About Electronic Cigarettes, How Do They Work

Electronic cigarettes are an alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes. The cigarettes consist of 3 parts: a battery, a vaporizer (with microchip) and a mouthpiece (with nicotine cartridges and different flavors). The electronic cigarette uses advanced microelectronic atomization technology to vaporize the nicotine, producing a harmless vapor-like smoke.The battery, cartridge and atomizer are assembled very easily. The cigarette is non-flammable, and works as soon as you draw on it – there is no on/off switch. The battery is rechargeable and lasts for approximately 10 hours. The duration of one cartridge is comparable with 12 “normal” cigarettes. Apart from being an attractive alternative to traditional smoking, electronic smoking is up to 60% cheaper!

 

Operation of an Electronic Cigarette

In automatic models, when a user inhales through the device, air flow is detected by a sensor, which activates a heating element that vaporizes a flavored liquid solution stored in the mouthpiece, which may contain nicotine. On manual models, the user must depress a button to activate the heating element to produce vapor which is then inhaled by the user. On most models an LED on the opposite end of the device is also activated during inhalation, which serves as an indicator of use. Several LED colors are available from various manufacturers.

 

 

The Components of an Electronic Cigarette

While electronic cigarettes take many forms, they each generally employ the same basic components: a mouthpiece, a heating element or atomizer, a rechargeable battery, and various electronic circuits.

Mouthpiece or cartridge

The mouthpiece is a small disposable plastic cup-like piece affixed to the end of the tube. Inside the mouthpiece is a smaller plastic cup which holds an absorbent material that is saturated with a flavored liquid solution. The level of nicotine varies depending on the solution. This inner cup is made such that air is able to flow around it and through a hole in the end of the outer piece; this is necessary for the device to provide the ability for suction to move the vapor into the user’s mouth. The mouthpiece is referred to in the industry as a “cartridge”. When the liquid in the cartridge has been depleted, it can either be refilled by the user or replaced with another pre-filled cartridge.
As an alternative to the traditional plastic mouthpiece, some manufacturers have created dedicated mouthpieces just for dripping, such as Super-T manufacturing’s stainless steel T-Tip drip tip.  Another alternative to using cartridges is the direct dripping method using drip tips. By removing the absorbent material, one is able to simply remove the plastic mouthpiece and drip several drops of e-liquid directly onto the atomizer bridge. To further ease dripping, some manufacturers have created specialty mouthpieces made of stainless steel or plastic that are intended just for dripping and do not require removal each time you drip.
Heating element or atomizer of Electronic Cigarettes

The heating element serves to vaporize the liquid in the mouthpiece so that it can be inhaled. This component is referred to in the industry as an “atomizer”. Atomizers last about 6 months (on average) and replacements are one of the recurring expenses associated with electronic cigarettes. Some models combine an atomizer and pre-filled disposable component referred to as a “cartomizer”.

 

Batteries and Electronics of the Electronic Cigarette

Most electronic cigarettes employ a lithium-ion rechargeable battery to power the heating element. Battery life varies depending on the battery type and size, frequency of use, and operating environment. Many different battery charger types are available, such as wall outlet, car, and USB chargers. The battery is generally the largest component of an electronic cigarette.

 

Some electronic cigarettes employ an electronic airflow sensor to automatically activate the heating element upon inhalation, while other models require the user to press a button while inhaling. Various other electronic circuits are usually employed as well, such as a timed cutoff switch to prevent overheating and a colored LED to signal activation of the device and also to mimic the glow of a cigarette’s end tip.

Traditionally, electronic cigarettes have utilized an electronic means of activation. This involved the use of small tactile switches, vacuum switches and the related wiring and electronics necessary to run them. Users soon discovered these could be unreliable. With the advent of “mods”, several manufacturers have created all-mechanical electronic cigarettes that eliminate the use of any wiring, solder or electronics in an effort to improve switch reliability.

 

While some larger electronic cigarette models employ a user-replaceable standard-size battery cell, many models are too small to house a standard-size cell and instead require a proprietary component made by the electronic cigarette manufacturer. For those models, the battery and electronic components are housed within a single replaceable part, which is still generally referred to in the industry simply as the “battery”.

There have been some recent developments with the implementation of mobile phone battery technology into this market sector allowing the electronic cigarettes batteries to be charged on the go in a crumple proof box known as a Personal Charging Case. The rechargeable battery inside the Personal Charging Case allows the user to charge the battery stems inside the case and store the replacement cartomizers/cartridges too. The recharging box/case is also the same size as a packet of traditional tobacco cigarettes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified electronic cigarettes as a drug delivery device and subject to market approval prior to sale under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). In January 2010, this classification was overturned by a federal judge, but issued a stay of judge Leone’s ruling pending ruling on the appeal in March 2010. Despite this, a number of electronic cigarette companies have emerged online. In September 2010, the FDA announced that it would begin regulating e-cigarettes, because they comprise both a drug and a drug delivery device.

Following this announcement, the FDA began regulatory action against five American companies “for violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), including unsubstantiated claims and poor manufacturing practices.”

The appeals court heard oral arguments on September 23rd 2010. On December the 7th, The appeals court ruled against the FDA in 3-0 unanimous decision, clearing the way for marketing of electronic cigarettes worldwide. The FDA is now in the unenviable position of having broken Judge Leone’s ruling before the judgment on the injunction by the appeals court, and will have to settle with njoy rather than go back to the district court for the balance of the case and end up publicly rebuked by the judge. The judge had issued a ruling that Electronic cigarettes are Tobacco products, and they ignored it and issued warning letters to the five manufacturers.

In April 2006, the electronic cigarette was brought to Europe, and officially launched at the “RUYAN” Overseas Promotion Conference in Austria.

After its introduction, this product was adapted to the European market and marketed in UK as the “electronic cigarette”. In 2007, Reuters visited SBT RUYAN in Beijing, which drew media attention to the technology. According to Matt Salmon, president of the recently formed Electronic Cigarette Association, the total number of e-cigarette users was estimated to be 300,000 in October 2009, based on survey results. In his opinion, Salmon added, the actual figure was in excess of that.