Vaporizer assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11304448-B2
Application number	US-201816196749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2018
Priority date	Nov 20, 2018
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A vaporizer assembly, which includes a heating element and a conduit assembly configured to direct air to flow through a conduit in fluid communication with the heating element, further includes a dispensing interface assembly configured to be in fluid communication with both the conduit and the vaporizer assembly exterior. The dispensing interface assembly includes a first dispensing interface and a second dispensing interface. The first dispensing interface is in direct fluid communication with the conduit and the heating element. A portion of the second dispensing interface is exposed to the vaporizer assembly exterior. The second dispensing interface is isolated from direct fluid communication with the heating element by the first dispensing interface, and the first dispensing interface is isolated from direct fluid communication with the reservoir by the second dispensing interface. The second dispensing interface is configured to restrict a flow of pre-vapor formulation to the first dispensing interface.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vaporizer assembly for an e-vaping device, the vaporizer assembly comprising:
a heating element;
a conduit assembly including one or more inner surfaces defining a conduit extending through an interior of the conduit assembly, such that the conduit assembly is configured to direct air to flow through the conduit in fluid communication with the heating element; and
a dispensing interface assembly configured to be in fluid communication with both the conduit and a reservoir holding pre-vapor formulation, the dispensing interface assembly configured to supply the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the heating element, the dispensing interface assembly including a first dispensing interface and a second dispensing interface, the first dispensing interface extending through the conduit and coupled to the heating element within the conduit such that the first dispensing interface is in direct fluid communication with the conduit and the heating element, a portion of the second dispensing interface exposed to an exterior of the vaporizer assembly such that the second dispensing interface is configured to be in direct fluid communication with the reservoir via the portion of the second dispensing interface, the second dispensing interface isolated from direct fluid communication with the heating element by the first dispensing interface, the first dispensing interface isolated from direct fluid communication with the reservoir by the second dispensing interface,
wherein the first dispensing interface and the second dispensing interface include different wicking materials having different respective capacities to draw pre-vapor formulation, such that the second dispensing interface is configured to restrict a flow of pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the first dispensing interface based on the first dispensing interface and the second dispensing interface including said different wicking materials
wherein the conduit assembly includes a hollow cylindrical inner housing,
wherein the first dispensing interface extends transversely between opposing inner curved wall surfaces of the hollow cylindrical inner housing,
wherein the second dispensing interface includes a hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure that extends around an outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing, an inner curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure that is proximate to the outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing being in direct contact with a surface of the first dispensing interface, an outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure that is distal to the outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing being exposed to the exterior of the vaporizer assembly.

2. The vaporizer assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cylindrical outer housing including a port extending through the cylindrical outer housing between an inner curved wall surface of the cylindrical outer housing and an outer curved wall surface of the cylindrical outer housing,
wherein the hollow cylindrical inner housing, the first dispensing interface, and the second dispensing interface are enclosed within an interior space defined by the cylindrical outer housing,
wherein the hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure is in an annular space defined by the outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing and the inner curved wall surface of the cylindrical outer housing,
wherein the cylindrical outer housing is configured to expose the annular space to the reservoir through the port, such that the hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure within the annular space is configured to be in direct fluid communication with the reservoir through the port.

3. The vaporizer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first dispensing interface is in direct contact with the heating element.

4. The vaporizer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second dispensing interface is in direct contact with the first dispensing interface.

5. The vaporizer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second dispensing interface is isolated from direct fluid communication with the conduit.

6. The vaporizer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer assembly is configured to be detachably coupled to the reservoir.

7. A cartridge for an e-vaping device, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation; and
a vaporizer assembly coupled to the reservoir, the vaporizer assembly configured to draw the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir, the vaporizer assembly further configured to heat the drawn pre-vapor formulation to form a generated vapor, the vaporizer assembly including
a heating element;
a conduit assembly including one or more inner surfaces defining a conduit extending through an interior of the conduit assembly, such that the conduit assembly is configured to direct air to flow through the conduit in fluid communication with the heating element; and
a dispensing interface assembly configured to be in fluid communication with both the conduit and the reservoir, the dispensing interface assembly configured to supply the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the heating element, the dispensing interface assembly including a first dispensing interface and a second dispensing interface, the first dispensing interface extending through the conduit and coupled to the heating element within the conduit such that the first dispensing interface is in direct fluid communication with the conduit and the heating element, a portion of the second dispensing interface exposed to an exterior of the vaporizer assembly such that the second dispensing interface is configured to be in direct fluid communication with the reservoir via the portion of the second dispensing interface, the second dispensing interface isolated from direct fluid communication with the heating element by the first dispensing interface, the first dispensing interface isolated from direct fluid communication with the reservoir by the second dispensing interface,

wherein the first dispensing interface and the second dispensing interface include different wicking materials having different respective capacities to draw pre-vapor formulation, such that the second dispensing interface is configured to restrict a flow of pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir to the first dispensing interface based on the first dispensing interface and the second dispensing interface including said different wicking materials
wherein the conduit assembly includes a hollow cylindrical inner housing,
wherein the first dispensing interface extends transversely between opposing inner curved wall surfaces of the hollow cylindrical inner housing,
wherein the second dispensing interface includes a hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure that extends around an outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing, an inner curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure that is proximate to the outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing being in direct contact with a surface of the first dispensing interface, an outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical dispensing interface structure that is distal to the outer curved wall surface of the hollow cylindrical inner housing being exposed to the exterior of the vaporizer assembly.

8. The cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the vaporizer assembly further includes
a cylindrical outer housing including a port extending through the cylindrical outer housing between an inner curved wall surface of the cylindrical outer housing and an outer curved wall surface of the

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Hawes Eric
• Lau Raymond W
• Dahl Mik
• Jarantilla Jon
• Salvador Galen
• Montalvan Jose Jesus Paolo
• Kok Jeroen

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• A24F40/46

  Shape or structure of electric heating means · CPC title

• A24F40/40 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts · CPC title

• A24F40/44 Primary

  Wicks · CPC title