Patent Application
20150128967
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of vaporizers for consuming botanical materials, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for operating a vaporizer for heating the materials.
2. Discussion of the Background
Devices for consuming botanical materials, including but not limited to tobacco, flowers, botanical blend, or aromatic herbs, commonly ignite the botanical materials, requiring that the consumer inhale products of combustion along with any volatile compounds that are present. For many botanical materials it is the volatiles, such as the nicotine present in tobacco, that provide a physiological response in the consumer, while the combustion products may actually be harmful.
Prior art vaporizers commonly employ a continuous heating source such as a butane-powered flame, a butane powered catalytic burner, or an electrical resistive heater. The heat source in many such devices is conductive as it is in direct contact with the material or the receptacle containing the material. This may result in high temperatures, leading to singing and charring of the botanical material near the heat source.
Further, many prior art vaporizers require several minutes of heat-up time as they need to heat both the mass of the botanical material and a holder of the material to a desired temperature before they can extract volatile vapors.
Further, since the heating is typically continuous, rather than on-demand, many existing vaporizers use their power inefficiently as they are often providing heat to maintain a steady state of elevated temperature that does not correspond to the user's intended duty-cycle of intermittent inhalation of the vapors produced.
One embodiment of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art by controlling the power provided to vaporize a botanical material according to the temperature of the vaporizer.
It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a method of controlling electric power provided to a vaporizer, where the method includes: accepting a signal from a user-operable switch; providing electric power to a heater of the vaporizer upon accepting the signal from the user-operable switch; measuring a signal indicative of the temperature of the vaporizer; and decreasing the electric power to the heater if the measured temperature of the vaporizer increases.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a vaporizer including: a user-operable switch; a temperature sensor adapted to provide a signal indicative of the temperature of the vaporizer; an electric heater configured to heat the botanical material; and electronics adapted to sense actuation of the user-operable switch and accept the signal, and to provide electric power to the electric heater, where the provided electric power decreases with an increase in the temperature of the vaporizer.
It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a method of controlling electric power provided to a vaporizer. The method includes measuring the voltage of a battery providing power to the heater, and providing the battery voltage to a heater of the vaporizer according to a duty cycle, where the duty cycle is inversely proportional to the measured voltage of the battery.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a vaporizer to provide a user with vapor from a botanical material. The vaporizer includes a battery having a voltage; an electric heater that accepts the voltage and generates thermal energy to heat the botanical material; and electronics to switch the accepted voltage on and off according to a duty cycle, where the duty cycle is inversely proportional to a measured voltage of the battery.
These features together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, are attained by the vaporizer of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:
Reference symbols are used in the Figures to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one Figure indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein.
Vaporizer 100 includes a housing 101 having a mouthpiece 103 with an opening 311 into the vaporizer at proximal end 102, an air inlet 105 at distal end 104, and a window 107 on top side 106 through which one can view a botanical material placed within the vaporizer, and a push-button switch 109 on a right side 108. Left side 202 includes a power switch 201, a power connector 305, indicator lights 307, and a recess 309.
Housing 101 is formed from a rigid material, and may include one or more pieces or layers of metal or plastic. Thus, for example, sides 108, 202, and ends 102, 104 include a case 207 and a removable bottom panel 303, and top side 106 includes an elongated portion 205 and a bezel 203 protruding above and surrounding window 107.
Window 107 is preferably a scratch resistant material that is transparent to visible light, and may be, for example and without limitation, a glass, such as a borosilicate glass or a crystal quartz or fused quartz material.
Vaporizer 100 is preferably sized to be hand-held, and may have dimensions of a height, H, of from 20 to 30 mm, such as height H of 25 mm, a length, L, of from 110 to 170 mm, such as a length L of 140 mm, and a width, W, of from 40 mm to 60 mm, such as a width of 50 mm.
Indicator lights 307 may include one light, or several different color lights (such as red, green, and/or blue) to indicate if vaporizer 100 is being powered, temperature settings, and/or battery power remaining in the vaporizer.
