ELECTRONIC VAPORIZING DEVICE AND METHODS FOR USE

• US 20130298905A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UPTOKE, LLC
• Original Assignee: UPTOKE, LLC
• Inventors: Tavin, Adam J., Mishin, Artem, Sahu, Saroj Kumar, Levin, Jason R., Wilson, Howard Allen, Juma, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/202.21
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/00 Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/51 Arrangement of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes

Abstract

Devices and methods for vaporizing active ingredients of a selected substance for inhalation using a portable vaporization device are provided herein. In certain aspects, the device includes a portable power source, a heating portion, an inhalation sensor, a temperature sensor, a distal light source, and a grinding portion. In response to an inhalation by a user, the power source energizes a heating element of the heating portion so as to heat air flow to a desired vaporization temperature within a few seconds of detecting inhalation, using convection and radiative heating. The device may include a receptacle for receiving a cartridge containing a pre-prepared substance, such as a liquid, gel, powder, or solid brick, and a grinding portion to allow a user to grind intact portions of cellulose-based material into smaller pieces to facilitate vaporization by manually rotating portions of the device relative to each other.

Claims

1. A portable vaporizing device comprising:

an outer housing having an axial passageway extending therethrough that allows inhalation of air from a distal portion through a proximal portion of the device, wherein the axial passageway includes a receptacle for holding a selected substance having an active ingredient selected by a user;

a portable power source;

an inhalation sensor for detecting air flow through the axial passageway for sensing inhalation through the axial passageway; and

a heating portion disposed within the axial passageway, the heating portion including a heating element for heating the selected substance within the receptacle to a desired temperature sufficient to vaporize the active ingredient of the selected substance for inhalation by a user.

2. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the heating element is separate from the receptacle so as to heat the air and vaporize the active ingredient of the selected substance through convection as air flows through the heating element.

3. The portable vaporizing device of claim 2, wherein the heating portion includes a reflector for reflecting radiation from the heating element so as to radiatively heat the air flowing through the passageway.

4. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to energize the heating element in response to a determination of inhalation by a user using the inhalation sensor.

5. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to determine and alter a power output to the heating element in response to an output from any or all of a thermistor, the inhalation sensor, and an elapsed time so as to provide a desired vaporization temperature while preserving heating element life and conserving power to extend battery life.

6. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a nichrome coil.

7. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the desired temperature is within a range from about 170°

C. to 200°

C.

8. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to heat the wire so as to provide the desired vaporization temperature within three second or less after detection of inhalation.

9. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the power source supplied to the heating portion is less than 30 Watts.

10. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to energize the heating element according to a duty cycle.

11. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a recharging port electrically coupled with the power source so as to recharge the power source when coupled with an external power source.

12. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a distal light source electrically coupled with the power source, wherein the distal light source is configured to output light in response to a determination of inhalation using the inhalation sensor.

13. The portable vaporizing device of claim 12 wherein the distal light source is a variable illumination light source configured to vary illumination in response to an output from the inhalation sensor, so that the light output is proportionally related to the air flow through the sensor.

14. The portable vaporizing device of claim 13 wherein the distal light source comprise one or more LEDs.

15. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 wherein the distal light source is configured to provide an indicator of a state of the device, wherein the state of the device includes any or all of:

a low level of power, a fully recharged state, a low level of the selected substance, damage to the device, and a recharging state.

16. The portable vaporizing device of claim 15 wherein the indicator comprises a light output of differing color and/or a blinking light output.

17. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the portable vaporizing device includes a grinder portion for grinding the selected substance when the selected substance comprises cellulose-based material, the grinder portion defining a grinding cavity, wherein the grinding cavity is accessible by a user to allow the selected substance to be placed within the grinding cavity.

18. The portable vaporizing device of claim 17, wherein the receptacle for holding the selected substance includes the grinding cavity.

19. The portable vaporizing device of claim 17, wherein the grinder portion includes a proximal and distal grinding portion, wherein the proximal and distal grinding portions are coupleable so that, in combination, the proximal and distal grinding portions define the grinding cavity when coupled,

wherein each of the proximal and distal grinding portions includes teeth extending into the grinding cavity when coupled, and

wherein the proximal and distal grinding portions are separable from each other so as to allow a user to access and insert the selected substance within the grinding cavity.

20. The portable vaporizing device of claim 19, wherein the proximal and distal grinder portions are rotatable relative to each other so as to move the teeth of each portion in opposite directions when rotated so as to grind the solid substance when placed within the grinding cavity.

21. The portable vaporizing device of claim 20, wherein the proximal and distal grinder portions each include an undulating surface, the undulating surface of the proximal portion interfaceable with the undulating surface of the distal grinder portion,

wherein the undulating surface translates rotational movement into axial movement so that when the portions are rotated relative to each other during grinding, engagement of one undulating surface against the other undulating surface causes axial back and forth movement of the grinder portions relative to each other when the portions are coupled so as to facilitate break down of the selected substance within the grinding cavity.

22. The portable vaporizing device of claim 21, wherein the proximal grinder portion includes one or more magnets interfaceable with one or more corresponding magnets in the distal grinder portions,

wherein when the magnets are interfaced, the undulating surfaces of each portion are interfaced, and

wherein when the magnets are separated, the undulating surfaces of each portion are separated.

23. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1, wherein the portable power source is configured so as to energize the heating portion in response to sensed air flow by the inhalation sensor, wherein the sensed air flow corresponds to inhalation by a user.

24. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a cartridge for containing a pre-prepared substance having active ingredients for vaporization, the cartridge configured for insertion into the receptacle by a user, wherein the cartridge optionally includes coloring and/or flavorings.

25. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 wherein the heating element comprises a bulb heater.

26. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 wherein the bulb heater comprises a tungsten filament in quartz halogen bulb.

27. The portable vaporizing device of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more screens for filtering particles associated with vaporization of the selected substance; and

a cleaning tool removably coupleable with the device, the cleaning tool adapted for cleaning or removing filtered particles from the one or more screens.

28. A method of vaporizing a selected substance within a portable vaporizing device, the method comprising:

determining inhalation by a user through an air passageway extending through the device with a pressure sensor disposed within the air passageway;

determining a power output from a portable power supply in the device to a heating portion of the device so as to provide a desired vaporization temperature to vaporize the active ingredient of the selected substance within the device;

energizing the heating portion with the determined power output; and

heating the air flowing through the heating portion or directly heating the selected substance to the desired vaporization temperature using convection, radiative and/or conductive heating within less than three seconds of determining inhalation.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the heating portion comprises a bulb heater.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein heating the air flowing through the heating portion or directly heating the selected substance to the desired vaporization temperature comprises selectively energizing the bulb heater based on a temperature reading from a thermistor adjacent the bulb heater.