Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
  • A24F40/48—Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
  • A24F40/485—Valves; Apertures
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/60—Devices with integrated user interfaces
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/10—Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
  • A24F40/70—Manufacture

Definitions

• Vaporizer devices which can also be referred to as vaporizers, electronic vaporizer devices, or e-vaporizer devices, can be used for delivery of an aerosol (for example, a vapor- phase and/or condensed-phase material suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or some other gas carrier) containing one or more active ingredients by inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporizing device.
• an aerosol for example, a vapor- phase and/or condensed-phase material suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or some other gas carrier
• active ingredients by inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporizing device.
• electronic nicotine delivery systems include a class of vaporizer devices that are battery powered and that can be used to simulate the experience of smoking, but without burning of tobacco or other substances.
• Vaporizers are gaining increasing popularity both for prescriptive medical use, in delivering medicaments, and for consumption of tobacco, nicotine, and other plant-based materials. Vaporizer devices can be portable, self
• the vaporizable material can be drawn out of a reservoir and into the vaporization chamber via a wicking element (e.g., a wick). Drawing of the vaporizable material into the vaporization chamber can be at least partially due to capillary action provided by the wick as the wick pulls the vaporizable material along the wick in the direction of the vaporization chamber.
• a wicking element e.g., a wick
• one or more of the following features may optionally be included in any feasible combination.
• a shell for a vaporizer device includes a single continuous piece of a material, wherein the shell has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the shell extending at least partially around a perimeter of a receptacle configured to receive a vaporizer cartridge containing a vaporizable material, and the second portion of the shell configured to receive at least a portion of a power source.
• the second portion of the shell has a second thickness that is less than a first thickness of the first portion of the shell and/or a thickness of a transition region between the first portion of the shell and the second portion of the shell.
• FIG. 1 A depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of a vaporizer device 100 consistent with implementations of the current subject matter.
• the vaporizer device 100 can include a power source 112 (for example, a battery, which can be a rechargeable battery), and a controller 104 (for example, a processor, circuitry, etc. capable of executing logic) for controlling delivery of heat to an atomizer 141 to cause a vaporizable material 102 to be converted from a condensed form (such as a solid, a liquid, a solution, a suspension, a part of an at least partially unprocessed plant material, etc.) to the gas phase.
• a condensed form such as a solid, a liquid, a solution, a suspension, a part of an at least partially unprocessed plant material, etc.
• the controller 104 can be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with certain implementations of the current subject matter.
• PCBs printed circuit boards
• wick or “wicking element” include any material capable of causing fluid motion via capillary pressure.
• a resistive heating element or elements can be used to heat air passing through or past the vaporizable material 102, to cause convective heating of the vaporizable material 102.
• a resistive heating element or elements can be disposed in intimate contact with plant material such that direct conductive heating of the plant material occurs from within a mass of the plant material, as opposed to only by conduction inward from walls of an oven.
• the heating element can be activated in association with a user puffing (e.g., drawing, inhaling, etc.) on a mouthpiece 130 of the vaporizer device 100 to cause air to flow from an air inlet, along an airflow path that passes the atomizer 141 (e.g., wicking element and heating element).
• air can flow from an air inlet through one or more condensation areas or chambers, to an air outlet in the mouthpiece 130.
• Incoming air moving along the airflow path moves over or through the atomizer 141, where vaporizable material 102 in the gas phase is entrained into the air.
• the vaporizer device 100 can be configured to connect (such as, for example, wirelessly or via a wired connection) to a computing device (or optionally two or more devices) in communication with the vaporizer device 100.
• the controller 104 can include communication hardware 105.
• the controller 104 can also include a memory 108.
• the communication hardware 105 can include firmware and/or can be controlled by software for executing one or more cryptographic protocols for the communication.
• a computing device can be a component of a vaporizer system that also includes the vaporizer device 100, and can include its own hardware for communication, which can establish a wireless communication channel with the communication hardware 105 of the vaporizer device 100.
• a computing device used as part of a vaporizer system can include a general-purpose computing device (such as a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, some other portable device such as a smartwatch, or the like) that executes software to produce a user interface for enabling a user to interact with the vaporizer device 100.
• the outputs 117 can include one or more illuminating indicators, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other light sources, configured to provide feedback to a user based on a status and/or mode of operation of the vaporizer device 100.
• the illuminating indicators may flash, change colors, and/or brighten, or provide other indications relating to the status or use of the vaporizer device 100.
• the computing device executes one or more computer instruction sets to provide a user interface and underlying data handling.
• detection by the computing device of user interaction with one or more user interface elements can cause the computing device to signal the vaporizer device 100 to activate the heating element to reach an operating temperature for creation of an inhalable dose of vapor/aerosol.
