An Electronic Cigarette Pod, a Liquid Refill Device and a Refill Assembly Comprising Both

Abstract

Provided herein is an electronic cigarette defining a reservoir configured to contain a liquid to be vaporized. The reservoir has two connection portions each of which have a port, the connection portions of the reservoir being configured to cooperate with two connection portions of a refill device. The electronic cigarette further includes two valves, each of which is connected to one of the two connection portions of the reservoir. The valves have a closed configuration in which the ports of the reservoir are closed, and an open configuration in which only liquid is able to flow through one of the ports of the reservoir and towards the inside of the reservoir, and only air is able to flow through the other of the ports of the reservoir towards the outside of the reservoir.

1 . An electronic cigarette comprising:
 a reservoir configured to contain a liquid to be vaporized, said reservoir comprising:
 a chamber, 
 two connection portions having a coupling end leading into the chamber, and a port formed at a filling end opposite to the coupling end, the connection portions being configured to cooperate with two connection portions of a refill device, and 
   two valves each being connected to one of the ports, said valves having a closed configuration in which the ports are closed, and an open configuration in which only liquid is able to flow through one of the ports and towards the inside of the reservoir, and only air is able to flow through the other of the ports towards the outside of the reservoir, and   a vapour generation unit comprising:
 a wick connected to the reservoir by two connectors of the reservoir, and 
 a heating element attached to the wick, 
   
       wherein each connector has an end connected to the connection portion and disposed is between a respective one of the valves and the chamber. 
     
     
         2 . The electronic cigarette according to  claim 1 , wherein the two valves are one-way valves. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic cigarette according to  claim 2 , wherein each valve has an inlet end from which a fluid is able to enter and an outlet end from which the fluid is able to leave, the fluid being able to flow only from the inlet end towards the outlet end, one of the valves being arranged such that fluid can flow towards the inside of the reservoir, the other of the valves is arranged such that fluid can flow towards the outside of the reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic cigarette according to  claim 2 , wherein the valves are duckbill valves. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic cigarette according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is a coil wrapped in a spiral shape around the wick. 
     
     
         6 . A refill device for an electronic cigarette according to  claim 1 , the refill device comprising a compartment configured to contain a vaporizable liquid and two connection portions connected to the compartment, said connection portions of the refill device being configured to cooperate with the connection portions of the electronic cigarette so as to fill the reservoir of the electronic cigarette with said vaporizable liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The refill device according to  claim 6 , wherein the connection portions of the refill device are identical. 
     
     
         8 . The refill device according to  claim 7 , wherein one of the connection portions of the refill device has a cooperation end configured to force an opening of one of the valves of the electronic cigarette when the refill device cooperates with the electronic cigarette. 
     
     
         9 . The refill device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a nipple connected to one of the connection portions, the nipple being configured to force an opening of one of the valves of the electronic cigarette when the refill device cooperates with the electronic cigarette. 
     
     
         10 . The refill device according to  claim 6 , wherein the compartment is made of an elastic material. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled)