Patent Application
20210084989
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The present invention relates to the field of electronic smoking, and more specifically to the field of electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers.
Since entering the U.S. market in 2007, electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, e-cigs, electronic nicotine delivery systems, vaporizer cigarettes, or vape pens, have attracted a growing supply of consumers, and sales are expected to increase in the years ahead. An electronic cigarette is a handheld battery-powered vaporizer that simulates smoking by providing some of the behavioral aspects of smoking, including the hand-to-mouth action of smoking, but without combusting tobacco. Using an electronic cigarette is known as “vaping” and the user is referred to as a “vaper.” Electronic cigarettes typically have a heating element that atomizes a liquid solution called e-liquid. E-liquids typically include nicotine, flavoring and a humectant, such as propylene glycol, to retain moisture and create an aerosol when heated. Electronic cigarettes are automatically activated by taking a puff or pressing a button. Some e-cigarettes look like traditional cigarettes, but they come in many variations. Most versions are reusable, though some are disposable.
Aerosol production generally involves three stages: preprocessing, aerosol generation and postprocessing. The first stage involves the transport of the e-liquid to the aerosol generator. Capillary action through a wick is the primary means used by the majority of current electronic cigarettes to control the delivery of e-liquid to the aerosol generator. The second stage of aerosol processing involves aerosol generation, in which the e-liquid comes in contact with the heating element as described above. The final stage of aerosol processing occurs as the aerosol travels through the central air passage to the consumer.
As the electronic cigarette industry continues to evolve, new products are quickly developed and brought to market. Although numerous disposable and reusable electronic cigarette product options exist, the technology is still young, and largely based on repurposed electronic cigarette hardware that has left consumers plagued by a familiar suite of problems. Specifically, currently marketed electronic cigarettes lack interchangeability of components and configurations that determine the airflow rate and heating element temperature. For example, the heating element's resistance, material, and the voltage across it determine the current flow and element temperature. The heating element temperature and temperature duration influence the aerosol properties. As a result, user modification is of particular concern since the performance, risks and safety associated with a particular brand's configuration might change significantly when that configuration is modified.
Therefore, a need exists to improve over the prior art and more particularly, for a modular system for vaporizing liquid vaporizing material that supports interchangeability of components feature adjustments that determine the airflow rate and heating element temperature.
A modular system for vaporizing liquid vaporizing material is disclosed. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of disclosed concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description including the drawings provided. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this Summary intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.
In one embodiment, a modular system for vaporizing liquid vaporizing material is disclosed. The modular system includes a mouthpiece having at least one mouthpiece inlet on a mouthpiece sidewall and an air outlet at a mouthpiece end. The system further includes a first housing that is configured to removably attach to the mouthpiece. The first housing includes a tube that is disposed within the first housing such that a first end of the tube is proximate to a first end of the first housing. An oil chamber within the first housing is configured for storing liquid vaporizing material. A coil unit is configured to be removably attachable within a coil unit compartment of the first housing. The coil unit includes a mouth at a first end of the coil unit, at least one coil unit passageway within the coil unit, a heating element, a pair of first conductors for providing electrical communication between the heating element and a power source externally located from the coil unit, and a wick in contact with the heating element and positioned with a heating chamber. The system further includes a second housing having a first end and a second end and having at least one second housing inlet on a second housing sidewall. The first end of the second housing is configured to removably attach with a second end of the first housing. The second housing includes a central processing unit, the power source, a display, at least one control for controlling the system, a charging port, and a pair of second conductors configured to contact and provide electrical communication with the first set of conductors.
In another embodiment, a modular system for vaporizing liquid vaporizing material is disclosed. The system includes a mouthpiece having an air outlet at a mouthpiece end. The system also includes a first housing attached to the mouthpiece. The first housing includes a tube disposed within the first housing, and an oil chamber for storing liquid vaporizing material, and a coil unit within a coil unit compartment of the first housing. The coil unit includes a mouth at a first end of the coil unit, at least one coil unit passageway within the coil unit, a heating element, a pair of first conductors for providing electrical communication between the heating element and a power source externally located from the coil unit, and a wick in contact with the heating element and positioned with a heating chamber. The system further includes a second housing that is configured to removably attach with a second end of the first housing. The second housing includes a central processing unit, the power source, a display, at least one control for controlling the system, a charging port, and a pair of second conductors configured to contact and provide electrical communication with the first set of conductors.
