Cartridges for vaporizer devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12109355-B2
Application number	US-202217961723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2022
Priority date	Nov 5, 2018
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

Cartridges for vaporizer devices are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the cartridge can include a reservoir housing having a storage chamber and a dispensing chamber, and a vaporization chamber in communication with the dispensing chamber. The storage chamber is configured to hold a first fraction of a vaporizable material and the dispensing chamber is configured to hold a second fraction of the vaporizable material. The dispensing chamber is further configured to selectively dispense at least a first portion of the second fraction of the vaporizable material through at least one dispense opening in response to generation of one or more pressure pulses created within the dispensing chamber. The vaporizable chamber is configured to receive the dispensed vaporizable material from the dispensing chamber for vaporization by a first heating element to form a vaporized material. Vaporizer devices are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir housing having a storage chamber configured to hold a first fraction of a liquid vaporizable material and a dispensing chamber configured to hold a second fraction of the liquid vaporizable material, the dispensing chamber comprising a heating element disposed therein and at least one dispense opening, the heating element configured to selectively evaporate a portion of the second fraction of the liquid vaporizable material into at least one pocket or bubble of vaporized material within the dispensing chamber; and
a vaporization chamber in fluid communication with the dispensing chamber through the at least one dispensing opening, the vaporization chamber configured to receive the vaporized material generated within the dispensing chamber and dispensed through the at least one dispense opening and further configured to allow the vaporized material to be withdrawn therefrom;
wherein the at least one dispense opening is configured to prevent passage of the vaporizable material therethrough when an internal pressure of the reservoir housing is substantially equal to ambient pressure outside of the reservoir housing.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein there is no heating element within the vaporization chamber.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the storage chamber and the dispensing chamber are in fluid communication with each other, and wherein a portion of the first fraction of the vaporizable material is drawn into the dispensing chamber in response to the dispensed vaporizable material being expelled from the dispensing chamber.

4. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising,
a reservoir having a storage chamber configured to hold a first fraction of a liquid vaporizable material and a dispensing chamber configured to hold a second fraction of the liquid vaporizable material, the dispensing chamber comprising a heating element disposed therein and at east one dispenser opening the heating element configured to selectively evaporate a portion of the second fraction of the liquid vaporizable material into at least one pocket of bubble of vaporized material within the dispensing chamber; and
a vaporization chamber in fluid communication with the dispensing chamber through the at least one dispensing opening, the vaporization chamber configured to receive the vaporized material generated within the dispensing and dispensed through the at least one dispense further configured to allow withdrawn therefrom;
wherein the storage chamber and the dispensing chamber are separated by a reservoir barrier having at least one orifice extending therethrough, and wherein the at least one orifice is configured to allow a portion of the first fraction of the vaporizable material to be drawn into the dispensing chamber in response to the at least one pocket or bubble of vaporized material being expelled from the dispensing chamber.

5. The cartridge of claim 4 , wherein a size of the at least one orifice is less than a size of the at least one dispense opening.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 ,
wherein the vaporization chamber defines an airflow passageway that extends therethrough, and wherein the airflow passageway is configured to allow the vaporized material to combine with an influx of air to substantially form an aerosol.

7. A vaporizer device, comprising:
a vaporizer body; and
a cartridge that is selectively coupled to and removable from the vaporizer body, the cartridge including:
a reservoir housing having a storage chamber configured to hold a first fraction of a liquid vaporizable material and a dispensing chamber configured to hold a second fraction of the liquid vaporizable material, the dispensing chamber comprising a heating element disposed therein and at least one dispense opening, the heating element configured to selectively evaporate a portion of the second fraction of the liquid vaporizable material into at least one pocket or bubble of vaporized material within the dispensing chamber, and
a vaporization chamber in fluid communication with the dispensing chamber through the at least one dispensing opening, the vaporization chamber configured to receive the vaporized material generated within the dispensing chamber and dispensed through the at least one dispense opening and further configured to allow the vaporized material to be withdrawn therefrom;
wherein the at least one dispense opening is configured to prevent passage of the vaporizable material therethrough when an internal pressure of the reservoir housing is substantially equal to ambient pressure outside of the reservoir housing.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein there is no heating element within the vaporization chamber.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the vaporizer body includes a power source.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the storage chamber and the dispensing chamber are in fluid communication with each other, and wherein a portion of the first fraction of the vaporizable material is drawn into the dispensing chamber in response to the dispensed vaporized material being expelled from the dispensing chamber.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the storage chamber and the dispensing chamber are separated by a reservoir barrier having at least one orifice extending therethrough, and wherein the at least one orifice is configured to allow a portion of the first fraction of the vaporizable material to be drawn into the dispensing chamber in response to the at least one pocket or bubble of vaporized material being expelled from the dispensing chamber.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein a size of the at least one orifice is less than a size of the at least one dispense opening.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein the vaporization chamber defines an airflow passageway that extends therethrough, and wherein the airflow passageway is configured to allow the vaporized material to combine with an influx of air to substantially form an aerosol.

Assignees

• Juul Labs Inc

Inventors

• Rosser Christopher James
• Smith Simon J

Classifications

• A24F40/10 Primary

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title

• A61M2205/3653

  by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance · CPC title

• A61M15/0095

  Preventing manual activation in absence of inhalation · CPC title