Combined cartridge for electronic vaping device

• US 10,368,580 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rostami, Ali, Tucker, Christopher S., Kane, David, Lipowicz, Peter, Karles, Georgios, Kobal, Gerd, Pithawalla, Yezdi
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor S
• Application Number:
  US15/063,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20170258132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/30 Devices using two or more structurally separated inhalable precursors, e.g. using two liquid precursors in two cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means

Abstract

A cartridge for an e-vaping device enables simultaneous vaporization of different pre-vapor formulations to form a vapor for vaping by an adult vapor. The cartridge includes a dispensing interface coupled to a plurality of reservoirs and a heater coupled to the dispensing interface in a housing. The dispensing interface may include a trunk and separate roots extending into separate reservoirs, such that the dispensing interface draws different pre-vapor formulations from the reservoirs to the trunk via the separate roots. The heater is coupled to the trunk, such that the heater is operable to simultaneously vaporize the different pre-vapor formulations drawn into the trunk.

Claims

1. A cartridge for an e-vaping device, the cartridge comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of reservoirs positioned within the housing, the plurality of reservoirs configured to hold different pre-vapor formulations;

a dispensing interface coupled to the plurality of reservoirs, the dispensing interface including a plurality of separate wicks coupled together, the plurality of separate wicks each including absorbent material; and

a heater coupled to the dispensing interface,

wherein the dispensing interface includes

a trunk that is a portion of the dispensing interface that includes coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks and is surrounded by the heater, and

a plurality of separate roots that include non-coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks extending away from the trunk, the plurality of separate roots extending into separate, respective reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs, such that the dispensing interface is configured to draw the different pre-vapor formulations from the plurality of reservoirs into the trunk via the plurality of separate roots,

wherein the heater includes an electrically resistive material and extends around the trunk such that the electrically resistive material is wrapped around the coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks and is configured to simultaneously vaporize the different pre-vapor formulations drawn into the trunk to form a vapor.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the heater is a wire coil, and the wire coil is in contact with the dispensing interface.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein

the heater is configured to heat separate portions of the trunk at different rates simultaneously.

4. The cartridge of claim 3, wherein

the heater is configured to apply different magnitudes of heat to different portions of the trunk simultaneously.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising:

a constrictor coupled to at least one root of the dispensing interface, the constrictor being configured to adjustably control a rate of transport at which the at least one root draws at least one pre-vapor formulation based on adjustably constricting a diameter of at least a portion of the at least one root to adjust a porosity of the portion of the at least one root.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the separate roots include different porosities.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the different pre-vapor formulations include different viscosities at a common temperature.

8. The cartridge of claim 7, wherein the dispensing interface is configured to simultaneously draw the different pre-vapor formulations to the trunk at a common rate of transport.

9. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the plurality of separate wicks include different wicking materials, respectively.

10. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising:

a divider assembly configured to partitioning at least two separate wicks of the plurality of separate wicks from direct contact with each other, the divider assembly being configured to mitigate pre-vaporization mixing of separate pre-vapor formulations drawn to the trunk via the at least two separate wicks.

11. The cartridge of claim 10, wherein

the divider assembly is between side surfaces of the plurality of separate wicks and extends in parallel to the plurality of separate wicks at the trunk.

12. An e-vaping device comprising:

a cartridge, including,

a housing;

a plurality of reservoirs positioned within the housing, the plurality of reservoirs configured to hold different pre-vapor formulations;

a dispensing interface coupled to the plurality of reservoirs, the dispensing interface including a plurality of separate wicks coupled together, the plurality of separate wicks each including absorbent material; and

a heater coupled to the dispensing interface; and

a power supply section configured to selectively supply power to the heater, wherein the dispensing interface includes

a trunk that is a portion of the dispensing interface that includes coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks and is surrounded by the heater, and

a plurality of separate roots that include non-coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks extending away from the trunk, the plurality of separate roots extending into separate, respective reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs, such that the dispensing interface is configured to draw the different pre-vapor formulations from the plurality of reservoirs into the trunk via the plurality of separate roots,

wherein the heater includes an electrically resistive material and extends around the trunk such that the electrically resistive material is wrapped around the coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks and is configured to simultaneously vaporize the different pre-vapor formulations drawn into the trunk to form a vapor.

13. The e-vaping device of claim 12, wherein the dispensing interface is configured to simultaneously draw the different pre-vapor formulations at a common rate of transport.

14. The e-vaping device of claim 12, wherein the dispensing interface is configured to draw at least one pre-vapor formulation at an adjustable rate of transport.

15. The e-vaping device of claim 12, wherein the heater is a wire coil, and the wire coil is in contact with the dispensing interface.

16. The e-vaping device of claim 12, wherein

the housing includes first and second ends and a housing opening, the first end is distal from the housing opening, the second end is proximate to the housing opening;

and

the dispensing interface is proximate to the first end of the housing.

17. The e-vaping device of claim 12, wherein

the power supply section includes a rechargeable battery, the power supply section being removably coupled to the cartridge.

18. A method, comprising:

configuring a cartridge to vaporize different pre-vapor formulations simultaneously within a housing of the cartridge, the cartridge being for use in an e-vaping device, the configuring including,

coupling a dispensing interface to a plurality of reservoirs within the housing, the plurality of reservoirs configured to hold different pre-vapor formulations, the dispensing interface including a plurality of separate wicks coupled together, the plurality of separate wicks each including absorbent material; and

coupling a heater to the dispensing interface,

wherein the dispensing interface includes

a trunk that is a portion of the dispensing interface that includes coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks and is surrounded by the heater, and

a plurality of separate roots that include non-coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks extending away from the trunk, the plurality of separate roots extending into separate, respective reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs, such that the dispensing interface is configured to draw the different pre-vapor formulations from the plurality of reservoirs into the trunk via the plurality of separate roots,

wherein the heater includes an electrically resistive material and extends around the trunk such that the electrically resistive material is wrapped around the coupled portions of the plurality of separate wicks and is configured to simultaneously vaporize the different pre-vapor formulations drawn into the trunk to form a vapor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the different pre-vapor formulations include different viscosities at a common temperature.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein

the heater is a wire coil, and

the coupling the heater couples the wire coil to the trunk such that the wire coil is in contact with the dispensing interface.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

fabricating the dispensing interface prior to coupling the dispensing interface to the plurality of reservoirs, the fabricating including coupling a plurality of separate wicks together to establish the trunk.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein

the coupling the plurality of separate wicks together to establish the trunk includes inserting a divider assembly between at least two separate wicks of the plurality of separate wicks to configure the dispensing interface to mitigate pre-vaporization mixing of separate pre-vapor formulations, such that

the at least two separate wicks extend parallel to each other and are coupled at respective side surfaces, and

the divider assembly is between the side surfaces of the at least two separate wicks and extends in parallel to the at least two separate wicks at the trunk.