Additional aspects of the disclosed embodiment will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosed embodiments. The aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:
FIG, 18 is an elevated front perspective view of a first housing sealing cap attached to a first end of a first housing; according to an example embodiment of the present invention;
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While disclosed embodiments may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting reordering or adding additional stages or components to the disclosed methods and devices. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosed embodiments. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosed embodiments is defined by the appended claims.
The present invention improves upon the prior art by providing multiple air inlets to help facilitate the flow of air through the coil and condense the e-liquid into vapor, which results in greater flavor and vapor production. Specifically, the modular system includes a mouthpiece having at least one mouthpiece inlet on a mouthpiece sidewall and a second housing having at least one second housing inlet on a second housing sidewall. When there is an increase of air flowing through the coil, the vapor gets less dense and this produces large clouds. This also means that because the vapor is less concentrated, the impact on the throat is reduced, giving a smoother taste. In addition, the increase of air flowing through the coil produces cooler vapor and an airier draw.
The present invention also improves upon the prior art by including interchangeable parts to enable users to modify the character of the modular system. Specifically, the modular system includes a first housing configured to removably attach to the mouthpiece, a coil unit configured to be removably attachable within a coil unit compartment of the first housing, and a second housing configured to removably attach with the second end of the first housing. For example, different wicks have properties that determine how well the flavor comes through and how quickly the liquid vaporizing material can flow into the atomizer. Although many coil units use a cotton wick as their heating element, a user may want to utilize a coil unit containing a ceramic wick for cannabis oil because it can withstand the high temperatures needed to vaporize cannabis oil without burning the material. Additionally, a user may clean and refill the first housing with a variety of liquid vaporizing materials by removing the coil unit from the coil unit compartment of the first housing.
The present invention further improves upon the prior art by providing a display to show operating state parameters, such as battery life, voltage, average use cycle, and safety warnings. Specifically, the display of the modular system is configured to display a graphical representation of at least an amount of charge in the power source and a voltage at which power is provided from the power source.
Referring now to the Figures,
The mouthpiece 105 includes at least one mouthpiece inlet 110(a), 110(b) on the mouthpiece sidewall 115(a), 115(b), and an air outlet 120 at a mouthpiece end 125. The at least one mouthpiece inlet 110(a), 110(b) is configured to increase the flow of air through the modular system 100 to produce smoother flavor and increased vapor production. In operation, when the user draws from the air outlet 120 of the mouthpiece 105, air flows from an outside environment through the at least one mouthpiece inlet 110(a), 110(b) and at least one second housing inlet 220, through at least one coil unit passageway 180 and to a tube 135, as will be discussed. A draw is a term used to refer to the inhalation of vapor from the mouthpiece 105. When there is an increase of air flowing through a coil unit, the vapor gets less dense and produces large clouds of vapor. Due to the highly dense water content in vapor, the vapor that is exhaled by the user is often referred to as clouds. This also means that because the vapor is less concentrated, the impact of the vapor on the user's throat is reduced, thereby providing a smoother taste. In addition, the increase of air flowing through the modular system 100 produces cooler vapor and offers a much looser, airier draw, like sucking on a wide straw.
In the present embodiment, the mouthpiece 105 contains one mouthpiece inlet 110(a), 110(b) on the bottom end 111 of each sidewall 115(a), 115(b). Each mouthpiece inlet 110(a), 110(b) has a rectangular shaped opening with a predetermined length and width. It should be appreciated that the mouthpiece inlet can have a variety of cross-sectional shapes and configurations and can be manufactured from a variety of different processes such as punching, stamping, scissoring, flame cutting, laser cutting, sawing, drilling, milling, or turning. The mouthpiece 105 may be comprised of any suitable material or combination of materials. Examples of suitable materials include metals, alloys, plastics or composite materials containing one or more of those materials, or thermoplastics that are suitable for food or pharmaceutical applications, for example polypropylene, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), ceramic, and polyethylene.
In another embodiment, as illustrated in
The modular system 100 further includes a first housing 130 configured to removably attach to the mouthpiece 105. The first housing 130 comprises a hollow rectangular shaped body with a frontward facing side 131, a rearward facing side 133, two opposing sidewalls 134(a), 134(b), a first end 145, and a second end 146. However, shapes may also be used and are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The first housing may be formed from the same material as the mouthpiece 105 or may be formed from another suitable material. In the present embodiment, the first housing includes a detent member 149(a), 149(b) located near the first end 145 of each sidewall 134(a), 134(b), Each detent member is configured to engage each mouthpiece inlet 110(a), 110(b) located on the bottom end 111 of each mouthpiece sidewall 115(a), 115(b).