• Other functions of the vaporizer device 100 can be controlled by interaction of a user with a user interface on a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device 100.
• the vaporizer device 100 may, in some implementations of the current subject matter, make use of signals from the sensor 113 (for example, a pressure sensor) to determine when a user is inhaling.
• the sensor 113 can be positioned in the airflow path and/or can be connected (for example, by a passageway or other path) to an airflow path containing an inlet for air to enter the vaporizer device 100 and an outlet via which the user inhales the resulting vapor and/or aerosol such that the sensor 113 experiences changes (for example, pressure changes) concurrently with air passing through the vaporizer device 100 from the air inlet to the air outlet.
• the heating element can be activated in association with a user's puff, for example by automatic detection of the puff, or by the sensor 113 detecting a change (such as a pressure change) in the airflow path.
• the sensor 113 can be positioned on or coupled to (e.g., electrically or electronically connected, either physically or via a wireless connection) the controller 104 (for example, a printed circuit board or other type of circuit board).
• the controller 104 for example, a printed circuit board or other type of circuit board.
• the seal 127 which can be a gasket, can be configured to at least partially surround the sensor 113 such that connections of the sensor 113 to the internal circuitry of the vaporizer device 100 are separated from a part of the sensor 113 exposed to the airflow path.
• the vaporizer device 100 can include electrical connection features (for example, means for completing a circuit) for completing a circuit that includes the controller 104 (for example, a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, or the like), the power source 112, and the heating element (for example, a heating element within the atomizer 141).
• electrical connection features for example, means for completing a circuit
• the controller 104 for example, a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, or the like
• the power source 112 for example, a heating element within the atomizer 141.
• These features can include one or more contacts (referred to herein as cartridge contacts 124a and 124b) on a bottom surface of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and at least two contacts (referred to herein as receptacle contacts 125a and 125b) disposed near a base of the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer device 100 such that the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receptacle contacts 125a and 125b make electrical connections when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into and coupled with the cartridge receptacle 118.
• cartridge contacts 124a and 124b on a bottom surface of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and at least two contacts (referred to herein as receptacle contacts 125a and 125b) disposed near a base of the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer device 100 such that the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receptacle contacts 125a and 125b make electrical connections when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into and coupled with the
• the circuit completed by these electrical connections can allow delivery of electrical current to a heating element and can further be used for additional functions, such as measuring a resistance of the heating element for use in determining and/or controlling a temperature of the heating element based on a thermal coefficient of resistivity of the heating element.
• the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receptacle contacts 125a and 125b can be configured to electrically connect in either of at least two orientations.
• one or more circuits necessary for operation of the vaporizer device 100 can be completed by insertion of the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receptacle 118 in a first rotational orientation (around an axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110) such that the cartridge contact 124a is electrically connected to the receptacle contact 125a and the cartridge contact 124b is electrically connected to the receptacle contact 125b.
• the one or more circuits necessary for operation of the vaporizer device 100 can be completed by insertion of the vaporizer cartridge 120 in the cartridge receptacle 118 in a second rotational orientation such cartridge contact 124a is electrically connected to the receptacle contact 125b and cartridge contact 124b is electrically connected to the receptacle contact 125a.
• the vaporizer body 110 includes one or more detents (for example, dimples, protrusions, etc.) protruding inwardly from an inner surface of the cartridge receptacle 118, additional material (such as metal, plastic, etc.) formed to include a portion protruding into the cartridge receptacle 118, and/or the like.
• detents for example, dimples, protrusions, etc.
• additional material such as metal, plastic, etc.
• One or more exterior surfaces of the vaporizer cartridge 120 can include corresponding recesses (not shown in FIG. 1A ) that can fit and/or otherwise snap over such detents or protruding portions when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118 on the vaporizer body 110.
• the detents or protrusions of the vaporizer body 110 can fit within and/or otherwise be held within the recesses of the vaporizer cartridge 120, to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in place when assembled.
• Such an can provide enough support to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in place to ensure good contact between the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receptacle contacts 125a and 125b, while allowing release of the vaporizer cartridge 120 from the vaporizer body 110 when a user pulls with reasonable force on the vaporizer cartridge 120 to disengage the vaporizer cartridge 120 from the cartridge receptacle 118.
• the vaporizer cartridge 120 or at least an insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 configured for insertion in the cartridge receptacle 118, can have a non-circular cross section transverse to the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118.
• the non-circular cross section can be approximately rectangular, approximately elliptical (e.g., have an approximately oval shape), non-rectangular but with two sets of parallel or approximately parallel opposing sides (e.g., having a parallelogram-like shape), or other shapes having rotational symmetry of at least order two.
