Cartridge for electronic vaping device

• US 10,455,863 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rostami, Ali, Tucker, Christopher S., Kane, David, Lipowicz, Peter, Karles, Georgios, Kobal, Gerd, Pithawalla, Yezdi
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark H
• Application Number:
  US15/059,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20170251721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 219494, 219497, 219507, 219483, 219486, 392395, 392387
• 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 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/46 Shape or structure of electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• 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 15/06 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 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

A cartridge for an e-vaping device enables separate vapors to be formed proximate to separate, respective ends of the cartridge. The cartridge includes multiple reservoirs and separate vaporizer assemblies coupled to separate reservoirs on opposite ends of the reservoirs. The separate reservoirs may hold separate pre-vapor formulations. The separate vaporizer assemblies may draw separate pre-vapor formulations from separate reservoirs towards opposite ends of the cartridge and vaporize the separate pre-vapor formulations via operation of separate heaters proximate to the separate ends. The separate heaters may be independently controlled to independently control vapor formation at the separate ends. The heaters may be controlled to independently control vapor formation rates proximate to the separate ends. The heaters may be controlled to form separate vapors at least one of simultaneously, concurrently, and at different times.

Claims

1. A cartridge for an e-vaping device, the cartridge comprising:

a housing including first and second ends;

at least first and second reservoirs positioned within the housing between the first and second ends, the first and second reservoirs extending in parallel longitudinally between the first and second ends of the housing, the first and second reservoirs being configured to hold respective first and second pre-vapor formulations;

a first gasket defining a first end of the first and second reservoirs, the first gasket and the first end of the housing defining a first space within the housing;

a second gasket defining a second end of the first and second reservoirs, the second gasket and the second end of the housing defining a second space within the housing; and

at least first and second vaporizer assemblies positioned within the housing on opposite ends of the first and second reservoirs, the first vaporizer assembly being coupled to the first reservoir and extending into the first space between the first and second reservoirs and the first end of the housing, the first vaporizer assembly being configured to vaporize the first pre-vapor formulation to generate a first vapor in the first space, the second vaporizer assembly being coupled to the second reservoir and extending into the second space between the first and second reservoirs and the first end of the housing, the second vaporizer assembly being configured to vaporize the second pre-vapor formulation to generate a second vapor in the second space; and

at least one electrode electrically coupled to the first and second vaporizer assemblies via separate, respective electrical leads.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein

the first vaporizer assembly includes,

a first dispensing interface configured to draw the first pre-vapor formulation from the first reservoir, and

a first heater coupled to the first dispensing interface, the first heater being configured to vaporize the drawn first pre-vapor formulation;

and

the second vaporizer assembly includes,

a second dispensing interface configured to draw the second pre-vapor formulation from the second reservoir, and

a second heater coupled to the second dispensing interface, the second heater being configured to vaporize the drawn second pre-vapor formulation.

3. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the first dispensing interface includes a porous material, the porous material being arranged in fluidic communication with the first heater.

4. The cartridge of claim 3, wherein the porous material is a wick having an elongated form and arranged in fluidic communication with the first reservoir.

5. The cartridge of claim 4, wherein the wick extends at least partially through the first heater.

6. The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the first and second heaters include different materials.

7. An e-vaping device, comprising:

a cartridge, the cartridge including,

a housing including first and second ends;

at least first and second reservoirs positioned within the housing between the first and second ends, the first and second reservoirs extending in parallel longitudinally between the first and second ends of the housing, the first and second reservoirs being configured to hold respective first and second pre-vapor formulations;

a first gasket defining a first end of the first and second reservoirs, the first gasket and the first end of the housing defining a first space within the housing;

a second gasket defining a second end of the first and second reservoirs, the second gasket and the second end of the housing defining a second space within the housing; and

at least first and second vaporizer assemblies positioned within the housing on opposite ends of the first and second reservoirs, the first vaporizer assembly being coupled to the first reservoir and extending into the first space between the first and second reservoirs and the first end of the housing, the first vaporizer assembly being configured to vaporize the first pre-vapor formulation to generate a first vapor in the first space, the second vaporizer assembly being coupled to the second reservoir and extending into the second space between the first and second reservoirs and the first end of the housing, the second vaporizer assembly being configured to vaporize the second pre-vapor formulation to generate a second vapor in the second space; and

a power supply section configured to selectively supply power to the first and second vaporizer assemblies.

8. The e-vaping device of claim 7, wherein the power supply section further includes control circuitry, the control circuitry being configured to independently control vapor generation by the first and second vaporizer assemblies.

9. The e-vaping device of claim 7, wherein

the first vaporizer assembly includes,

a first dispensing interface configured to draw the first pre-vapor formulation from the first reservoir, and

a first heater coupled to the first dispensing interface, the first heater being configured to vaporize the drawn first pre-vapor formulation;

and

the second vaporizer assembly includes,

a second dispensing interface configured to draw the second pre-vapor formulation from the second reservoir, and

a second heater coupled to the second dispensing interface, the second heater being configured to vaporize the drawn second pre-vapor formulation.

10. The e-vaping device of claim 9, wherein the first dispensing interface includes a porous material, the porous material being arranged in fluidic communication with the first heater.

11. The e-vaping device of claim 10, wherein the porous material is a wick having an elongated form and arranged in fluidic communication with the first reservoir.

12. The e-vaping device of claim 7, wherein the power supply section includes a rechargeable battery, the power supply section being removably coupled to the cartridge.

13. A method, comprising:

configuring a cartridge to generate separate vapors at separate ends of an enclosure, the configuring including,

positioning at least first and second reservoirs in a housing, such that the first and second reservoirs are positioned between first and second ends of the housing and extend in parallel longitudinally between the first and second ends of the housing, the first and second reservoirs being configured to hold respective first and second pre-vapor formulations, the positioning including providing a first gasket defining a first end of the first and second reservoirs, the first gasket and the first end of the housing defining a first space within the housing, the positioning further including providing a second gasket defining a second end of the first and second reservoirs, the second gasket and the second end of the housing defining a second space within the housing; and

coupling at least first and second vaporizer assemblies to opposite ends of the first and second reservoirs, such that

the first vaporizer assembly is coupled to the first reservoir and extends into the first space between the first and second reservoirs and the first end of the housing, and the first vaporizer assembly is configured to vaporize the first pre-vapor formulation to generate a first vapor in the first space, and

the second vaporizer assembly is coupled to the second reservoir and extending into the second space between the first and second reservoirs and the first end of the housing, and the second vaporizer assembly is configured to vaporize the second pre-vapor formulation to generate a second vapor in the second space.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

coupling the cartridge to a power supply section, such that the power supply section is configured to selectively supply power to the first and second vaporizer assemblies.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the power supply section includes control circuitry, the control circuitry being configured to control power supplied from the power supply section, such that coupling the cartridge to the power supply section configures the control circuitry to independently control vapor generation by the first and second vaporizer assemblies.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein

the first vaporizer assembly includes,

a first dispensing interface configured to draw the first pre-vapor formulation from the first reservoir, and

a first heater coupled to the first dispensing interface, the first heater being configured to vaporize the drawn first pre-vapor formulation;

and

the second vaporizer assembly includes,

a second dispensing interface configured to draw the second pre-vapor formulation from the second reservoir, and

a second heater coupled to the second dispensing interface, the second heater being configured to vaporize the drawn second pre-vapor formulation.