Pod assembly, dispensing body, and E-vapor apparatus including the same

• US 10,104,913 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lau, Raymond, Hawes, Eric, Bramley, Alistair
• Primary Examiner(s): Szewczyk, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US15/334,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20170042246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid 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 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/04 Partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/38 Devices for discharging contents containers formed by folding or erecting paper blanks B65D5/72 ; incorporated in removable or non-permanently secured closure members B65D47/00; for discharging thin flat articles B65D83/08
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0297 Heating of fluids for non specified applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/12 characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material

Abstract

An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly and a dispensing body configured to receive the pod assembly. A vaporizer may be disposed in the pod assembly and/or the dispensing body. The pod assembly may include a pre-vapor formulation compartment, a device compartment, and a vapor channel extending from the device compartment and traversing the pre-vapor formulation compartment. The pod assembly is a smart pod configured to receive, store, and transmit information that can be communicated with the dispensing body and/or another electronic device. The proximal portion of the dispensing body includes a vapor passage and a through-hole. The vapor passage may extend from an end surface of the proximal portion to a side wall of the through-hole. The through-hole is configured to receive the pod assembly such that the vapor channel of the pod assembly is aligned with the vapor passage of the dispensing body.

Claims

1. An e-vapor apparatus comprising:

a pod assembly including a pre-vapor formulation compartment, a device compartment, and a vapor channel traversing the pre-vapor formulation compartment, the pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein;

a dispensing body including a proximal portion and an opposing distal portion, the proximal portion including a vapor passage and a through-hole, the through-hole being between the vapor passage and the distal portion of the dispensing body, the through-hole configured to receive the pod assembly; and

a vaporizer disposed in at least one of the pod assembly and the dispensing body, the pre-vapor formulation compartment of the pod assembly configured to be in fluidic communication with the vaporizer during an operation of the e-vapor apparatus, the vaporizer configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to produce a vapor that passes through the pod assembly via the vapor channel.

2. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation compartment of the pod assembly surrounds the vapor channel.

3. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vapor channel passes through a center of the pre-vapor formulation compartment.

4. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vapor channel is in a form of a pathway that is arranged along at least one sidewall of the pre-vapor formulation compartment.

5. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vapor channel is in a form of a conduit that is arranged in at least one corner of the pre-vapor formulation compartment.

6. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 5, wherein the conduit is arranged in at least two corners of the pre-vapor formulation compartment and configured to converge at a position that is aligned with the vapor passage of the dispensing body when the pod assembly is received in the through-hole.

7. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation compartment and the device compartment are at opposite ends of the pod assembly.

8. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device compartment of the pod assembly includes a memory device.

9. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory device is coded with an electronic identity to permit at least one of an authentication of the pod assembly and a pairing of operating parameters specific to a type of the pod assembly when the pod assembly is inserted into the through-hole of the dispensing body, the memory device configured to receive and store information from the dispensing body during the operation of the e-vapor apparatus.

10. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pod assembly includes a side surface having at least one electrical contact.

11. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dispensing body is configured to perform at least one of supply power to and communicate with the pod assembly via the at least one electrical contact.

12. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one electrical contact is at an end of the pod assembly corresponding to the device compartment.

13. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the through-hole correspond to dimensions of the pod assembly.

14. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the dispensing body includes a mouthpiece that includes the vapor passage.

15. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 14, wherein the vapor channel is between the mouthpiece and the device compartment when the pod assembly is inserted into the through-hole of the dispensing body.

16. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment structure on at least one of a side wall of the through-hole and a side surface of the pod assembly, the attachment structure configured to engage and hold the pod assembly upon insertion into the through-hole of the dispensing body.

17. A pod assembly for an e-vapor apparatus, comprising:

a pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein, the pre-vapor formulation compartment including a front face and a rear face opposite the front face, the front face and the rear face being transparent;

a device compartment configured to be in fluidic communication with the pre-vapor formulation compartment; and

a vapor channel extending through the pre-vapor formulation compartment, the vapor channel being visible through the pre-vapor formulation, the front face, and the rear face.

18. The pod assembly of claim 17, wherein the device compartment includes a vaporizer.

19. The pod assembly of claim 17, wherein the device compartment includes a memory device, and a side surface of the pod assembly includes at least one electrical contact.

20. A pod assembly for an e-vapor apparatus, comprising:

a pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein, the pre-vapor formulation compartment including a front face and a rear face opposite the front face, the front face and the rear face being transparent;

a vaporizer configured to be in fluidic communication with the pre-vapor formulation compartment; and

a vapor channel extending from the vaporizer and through the pre-vapor formulation compartment, the vapor channel being visible through the pre-vapor formulation, the front face, and the rear face.