The first housing 130 further includes a detent opening 151(a), 151(b) located near the second end 146 of each sidewall 134(a), 134(b). Each detent opening is configured to receive a second housing detent member (not shown) located inside the second housing, as will be discussed. In another embodiment, the first housing 130 is permanently attached to the mouthpiece 105. It should be appreciated that other attachment devices can be used to removably or permanently attach the mouthpiece to the first housing, including screws, bolts, welds, pins, clamps, brackets, magnets, male-female interference-type connections, waterproof adhesives, or any other suitable method known in the art.
Additionally, the first housing 130 includes a diamond shaped protrusion 152 comprising a first end 153 and a second end 154. The diamond shaped protrusion is located on the center of the frontward facing side 131 and on the center of the rearward facing side 133 of the first housing. As previously mentioned, the first end of the diamond shaped protrusions corresponds in cross-sectional configuration to the triangular shaped cut outs located on the bottom end 111 of the frontward facing side 106 and rearward facing side 107 of the mouthpiece 105. The second end of the diamond shaped protrusion corresponds in cross-sectional configuration to a triangular shaped cut out located on a first end 210 of the frontward facing side 206 and rearward facing side 207 of the second housing 205. In operation, when the first housing 130 is attached to the second housing, the second end of the diamond shaped protrusions on the first housing 130 are tightly secured about the triangular shaped cut outs on the second housing.
As shown in
An oil chamber 150 is located within the first housing. The oil chamber is configured for storing liquid vaporizing material. Liquid vaporizing material typically contains vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine and flavoring. Alternatively, or in addition, liquid vaporizing material may include a nontobacco material. For example, liquid vaporizing material may include water, oils, solvents, ethanol, plant extracts and natural or artificial flavors. As best illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
At least one coil unit passageway 180(a), 180(b) is located within the coil unit. In the present embodiment, the coil unit includes two coil unit passageways, each comprising a circular shaped opening 181(a), 181(b) and a vertical air passage 182(a), 182(b). Each vertical air passage which opens into an interior of the coil unit that defines a central channel 183. As best illustrated in
A heating element 185 is located near the first end 170 of the coil unit 155. The heating element is configured to vaporize the liquid vaporizing material inside the oil chamber 150. In the present embodiment, as illustrated in
The heating element is in contact with a wick 195. The wick delivers the liquid vaporizing material to the heating element by capillary action. In the present embodiment, as shown in
As different liquid vaporizing materials have different properties when used in different coils, in different wicks, and in different air flow configurations, part of the functionality and attraction of the present invention is that it includes interchangeable parts to enable users to modify the character of the modular system 100 and experiment with various arrangements. For example, although many coil units use a cotton wick as their heating element, the user may prefer to use a coil unit containing a ceramic wick because it can withstand the high temperatures needed to vaporize cannabis oil without burning the material. Additionally, the use of interchangeable parts allows the user to clean and refill the oil chamber with a variety of liquid vaporizing materials by simply removing the coil unit from the coil unit compartment of the first housing.
A pair of first conductors 190(a), 190(b) defines a first contact surface positioned proximate to a second end 171 of the coil unit 155. The first conductors are configured for providing electrical communication between the heating element 185 and a power source externally located from the coil unit. In the present embodiment, each first conductor 190(a), 190(b) is wrapped by a sealing silicone sleeve 191(a), 191(b) and inserted into a first conductor opening 193(a), 193(b). A first end 186 of the heating element 185 is in electrical communication with one of the first conductors 190(a) and a second end 187 of the heating element is in electrical communication with the other first conductor 190(b). Preferably, the first conductors 190(a), 190(b) are highly conductive and temperature resistant and the heating element is highly resistive so that heat generation occurs primarily along the coils the heating element inside the heating chamber.
In another embodiment, as illustrated in
The second housing also includes a triangular shaped cut out on the first end 210 of the frontward facing side 206 and the first end of the rearward facing side 207. As previously mentioned, the triangular shaped cut out corresponds in cross-sectional configuration to the second end of the diamond shaped protrusion located on the frontward facing side 131 and the rearward facing side 133 of the first housing. In operation, when the first housing is attached to the second housing, the second end of the diamond shaped protrusions on the first housing are tightly secured about the triangular shaped cut outs on the second housing.
