Cartridge for use with a vaporizer device

• US 10,159,282 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• 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:
  US15/257,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20170035115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 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

Vaporizer devices and apparatuses are provided. In some implementations, a cartridge for a vaporizer device comprises an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, an opening through the mouthpiece, a notch in the front side of the mouthpiece, a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, and a channel within the storage compartment that extends from the heater towards the proximal end of the storage compartment. The liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment. A first end of the mouthpiece terminates in an edge disposed adjacent to a location between the distal end and the proximal end, the mouthpiece has a front side adjacent a side of the storage compartment, and the notch extends away from the edge toward an end of the mouthpiece.

Claims

1. A cartridge for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:

an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment further comprises a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end;

an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein a first end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in an edge disposed adjacent to a location between the distal end and the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment;

an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a second end of the opaque mouthpiece;

a notch in the front side of the opaque mouthpiece extending away from the edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the second end of the opaque mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the first side of the elongate and flattened storage compartment beneath the opaque mouthpiece;

a heater at the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises;

a heating chamber, a wick at least partially within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and

a cannula within the elongate and flattened storage compartment and extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater towards the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment such that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the elongate and flattened storage compartment is filled with the liquid vaporizable material, wherein the cannula is visible through the notch, and wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through which an aerosol formed from the liquid vaporizable material is inhalable.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the opaque mouthpiece is secured over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment by a snap-fit.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment contains the liquid vaporizable material.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is the liquid vaporizable material, and wherein the liquid vaporizable material comprises a nicotine solution.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a pair of electrical contacts proximate to the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, the pair of electrical contacts configured to complete a circuit with the resistive heating element.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the notch comprises approximately rectangular cutout region, an approximately triangular cutout region, or an approximately oval cutout region.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is transparent or translucent.

8. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lateral sides, the plurality of lateral sides comprising the first side, wherein at least two of the lateral sides each comprise a locking gap configured to engage with one of a plurality of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure at least part of the elongate and flattened storage compartment within the vaporizer device.

12. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the location disposed adjacent to the edge of the opaque mouthpiece is disposed approximately halfway between the proximate end and the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment.

13. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a first axis of the proximate end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment is longer than a second axis of the proximate end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

14. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is non-cylindrical.

21. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment is opposite the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, and wherein the first end of the mouthpiece is opposite the second end of the mouthpiece.

22. The cartridge of claim 8, wherein the locking gaps are disposed at opposite sides of the elongate and flattened storage compartment.

9. A cartridge for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:

an elongate and flattened storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment further comprises a plurality of sides, the plurality of sides comprising a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end, at least two of the lateral sides each comprising a locking gap configured to engage with one of a plurality of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure at least part of the elongate and flattened storage compartment within the vaporizer device;

an opaque mouthpiece that is snap-fit over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein a first end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in an edge disposed adjacent to a location that is approximately midway between the distal end and the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment;

an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a second end of the opaque mouthpiece;

a notch in the front side of the opaque mouthpiece extending away from the edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the second end of the opaque mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the first side of the elongate and flattened storage compartment beneath the opaque mouthpiece;

a heater at the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises;

a heating chamber, a wick at least partially within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and

a cannula or channel within the elongate and flattened storage compartment and extending from the heater towards the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the notch, and wherein the cannula or channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through which an aerosol formed from the liquid vaporizable material is inhalable.

10. The cartridge of claim 9, further comprising a pair of electrical contacts proximate to the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, the pair of electrical contacts configured to complete a circuit with the resistive heating element.

11. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the notch comprises an approximately rectangular cutout region, an approximately triangular cutout region, or an approximately oval cutout region.

15. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein a first axis of the proximate end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment is longer than a second axis of the proximate end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

16. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is non-cylindrical.

17. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is transparent or translucent.

18. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the liquid vaporizable material comprises a nicotine solution.

19. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment is opposite the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, and wherein the first end of the mouthpiece is opposite the second end of the mouthpiece.

20. The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the locking gaps are disposed at opposite sides of the elongate and flattened storage compartment.

23. A cartridge for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:

an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment further comprises a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end;

an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein a first end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in an edge disposed adjacent to a location between the distal end and the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment;

an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a second end of the opaque mouthpiece;

a notch in the front side of the opaque mouthpiece extending away from the edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the second end of the opaque mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the first side of the elongate and flattened storage compartment beneath the opaque mouthpiece;

a heater at the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises;

a heating chamber, a wick at least partially within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and

a channel within the elongate and flattened storage compartment and extending from the heater towards the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the notch, and wherein the channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through which an aerosol formed from the liquid vaporizable material is inhalable.

24. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the opaque mouthpiece is secured over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment by a snap-fit.

25. The cartridge of claim 23, further comprising a pair of electrical contacts proximate to the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, the pair of electrical contacts configured to complete a circuit with the resistive heating element.

26. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the notch comprises an approximately rectangular cutout region, an approximately triangular cutout region, or an approximately oval cutout region.

27. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein a first axis of the proximate end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment is longer than a second axis of the proximate end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, and wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

28. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is non-cylindrical.

29. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment is transparent or translucent.

30. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the elongate and flattened storage compartment contains the liquid vaporizable material, and wherein the liquid vaporizable material comprises a nicotine solution.

31. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the proximal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment is opposite the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment, and wherein the first end of the mouthpiece is opposite the second end of the mouthpiece.

32. The cartridge of claim 23, wherein the location disposed adjacent to the edge of the opaque mouthpiece is disposed approximately halfway between the proximate end and the distal end of the elongate and flattened storage compartment.