Electronic vaporiser system

• US 10,131,532 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AYR Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beyond Twenty Ltd.
• Inventors: Murison, Ian, Marsh, Stephen, Gorilovsky, Dmitry
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaary, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/253,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/015 with means for refilling of liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/51 Arrangement of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/95 structurally associated with cases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/27 preventing use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 : with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 : Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 : for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/086 : Docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 : Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0038 : moved by a spring-like mechanism B65D83/005, B65D83/0817, B65D83/0858 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/70 : for materials not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/02 : for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0288 : Container connection means for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0829
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 : by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 : by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/36 : Arrangements of flow- or pressure-control valves associated with nozzles B67D7/42
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/42 : Filling nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/54 : with means for preventing escape of liquid or vapour or for recovering escaped liquid or vapour B67D7/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/62 : power operated
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/78 : Arrangements of storage tanks, reservoirs or pipe-lines
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/003 : driven by piezoelectric means F04B43/046 and F04B43/095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/006 : Micropumps F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2203/0404 : Frequency of the electric current
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/04 : the means being electric
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/046 : with piezoelectric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/047 : Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 : Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/044 : spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 24/00 : Devices, e.g. valves, for venting or aerating enclosures equalising valves F16K17/00; arrangement or mounting in pipes or pipe systems F16L55/07; venting or aerating as an additional function of steam traps or like apparatus F16T; ventilation of rooms, vehicles, see the appropriate subclass, e.g. F24F
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/02 : for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2825 : in household appliances or professional audio/video equipment testing LAN's H04L43/50; testing TV systems H04N17/00; testing loudspeakers H04R29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4166 : Controlling feed or in-feed G05B19/4163 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37371 : Flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 : Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 : After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 : characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 : with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 : The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 : with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 : Applications
• 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 3/141 : Conductive ceramics, e.g. metal oxides, metal carbides, barium titanate, ferrites, zirconia, vitrous compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/00 : Adapting or protecting infrastructure or their operation

Abstract

An e-liquid cartridge designed to provide e-liquid for an electronic cigarette vaporizer system, the cartridge including a chip that stores and outputs (i) a unique identity for the cartridge and/or (ii) data defining the e-liquid stored in the cartridge, and the cartridge being adapted to be inserted into or form an integral part of the electronic vaporizer system. The data stored and output by the chip defines one or more of: flavor, nicotine strength, manufacturing batch number, date of manufacture, date of filling, tax data, quantity of e-liquid stored in the cartridge.

Claims

1. An e-liquid cartridge designed to provide e-liquid for an electronic cigarette vaporiser system, the cartridge including a chip that stores and outputs (i) a unique identity for the cartridge and (ii) data defining the e-liquid stored in the cartridge, and the cartridge being adapted to be inserted into or form an integral part of the electronic vaporiser system, in which the unique identity and the data defining the e-liquid stored in the cartridge is processed by a processor in a device into which the cartridge is inserted or attached, in which the processor in the device reads out from the chip the quantity of e-liquid remaining in, or provided by, the cartridge and compares that with its stored data for the quantity of e-liquid remaining in, or provided by, that cartridge and prevents use of that cartridge if the quantity of e-liquid remaining in, or provided by, the cartridge, as declared by the chip, exceeds the stored data for that cartridge, to make unauthorized re-filling of the cartridge pointless.

2. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 that, in use, engages with a fluid transfer mechanism in the electronic vaporiser system that extracts e-liquid from the cartridge.

3. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the electronic vaporiser system includes a storage case adapted to both re-fill an electronic vaporiser with e-liquid from the cartridge and also re-charge a battery in the electronic vaporiser;

and the chip outputs the unique ID and/or the data defining the e-liquid stored in the cartridge to a microcontroller or microprocessor in the case.

4. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge is adapted to be inserted into or attached to a portable, personal storage and carrying case for an electronic vaporiser and further adapted to engage with a fluid transfer system in the case;

and the chip outputs the unique ID and/or the data defining the e-liquid stored in the cartridge to a microcontroller or microprocessor in the case and the unique ID and/or data controls the operation of the fluid transfer system.

5. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge is adapted to be inserted into or attached to an electronic vaporiser and further adapted to engage with a fluid transfer system in the vaporiser;

and the chip outputs the unique ID and/or the data defining the e-liquid stored in the cartridge to a microcontroller or microprocessor in a case of the electronic cigarette vaporiser system and the unique ID and/or data controls the operation of the fluid transfer system.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 that includes an integral fluid transfer mechanism.

7. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the data stored and output by the chip defines one or more of:

flavor, nicotine strength, manufacturing batch number, date of manufacture, date of filling, tax data, quantity of e-liquid stored in the cartridge.

8. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the electronic vaporiser system is an e-cigarette vaporiser.

9. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the electronic vaporiser system is a medicinally approved nicotine drug delivery system.

10. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge is non-refillable, tamper evident and with an airtight seal to preserve e-liquid stability during storage and transportation.

11. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge includes a data transfer contact or contacts.

12. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 10 in which the cartridge includes a data transfer contact or contacts using a single wire protocol to read data from the chip.

13. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge is no larger than 10 mL in capacity.

14. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge includes two apertures, the first aperture being used to fill the cartridge on a filling line and then being covered with a bung or plug and the second aperture being sealed by a septum designed to be penetrated or punctured by a needle or stem that withdraws e-liquid from the cartridge.

15. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the processor in the device receives data from a remote server either permitting the cartridge to be used by the device or preventing it from being used by a case of the electronic cigarette vaporiser system.

16. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the processor calculates or determines if the unique identity is valid and sends a signal either permitting a fluid transfer mechanism to work with that cartridge or preventing it from working with that cartridge.

17. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the processor in the device writes data back to the chip.

18. The e-liquid cartridge of preceding claim 17 in which the data written back to the chip includes an estimate or measure of the quantity of e-liquid remaining in, or provided by, the cartridge.

19. The e-liquid cartridge of preceding claim 18 in which the estimate or measure is calculated from data from or associated with a pump of the electronic cigarette vaporiser system.

20. The e-liquid cartridge of preceding claim 18 in which the estimate or measure is calculated using the ambient temperature and/or the e-liquid temperature.

21. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the processor in the device stores the quantity of e-liquid remaining in, or provided by, each cartridge, as defined by the unique identity for the cartridge.

22. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the device is a case that re-fills and re-charges the vaporiser.

23. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the device is the vaporiser.

24. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 1 in which the cartridge is not pressurized to a degree sufficient to expel e-liquid.

25. The e-liquid cartridge of claim 19 in which the data from or associated with the pump is the number of pumping cycles.