LEAK-RESISTANT VAPORIZER DEVICE

• US 20180077967A1
• Filed: 12/31/2016
• Published: 03/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PAX Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PAX Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: HATTON, Nicholas Jay, CHRISTENSEN, Steven, DUQUE, Esteban L., ATKINS, Ariel, MONSEES, James, BOWEN, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 11,660,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 40/42 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
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 7/00 Mouthpieces for pipes; Mouthpieces for cigar or cigarette holders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/044 with electrodes immersed in the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/121 interface between cassette and base
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

Vaporizer cartridges and vaporizer apparatuses, and methods for making, using, and/or delivering vapor to a user are described. In some aspects, leak-resistant vaporizer cartridges and/or apparatuses adapted for use with oil-based vaporizable materials including cannabis oils are described.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A vaporizer device comprising:

a reservoir configured to contain a vaporizable material;

a mouthpiece configured to deliver an aerosol comprising the vaporizable material to a user;

an air flow path having an air flow path axis;

a heating element configured to heat and cause vaporization of the vaporizable material into air drawn into the vaporizer device along the air flow path, the air flow path connecting an air inlet via which air from outside the vaporizer device enters the vaporizer device and the mouthpiece, the air flow path passing proximate to the heating element; and

a pad positioned within or proximate to the mouthpiece and away from the air flow axis.

32. The vaporizer device of claim 31, wherein the pad is configured to capture deposited and/or condensed liquid from the air without requiring the air to pass through the pad.

33. The vaporizer device of claim 31, wherein the pad is biased against an interior wall of the mouthpiece.

34. The vaporizer device of claim 31, further comprising an overflow leak chamber at a distal end of the reservoir, opposite the mouthpiece.

35. The vaporizer device of claim 34, wherein the overflow leak chamber is formed between sidewalls of the vaporizer device and a bottom cover plate.

36. The vaporizer device of claim 34, wherein the air flow path extends from the overflow leak chamber through the reservoir to the mouthpiece.

37. The vaporizer device of claim 34, further comprising one or more absorbent pads within the overflow leak chamber and away from the air flow axis.

38. The vaporizer device of claim 37, wherein the one or more absorbent pads is biased against a respective sidewall of the vaporizer device.

39. The vaporizer device of claim 31, further comprising an air tube that defines the air flow path, the air tube extending from the reservoir to the mouthpiece.

40. A method comprising:

heating and causing vaporization of a vaporizable material into air drawn into a vaporizer device along an air flow path having an air flow axis, the air flow path connecting an air inlet via which air from outside the vaporizer device enters the vaporizer device and a mouthpiece configured to deliver an aerosol comprising the vaporizable material to a user;

passing the air over a pad positioned within or proximate to the mouthpiece, the pad configured to capture deposited and/or condensed liquid from the air without requiring the air to pass through the pad.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the pad is configured to capture deposited and/or condensed liquid from the air without requiring the air to pass through the pad.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising passing the air through an overflow leak chamber formed between sidewalls of the vaporizer device and a bottom cover plate.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein one or more absorbent pads are positioned within the overflow leak chamber away from the air flow axis.

44. A cartridge device comprising:

an elongate and flattened tubular body extending in a distal to proximal axis and having a width and a diameter that are transverse to the distal to proximal axis;

a tank within a proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body, the tank configured to hold a vaporizable material;

a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body;

an overflow leak chamber at a distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body;

an air path extending from the overflow leak chamber through the tank to the mouthpiece;

a heater comprising a wick and a heating coil extending within the air path;

an opening into the overflow leak chamber from an external surface of the device, wherein the opening is fluidly connected with the air path; and

one or more absorbent pads within the overflow leak chamber.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the opening is through the distal end of the overflow leak chamber.

46. The device of claim 44, wherein the opening is surrounded by a lip within the overflow leak chamber.

47. The device of claim 44, wherein the one or more absorbent pads are positioned within the overflow leak chamber along the diameter, off-axis relative to an air flow path through the overflow leak chamber from the opening to the air path.

48. The device of claim 44, further comprising a pair of electrical contacts on the distal end of the cartridge in electrical communication with the heater.

49. The device of claim 44, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to fit over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body.

50. The device of claim 44, further comprising one or more mouthpiece absorbent pads within the mouthpiece.

51. The device of claim 50, wherein the one or more mouthpiece absorbent pads are positioned within the mouthpiece between proximal ends of the mouthpiece and the elongate and flattened tubular body.

52. The device of claim 50, wherein the one or more mouthpiece absorbent pads are off-axis relative to an air flow path from the air path and out of the mouthpiece.

53. The device of claim 44, further comprising a cannula extending through the tank.

54. The device of claim 44, wherein the one or more absorbent pads comprises a pair of flat absorbent pads arranged in parallel with respect to one another.

55. The device of claim 44, wherein the heater extends across the air path in a transverse direction.

56. The device of claim 44, wherein the overflow leak chamber is enclosed within the distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body.

57. The device of claim 44, further comprising a plug between the mouthpiece and the elongate and flattened tubular body, wherein the plug closes off the tank of the elongate and flattened tubular body.

58. The device of claim 44, wherein the distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body is configured to be secured by a friction fit within a vaporizer body.

59. The device of claim 44, wherein the distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body comprises a lip or rim configured to snap into a vaporizer body.

60. A cartridge device comprising:

an elongate and flattened tubular body extending in a distal to proximal axis and having width and diameter that are transverse to the distal to proximal axis, wherein the diameter is 1.2 times or greater than the width;

a tank within a proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body, the tank configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material;

a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body;

an overflow leak chamber at a distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body, wherein a length of the overflow leak chamber along the distal to proximal axis is between 0.5 and 2 times a length of the tank along the distal to proximal axis;

an air path extending proximally from the overflow leak chamber through the tank to the mouthpiece, wherein the air path comprises a cannula extending through the tank;

a heater comprising a wick and a heating coil extending within the air path;

an opening into the overflow leak chamber from an external surface of the device, wherein the opening is fluidly connected with the air path;

one or more mouthpiece absorbent pads within the mouthpiece off-axis relative to an air flow path from the air path and out of the mouthpiece; and

one or more absorbent pads within the overflow leak chamber off-axis relative to the air flow path from the air path and out of the mouthpiece.