first NFC tag 220 may be provided as an active NFC tag receiving power from the power source such as the battery unit (not shown) and transmitting and/or receiving commands from and to a second NFC tag 340. The second NFC tag 340 is included on the removable capsule 300 provided for data transmission with the first NFC tag 220 on the inhaler body 200. The near field communication based on an electromagnetic field is performed between devices in close proximity, whereby the distance is related to an antenna design and dimension used in the NFC tags. The first NFC tag 220 includes inter alia a reader antenna 222 arranged in the enclosure 210 of the inhaler body 200. The reader antenna 222 can be configured as a flexible reader antenna 222. The at least one aperture 224 is arranged in relation to the first NFC tag 220, in particular to the reader antenna 222.

[0040] Shown in FIG. 3 in a cross-sectional view is the inhaler body 200 with two apertures 224 arranged on opposite sides of the enclosure 210, in particular provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tubular shape of the enclosure 210. The opposed apertures 224 are filled with a filling material 226 transparent to visible light. Light shines through the apertures 224, configured as windows, filled with the filling material 226, such that the level of the liquid solution or quantity of the heat-not-burn material stored in the reservoir 310 of the removable capsule 300 and positioned such that the reservoir 310 is in the portion of the enclosure 210 to be seen from the apertures 224 can be inspected.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the inhaler body 200 comprising the tubular shaped enclosure 210 opened at one end, in particular the proximal end, for receiving the removable capsule 300 and provided with two opposed apertures 224. These apertures 224 include the filling material 226 and in this portion of the enclosure 210, the first NFC tag 220 is arranged, in particular configured with a flexible antenna. Therefore, the first NFC tag 220 is disposed inside the enclosure 210 such that it extends over at least a half of the circumference of the inhaler body 200. As can be seen in FIG. 4, between the apertures 224 and the first NFC tag 220 an element for attenuation of electromagnetic noise is arranged, provided for example as a ferrite sheet partially wrapped around on the inside of the enclosure 210 preferably made of aluminium.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a simulation of a magnetic field of the first NFC tag 220 disposed inside the tubular shaped enclosure 210 which does not have any aperture 224 on the circumference of the inhaler body 200. It can be seen that the vectors of the magnetic field representing direction and magnitude of the magnetic field are such that the created magnetic field cannot close readily. Accordingly, a read range of the first NFC tag 220 is not far and/or strong enough towards the second NFC tag 340 of the removable capsule 300.

[0043] In contrast thereto, FIG. 6 shows a simulation of a magnetic field of the first NFC tag 220 disposed inside the tubular shaped inhaler body 220 with one aperture 224 on the circumference. According to the aperture 224, the vectors of the magnetic field representing direction and magnitude of the magnetic field can develop such to create a closed magnetic field more readily.