Methods and systems for a dual function vapor device

• US 9,936,737 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lunatech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lunatech, LLC
• Inventors: Cameron, John David, Becker, Dean, Fein, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHAWAMDEH, NADER J
• Application Number:
  US15/337,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20170119058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 131329
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/05 Devices without heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/30 Devices using two or more structurally separated inhalable precursors, e.g. using two liquid precursors in two cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• 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

Provided are systems, methods and electronic vapor devices comprising a first container containing a first vaporizable liquid and a second container comprising a second vaporizable liquid. A vaporizer can be configured to vaporize at least the first vaporizable liquid and the second vaporizable liquid. Vaporizing the first vaporizable liquid produces a first vapor having a visible vapor cloud, and vaporizing the second vaporizable liquid produces a second vapor having a drastically reduced or invisible vapor cloud when compared to the first vapor.

Claims

1. An electronic vapor device comprising:

a device processor operable for controlling the electronic vapor device;

at least one container configured to store at least one type of vaporizable material, wherein the type of vaporizable material is selected from the group consisting of a liquid composition comprising at least one of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin and a natural-based liquid composition;

a mixing component operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the mixing component is in fluid communication with the at least one container for receiving at least a portion of the vaporizable material therefrom, wherein the mixing component is operable to withdraw a selected amount of vaporizable material from the at least one container;

a vaporizing component operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the vaporizing component is in fluid communication with the mixing component for receiving at least a portion of the selected amount of vaporizable material withdrawn from the at least one container by the mixing component, wherein the vaporizing component comprises an ultrasonic operable to produce ultrasonic vibrations to vaporize at least a portion of vaporizable material received therein and a heating element operable to produce heat energy to vaporize at least a portion of vaporizable material received therein;

at least one vapor outlet coupled to the vaporizing component and configured to receive vapor generated by the vaporizing component, the at least one vapor outlet operable to expel the generated vapor from the electronic vapor device;

an input/output device operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the input/output device is operable to receive at least one command for selectively operating at least one of the ultrasonic vibration element and the heating element, based on the type of vaporizable material stored in the at least one container, and to transmit the at least one command to the device processor for processing thereof; and

at least one power source operatively coupled to the vaporizing component, wherein the at least one power source is operable to generate a supply of power for operation of at least the mixing component and the vaporizing component.

2. The electronic vapor device of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibration element comprises at least one piezoelectric dispersing element.

3. The electronic vapor device of claim 2, wherein the at least one piezoelectric dispersing element comprises at least one piezoelectric material selected from the group of piezoelectric material consisting of natural piezoelectric crystals, synthetic piezoelectric crystals, synthetic piezoelectric ceramics, and combinations thereof.

4. The electronic vapor device of claim 1,

wherein the electronic vapor device comprises a plurality of containers, wherein the plurality of containers includes at least a first container type and a second container type, wherein each first container type is configured to store a first vaporizable material, wherein each second container type is configured to store a second vaporizable material;

and

wherein the mixing component is operable to withdraw a selected amount of first vaporizable material from at least one first container type and deliver at least a portion of the selected amount of first vaporizable material withdrawn therefrom to the vaporizing component, wherein the mixing component is operable to withdraw a selected amount of second vaporizable material from at least one second container type and deliver at least a portion of the second vaporizable material withdrawn therefrom to the vaporizing component.

5. The electronic vapor device of claim 4, wherein the first vaporizable material comprises at least one of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin and wherein the second vaporizable material is a natural-based liquid composition.

6. The electronic vapor device of claim 5, wherein the second vaporizable material is a natural-based liquid composition that is substantially free of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.

7. The electronic vapor device of claim 5, further comprising a vaporizable material blending component operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the vaporizable material blending component is in fluid communication with the mixing component for receiving at least one of at least a portion of a first vaporizable t material withdrawn from at least one first container type by the mixing component, at least a portion of a second vaporizable material withdrawn from at least one second container type by the mixing component, and combinations thereof, wherein the vaporizable material blending component is operable to blend at least a portion of the vaporizable material received therein, wherein the vaporizable material blending component is in fluid communication with the vaporizing component for delivering at least a portion of the blended vaporizable material to the vaporizing component.