In general, a user may open housing 101 utilizing recess 309 and place a botanical material in a bowl (described subsequently) below window 107, grasp case 207, and push push-button switch 109. In certain embodiments, within several seconds of pushing push-button switch 109 a heater (describe subsequently) within vaporizer 100 emits visible light through window 107 and through air inlet 105 to indicate that a proper temperature has been reached and that the user should inhale though opening 311 in mouthpiece 103. The action of inhaling causes air to be drawn in through air inlet 105 where it is first heated in the heater and then vaporizes the botanical material, the vapors of which are inhaled by the user through the mouthpiece. In one embodiment, power switch 201 has two settings: a power off setting and an on power setting. In another embodiment, power switch 201 may include several settings, such as a power off setting, a low power setting and a high temperature setting for controlling a temperature of vaporizer 100, and power connector 305 allows for recharging of an internal battery.
Lower portion 220 includes case 207, bottom panel 303, mouthpiece 103, air inlet 105, push-button switch 109, power switch 201, power connector 305, indicator lights 307, and recess 309. As shown in
Surface 601 is, or includes, a material that is attracted to magnets 621. When upper portion 210 is placed on lower portion 220, as in
A more detailed description of one embodiment of upper portion 210 and lower portion 220 are illustratively shown in
Upper portion 210 includes window fixture 631, which is attached to elongated portion 205 with screws 637. Window fixture may also include gaskets or O-rings to provide a gas-tight seal for window 107.
Surface 601 of lower portion 220 is held onto case 207 using screws 701. Grill 703 forming air inlet 105 is attached to case 207, and a wire mesh 705 is placed against grill 703 and inside vaporizer 100 to prevent contaminants from entering the vaporizer.
Lower portion 220 also includes a heater section 710, control electronics 720, and an energy storage section 730. Heater section 710 further includes a heater block 711 including a lower core 702 and upper core 704 that form having a passageway 713 including a heating element 715, and bowl 640 having a mesh 717 bottom, bowl sides 719, opening 605, a temperature sensor, as shown and discussed subsequently.
In one embodiment, heating element 715 is a resistive coil, such as a nickel-chromium alloy or a FeCrAl alloy, and cores 702 and 704 are transparent to visible light, and may constructed, for example, from borosilicate glass, crystal quartz or fused quartz. Thus when power is dissipated within heating element 715, by providing a voltage across the element, a glow may be visible through window 107 and/or air inlet 105. In other embodiments, heating element 715 is an induction coil or provides heat through the combustion of a fuel, such as butane.
Control electronics 720 includes a circuit board 723 on which are mounted a programmable processor 725, a power controller 727, and other digital and/or analogue circuitry for controlling and powering vaporizer 100, such as power switch 201, power connector 305, and indicator lights 307. In addition, other switches, buttons, and sensors, such as temperature sensors, may be dispersed throughout vaporizer 100 and may be wired into control electronics 720. Additionally, a temperature sensor may be provided to measure the ambient air temperature, and/or to directly measure the temperature of air flowing through vaporizer 100, such as near the heating element or near bowl 640. Energy storage section 730 includes a battery frame 733 attached to case 207 and battery 731. A temperature sensor may also be provided to measure the temperature of battery 731 to monitor the operation of the battery.
In one embodiment, battery 731 is a 7.4 V, 800 mAh with a discharge rate of 7 C. In another embodiment, power controller 727 is a switch operated by programmable processor 725 that can provide time averaged voltages to heating element 715, via a pulse width modulated signal, with a voltage of between zero volts and the current voltage of battery 731. Thus, for example, if programmable processor 725 determines that a voltage of 50% of the current battery voltage should be provided to heating element 715, then the processor provides a 50% duty cycle signal to power controller 727.
Lower mat 910 includes an opening 911 and a slot 913. Lower core 920 includes an opening 921 that is positioned above slot 913, a groove 922, a heating element support 923, a circular recess 924 with a central mesh support 925, and element ground receptacle 926 and a heating element power receptacle 928. Middle heat transfer mat 930 includes an outer portion 931 and an inner portion 935 that supports mesh 717.
Power and control components 940 include heating element 715 attached to a compression fitting 945 connected to a ground wire 947, and to a compression fitting 943 connected to a power lead 949. Upper core 950 includes opening 605 and bowl sides 719. Top heat transfer mat 960 includes an opening 961
Mats 910, 930, and 950 are preferably formed from a high-temperature food-safe silicone rubber. Lower core 920 and upper core 950 are preferable formed from borosilicate glass or quartz crystal. Mesh 717 is preferably formed from stainless steel.