The second housing also contains at least one second housing inlet 220(a), 220(b) on the first end 210 of each sidewall 225(a), 225(b). In the present embodiment, each second housing inlet has a circular shaped opening with a predetermined cross-sectional area. It should be appreciated that the second housing inlet can have a variety of cross-sectional shapes and configurations and can be manufactured from a variety of different processes such as punching, stamping, scissoring, flame cutting, laser cutting, sawing, drilling, milling, or turning. The second housing may be formed from the same material as the first housing or may be formed from another suitable material.
In the fully assembled configuration, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
A central processing unit 230 containing the operating logic and software instructions for the modular system 100 is located inside the second housing. The central processing unit is conductively and communicatively coupled with a power source 235 located inside the second housing. In the present embodiment, the power source 235, is a rechargeable lithium battery due to its high voltage and high charge density. It should be appreciated that other types of rechargeable batteries or multiple batteries and/or battery types can be used as a power source. A charging port 250 is positioned on the second end 215 of the second housing for recharging the power source. In the present embodiment, the charging port is a USB connector. As illustrated in
In another embodiment, the second housing includes at least one light emitting element 231 that is configured to emit light from the second housing. The at least one light emitting element is configured to light up when the modular system 100 is in use and may indicate the charge state of the power source by flashing the at least one light emitting element in various colors or patterns. The at least one light emitting element is capable of emitting light of more than one color. Exemplary color-changing lights are RGB LEDs, bi-color LEDs, flashing LEDs, digital RGB LEDs, (organic) OLEDs, and RGB WLEDs (White LEDs).
The second housing further includes a display 240 that is conductively and communicatively coupled with the central processing unit and power source. The display is configured to display a graphical representation of at least an amount of charge in the power source and a voltage at which power is provided from the power source. In the present embodiment, as best illustrated in
The second housing includes at least one control 245 for controlling the modular system 100. In the present embodiment, the control comprises a button that is conductively and communicatively coupled with the central processing unit and the power source. The button can be depressed or pushed a predetermined number of times to control the functionality of the modular system 100, including the voltage at which power is provided from the power source. As best illustrated in
A pair of second conductors 255(a), 255(b) are located inside the first end 145 of the second housing. Each second conductor comprises an elongated shaped element and is configured to contact and provide electrical communication with the pair of first conductors 190(a), 190(b) located on the second end 171 of the coil unit 155. Preferably, the second conductors 255(a), 255(b) are highly conductive and temperature resistant.
With reference to
Computing device 4500 may have additional features or functionality. For example, computing device 4500 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in
Computing device 4500 may also contain a communication connection 4516 that may allow device 4500 to communicate with other computing devices 4518, such as over a network in a distributed computing environment, for example, an into or the Internet. Communication connection 4516 is one example of communication media. Communication media may typically be embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” may describe a signal that has one or more characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared, and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein may include both computer storage media and communication media.
As stated above, a number of program modules and data tiles may be stored in system memory 4504, including operating system 4505. While executing on processing unit 4502, programming modules 4506 may perform processes including, for example, one or functions of the above. Computing device 4502 may also include a graphics processing unit 4503, which supplements the processing capabilities of processor 4502 and which may execute programming modules 4506, including all or a portion of those processes and methods for the device explained above. The aforementioned processes are examples, and processing units 4502, 4503 may perform other processes. Other programming modules that may be used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may include electronic mail and contacts applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, slide presentation applications, drawing or computer-aided application programs, etc.
Generally, consistent with embodiments of the invention, program modules may include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that may perform particular tasks or that may implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, embodiments of the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Embodiments of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be practiced in an electrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged or integrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizing a microprocessor, or on a single chip (such as a System on Chip) containing electronic elements or microprocessors. Embodiments of the invention may also be practiced using other technologies capable of performing logical operations such as, for example, AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited to mechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition, embodiments of the invention may be practiced within a general purpose computer or in any other circuits or systems.
Embodiments of the present invention, for example, are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
While certain embodiments of the invention have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, although embodiments of the present invention have been described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM, or other forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the disclosed methods' stages may be modified in any manner, including by reordering stages and/or inserting or deleting stages, without departing from the invention.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
