Atomizer for a personal vaporizing unit

• US 10,300,225 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Terry, Nathan Andrew, Minskoff, Noah Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodward, Valerie L
• Application Number:
  US15/981,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20180256832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/041 using heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0001 Details of inhalators; Constructional features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0025 with caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0035 Piercing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0205 Materials having antiseptic or antimicrobial properties, e.g. silver compounds, rubber with sterilising agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0233 Conductive materials, e.g. antistatic coatings for spark prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/59 Aesthetic features, e.g. distraction means to prevent fears of child patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity

Abstract

A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.

Claims

1. A personal vaporizer comprising:

an air channel structured to receive outside air;

a battery;

a removable cartridge that holds a substance to be vaporized;

a first wick contacting the substance in the removable cartridge through which the substance transfers to the first wick;

a second wick receiving the substance from the first wick;

a heating element powered by the battery and wrapped around the second wick that heats the substance for vaporization resulting in vapor, wherein the vapor mixes with the outside air;

a vaporizer housing for the heating element that contacts the second wick; and

a mouthpiece through which the vapor mix passes.

2. The personal vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer housing for the heating element includes an air cavity.

3. The personal vaporizer of claim 2, wherein the vaporization is located in the air cavity.

4. The personal vaporizer of claim 3, wherein the vaporizer housing comprises an air hole through which air enters the air cavity.

5. The personal vaporizer of claim 3, wherein the mixing of the vapor and the outside air is located in at least the air cavity.

6. The personal vaporizer of claim 2, wherein the second wick is internal to the vaporizer housing.

7. The personal vaporizer of claim 6, wherein the first wick is external to the vaporizer housing.

8. The personal vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the first wick is in direct contact with the substance to be vaporized in the removable cartridge.

9. The personal vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer housing holds the second wick.

10. The personal vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a liquid.

11. The personal vaporizer of claim 10, wherein the first wick is porous and absorbs the liquid from the removable cartridge.

12. The personal vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the air channel is part of the removable cartridge.

13. A personal vaporizer unit comprising:

a battery;

a removable cartridge that holds a substance to be vaporized;

a wick structure comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion contacts and absorbs the substance in the removable cartridge, and the second portion receives the substance from the first portion;

a heating element powered by the battery and disposed around the second portion that heats the substance for vaporization resulting in vapor;

a vaporizer housing for the heating element, wherein the vaporizer housing holds the first portion of the wick, which extends from the vaporizer housing, and further wherein the vaporizer housing encloses the second portion of the wick; and

a mouthpiece through which the vapor passes.

14. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 13, wherein the vaporizer housing supports the first portion of the wick, which extends into the substance in the removable cartridge.

15. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 13, wherein the vaporizer housing includes an air cavity and the vaporization is located in the air cavity.

16. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 15, wherein the vaporizer housing comprises an air hole through which air enters the air cavity.

17. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 15, further comprising:

an air inlet through which outside air passes, wherein the vapor is mixed with outside air and passed through the mouthpiece.

18. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 17, wherein the mixing of the vapor and the outside air is located in at least the air cavity.

19. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 13, wherein the second portion is internal to the vaporizer housing.

20. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 19, wherein the first portion is external to the vaporizer housing.

21. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 13, wherein the first portion is in direct contact with the substance to be vaporized in the removable cartridge.

22. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 13, wherein the substance comprises a liquid.

23. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 22, wherein the wick structure is porous and absorbs the liquid from the removable cartridge.

24. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 13, further comprising:

an air inlet through which outside air passes, wherein the vapor is mixed with the outside air and passed through the mouthpiece.

25. A personal vaporizer unit comprising:

an air channel through which outside air passes;

a battery;

a removable cartridge that holds a substance to be vaporized;

a vaporization housing;

a porous wick structure comprising an outside wick portion and an inside wick portion, wherein the outside wick portion is outside the vaporization housing and absorbs the substance from the removable cartridge, further wherein the inside wick portion is within the vaporization housing and receives the substance from the outside wick portion;

a heating element powered by the battery and wrapped around the inside wick portion that heats the substance for vaporization resulting in vapor, wherein the vapor mixes with the outside air, further wherein the vaporization housing holds the outside wick portion and encloses the inside wick portion; and

a mouthpiece in airflow communication with the vaporization housing through which the vapor mix passes.

26. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 25, further comprising:

an air cavity in the vaporization housing for the vaporization, wherein the vaporization housing comprises an air hole through which air enters the air cavity.

27. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 26, wherein the mixing of the vapor and the outside air is located in at least the air cavity.

28. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 25, wherein the outside wick portion extends into direct contact with the substance to be vaporized of the removable cartridge.

29. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 25, wherein the inside wick portion enclosed in the vaporization housing receives the substance from the outside wick portion.

30. The personal vaporizer unit of claim 25, wherein the substance comprises a liquid that is wicked to the inside wick portion and to the outside wick portion.