Cartridge for use with a vaporizer device

• US 10,070,669 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc. (PAX Labs, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc. (PAX Labs, Inc.)
• Inventors: Monsees, James, Bowen, Adam, Christensen, Steven, Morenstein, Joshua, HibmaCronan, Christopher Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Felton, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/820,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20180070649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/20 Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/70 Manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 7/00 Mouthpieces for pipes; Mouthpieces for cigar or cigarette holders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0015 located upstream of the dispenser, i.e. not traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/284 with water in reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/022 Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/44 heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material

Abstract

Cartridges for generating an aerosol are provided. In some implementations, a cartridge comprises a body, a heating element, and a mouthpiece. The body includes a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material and has a first end, a second end, and a surface between the first end and the second end. The mouthpiece is secured over the first end, has a notch extending away from the second end towards the first end, covers a first portion of the surface, does not cover a second portion of the surface configured for insertion into a cartridge receptacle of a vaporizer device, and does not cover a third portion of the surface comprising an area between the notch and the second end, the third portion of the surface being visible when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

Claims

1. A cartridge for generating an aerosol, the cartridge comprising:

a body including a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material, the body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body comprising a surface between the first end and the second end;

a heating element configured to generate the aerosol, the generating of the aerosol comprising heating the vaporizable material; and

a mouthpiece secured over the first end, the mouthpiece having a notch extending away from the second end towards the first end, the mouthpiece covering a first portion of the surface,

the mouthpiece not covering a second portion of the surface, the second portion of the surface configured for insertion into a cartridge receptacle of a vaporizer device,

the mouthpiece not covering a third portion of the surface, the third portion of the surface comprising an area between the notch and the second end, the third portion of the surface being visible when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is opaque, wherein the surface is transparent, and wherein the vaporizable material is visible through the surface.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a receptacle notch extending away from an opening of the cartridge receptacle at a proximal end of the vaporizer device, the receptacle notch extending towards a distal end of the vaporizer device opposite the proximal end, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the receptacle notch and the first end of the storage compartment, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the heating element is disposed proximate to the second end of the body.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a wicking material configured to contact the vaporizable material, wherein the heating element is disposed proximate to the wicking material.

6. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the wicking material comprises at least one of:

a silica material, a cotton material, a ceramic material, a hemp material, and a stainless steel material.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the surface comprises a locking gap integral to the storage compartment, and wherein the locking gap is configured to mate with a locking detent within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

8. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive heating coil, and wherein the cartridge further comprises:

a first heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the first heater contact configured to mate with either of a first receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle or a second receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; and

a second heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the second heater contact configured to mate with either of the second receptacle contact or the first receptacle contact, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

9. The cartridge of claim 8, wherein the first heater contact and the second heater contact are configured to complete, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, an electrical circuit comprising a power source within the vaporizer device, the resistive heating coil, the first receptacle contact, and the second receptacle contact.

10. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the body is non-cylindrical.

11. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the body comprises four substantially rectangular surfaces between the first end of the body and the second end of the body, the four substantially rectangular surfaces exterior to the body.

20. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising the vaporizable material within the storage compartment, wherein the vaporizable material comprises a nicotine formulation.

12. An apparatus for generating an aerosol, the apparatus comprising:

a vaporizer device comprising a cartridge receptacle; and

a cartridge comprising;

a body including a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material, the body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body comprising a surface between the first end and the second end;

a heating element configured to generate the aerosol, the generating of the aerosol comprising heating the vaporizable material; and

a mouthpiece secured over the first end, the mouthpiece covering a first portion of the surface, the mouthpiece not covering a second portion of the surface, the second portion of the surface configured for insertion into the cartridge receptacle, the mouthpiece not covering a third portion of the surface, the third portion of the surface being visible when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mouthpiece is opaque, wherein the surface is transparent, and wherein the vaporizable material is visible through the surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a notch extending away from the second end of the body towards the first end of the body, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the notch and the second end of the storage compartment.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a notch extending away from an opening of the cartridge receptacle at a proximal end of the vaporizer device, the notch extending towards a distal end of the vaporizer device opposite the proximal end, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the notch and the first end of the body, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cartridge further comprises a wicking material configured to contact the vaporizable material, wherein the heating element is disposed proximate to the wicking material, and wherein the wicking material comprises at least one of:

a silica material, a cotton material, a ceramic material, a hemp material, and a stainless steel material.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second portion of the surface comprises a locking gap integral to the storage compartment, and wherein the locking gap is configured to mate with a locking detent within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive heating coil, and wherein the cartridge further comprises:

a first heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the first heater contact configured to mate with either of a first receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle or a second receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; and

a second heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the second heater contact configured to mate with either of the second receptacle contact or the first receptacle contact, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, wherein the first heater contact and the second heater contact are configured to complete, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, an electrical circuit comprising a power source within the vaporizer device, the resistive heating coil, the first receptacle contact, and the second receptacle contact.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cartridge receptacle is non-cylindrical, wherein the body is non-cylindrical, and wherein the body comprises four substantially rectangular surfaces between the first end of the body and the second end of the body.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cartridge further comprises the vaporizable material within the storage compartment, and wherein the vaporizable material comprises a nicotine formulation.