Vaporizer assembly having a vaporizer and a matrix

• US 10,687,555 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2015
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Batmark Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Buchberger, Helmut, Dickens, Colin John
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thang H
• Application Number:
  US15/322,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20170127725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 131329, 131328
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• 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

Abstract

A vaporizer assembly comprising a vaporizer and a matrix suitable for retaining a vaporizable liquid, wherein the vaporizer includes first and second surfaces forming a common edge, the first surface having a greater surface area than the second surface, wherein the vaporizer is in contact with the matrix via the second surface.

Claims

1. A vaporizer assembly comprising a vaporizer and a matrix suitable for retaining a vaporizable liquid, wherein the vaporizer comprises:

first and second surfaces forming a common edge, the first surface having a greater surface area than the second surface, the second surface presenting along a longitudinal dimension of the vaporizer and the first surface presenting along a transverse dimension of the vaporizer;

wherein the vaporizer is in contact with the matrix via the second surface, wherein the vaporizer is formed from a material comprising a capillary structure,

wherein the longitudinal dimension of the vaporizer is substantially parallel with a longitudinal dimension of the vaporizer assembly, the capillary structure being exposed along the first and second surfaces of the vaporizer.

2. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vaporizer is substantially planar.

3. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vaporizer has a substantially uniform thickness.

4. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of vaporizers.

5. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of vaporizers are in a stacked configuration.

6. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of vaporizers are oriented in substantially the same plane.

7. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vaporizer is supported by one or more matrixes.

8. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the capillary structure is exposed on all surfaces of the vaporizer.

9. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the capillary structure is not exposed on at least one surface of the vaporizer.

10. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the matrix does not contact the first surface.

11. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the matrix is made of a resilient material.

12. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the matrix contacts the vaporizer via all surfaces forming a common vertex with the first surface.

13. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the matrix contains a vaporizable liquid comprising at least one of nicotine, water, or glycerol.

14. A device comprising the vaporizer assembly of claim 1.

15. The device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a housing;

a power source arranged within the housing and configured to supply power to the vaporizer;

one or more sensors arranged within the housing and configured to activate the vaporizer when the device is in use; and

optionally one or more LEDs.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the housing is comprised of a first part and a second part and the vaporizer assembly is contained in the first part.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein the device further comprises:

a first housing comprising a mouthpiece; and

a connector for establishing mechanical and electrical connection between the first housing and a second housing comprising a power source, the power source configured to supply power to the vaporizer.

18. The vaporizer assembly as claimed in claim 1, the vaporizer being formed from a porous material.

19. A vaporizer assembly comprising a vaporizer and a matrix suitable for retaining a vaporizable liquid, wherein the vaporizer comprises:

first and second surfaces forming a common edge, the first surface having a greater surface area than the second surface;

wherein the vaporizer is in contact with the matrix via the second surface, wherein the vaporizer is formed from a material comprising a capillary structure,

wherein a longitudinal dimension of the vaporizer is substantially parallel with a longitudinal dimension of the vaporizer assembly, and

wherein the vaporizer has a third surface forming an independent common edge with the first surface, the third surface also being in contact with the matrix.

20. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 19, wherein the third surface is positioned opposite the second surface.

21. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 19, wherein the third surface is positioned perpendicularly relative to the second surface.

22. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 21, wherein the third surface and the second surface form a common edge.

23. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 19, wherein the assembly comprises more than one matrix.

24. The vaporizer assembly according to claim 23, wherein the second surface of the vaporizer is in contact with a first matrix and the third surface of the vaporizer is in contact with a second matrix.