As illustrated in
More specifically, temperature sensor 942 is positioned on circuit board 723. Temperature sensor 942 thus measures temperature of the circuit board, and does not directly measure the temperature of air bowl 640, which is used to vaporize botanical materials M. It has been found that the power levels required for achieving a required temperature may be determined by a calibration, which is then encoded into programmable processor 725. The calibration between the temperature of the air provided to air bowl 640 (TM) and the temperature measured by temperature sensor 942 (TTS) and/or the voltage (V) provided to heating element 715 may be performed, for example and without limitation, by placing a thermocouple in the air bowl and then providing various voltages (that is, powers) to heating element until the temperature measured by the temperature sensor stabilizes. Thus, for example and without limitation, the calibration between air bowl temperature the temperature measured by temperature sensor 942, and/or the voltage provided to heating element 715 may be stored in as a look-up table or formula for in the memory of programmable processor 725 and used for controlling the temperature of air provide to botanical materials M from the temperature measured by temperature sensor 942.
The operation of vaporizer 100 will now be discussed with reference to
When upper portion 210 and lower portion 220 are assembled, as in
In addition to providing temperature control for the process of vaporizing a botanical material, control electronics 720 may also prevents the vaporizer body and internal components from overheating and causing damage to the battery, computer, or other internal components.
Processor 725 is powered from battery 731 and is programmed with a control algorithm to accept input from power switch 201, push-button switch 109, temperature sensor 942, and to optionally monitor the voltage of the battery to provide power to one or more indicator lights 307, and a signal to power controller 727. Power controller 727 in turn accepts command signals from processor 725 to provide the voltage from battery 731 to heating element 715. In certain embodiments, the processor 725 and power controller 727 provide a processor determined average voltage to heating element 715 by providing a pulse width modulated signals to power controller 727, which then provides the time averaged voltage (and thus heating power) as determined by the processor.
Power switch 201 may have 2 or more setting, as interpreted by firmware in programmable processor 725, where the setting may include, for example and without limitation, an “off” setting and an “on” setting, or an “off” setting, a “low temperature” setting and a “high temperature” setting. With power switch 201 in the “off” setting, all electronics in vaporizer 100 are powered off With power switch 201 in an “on,” “low temperature” or “high temperature” setting, processor 725 executes algorithms to maintain certain temperatures of heating element 715.
Control electronics 720 are operated to rapidly reach and maintain a desired biological material temperature in vaporizer 100. Although temperature sensor 942 is not located to directly measure the temperature of the biological material, control electronics 720 may be operated to achieve a desired approximate temperature. As discussed above, a look-up table may be provided to processor 725 in the form of temperature of the air provided to air bowl 640 (TM) versus the battery voltage (V) provided to heating element 715.
In one embodiment, control electronics 720 may rapidly and accurately heat the biological material in vaporizer 100 to a desired temperature using an algorithm that provides a voltage to the heating element as a function of the temporal output of power controller 727 and the temperature of vaporizer 100 as measured by sensor 942.
Indicator lights 307 may include lights that are programmed to provide an indication of the operation of vaporizer 100. Thus, for example and without limitation, indicator lights 307 may include a dim green light that is powered to indicate that vaporizer 100 is powered on in a low temperature setting, a bright green light that is powered to indicate that the vaporizer is powered in a high temperature setting, blinking blue light to indicate that the vaporizer is charging, a red light to indicate that battery power is low, and a solid red light to indicate the device is overheated and has been automatically shut down.
In addition, with power switch 201 in an “on,” “low temperature” or “high temperature” setting, and with push-button switch 109 pressed, processor 725 provides signals to power controller 727 to provide electric power from battery 731 to heating element 715.
In certain embodiments, control electronics 720 help to prevent overheating due to push-button switch 109 being pressed for an excessively long time. Thus, for example, programmable processor 725 may include a timer that starts when push-button switch 109 is pushed and when that timer reaches some predetermined value, the voltage to heating element 715 is reduced in value, which may be as providing no voltage to the heating element.