• approximate shape indicates that a basic likeness to the described shape is apparent, but that sides of the shape in question need not be completely linear and vertices need not be completely sharp. Rounding of both or either of the edges or the vertices of the cross-sectional shape is contemplated in the description of any non-circular cross section referred to herein.
• the collector 1313 and the assembly including the wicking element 162, the heating element 1350, and the wick housing 1315 may be disposed inside the housing 160 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 with the housing 160 extending around a perimeter of the collector 1313 and the wick housing 1350. Moreover, the housing 160 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may extend at least partially below a top of the wick housing 1315.
• the vaporizer cartridge 120 when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled with the vaporizer body 110, at least a portion of the vaporizer cartridge 120, for example, at least a portion of the wick housing 1315 may be disposed inside the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110 and the housing 160 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may extend at least partially around a perimeter of the cartridge receptacle 118 as well as at least partially below a top of the cartridge receptacle 118.
• the collector 1313 may be configured to control an exchange of air and a vaporizable material into and out of the reservoir 140 of the vaporizer cartridge 120.
• the reservoir 140 may include a storage chamber 1342 and an overflow volume 1344 including the collector 1313.
• the storage chamber 1342 may be configured to contain at least a portion of the vaporizable material included in the cartridge 120.
• the cartridge 120 may be initially filled with the vaporizable material such that void space within the collector 1313 is at least partially filled with the vaporizable material as well.
• the overflow volume 1344 may be configured to collect and/or retain at least a portion of the vaporizable material displaced from the storage chamber 1342 to the overflow volume 1344 by one or more changes in a pressure state of the cartridge 120. Accordingly, the volumetric size of the overflow volume 1344 may be configured to be equal to, approximately equal to, or greater than the amount of increase in the volume of the content (e.g., vaporizable material and air) contained in the storage chamber 1342, when the volume of the content in the storage chamber 1342 expands due to a maximum expected change in pressure that the reservoir 140 may undergo relative to an ambient pressure.
• the volumetric size of the overflow volume 1344 may be configured to be equal to, approximately equal to, or greater than the amount of increase in the volume of the content (e.g., vaporizable material and air) contained in the storage chamber 1342, when the volume of the content in the storage chamber 1342 expands due to a maximum expected change in pressure that the reservoir 140 may undergo relative to an ambient pressure.
• the cartridge 120 may experience a change from a first pressure state to a second pressure state (e.g., a first relative pressure differential between the interior of the reservoir and ambient pressure and a second relative pressure differential between the interior of the reservoir and ambient pressure).
• a first pressure state the pressure inside the cartridge 120 may be less than an ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120.
• the second pressure state the pressure inside the cartridge 120 may exceed the ambient pressure.
• the pressure inside the cartridge 120 may be substantially equal to the ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120.
• a "pressure differential” may refer to a difference between a pressure within an internal part of the cartridge 120 and an ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120. Drawing the vaporizable material 1302 from the storage chamber 1342 to the atomizer for conversion to vapor or aerosol phases may reduce the volume of the vaporizable material 1302 remaining in the storage chamber 1342. Absent a mechanism for returning air into the storage chamber 1342 (e.g., to increase the pressure inside the cartridge 120 to achieve a substantial equilibrium with ambient pressure), low pressure or even a vacuum may develop within the cartridge 120. The low pressure or vacuum may interfere with the capillary action of the wicking element 1362 to draw additional quantities of the vaporizable material 1302 to the heating element 1350.
• the pressure inside of the cartridge 120 can also increase and exceed the ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120 due to various environmental factors such as, for example, a change in ambient temperature, altitude, and/or volume of the cartridge 120.
• This increase in internal pressure may occur, for example, after air is returned into the storage chamber 1342 to achieve an equilibrium between the pressure inside the cartridge 120 and the ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120.
• a sufficient change in one or more environmental factors may cause the pressure in the cartridge 120 to increase from below ambient pressure to above ambient pressure (e.g., transition from the first pressure state to the second pressure state) without any additional air entering the cartridge 120 to first achieve an equilibrium between the pressure inside the cartridge 120 and ambient pressure.
• the resulting negative pressure event in which the pressure inside the cartridge 120 undergoes a sufficient increase may displace at least a portion of the vaporizable material 1302 in the storage chamber 1342. Absent a mechanism for collecting and/or retaining the displaced vaporizable material 1302 within the cartridge 120, the displaced vaporizable material 1302 may leak from the cartridge 120.
• the overflow volume 1344 may have an opening to the exterior of cartridge 120 and may be in communication with the storage chamber 1342 such that the overflow volume 1344 may act as a venting channel to provide for the equalization of pressure in the cartridge 120, collect and at least temporarily retain the vaporizable material displaced from the storage chamber 1342 due to variations in a pressure differential between the storage chamber 1342 and ambient pressure, and/or optionally reversibly return at least a portion of the vaporizable material collected in the overflow volume 1344 back to into the storage chamber 1342.
