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

• US 10,492,541 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• 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:
  US16/166,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20190053543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 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 40/46 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 extending through the pre-vapor formulation compartment, the pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation, the device compartment configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to produce a vapor; and

a dispensing body defining a vapor passage and a through-hole, the through-hole configured to receive the pod assembly such that a front face and a rear face of the pod assembly is exposed by the through-hole.

2. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation compartment of the pod assembly includes at least a portion that is transparent to permit a viewing of the pre-vapor formulation.

3. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation compartment of the pod assembly includes at least a portion that is transparent to permit a viewing of the vapor channel.

4. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation compartment is at a downstream end of the pod assembly.

5. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device compartment is at an upstream end of the pod assembly.

6. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-vapor formulation compartment is downstream from the device compartment.

7. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device compartment of the pod assembly is in fluidic communication with the vapor channel.

8. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device compartment of the pod assembly includes a memory device configured to interact with the dispensing body to enable receiving information, transmitting information, or both receiving and transmitting information.

9. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device compartment of the pod assembly includes a memory device configured to interact with the dispensing body to enable storing information.

10. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 9, wherein the information includes an electronic identity stored in the memory device and accessed by the dispensing body to permit an authentication of the pod assembly.

11. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 9, wherein the information includes an electronic identity stored in the memory device and accessed by the dispensing body to permit an identification of the pod assembly.

12. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 11, wherein the identification of the pod assembly includes a pairing of a vaping profile associated with the pod assembly.

13. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pod assembly includes a plurality of external surfaces, the plurality of external surfaces including the front face, the rear face opposite the front face, a first side face between the front face and the rear face, a second side face opposite the first side face, a downstream end face, and an upstream end face opposite the downstream end face.

14. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the front face of the pod assembly has a front width, the first side face of the pod assembly has a first side width, the front width being greater than the first side width.

15. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the downstream end face of the pod assembly defines a channel outlet in fluidic communication with the vapor channel.

16. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the upstream end face of the pod assembly includes at least one electrical contact.

17. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 16, wherein the dispensing body is configured to supply power to the pod assembly, communicate with the pod assembly, or both supply power to the pod assembly and communicate with the pod assembly via the at least one electrical contact.

18. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 16, wherein the dispensing body includes a power source configured to supply a current to the device compartment of the pod assembly via the at least one electrical contact.

19. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dispensing body includes a mouthpiece that defines at least a part of the vapor passage.

20. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mouthpiece is a removable element configured to facilitate replacement by an adult vaper.

21. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vapor passage of the dispensing body is downstream from the through-hole.

22. The e-vapor apparatus of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the through-hole correspond to dimensions of the pod assembly to facilitate an engagement of the pod assembly within the through-hole.

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

an attachment structure on a sidewall of the through-hole, on a surface of the pod assembly, or on both the sidewall of the through-hole and the surface of the pod assembly, the attachment structure configured to engage and hold the pod assembly within the through-hole of the dispensing body.

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

a plurality of external surfaces including a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, a first side face between the front face and the rear face, a second side face opposite the first side face, a downstream end face, and an upstream end face opposite the downstream end face;

a pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation such that the pre-vapor formulation is visible through at least the front face;

a device compartment upstream from the pre-vapor formulation compartment, the device compartment configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to produce a vapor; and

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

25. The pod assembly of claim 24, wherein the device compartment includes a memory device configured to store an electronic identity.

26. The pod assembly of claim 25, wherein the electronic identity facilitates an authentication of the pod assembly, an identification of the pod assembly, or both the authentication and the identification of the pod assembly.