In certain embodiments, power controller 727 provides power to heating element 715 according to the calibration discussed above. Thus, for example, in one embodiment, a look-up table relating a desired to measured temperature is provided to processor 725 in the form of TM (the temperature of the air provided to air bowl 640) versus TTS (the temperature measured by temperature sensor 942). For a given desired value of TM, the look-up table provides a target temperature TTS. Using the target temperature TSS and the measured temperature of temperature sensor 942, processor 725 may then provide control signals to power controller 727 with duty cycles that approach and then maintain the target temperature TTS, and thus the desired value of TM. Processor 725 may use, for example and without limitation, a look-up table or a mathematical function based on measured temperature, or a control algorithm such as a PID control algorithm, to power heating element 715.
It certain embodiments, voltage of battery 731 drops as the battery discharges. It has been found that in cases where there is a significant change in battery voltage over time, it is advantageous to adjust a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal provided to power controller 727 so that the voltage, and thus power, dissipated in heating element 715 can be accurately controlled. In certain embodiments, therefore, programmable processor 725 also measures the voltage of the battery during use, so that a known voltage may be provided to the heating element.
Thus, for example, the look-up table in processor 725 may be in the form of TM versus V. Processor 725 measures the instantaneous battery voltage, and then provides a PWM signal to power controller 727 that ensures that the time average voltage provided to heating element 715 corresponds to the voltage provided during the calibration, as described above.
In certain other embodiments, the time averaged voltage V to heating element 715 is varied according to a current temperature determined by temperature sensor 942 decreases. Thus, for example, the voltage, and thus, power provided to heating element 715 may be any monotonically decreasing function of temperature, such as a continuous function, a step-wise function, or any combination thereof.
As another example of the control algorithm of control electronics 720, power controller 727 may provide several discrete power levels to heating element 715, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more power levels. In the following example, processor 725 may instruct power controller 727 to provide heating element 715 with voltages, and thus power, at one of four power levels (referred to herein, without limitation, as ranging a maximum power level of “HIGH,” to “MEDIUM,” “MEDIUM_LOW,” and a lowest power level of “LOW”). The instructions may change the power level as a function of the sensed temperature of temperature sensor 942, a temporal measure of the provided power, and the voltage of battery 731. As discussed above, the control algorithm may also maintain the power level as the battery voltage drops by measuring the battery voltage and adjusting the duty cycle of to achieve the desired time average voltage to heating element 715
In addition to storing several power levels for power controller 727, processor 725 also stores several predefined temperature levels which the processor may use, in comparison to measured temperature of temperature sensor 942 to switch between power levels. Thus, for example, and without limitation, processor 725 may, in conjunction with the four levels of this example, store three “cut-off” temperature, referred to herein as “CUTOFF_HIGH,” “CUTOFF_MEDIUM,” and “CUTOFF_MEDIUM_LOW.” The algorithm coded into processor 725 may, for example and without limitation, operate as in the following pseudo code, where “TIMER” measures the time from the beginning of heating (that is, a timer that starts when the user-operable, push-button switch 109 is pressed), and “STARTUP_TIME” is a predetermined time for an initial power level of HIGH:
As a first step, there is startup time of START_UP, which may be several seconds, during which the power is set to HIGH. As vaporizer 100 is used, the temperature will likely increase as the result of power provided to heating element 715. In addition to providing rapid heating of the biological material, this will also case heating element 715 to glow and permit the user to see that heating has begun. As the temperature increases the power level is set to progressively lower values: when the temperature is less than CUTOFF_HIGH, the power level is set to HIGH; when the temperature is greater than CUTOFF_HIGH and less than CUTOFF_MEDIUM, the power level is set to MEDIUM, when the temperature is greater than CUTOFF_MEDIUM and less than CUTOFF_MEDIUM_LOW, the power level is set to MEDIUM_LOW; and when the temperature is greater that CUTOFF_MEDIUM— LOW the power level is set to LOW.
The last line of the code provides an optional feature, a “boost timer” that sets the power level one level higher during an initial operation of vaporizer 100, as indicated in the last line of the pseud code above. Specifically, a power level of HIGH is not affected, a power level of MEDIUM is increased to HIGH, a power level of MEDIUM_LOW is increased to MEDIUM, and a power level of LOW is increased to MEDIUM_LOW.