• the vaporizable material may be stored in the storage chamber 1342 of the reservoir 140.
• the first pressure state may exist, for example, when the ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120 is approximately the same as or more than the pressure inside the cartridge 120.
• the structural and functional properties of the overflow channel 1104 are such that the vaporizable material may flow from the storage chamber 1342 toward the wicking element 1362 by way of one or more wick feeds 1362 leading from the storage chamber 1342 to the wicking element 1362 through the collector 1313.
• capillary action of the wicking element 1362 may draw the vaporizable material into proximity with the heating element 1350. Heat generated by the heating element 1350 may act on the vaporizable material to convert at least a portion of the vaporizable material to a gas phase.
• the vaporizable material in the first pressure state, none or a limited quantity of the vaporizable material may flow into the collector 1313, for example, into the overflow channel 1104 of the collector 1313. Contrastingly, when the cartridge 120 transitions from the first pressure state to the second pressure state, the vaporizable material may flow from the storage chamber 1342 into the overflow volume 1344 of the reservoir 140. By collecting and at least temporarily retaining the vaporizable material 1302 displaced from the storage chamber 1342, the collector 1313 may prevent or limit an undesirable (e.g., excessive) flow of the vaporizable material out of the reservoir 140.
• the second pressure state may exist when the ambient pressure external to the cartridge 120 is less than the pressure inside the cartridge 120.
• This pressure differential may cause an expanding air bubble inside the storage chamber 1342, which may displace a portion of the vaporizable material inside the storage chamber 1342.
• the displaced portion of the vaporizable material may be collected and at least temporarily retained by the collector 1313 instead of exiting the cartridge 120 to cause undesirable leakage.
• flow of the vaporizable material may be controlled by way of routing the vaporizable material displaced from the storage chamber 1342 to the overflow volume 1344 in the second pressure state.
• the collector 1313 may include an overflow channel 1104 having one or more capillary structures configured to collect and at least temporarily retain that contain at least some (and advantageously all) of the excess liquid vaporizable material displaced from the storage chamber 1342 without allowing the liquid vaporizable material to exit the collector 1313 and cause undesirable leakage.
• the overflow channel 1104 may also include capillary structures that enable the vaporizable material pushed into the collector 1313 (e.g., by excess pressure in the storage chamber 1342 relative to ambient pressure) to be reversibly drawn back into the storage chamber 1342 when the pressure inside the storage chamber 1342 reduces and/or equalizes relative to ambient pressure.
• the overflow channel 1104 of the collector 1313 may include one or more flow reversal features and/or properties that prevent air and liquid from bypassing each other during filling and emptying of the collector 1313.
• the overflow channel 1104 may include microfluidic features configured to control the flow of the vaporizable material into as well as out of the collector 1313. In doing so, the collector 1313 including the overflow channel 1104 may prevent or reduce leakage of the vaporizable material as well as the entrapment of air bubbles in the storage chamber 1342 and/or the overflow volume 1344.
• the microfluidic features or properties noted above may be related to the size, shape, surface coating, structural features, and/or capillary properties of the wicking element 1362, the wick feeds 1368, and/or the overflow channel 1104.
• the overflow channel 1104 in the collector 1313 may optionally have different capillary properties than the wick feeds 1368 leading to the wicking element 1362 such that a certain volume of the vaporizable material may be allowed to pass from the storage chamber 1342 into the overflow volume 1344 during the second pressure state in which at least a portion of the vaporizable material inside the storage chamber 1342 is displaced from the storage chamber 1342.
• the overall resistance of the collector 1313 to allowing liquid to flow out of the collector 1313 may be larger than an overall resistance of the wicking element 1362, for example, to allow the vaporizable material 1302 to primarily flow through the wick feeds 1368 toward the wicking element 1362 during the first pressure state.
• the wick feeds 1368 may provide a capillary pathway through or into the wicking element 1362 for the vaporizable material 1302 stored in reservoir 140.
• the capillary pathway may be large enough to permit a wicking action or capillary action to replace the vaporized vaporizable material in the wicking element 1362 but small enough to prevent leakage of the vaporizable material out of the cartridge 120 when excess pressure inside the cartridge 120 displaces at least a portion of the vaporizable material 1302 from the storage chamber 1342.
• the wicking element 1362 may be treated to prevent leakage, for example, by being coated after filling to prevent leakage or evaporation through the wicking element 1362. Any appropriate coating may be used, including, for example, a heat-vaporizable coating (e.g., a wax or other material) and/or the like.
• the generated heat may be transferred to at least a portion of the vaporizable material in the wicking element 1362 through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the wicking element 1362 is vaporized to generate an aerosol.
