Device for storing and vaporizing liquid media

Abstract

A device for storing and vaporizing liquid media can comprise an annular liquid media storage tank and a heater configured to vaporize liquid stored in the annular liquid media storage tank.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A cartomizer for use with an electronic smoking device, comprising:
 a tank having an inner tube within an outer housing;   a battery connector adjacent to a first end of the tank;   a proximal seal adjacent to a second end of the tank;   a heater coil housing in between the battery connector and the proximal seal;   a heater coil in the heater coil housing, the heater coil around a wick for moving liquid from the tank towards the heater coil;   the inner tube extending centrally through the outer housing, a first end of the inner tube sealed to a heater coil housing; and   a mouthpiece attached to the tank.   
     
     
         22 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  further including a first snap connector engaging the proximal seal to an inner surface of the outer housing. 
     
     
         23 . The cartomizer of  claim 22  further including a second snap connector engaging the battery connector to the inner surface of the outer housing. 
     
     
         24 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  further including an expansion chamber in the proximal seal. 
     
     
         25 . The cartomizer of  claim 24  wherein the expansion chamber has a diameter larger than an inside diameter of the inner tube. 
     
     
         26 . The cartomizer of  claim 25  wherein the mouthpiece includes an outwardly flaring outlet. 
     
     
         27 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  wherein first and second ends of the wick extend out of first and second ports in the heater coil housing, and the wick has a diameter greater than the first port and greater than the second port. 
     
     
         28 . The cartomizer of  claim 27  wherein the wick is compressed between a neck portion and a base portion of the heater coil housing. 
     
     
         29 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  wherein first and second ends of the wick extend out of first and second ports in the heater coil housing, further including a first recess in the heater coil housing around the first port and a second recess in the heater coil housing around the second port. 
     
     
         30 . The cartomizer of  claim 29  wherein the first and second recesses each has a chamfered sidewalls. 
     
     
         31 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  wherein the heater coil housing has a circumferential lip partially overlying a recessed pocket. 
     
     
         32 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  further including a lip portion on an inner surface of the outer housing projecting into a recessed portion of the proximal seal, creating a seal to prevent liquid from leaking out of the tank. 
     
     
         33 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  further including an L-shaped channel on the battery connector for mechanically attaching the cartomizer to a battery assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  wherein the inner tube has an inner diameter which increases from the heater coil housing to the proximate seal. 
     
     
         35 . The cartomizer of  claim 21  further including a liquid in the tank having a viscosity in a range of 100 centipoise to 300 centipoise at 20° centigrade. 
     
     
         36 . A battery assembly for an electronic smoking device, comprising;
 a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet;   a battery in the housing;   a battery connector at a first end of the housing;   an airflow sensor in the housing; and   a semi-permeable membrane in the housing in between the air outlet and the airflow sensor, the semi-permeable membrane allowing air to pass through while blocking liquid.   
     
     
         37 . The battery assembly of  claim 36  further including an absorbent material in the housing between the battery connector and the battery. 
     
     
         38 . An electronic smoking device, comprising:
 a first section including a tank formed by an inner tube within an outer housing, a first battery connector at a first end of the tank, a proximal seal at a second end of the tank, a heater coil housing in between the first battery connector and the proximal seal, a heater coil in the heater coil housing, the heater coil around a wick for moving liquid from the tank towards the heater coil, and a mouthpiece attached to the tank; and   a second section attachable to the first section, the second section including a battery housing, a battery and an airflow sensor in the housing, a second electrical connector, and a processing device including a computer readable medium executed by the processing device, the computer readable medium containing an anti-leaking algorithm which detects a liquid short of the airflow sensor and turns off the heater coil when a liquid short of the airflow sensor is detected.   
     
     
         39 . The electronic smoking device of  claim 38  with the computer readable medium further containing instructions to analyze what an electrical signal from the airflow sensor looks like under normal operation and what an electrical signal from the airflow sensor looks like when the airflow sensor is short circuited. 
     
     
         40 . A cartomizer for use with an electronic smoking device, comprising:
 an inner tube within an outer housing;   a battery connector adjacent to a first end of the outer housing;   a proximal seal adjacent to a second end of the outer housing;   a heater coil housing in between the battery connector and the proximal seal;   a heater coil in the heater coil housing, the heater coil around a wick;   the inner tube extending centrally through the outer housing a first end of the inner tube sealed to a heater coil housing; and   a mouthpiece at the second end of the outer housing.