Methods and systems for vapor cooling

• US 9,943,111 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lunatech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lunatech, LLC
• Inventors: Cameron, John, Becker, Dean, Fein, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHAWAMDEH, NADER J
• Application Number:
  US15/252,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20170055588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 131328
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 1/22 with arrangements for cooling by air, e.g. pipes with double walls
• 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 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• 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 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0086 Inhalation chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/17 with redundant control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 : cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/364 : by chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 : Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 : Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6009 : for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/609 : Biometric patient identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7545 : for solid matter, e.g. microaggregates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/022 : Heaters specially adapted for heating gaseous material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/44 : heating conductor arranged within rods or tubes of insulating material

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, systems, and apparatuses for vapor cooling. The methods and systems can be used in conjunction with all vaping devices including e-cigarettes, hybrid communication device electronic vapor devices, robotic vapor devices, modified vapor devices “mods,” electronic vapor devices, and the like.

Claims

1. An electronic vapor device comprising:

a device processor operable for controlling the electronic vapor device;

at least one container configured to store a vaporizable material;

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 is operable to vaporize the 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;

a cooling component operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the cooling component is in fluid communication with the vaporizing component for receiving, at least a portion of vapor generated therein, wherein the cooling component is operable to cool at least a portion of the vapor received therein to a predetermined temperature, wherein the cooling component is coupled to the at least one vapor outlet for expelling cooled vapor therefrom; and

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

2. The electronic vapor device of claim 1, wherein the cooling component is selected from the group of cooling components consisting of at least one of:

a coil, a cooling grid, a cylindrical structure, a chemical cooling element, a liquid cooling element, an air cooling element, and combinations thereof.

3. The electronic vapor device of claim 2, wherein the cooling component is comprised of at least one of:

a metal, a liquid, a polymer, a natural substance, a synthetic substance, air, and combinations thereof.

4. The electronic vapor device of claim 2, wherein the device processor is operable to:

obtain data associated with at least one of at least one operational parameter of the mixing component, at least one operational parameter of the vaporizing component, at least one operational parameter of the cooling component, at least one characteristic of at least one vaporizable material contained in the at least one container, user data associated with at least one user of the electronic vapor device, and combinations thereof;

determine, in response to at least a portion of the obtained data, at least one device configuration for vaporizing at least one vaporizable material contained in the at least one container; and

generate at least one control signal for controlling at least one operation parameter of the electronic vapor device in accordance with the at least one device configuration.

5. The electronic vapor device of claim 4, wherein the device processor is further operable to generate at least one mixing control signal for controlling an amount of vaporizable material to be withdrawn from the at least one container.

6. The electronic vapor device of claim 4, wherein the device processor is further operable to generate at least one vaporizing control signal for controlling at least one vaporization parameter for vaporizing at least one vaporizable material withdrawn from the at least one container.

7. The electronic vapor device of claim 4, wherein the device processor is further operable to generate at least one cooling control signal for controlling at least one cooling parameter of the cooling component for cooling at least a portion of vapor generated by the vaporizing component.

8. The electronic vapor device of claim 4, further comprising an input/output device operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the input/output device is configured to receive a plurality of commands for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device for at least one of vaporizing at least one vaporizing material, cooling at least a portion of generated vapor, and combinations thereof, and to transmit the plurality of commands to the device processor;

wherein the device processor is operable to generate at least one control signal for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device in accordance with at least one command of the plurality of commands.

9. The electronic vapor device of claim 8, wherein the input/output device comprises a user interface, wherein the device processor is operable to receive at least a portion of the plurality of commands from an associated user via the user interface.

10. The electronic vapor device of claim 1, wherein the electronic vapor device is selected from the group of electronic vapor devices consisting of:

an electronic cigarette, an electronic cigar, an electronic vapor device, an electronic vapor device integrated with an electronic communication device, a robotic vapor device, and a micro-size electronic vapor device.

11. A method for vaporizing at least one vaporizable material by electronic vapor device, wherein the electronic vapor device comprises (a) a device processor for controlling the electronic vapor device, (b) at least one container configured to store a vaporizable material, (c) a mixing component operable to control a selected amount of vaporizable material to be withdrawn 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, (e) a cooling component operable to cool at least a portion of generated vapor received therein to a predetermined temperature, and (f) at least one power source operatively coupled to the mixing component and the vaporizing component, the method comprising:

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;

vaporizing at least a portion of the selected amount of vaporizable material by the vaporizing component in accordance with the at least one control signal to generate vapor therefrom and transferring at least a portion of the generated vapor to the cooling component; and

cooling, by the cooling component, at least a portion of vapor received therein to a predetermined temperature and delivering the cooled vapor to the at least one vapor outlet for outputting therefrom.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the generated vapor is cooled via at least one of:

a chemical cooling process, a liquid cooling process, an air cooling process, a mechanical cooling process, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining data associated with at least one of at least one operational parameter of the mixing component, at least one operational parameter of the vaporizing component, at least one operational parameter of the cooling component, at least one characteristic of at least one vaporizable material contained in the at least one container, user data associated with at least one user of the electronic vapor device, and combinations thereof;

determining, in response to at least a portion of the obtained data, at least one device configuration for vaporizing at least one vaporizable material contained in the at least one container; and

generating at least one control signal for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device in accordance with the at least one device configuration.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating at least one mixing control signal for controlling an amount of vaporizable material to be withdrawn from the at least one container.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating at least one vaporizing control signal for controlling at least one vaporization parameter for vaporizing at least one vaporizable material withdrawn from the at least one container.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating at least one cooling control signal for controlling at least one cooling parameter of the cooling component for cooling at least a portion of vapor generated by the vaporizing component.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic vapor device further comprises an input/output device, the method further comprising:

receiving, via the input/output device, a plurality of commands for controlling at least one operational parameter of the electronic vapor device for at least one of vaporizing at least one vaporizing material, cooling at least a portion of generated vapor, and combinations thereof;

transmitting the plurality of received commands to the device processor; and

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 at least one command of the plurality of commands.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of commands are received from an associated user via a user interface.