Leak-resistant vaporizer device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660403-B2
Application number	US-201615396584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2016
Priority date	Sep 22, 2016
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

Vaporizer cartridges and vaporizer apparatuses, and methods for making, using, and/or delivering vapor to a user are described. In some aspects, leak-resistant vaporizer cartridges and/or apparatuses adapted for use with oil-based vaporizable materials including cannabis oils are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vaporizer device having a distal to proximal axis and a cross-section that is transverse to the distal to proximal axis, the cross-section defined along a shorter transverse axis and a longer transverse axis, the vaporizer device comprising:
a reservoir configured to contain a vaporizable material;
a mouthpiece configured to deliver an aerosol comprising the vaporizable material to a user;
a tube defining an unoccluded central portion of an air flow path along the distal to proximal axis;
a heating element configured to heat and cause vaporization of the vaporizable material into air drawn into the vaporizer device along the air flow path, thereby forming the aerosol, the air flow path fluidly connecting an air inlet from which air outside the vaporizer device enters the vaporizer device and the mouthpiece, the air flow path passing proximate to the heating element and extending through the mouthpiece; and
a pair of pads positioned within the mouthpiece, the pair of pads positioned outside of the tube and along the longer transverse axis, the pair of pads including a first pad disposed on one side of the mouthpiece and a second pad disposed on an opposite side of the mouthpiece, the first pad on the one side of the mouthpiece being parallel to and spaced apart along the shorter transverse axis from the second pad on the opposite side of the mouthpiece, and the pair of pads positioned off-axis relative to the unoccluded central portion of the air flow path such that the pair of pads are configured to capture moisture and/or particles from the aerosol as the aerosol travels along the air flow path and between the pair of pads.

2. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the pair of pads are each biased against a respective interior wall of the mouthpiece, the pair of pads disposed parallel to the longer transverse axis.

3. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , further comprising an overflow leak chamber at a distal end of the reservoir, opposite the mouthpiece.

4. The vaporizer device of claim 3 , wherein the overflow leak chamber is formed between sidewalls of the vaporizer device and a bottom cover plate.

5. The vaporizer device of claim 3 , wherein the air flow path extends from the overflow leak chamber through the reservoir to the mouthpiece.

6. The vaporizer device of claim 3 , further comprising one or more absorbent pads within the overflow leak chamber and off-axis relative to the unoccluded central portion of the air flow path.

7. The vaporizer device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more absorbent pads is biased against a respective sidewall of the vaporizer device.

8. The vaporizer device of claim 3 , further comprising an elongate and flattened tubular body extending in the distal to proximal axis, wherein the reservoir is within a proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body, and further wherein the overflow leak chamber is within a distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body.

9. The vaporizer device of claim 8 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to fit over the proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body.

10. The vaporizer device of claim 8 , wherein the distal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body is configured to fit into a vaporizer body.

11. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the tube extends through the reservoir towards the mouthpiece.

12. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer device is a cartridge.

13. A vaporizer device comprising:
a vaporizer body comprising a shell; and
a cartridge having a distal to proximal axis and a cross-section that is transverse to the distal to proximal axis, the cross-section defined along a shorter transverse axis and a longer transverse axis, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir configured to contain a vaporizable material;
a mouthpiece configured to deliver an aerosol comprising the vaporizable material to a user;
a tube defining an unoccluded central portion of an air flow path along the distal to proximal axis;
a heating element configured to heat and cause vaporization of the vaporizable material into air drawn into the cartridge along the air flow path, thereby forming the aerosol, the air flow path fluidly connecting the mouthpiece and an air inlet from which air outside the vaporizer body enters the vaporizer body, the air flow path passing proximate to the heating element and extending through the mouthpiece; and
a pair of pads positioned within the mouthpiece, the pair of pads positioned outside of the tube and along the longer transverse axis, the pair of pads including a first pad disposed on one side of the mouthpiece and a second pad disposed on an opposite side of the mouthpiece, the first pad on the one side of the mouthpiece being parallel to and spaced apart along the shorter transverse axis from the second pad on the opposite side of the mouthpiece, and the pair of pads positioned off-axis relative to the unoccluded central portion of the air flow path such that the pair of pads are configured to capture moisture and/or particles from the aerosol as the aerosol travels along the air flow path and between the pair of pads.

14. The vaporizer device of claim 13 , wherein the pair of pads are each biased against a respective interior wall of the mouthpiece, the pair of pads disposed parallel to the longer transverse axis.

15. The vaporizer device of claim 13 , further comprising an overflow leak chamber at a distal end of the reservoir, opposite the mouthpiece.

16. The vaporizer device of claim 15 , wherein the overflow leak chamber is formed between sidewalls of the vaporizer device and a bottom cover plate.

17. The vaporizer device of claim 15 , wherein the air flow path extends from the overflow leak chamber through the reservoir to the mouthpiece.

18. The vaporizer device of claim 15 , further comprising one or more absorbent pads within the overflow leak chamber and off-axis relative to the unoccluded central portion of the air flow path.

19. The vaporizer device of claim 18 , wherein the one or more absorbent pads is biased against a respective sidewall of the cartridge.

20. The vaporizer device of claim 13 , wherein the tube extends through the reservoir towards the mouthpiece.

21. The vaporizer device of claim 13 , wherein the cartridge further comprises an elongate and flattened tubular body extending along the longitudinal axis.

22. The vaporizer device of claim 21 , wherein the mouthpiece is configured to fit over a proximal end of the elongate and flattened tubular body.

23. A cartridge of a vaporizer device for generating an aerosol, the cartridge having a distal to proximal axis and having a width and a diameter that are transverse to the distal to proximal axis, wherein the diameter is 1.2 times or greater than the width, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir configured to contain a vaporizable material;
a mouthpiece configured to deliver an aerosol comprising the vaporizable material to a user;
a tube defining an unoccluded central portion of an air flow path along the distal to proximal axis;
a heating element configured to heat and cause vaporization of the vaporizable material into air drawn into the cartridge along the air flow path, thereby forming the aerosol, the air flow path fluidly connecting the mouthpiece and an air inlet from which air outside the vaporizer body enters the vaporizer body, the air flow path passing proximate to the heating element and extending through

Assignees

• Juul Labs Inc

Inventors

• Atkins Ariel
• Bowen Adam
• Christensen Steven
• Leon Duque Esteban
• Monsees James

Classifications

• 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

• A61M15/0021

  Mouthpieces therefor · CPC title

• A61M11/04

  operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised {(air-humidification, e.g. "room humidifiers" F24F6/00)} · CPC title

• A61M11/00 Primary

  Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes (in general B05B; {aerosol containers B65D83/14}) · CPC title