• air entering the cartridge 120 may flow over (or around, near, etc.) the wicking element 1362 and the heating element 1350 and may strip away the vaporized vaporizable material into the airflow passageway 1338, where the vapor may optionally be condensed and delivered in aerosol form, for example, through the airflow passageway 1338.
• Air which may be admitted to the storage chamber 1342 when the pressure inside the vaporizer cartridge 120 is lower than ambient pressure, may increase the pressure inside the vaporizer cartridge 120 and may cause the vaporizer cartridge 120 to transition to the second pressure state in which the pressure inside the vaporizer cartridge 120 exceed the ambient pressure external to the vaporizer cartridge 120.
• the vaporizer cartridge 120 may transition to the second pressure state in response to a change in ambient temperature, a change in ambient pressure (e.g., due to a change in external conditions such as altitude, weather, and/or the like), and/or a change in the volume of the vaporizer cartridge 120 (e.g., when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is compacted by an external force such as squeezing).
• the increase in the pressure inside the storage chamber 1342 may at least expand the air occupying the void space of the storage chamber 1342, thereby displacing at least a portion of the vaporizable material in the storage chamber 1342.
• the displaced portion of the vaporizable material may travel through at least some part of the overflow channel 1104 in the collector 1313.
• Microfluidic features of the overflow channel 1104 can cause the liquid vaporizable material 1302 to move along a length of the overflow channel 1104 in the collector 1313 only with a meniscus fully covering the cross-sectional area of the overflow channel 1104 transverse to the direction of flow along the length.
• the microfluidic features can include a cross-sectional area sufficiently small that for the material from which walls of the overflow channel 1104 are formed and the composition of the vaporizable material, the vaporizable material preferentially wets the overflow channel 1104 around an entire perimeter of the overflow channel 1104.
• the vaporizable material includes one or more of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin
• wetting properties of such a liquid are advantageously considered in combination with the geometry of the overflow channel 1104 and materials from which the walls of the overflow channel 1104 are formed.
• the meniscus may be freed from the gate or port walls to form one or more air bubbles, which are then released into the storage chamber 1342 with sufficient volume to equalize the pressure inside the storage chamber 1342 relative to ambient pressure.
• the above-described process may be reversed.
• the vaporizable material may pass through the gate or port into the overflow channel 1104 of the collector 1313 and a meniscus may form at the leading edge of a column of the vaporizable material passing into the overflow channel 1104 to prevent air from bypassing and flowing counter to the progression of the vaporizable material.
• FIG. 1C depicted is an example of the vaporizer device 100 and the vaporizer cartridge 120 consistent with implementations of the current subject matter.
• FIG. 1C depicts a perspective view of the vaporizer device 100 having the vaporizer cartridge 120 inserted (e.g., releasably) into the cartridge receptacle 118 (not shown in FIG. 1C ) of the vaporizer body 110.
• the vaporizer cartridge 120 may include a transparent portion that remains visible when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled to the vaporizer body 110. The transparent portion may allow a level of vaporizable material in the reservoir 140 to be viewed by a user.
• the heating element 1350 may be activated in response to a signal generated by the one or more sensors 113 (e.g., shown in FIG. 1 A) .
• the one or more sensors 113 may include at least one of pressure sensor, motion sensor, flow sensor, or other mechanism capable of detecting a puff and/or an imminent puff including, for example, by detecting changes in the airflow passageway 1338.
• the heating element 1350 may undergo a temperature increase as a result of a current flowing through one or more electrically resistive portion of the heating element 1350 where the electrical energy is converted to heat energy.
• the heating element 1350 may be activated by the controller 104 (e.g., shown in FIG. 1A ) controlling the power source 112 to discharge an electric current from the power source 112 to the heating element 1350.
• FIG. II depicts a bottom view of the vaporizer body 110.
• a first portion 201 of the shell 210 may include the cartridge receptacle 118 configured to receive a vaporizer cartridge such as, for example, the examples of the vaporizer cartridge 120 shown in FIGS. 1 A-D .
• a second portion 202 of the shell 210 may be configured to accommodate at least a portion of the power source 112 (e.g., a battery and/or the like).
• Forming the shell 210 from a single piece of metal can reduce manufacturing costs and complexity, for example, by eliminating a need for joining portions of the shell 210 by welding, adhesives, and/or the like.
• the structural integrity of the shell 210 can also be increased by using a one-piece design due to the absence of seams or joints (e.g., adhesives, welds, and/or the like) that may weaken and/or fail over time and use.
• the elimination of seams and joints may further improve the consistency of an external appearance of the shell 210.
• FIG. 3A shows a cross-sectional view across an axis of the shell 210.
• the first portion 201 with cartridge receptacle area 204 and apertures 220, is shown.