The boost timer may be used to provide additional heating if the vaporizer has cooled down from a lack of use. The combination of the startup timer and boost time allows the user to increase the heating level by pressing the button again while inhaling if they want more heating.
In another embodiment, BOOST_SECONDS is not used (i.e., BOOST_SECONDS=0).
In various embodiments, the voltages at the various power levels may correspond to, for example and without limitation, a HIGH value of from 40 W to 60 W, a MEDIUM value of from 30 W to 50 W, a MEDIUM_LOW value of from 20 W to 40 W, and a LOW value of from 5 W to 15 W. The CUTOFF_HIGH may be from 70% to 95% of the target temperature, the CUTOFF_MEDIUM may be from 60% to 90% of the target temperature, and the CUTOFF_MEDIUM_LOW may be from 50% to 75% of the target temperature.
As discussed below, vaporization temperatures are generally in the range, for example and without limitation, of from 130° C. to 200° C. The amount of power used to heat air that vaporizes the material depends on the construction of vaporizer 100, such as the thermal mass and amount of material being vaporized, and the amount of air being pulled through the vaporizer. The amount heat required to vaporize is expected to be in the range of from 10 Watts to 100 Watts, though higher and lower powers are within the scope of the present invention.
The target temperature of temperature sensor 942 is selected to effectively drive off volatiles from the botanical material. While not meant to limit the use of the present invention, the Table I contains effective vaporization temperatures of some botanical material.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus globulus
Syzygium Aromaticum
Lavendula angustifolia
Melissa officinalis
Salvia Officinalis
Thymus Vulgaris
Nicotiana Tabacum
Humulus lupulus
Ginkgo:
Ginkgo Biloba
Matriarca chamomilla
Salvia officinalis
Thymus vulgaris
Aloe Vera:
Aloe Vera
In general, the target temperature as measured by temperature sensor 942 is in the range of from 145° C. to 205° C., and may be, for example and without limitation, be approximately 145° C., 150° C., 155° C., 160° C., 165° C., 170° C., 175° C., 180° C., 185° C., 195° C., 200° C. or 205° C. For multiple temperature settings, such as a “low temperature” and “high temperatures,” the low temperature setting maybe suitable for vaporizing low temperature volatiles such as tobacco and have a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 165° C., with a value, for example of 150° C., 155° C., 160° C., or 165° C. The high temperature setting maybe suitable for vaporizing higher temperature volatiles, such as ginseng, and have a temperature of 190° C. to 205° C., with a value, for example of 190° C., 195° C., 200° C., or 205° C.
The following are examples of the user of vaporizer 100. With reference to
As shown in
Next, the user switches power switch 201 to an appropriate non “off” setting (such as “on,” “low temperature,” or “high temperature”).
Next, the user presses push-button switch 109. Within a few seconds, control electronics 720 has provided sufficient power to raise the air near temperature sensor 942 to the target temperature, as stored within processor 725. The glow from heating element 715 may be seen by the user through window 107 and/or through air inlet 105. For certain botanical materials the extracted vapor may also be viewed through window 107.
With the visible indication of a proper temperature, the user may then inhale through mouthpiece 103. Air is then drawn into air inlet 105, through passageway 713, through the botanical material in bowl 640, between grooves 635 and surface 601, along surface 601 into opening 607, and then through opening 311 to the user's mouth.
The majority of power provided to heating element 715 heats air within passageway 713, and thus the botanical material within bowl 640 is vaporized convectively as the hot air flows through the botanical material.
The surfaces which contact the heated air as it flows between surface 601 and upper portion 210 will act as a “heat sink,” causing the gases to cool from high temperature of heating element 715 to approximately room temperature. After inhaling, the user then releases push-button switch 109, which reduces the power though heating element 715.
It will be understood that the apparatus described herein includes, but is not limited to, certain digital and analog components. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular implementation, programming technique, or combination of analog or digital components, and that the invention may be implemented using any appropriate devices or techniques for implementing the functionality described herein.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.
Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.
Thus, while there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/902,038, filed Nov. 8, 2013, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61902038 | Nov 2013 | US |
