ELECTRONIC VAPORIZER

• US 20130220315A1
• Filed: 08/25/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NJOY electronic cigarettes
• Original Assignee: FUMA International LLC
• Inventors: Conley, Gregory D., Hillenbrandt, Daniel C., Mandela, Michael, Steiger, William E., Conley, Rebecca L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/202.21
• 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 40/44 Wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/825 using mechanical generation of electricity, e.g. hand cranked generators
• 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

An electronic vaporizer is provided. The electronic vaporizer includes a cartridge that facilitates provision of a vaporized solution to an individual. The cartridge includes a housing that includes an interior, wherein the housing is one of a polymer housing or a ceramic housing. The cartridge also includes a heating element located in the interior of the housing, wherein the heating element is configured to vaporize a solution for oral provision to the individual. The vaporizer may also include a power harvesting device operative to acquire energy from the environment for use with powering the heating element.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a cartridge that facilitates provision of a vaporized solution to an individual, the cartridge comprising;

a housing that comprises an interior;

a heating element located in the interior of the housing, wherein the heating element is configured to vaporize a solution for oral provision to the individual; and

a power harvesting device operative to acquire energy from the environment for use with powering the heating element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises an absorbent material located in the interior of the housing, wherein the absorbent material comprises the solution, and wherein the heating element vaporizes the solution in the absorbent material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cartridge is an enclosed cylinder that comprises a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cartridge further comprises a first aperture on the first end and a second aperture on the second end, wherein an airflow passageway exists axially between the first end and the second end, and wherein the airflow passageway is configured to allow airflow through the cartridge.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the absorbent material surrounds the airflow passageway in the interior of the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the heating element comprises a wicking material to attract the solution from the absorbent material to the heating element.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the solution comprises one or more of nicotine, caffeine, or THC.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, being adapted for utilization in connection with an electronic cigarette.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is an enclosed cylinder that comprises a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, and wherein the first end comprises conductive material that is adapted to be electrically or electronically coupled to a power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second end is at least partially covered by at least one of a paper, wood and a flavored covering.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second end includes a tip comprised of a malleable polymer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor and a data store, wherein the at least one sensor is operative to detect and store data in the data store responsive at least in part to characteristics of at least one of breath, saliva, sweat, and cells of the user.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power harvesting device includes a generator, wherein air flow through the apparatus is operative to cause the generator to generate electricity usable to power the heating element.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a controller and a data store, wherein the controller is operative responsive at least in part to the generator, to determine an estimate of an amount of vaporized solution inhaled by the individual, and to store data representative of the estimated amount in the data store.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the controller is operative to control when to operate the heating element to further vaporize the solution responsive at least in part to the data stored in the data store.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a controller and a reading device, wherein the reading device is operative to acquire data from the individual which is used by the controller to verify that a predetermined individual is adjacent the apparatus prior to causing the heating element to vaporize the solution.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the reader device is a biometric reader.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a controller and a reading device, wherein the reading device is operative to wirelessly acquire data from an article adjacent the apparatus, which data is used by the controller to verify that a predetermined article is adjacent the apparatus prior to causing the heating element to vaporize the solution.

19. The apparatus according to claim, wherein the article includes at least one of a ring and an item capable of being carried by a user.

20. A method comprising:

with an apparatus including a cartridge that facilitates provision of a vaporized solution to an individual, the cartridge comprising a heating element located in the interior of the housing, wherein the heating element is configured to vaporize a solution for oral provision to the individual, wherein the apparatus includes a power harvesting device operative to acquire energy from the environment for use with powering the heating element,

a) receiving an airflow through the housing;

b) through operation of the power harvesting device, generating electricity responsive to the airflow in (a); and

c) using the electricity generated in (b) to cause the heating element to vaporize the solution.