• a transition region 203 can be seen between the first portion 201 and the second portion 202 of the shell 210 such that the walls of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 are thinner than the walls of the shell 210 in at least the transition region 203.
• the thickness of the walls of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may be reduced, in order to increase the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the second portion 202 of the shell 210.
• Increasing the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may increase the capacity of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 such that the shell 210 is able to accommodate, for example, a larger battery serving as the power source 112.
• the first portion 201 of the shell 210 can be approximately 14- 16 mm wide and approximately 5-6 mm deep.
• the second portion 202 of the shell 210 can be approximately 16-17 mm wide and approximately 7-8 mm deep.
• the thickness of the walls of the first portion 201 of the shell can be approximately 0.4-0.5 mm, and the thickness of the walls of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 can be approximately 0.5-0.7 mm.
• the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 can be approximately 14.8 mm by approximately 5.8 mm, which is larger than the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the first portion 201 of the shell 210, which can be approximately 14.03 mm by approximately 4.81 mm.
• These thicknesses may be achieved by forming the shell 210 via impact extrusion, followed by machining of the first portion 201 of the shell 210. Forming the shell 210 such that the thickness of the walls at the transition region 203 is greater than the thickness of the walls of the shell 210 at the first portion 201 and the second portion 202 offers the following advantages of allowing more space in the second portion 202 of the shell 210 to contain additional components and/or a larger battery.
• FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view across an axis perpendicular to that shown in FIG. 3 A .
• the first portion 201 of the shell 210 may include one or more air inlets 250. Air may flow through the shell 210 via one or more air inlets 250.
• the one or more air inlets 250 which may be in fluid communication with one or more air inlets in the vaporizer cartridge 120 when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled with the vaporizer body 110 including the shell 210, may provide entry for air to travel through the vaporizer cartridge 120.
• the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may have larger inner cross sectional dimensions than the first portion 201 of the shell 210, with the second portion 202 of the shell 210 extending beyond the first portion 201 of the shell 210.
• the housing 160 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may extend at least partially below the top of the first portion 201 of the shell 210.
• the housing 160 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may further extend at least partially around a perimeter of the first portion 201 of the shell 210 while remaining substantially flush with the second portion 202 of the shell 210.
• the thickness of the walls of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may be reduced in order to increase the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the second portion 202 of the shell 210.
• the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may have a larger inner cross-sectional dimension than that of the first portion 201 of the shell 210.
• the one or more air inlets 250 can be seen in the cartridge receptacle area 204.
• the capacity of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may be increased as a result of reducing the thickness of the walls of the second portion 202 of the shell 210.
• Increasing the capacity of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 may allow the shell 210 to accommodate a larger battery serving as the power source 112, thereby increasing the power of the power source 112 and/or extending the battery life associated with the vaporizer device 100.
• increasing the capacity of the second portion of the shell 210 may allow the shell 210 to accommodate additional components (e.g., controllers, sensors, and/or the like) that may lend additional functionalities to the vaporizer device 100.
• FIGS. 4A-4E show embodiments of the cross-sectional dimensions of the shell 210.
• FIG. 4A shows the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the first portion 201 of the shell 210. As shown, the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the first portion 201 of the shell 210 can be approximately 14 mm by approximately 4.5-5.0 mm.
• FIG. 4B shows the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the second portion 202 of the shell 210. The inner cross-sectional dimensions of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 can be greater than the inner cross-sectional dimensions of the first portion 201 of the shell 210. For example, as shown in FIG.
• FIG. 4C shows a front view of the shell 210, indicating sections A and B.
• Section A is an outer view of the shell 210 corresponding with the cross- sectional view of section A-A of the second portion 202 of the shell 210, shown in FIG. 4B .
• Section B is an outer view of the shell 210 corresponding with the cross-sectional view of section B-B of the first portion 201 of the shell 210, shown in FIG. 4A.
• FIG. 4D shows a side cross-sectional view of the shell 210.
• the transition region 203 of the shell 210 can be seen.
• the thickness of the walls of the first portion 201 of the shell 210 can be approximately 0.4-0.5 mm.
• the thickness of the walls of the second portion 202 of the shell can be approximately 0.60 mm.
• the thickness of the walls of the transition region 203 of the shell 210 can be thicker than one or both of the thicknesses of the first portion 201 and/or the second portion 202 of the shell 210.
• FIG. 4E is another front view of the shell 210, showing section C of the shell 210, which corresponds to the cross-sectional view of section C-C, shown in FIG. 4D .
• the width of the first portion 201 of the shell 210 can be approximately 14.5-15.0 mm. In embodiments, the width of the second portion 202 of the shell 210 can be approximately 16.0 mm. It should be appreciated that the dimensions described and illustrated herein can vary without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 5 A shows a close-up view of the vaporizer body 110 including the first portion 201, the second portion 202, and the transition region 203 of the shell 210.
