Vaporization device systems and methods

• US 10,058,124 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc. (PAX Labs, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc. (PAX Labs, Inc.)
• Inventors: Monsees, James, Hatton, Nicholas Jay, Christensen, Steven, Atkins, Ariel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyun, Paul Sang Hwa
• Application Number:
  US14/581,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/53 Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0015 located upstream of the dispenser, i.e. not traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/128 with incorporated valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 : using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 : Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence

Abstract

Vaporizer devices and apparatuses are provided. In some implementations, a vaporizer device comprises a cartridge and a device body. The cartridge comprises a cartridge body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first pair of heater contacts comprising a first plate coupled to the first side and a second plate coupled to the second side, and a heater comprising a wick, a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, the first plate, and the second plate. The wick and resistive heating element are suspended between the first plate and the second plate. The device body comprises a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge and a second pair of heater contacts positioned to couple with the first pair of heater contacts when the cartridge is inserted into the device body.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a cartridge comprising;

a cartridge body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

a first pair of heater contacts comprising a first plate coupled to the first side and a second plate coupled to the second side; and

heater comprising a wick and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, the heater further comprising the first plate and the second plate, wherein the wick and resistive heating element are suspended between the first plate and the second plate; and

a device body comprising;

a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; and

a second pair of heater contacts positioned to couple with the first pair of heater contacts when the cartridge is inserted into the device body, coupling of the first pair of heater contacts and the second pair of heater contacts completing an electrical circuit for delivering electrical energy to the resistive heating element, the resistive heating element configured to generate an aerosol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pair of heater contacts further comprises a contact surface disposed outside of the heater, the contact surface electrically coupled to the first plate, and the contact surface configured to electrically couple with a heater contact of the second pair of heater contacts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plate is coupled to the first side using one or more of:

pins;

post; and

compression.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprises a heat sink configured to absorb and/or dissipate heat produced by the resistive heating element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprises a heat shield configured to protect the cartridge from heat produced by the resistive heating element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source electrically coupled to the second pair of heater contacts; and

a printed circuit board electrically coupled to the power source and the second pair of heater contacts, wherein the printed circuit board comprises instructions which, when executed, result in operations comprising;

detecting an absence of fluid in the cartridge based on measuring a resistance of the resistive heating element.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:

switches;

a reference resistor; and

a controller configured to cycle the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, the operations further comprising;

controlling a temperature of the resistive heating element based on the measured resistance.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein controlling the temperature comprises:

turning power to the resistive heating element off, when the measured resistance exceeds a control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of contacts exposed through an exterior surface of the device body, wherein the plurality of contacts are configured for electrical communication with a power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; and

an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material; and

an oven comprising the heater and an oven chamber, wherein the oven is positioned along the first airflow path, and wherein an aerosol, generated by heating the vaporizable material, travels along the first airflow path.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a condensation chamber configured to receive the aerosol, wherein the second airflow path joins with the first airflow path, prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber, thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the aerosol to a user.

27. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cartridge further comprises the vaporizable material within the storage compartment, and wherein the vaporizable material comprises a nicotine formulation.

13. A cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side opposite the second side;

a heater chamber comprising a wick and a heating element in contact with the wick, the wick comprising a fibrous material, the heating element configured to heat the wick to generate an aerosol for delivery to a user; and

a first pair of heater contacts, the first pair of heater contacts comprising a first plate coupled to the first side of the cartridge body and a second plate coupled to the second side of the cartridge body, the first plate and the second plate defining a volume therebetween, and a portion of the wick and a portion of the heating element disposed within the volume.

14. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the first pair of heater contacts further comprises a contact surface disposed outside of the heater chamber, the contact surface electrically coupled to the first plate, and the contact surface configured to electrically couple with a contact of a device body and form part of a circuit with the device body.

15. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprises a heat sink configured to absorb and/or dissipate heat produced by the heating element.

16. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprises a heat shield configured to protect the cartridge from heat produced by the heating element.

17. The cartridge of claim 13, further comprising:

an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; and

an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path.

18. The cartridge of claim 17, further comprising:

a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material;

an oven comprising the heater chamber and an oven chamber, wherein the oven is positioned along the first airflow path, and wherein an aerosol, generated by heating the vaporizable material, travels along the first airflow path.

19. The cartridge of claim 18, further comprising:

a condensation chamber configured to receive the aerosol, wherein the second airflow path joins with the first airflow path, prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber, thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the aerosol to a user.

20. The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the fibrous material comprises at least one of:

a silica material, a cotton material, and a hemp material.

28. The cartridge of claim 18, further comprising the vaporizable material within the storage compartment, wherein the vaporizable material comprises a nicotine formulation.

21. A cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side opposite the second side;

a heater chamber comprising a wick and a heating element in contact with the wick, the heating element configured to heat the wick to generate an aerosol for delivery to a user;

an air inlet that originates a first airflow path;

an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path; and

a first pair of heater contacts, the first pair of heater contacts comprising a first plate coupled to the first side of the cartridge body and a second plate coupled to the second side of the cartridge body, the first plate and the second plate defining a volume therebetween, and a portion of the wick and a portion of the heating element disposed within the volume.

22. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first pair of heater contacts further comprises a contact surface disposed outside of the heater chamber, the contact surface electrically coupled to the first plate, and the contact surface configured to electrically couple with a contact of a device body and form part of a circuit with the device body.

23. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprises a heat sink configured to absorb and/or dissipate heat produced by the heating element.

24. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprises a heat shield configured to protect the cartridge from heat produced by the heating element.

25. The cartridge of claim 21, further comprising:

a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material;

an oven comprising the heater chamber and an oven chamber, wherein the oven is positioned along the first airflow path, and wherein an aerosol, generated by heating the vaporizable material, travels along the first airflow path.

26. The cartridge of claim 25, further comprising:

a condensation chamber configured to receive the aerosol, wherein the second airflow path joins with the first airflow path, prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber, thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the aerosol to a user.