Distal end inserted personal vaporizing inhaler cartridge

• US 9,427,711 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Terry, Nathan Andrew, Minskoff, Noah Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): WOODWARD, VALERIE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US14/273,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 12820011-20013, 128/202.21, 12820312-20327, 128/204.13, 131/273
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0001 Details of inhalators; Constructional features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/086 Docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/213 by spraying or atomising of the liquids

Abstract

A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.

Claims

1. A personal vaporizing unit having a proximal end configured to be placed in a human mouth and a distal end, said personal vaporizing unit comprising:

a cartridge having a first end and a second end and holding a fluid to be vaporized into a mixture of air and vaporized fluid;

a chamber open at the distal end of the personal vaporizing unit, the chamber configured to receive the cartridge, at least one space between an exterior surface of said cartridge and an interior surface of said chamber defining a passage for outside air without said vaporized mixture being drawn from outside said personal vaporizing unit at the distal end, wherein said outside air without said vaporized mixture is drawn along said passage from said distal end to said second end; and

,

a porous wick that breaks a seal on said sealed cartridge to allow said fluid to be vaporized into said vaporized mixture, wherein said porous wick absorbs a portion of said fluid from said cartridge and passes it for vaporization.

2. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein at least an end surface of said cartridge is translucent to diffuse light produced internally to said personal vaporizing unit.

3. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein said chamber is configured to hold said cartridge to place said porous wick in direct contact with said fluid to facilitate said fluid passing through said porous wick.

4. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 3, further comprising a heating element, wherein said wick exposes said received portion of said fluid to said heating element.

5. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein said at least one space is created by a flat surface on said cartridge and a round inner diameter of said chamber.

6. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein air is drawn from outside said personal vaporizing unit to said at least one space through a space determined by at least one stand-off that creates a space between said first end and said distal end of said personal vaporizing unit.

7. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein said cartridge has at least one anti-vacuum channel in an interior surface that allows air into a cartridge chamber holding said fluid to be vaporized.

8. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein the porous wick comprises a porous ceramic, porous metal, ceramic coated porous metal, woven metal, spun metal, metal wool, porous polymer, porous coated polymer, porous silica, or porous Pyrex material.

9. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1, wherein the air passes through said porous wick by capillary action of said porous wick.

10. A personal vaporizing unit having a proximal end configured to be placed in a human mouth and a distal end, the personal vaporizing unit comprising:

a distal end chamber;

a porous wick comprising a pointed end; and

a cartridge comprising;

a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing configured to have the second end inserted in an opening at the distal end chamber, said housing configured to hold a fluid to be vaporized into a vaporized mixture of air and vaporized fluid said housing and an interior surface of said distal end chamber forming, when said cartridge is inserted in said distal end chamber, at least one space between an exterior surface of said housing and said interior surface of said distal end chamber that defines a passage for outside air without said vaporized mixture to be drawn from outside and along said passage from said distal end to said second end; and

,

a seal that holds said fluid inside said housing wherein said pointed end of said porous wick punctures the seal when said cartridge is installed into said distal end chamber, further wherein said porous wick absorbs a portion of said fluid and said fluid is removed by capillary action of said porous wick.

11. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10, wherein said housing further comprises:

at least one anti-vacuum channel formed by an interior surface of said housing that, after said seal is punctured, allows air into said cartridge to replace said fluid that is removed from said cartridge.

12. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 11, wherein said wick is in contact with said fluid when the seal is punctured.

13. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10, wherein at least an end surface of said housing is translucent to diffuse light produced internally to said personal vaporizing unit.

14. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10, wherein said at least one space is created by a flat surface on said housing and a round inner diameter of said interior surface of said personal vaporizing unit.

15. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one stand-off that, when said cartridge is inserted in said personal vaporizing unit, creates a space between said distal end of said personal vaporizing unit and said first end of said housing.

16. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10, wherein said porous wick comprises a porous ceramic, porous metal, ceramic coated porous metal, woven metal, spun metal, metal wool, porous polymer, porous coated polymer, porous silica, or porous pyrex material.

17. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10, wherein an interior surface of said housing is configured to contact said personal vaporizer unit to form a contact seal that prevents said fluid from flowing into said at least one space.