Devices for vaporization of a substance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904089-B2
Application number	US-201916372354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2019
Priority date	Aug 16, 2011
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

Devices for generating and releasing vapor. In particular, described herein are portable devices for generating a low-temperature inhalable vapor having an elongated tubular body containing a vaporization chamber and a battery-powered heater, a removable mouthpiece covering the vaporization chamber, a display configured to indicate the temperature of the vaporization chamber; a microcontroller configured to regulate the temperature of the vaporization chamber, and a control to select from among a variety of temperature settings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol, the device comprising:
a body;
an electronic heater disposed within the body, the electronic heater configured to heat a vaporizable material to generate the inhalable aerosol; and
a controller, the controller configured to regulate an operating temperature of the electronic heater;
wherein the electronic heater is further configured to operate in each of an on mode and a standby mode; and
wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause the electronic heater to convert from the standby mode to the on mode based on determining, while the electronic heater is in the standby mode, one or more of (i) movement of the device, (ii) removal of the device from a charging cradle, (iii) user touch of the device, (iv) that a user is puffing on the device, or (v) press of a touch-sensitive user interface; and
cause the electronic heater to convert from the on mode to the standby mode based at least on determining, while the electronic heater is in the on mode, that the device has been placed in the charging cradle.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a standby operating temperature of the electronic heater in the standby mode is 5° C. to 30° C. less than a set point operating temperature of the electronic heater in the on mode.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the set point operating temperature is 165° C.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the set point operating temperature of the electronic heater is fixed.

5. The device of claim 2 , further comprising a user interface in communication with the controller;
wherein the set point operating temperature of the electronic heater is a user-selectable operating temperature, the controller further configured to:
receive, via the user interface, a user selection of the user-selectable operating temperature; and
based on the receiving of the user selection, cause the electronic heater to maintain the user-selectable operating temperature while in the on mode.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the electronic heater to convert from the on mode to the standby mode based on determining, while the electronic heater is in the on mode, one or more of (i) the electronic heater has been in the on mode for a predetermined length of time, (ii) a lack of movement of the device, or (iii) the device is in a specified position.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect movement of the device, the at least one sensor in communication with the controller and comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a tactile sensor, a vibration sensor, or a capacitive touch sensor;
wherein the controller is configured to determine the movement of the device based on the at least one sensor.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a thermistor in communication with the controller;
wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the user is puffing on the device based on monitoring of the thermistor.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic heater is further configured for an off mode; and
wherein the controller is further configured to cause the electronic heater to convert from the off mode to the on mode based on determining, while the electronic heater is in the off mode, one or more of (i) press of the touch-sensitive user interface, (ii) removal of the device from the charging cradle, or (iii) movement of the device.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic heater is further configured for an off mode; and
wherein the controller is further configured to:
disable motion-based activation of the electronic heater when the electronic heater is in the off mode; and
cause the electronic heater to convert from the off mode to the on mode based on determining, while the electronic heater is in the off mode, one or more of (i) press of the touch-sensitive user interface, or (ii) removal of the device from the charging cradle.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a proportional integral derivative (PID) control loop, the PID control loop configured to control the electronic heater to maintain a set point operating temperature for the on mode and to maintain a standby operating temperature for the standby mode.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the PID control loop comprises a thermistor located one of on or adjacent to a heater circuit of the electronic heater.

13. The device of claim 12 , further comprising a microcontroller in communication with the thermistor;
wherein the microcontroller is configured to:
acquire A/D measurements; and
based on the A/D measurements, calculate a value for a PID control variable.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to, based at least on the PID control variable, affect one or more of a duty cycle or a power output of the heater circuit for the regulating of the operating temperature of the electronic heater.

Assignees

• Juul Labs Inc

Inventors

• Bowen Adam
• Hunter Krista
• Monsees James
• Myall Patrick A

Classifications

• A24B15/32

  by acyclic compounds · CPC title

• A24B15/302

  by natural substances obtained from animals or plants · CPC title

• A24B15/16

  of tobacco substitutes · CPC title

• A24F7/00

  Mouthpieces for pipes; Mouthpieces for cigar or cigarette holders · CPC title

• A24F40/95

  structurally associated with cases · CPC title