• the vaporizer body 110 may be coupled with the vaporizer cartridge 120, which may include the collector 1313, wick feeds 1368, heating element 1350, and wicking element 1362.
• FIG. 5 A shows that the cartridge receptacle 118, which may be disposed at least partially within the cartridge receptacle area 204 formed by the first portion 201 of the shell 210, may receive the vaporizer cartridge 120.
• the wick housing 1315 including the wicking element 1362 and the heating element 1350 may be disposed at least partially within the cartridge receptacle 118 when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled with the vaporizer body 110.
• the second portion 202 contains, at least partially, the power source 112, which provides power to the vaporizer cartridge 120 in order to vaporize the vaporizable material 102 (not shown in FIG. 5A ).
• the second portion 202 may also include additional components such as controllers or sensors, which may add additional functionality.
• FIG. 5B depicts a disassembled view of an example of the vaporizer body 110 consistent with implementations of the current subject matter.
• the vaporizer body 110 may include a shell 210, a sheath 1219, a battery 1212, a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 1203, an antenna 1217, a skeleton 1211, a charge badge 1213, a cartridge interface 1218, an endcap 1201, and an LED badge 1215.
• assembly of the vaporizer body 110 may include placing the battery 1212 within the skeleton 1211 at an inferior end of the skeleton 1211 (lefthand side of FIG. 5B ).
• the antenna 1217 may be coupled to an inferior end of the battery 1212.
• the cartridge interface 1218, the PCBA 1203, and the battery 1212 may be mechanically coupled, for example, via one or more coupling means.
• an inferior end of the PCBA 1203 may be coupled to a superior end of the battery 1212 and a superior end of the PCBA 1203 may be coupled to the cartridge interface 1218 using press fits, solder joints, and/or any other coupling means.
• the sheath 1219 may be configured to at least partially surround the cartridge interface 1218 when the cartridge interface 1218 is disposed in the sheath 1219.
• the skeleton 1211 When disposed in the shell 210, the skeleton 1211 (e.g., including the battery 1212, the antenna 1217, the cartridge interface 1218, and the PCBA 1203) may be secured to the shell 210 by friction fit, spring tension, and/or the like.
• the skeleton 1211 may include one or more snap features 1221 configured to engage the shell 210.
• FIG. 5C depicts a top perspective view of the vaporizer body 110 including an example of the cartridge receptacle 118 consistent with implementations of the current subject matter.
• the cartridge receptacle 118 may be disposed at least partially within the sheath 1219.
• the top rim of the cartridge receptacle 118 and the sheath 1219 may be substantially flush.
• the interior of the cartridge receptacle 118 may include one or more pod identifier contacts (e.g., the pod identifier contacts 307A, 307B, and 307C) and one or more receptacle contacts (e.g., the receptacle contacts 125A and 125B).
• the vaporizer body 110 may also include one or more pod retention features 415, which may be disposed on an interior of the cartridge receptacle 118 and/or an exterior of the sheath 1219.
• the pod retention features 415 may include pins, clips, protrusions, detents, and/or the like.
• the pod retention features 415 may be configured to secure the vaporizer cartridge 120 within the cartridge receptacle 118 including by applying, against the vaporizer cartridge 120, a magnetic force, an adhesive force, a compressive force, a friction force, and/or the like.
• the pod retention features 415 may be configured to form a mechanical coupling with, for example, at least a portion of the heating element 1350 and/or a portion of the wick housing 1315 (e.g., the recesses in the wick housing 1315).
• the pod retention features 415 may be configured to form a mechanical coupling with the housing of the vaporizer cartridge 120.
• the pod retention features 415 may include various means of securing the vaporizer cartridge 120 within the cartridge receptacle 118.
• the pod retention features 415 may be disposed at any suitable location in the vaporizer body 110.
• the cartridge interface 1218 may include a notch 510 in at least one sidewall of the cartridge interface 1218.
• the thickness of the walls of the shell 210 may be thickened to increase the strength of the material forming the shell 210 (e.g., aluminum (Al) and/or the like).
• the notch 510 may include a region in the sidewall of the cartridge interface 1218 where the thickness of the material forming the cartridge interface 1218 is reduced (e.g., thinned or tapered) or where the material forming the cartridge interface 1218 is eliminated altogether.
• the resulting notch 510 may provide space for accommodating the wick housing 1315 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled with the vaporizer body 110.
• the example of the notch 510 shown in FIG. 5C may be U-shaped cutout conforming at least partially to the contours of the wick housing 1315.
• the shape, size, and thickness of the material at the notch 510 may correspond to the shape and size of the wick housing 1315 as well as the thickness of the shell 210 (e.g., at the sheath 1219).