8. The electronic vapor device of claim 5, wherein the device processor is operable to generate at least one mixing control signal for controlling an amount of vaporizable material to be withdrawn from at least one of the plurality of containers by the mixing component to be received by the vaporizing component for vaporizing therein.

9. The electronic vapor device of claim 5, wherein the device processor is operable to generate at least one vaporizing control signal for selectively operating at least one of the ultrasonic vibration element and the heating element, based on a type of vaporizable material stored in at least one of the plurality of containers.

10. The electronic vapor device of claim 1, wherein the input/output device is further operable to connect the device processor to at least one remote device, wherein the input/output device is operable to transmit usage data associated with use of the electronic vapor device to the at least one remote device.

11. The electronic vapor device of claim 10, wherein the input/output device is operable to receive at least one operational command for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device and to transmit the at least one operational command to the device processor for controlling the at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device.

12. A method for operating an electronic vapor device having a vaping mode and an environment monitoring mode, wherein the electronic vapor device comprises (a) a device processor for controlling the electronic vapor device, (b) at least one container configured to store at least one type of vaporizable material, wherein the type of vaporizable material is selected from the group consisting of a liquid composition comprising at least one of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin and a natural-based liquid composition, (c) a mixing component operable to withdraw a selected amount of vaporizable material from the at least one container, (d) a vaporizing component operable to vaporize a plurality of materials received therein and expel a generated vapor from the vaporizing component, wherein the vaporizing component comprises an ultrasonic vibration element operable to produce ultrasonic vibrations to vaporize at least a portion of vaporizable material received therein and a heating element operable to produce heat energy to vaporize at least a portion of vaporizable material received therein, and (e) at least one power source operable to generate a supply of power for operation of at least the mixing component and the vaporizing component, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the device processor, at least one command to activate the electronic vapor device;

generating, by the device processor, at least one control signal for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device in accordance with the at least one command;

withdrawing, by the mixing component, a selected amount of vaporizable material from the at least one container in accordance with the at least one control signal and delivering the selected amount of vaporizable material withdrawn therefrom to the vaporizing component; and

vaporizing, based on the type of vaporizable material received therein, at least a portion of the received vaporizable material by at least one of the ultrasonic vibration element and the heating element to generate a vapor therefrom in accordance with the at least one control signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic vapor device comprises a plurality of containers, wherein the plurality of containers includes at least a first container type and a second container type, wherein each first container type is configured to store a first vaporizable material, wherein each second container type is configured to store a second vaporizable material;

the method further comprising;

withdrawing a selected amount of at least one of a first vaporizable material from at least one first container type, a second vaporizable material from at least one second container type, and combinations thereof in accordance with the at least one control signal, and delivering at least a portion of the withdrawn vaporizable material to the vaporizing component; and

vaporizing, based on a type of vaporizable material received therein, at least a portion of the received vaporizable material by at least one of the ultrasonic vibration element and the heating element to generate a vapor therefrom in accordance with the at least one control signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first vaporizable material comprises at least one of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin and wherein the second vaporizable material is a natural-based liquid composition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second vaporizable material is a natural-based liquid composition that is substantially free of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

delivering to a vaporizable material blending component at least one of at least a portion of a first vaporizable material withdrawn from at least one first container type by the mixing component, at least a portion of a second vaporizable material withdrawn from at least one second container type by the mixing component, and combinations thereof; and

blending, by the vaporizable material blending component, at least a portion of the vaporizable material received therein and delivering at least a portion of the blended vaporizable material to the vaporizing component.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein generating at least one control signal comprises generating at least one mixing control signal for controlling an amount of vaporizable material to be withdrawn from at least one of the plurality of containers by the mixing component to be received by the vaporizing component for vaporizing therein.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein generating at least one control signal comprises generating at least one vaporizing control signal for selectively operating at least one of the ultrasonic vibration element and the heating element, based on a type of vaporizable material stored in at least one of the plurality of containers.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting, via an input/output device, usage data associated with use of the electronic vapor device to a remote device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving from the remote device, via the input/output device, at least one operational command for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device;

transmitting the at least one operational command to the device processor;

generating, by the device processor, at least one control signal for controlling the at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device in accordance with the at least one operational command.