• the material may improve the dissipation of heat from the heating element 1350 disposed in the wick housing 1315. For example, excess heat generated by the heating element 1350 may be absorbed and dissipated by the shell 210, instead of the excess heat potentially softening or damaging one or more portions of the cartridge interface 1218 or other structures that are proximate to the heating element 1350 when the cartridge 160 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118. Forming the notch 510 by thinning (or tapering) the material may reduce the structural integrity of the cartridge interface 1218, rendering the cartridge interface 1218 more susceptible to breakage during manufacturing and use.
• the notch 510 may be implemented as a cutout to increase the robustness the cartridge interface 1218 and the durability of the vaporizer device 100 incorporating the cartridge interface 1218. Manufacturing complexity and cost may also be reduced by implementing the notch 510 as a cutout at least because the cartridge interface 1218 may be less fragile and prone to breakage during manufacturing and assembly.
• FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an exemplary processing method 600, which may be used to form an example of the shell 210 consistent with implementations of the current subject matter.
• a material can be provided, such as a slug, billet, or other material (601).
• the slug or billet may be hollow or solid.
• Impact extrusion can then be performed on the material (602).
• impact extrusion may be performed to form the shell 210.
• Machining may be employed to form various features of the shell 210 (603).
• the first portion 201 of the shell 210 may be machined.
• the neck features, cartridge receptacle area 204, and/or transition region 203 may be machined.
• the machining step can be followed by additional processing, such as heat treatment, sandblasting, polishing, anodizing, or the like.
• FIGS. 7A-7B show the shell 210 manufactured via the processing method 600 of FIG. 6 .
• FIG. 7A is a front plan view of the shell 210 after impact extrusion of a material 700 was used to form the shape of the shell 210 (602). As shown in FIG. 7A , some material 700 remains around the exterior of the shell 210, including additional material 703 around the transition region 203 (not shown in FIG. 7A ) of the shell 210.
• FIG. 7B is a front plan view of the shell 210 after machining of features of the shell (603). As shown in FIG. 7B , the cartridge receptacle area 204, apertures 220, and the first portion 201 and second portion 202, have been machined onto the shell 210.
• references to a structure or feature that is disposed "adjacent" another feature can have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.
• phrases such as "at least one of' or “one or more of' may occur followed by a conjunctive list of elements or features.
• the term “and/or” may also occur in a list of two or more elements or features. Unless otherwise implicitly or explicitly contradicted by the context in which it used, such a phrase is intended to mean any of the listed elements or features individually or any of the recited elements or features in combination with any of the other recited elements or features.
• the phrases “at least one of A and B;” “one or more of A and B;” and “A and/or B” are each intended to mean "A alone, B alone, or A and B together.”
• a similar interpretation is also intended for lists including three or more items.
• phrases “at least one of A, B, and C;” “one or more of A, B, and C;” and “A, B, and/or C” are each intended to mean “A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A and B and C together.”
• Use of the term “based on,” above and in the claims is intended to mean, “based at least in part on,” such that an unrecited feature or element is also permissible.
• spatially relative terms such as “forward”, “rearward”, “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” can encompass both an orientation of over and under.
• the device can be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise.
• first and second may be used herein to describe various features/elements (including steps), these features/elements should not be limited by these terms, unless the context indicates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/element from another feature/element. Thus, a first feature/element discussed below could be termed a second feature/element, and similarly, a second feature/element discussed below could be termed a first feature/element without departing from the teachings provided herein.
• a numeric value can have a value that is +/- 0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc.
• Any numerical values given herein should also be understood to include about or approximately that value, unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, if the value "10" is disclosed, then “about 10" is also disclosed. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all subranges subsumed therein.
• One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein can be realized in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, specially designed application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) computer hardware, firmware, software, and/or combinations thereof.
• ASICs application specific integrated circuits
• FPGAs field programmable gate arrays
• These various aspects or features can include implementation in one or more computer programs that are executable and/or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which can be special or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.
• the programmable system or computing system can include clients and servers.
• a client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
• machine-readable signal refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor.
• the machine-readable medium can store such machine instructions nontransitorily, such as for example as would a non transient solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any equivalent storage medium.
• the machine-readable medium can alternatively or additionally store such machine instructions in a transient manner, such as for example, as would a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

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• 2021
  • 2021-05-21 WO PCT/US2021/033757 patent/WO2021237157A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2021-05-21 EP EP21734586.7A patent/EP4152982B1/fr active Active
  • 2021-05-21 EP EP25188810.3A patent/EP4606247A3/fr active Pending
• 2022
  • 2022-11-21 US US17/991,476 patent/US20230098660A1/en active Pending

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