E-vaping device cartridge with superabsorbent polymer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017367403-A1
Application number	US-201615192136-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 24, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cartridge for an e-vaping device includes a reservoir configured to hold pre-vapor formulation, a vaporizer assembly configured to draw at least some of the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir and vaporize the drawn pre-vapor formulation to form a vapor, and a superabsorbent polymer configured to absorb free water from pre-vapor formulation held in the reservoir. The superabsorbent polymer includes a cross-linked polyacrylate copolymer that is substantially inert to the pre-vapor formulation. The superabsorbent polymer may be included in a layer on one or more surfaces in the cartridge. The layer may include the superabsorbent polymer and a binder. The superabsorbent polymer may be included with the pre-vapor formulation in a formulation mixture. The superabsorbent polymer may be included in an interior of at least one element comprising the cartridge. The superabsorbent polymer may be included in a separate compartment in the reservoir.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A cartridge for an e-vaping device, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation, the reservoir including a superabsorbent polymer in fluid communication with an interior of the reservoir, the superabsorbent polymer being configured to absorb free water from the pre-vapor formulation held in the reservoir, the superabsorbent polymer including a cross-linked polyacrylate copolymer that is substantially inert to the pre-vapor formulation; and a vaporizer assembly configured to draw at least some of the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir, the vaporizer assembly further configured to vaporize the drawn pre-vapor formulation to form a vapor.

2 . The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes
a superabsorbent layer on at least one surface, the at least one surface at least partially defining the interior of the reservoir, the superabsorbent layer including the superabsorbent polymer and at least one binder.

3 . The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein
the reservoir includes a storage medium configured to hold the pre-vapor formulation; and the superabsorbent polymer is included in the storage medium.

4 . The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein
the reservoir includes a cylindrical outer housing at least partially defining an outer surface of the reservoir, an inner tube defining an inner surface of the reservoir, such that the reservoir interior is an annulus, and a superabsorbent layer on at least one of the inner surface of the outer housing and the outer surface of the inner tube, the superabsorbent layer including the superabsorbent polymer and at least one binder.

5 . The cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer is included within an interior of at least one of the outer housing and the inner tube.

6 . The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes
a formulation compartment and a superabsorbent compartment, the formulation compartment configured to hold the pre-vapor formulation, the superabsorbent compartment including the superabsorbent polymer and a selectively-permeable partition, the partition being configured to,
enable pre-vapor circulation between the formulation compartment and the superabsorbent compartment, and
restrict the superabsorbent polymer to the superabsorbent compartment.

7 . The cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the selectively permeable partition encloses the superabsorbent polymer within the formulation compartment.

8 . An e-vaping device, comprising:
a cartridge including,
a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation, the reservoir including a superabsorbent polymer in fluid communication with an interior of the reservoir, the superabsorbent polymer being configured to absorb free water from the pre-vapor formulation held in the reservoir the superabsorbent polymer including a cross-linked polyacrylate copolymer that is substantially inert to the pre-vapor formulation, and
a vaporizer assembly configured to draw at least some of the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir, the vaporizer assembly further configured to vaporize the drawn pre-vapor formulation to form a vapor; and
a power supply configured to supply electrical power to the vaporizer assembly.

9 . The e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the reservoir includes
a superabsorbent layer on at least one surface, the at least one surface at least partially defining the interior of the reservoir, the superabsorbent layer including the superabsorbent polymer and at least one binder.

10 . The e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein
the reservoir includes a storage medium configured to hold the pre-vapor formulation; and the superabsorbent polymer is included in the storage medium.

11 . The e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein
the reservoir includes
a cylindrical outer housing at least partially defining an outer surface of the reservoir,
an inner tube defining an inner surface of the reservoir, such that the reservoir interior is an annulus, and
a superabsorbent layer on at least one of the inner surface of the outer housing and the outer surface of the inner tube, the superabsorbent layer including the superabsorbent polymer and at least one binder.

12 . The e-vaping device of claim 11 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer is included within an interior of at least one of the outer housing and the inner tube.

13 . The e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the reservoir includes
a formulation compartment and a superabsorbent compartment, the formulation compartment configured to hold the pre-vapor formulation, the superabsorbent compartment including the superabsorbent polymer and a selectively-permeable partition, the partition being configured to,
enable pre-vapor circulation between the formulation compartment and the superabsorbent compartment, and
restrict the superabsorbent polymer to the superabsorbent compartment.

14 . The e-vaping device of claim 13 , wherein the selectively permeable partition encloses the superabsorbent polymer within the formulation compartment.

15 . The e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the power supply includes a rechargeable battery.

16 . The e-vaping device of claim 8 , wherein the cartridge and the power supply are removably coupled together.

17 . A cartridge for an e-vaping device, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir holding a formulation mixture, the formulation mixture including
a pre-vapor formulation, and
a superabsorbent polymer configured to absorb free water from the pre-vapor formulation, the superabsorbent polymer including a cross-linked polyacrylate copolymer that is substantially inert to the pre-vapor formulation; and
a vaporizer assembly configured to draw at least some of the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir, the vaporizer assembly further configured to vaporize the drawn pre-vapor formulation to form a vapor.

18 . A method, comprising:
configuring a cartridge to form a vapor based on vaporization of a substantially de-watered pre-vapor formulation, the cartridge including a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation and a vaporizer assembly configured to vaporize pre-vapor formulation drawn from the reservoir, the configuring including
applying a superabsorbent polymer to at least one surface configured to be in fluid communication with an interior of the reservoir, the superabsorbent polymer being configured to absorb free water from the pre-vapor formulation, the superabsorbent polymer including a cross-linked polyacrylate copolymer that is substantially inert to the pre-vapor formulation.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein
the reservoir includes a storage medium configured to hold the pre-vapor formulation within the interior of the reservoir; and applying the superabsorbent polymer includes applying the superabsorbent polymer to the storage medium.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein
the reservoir includes a cylindrical outer housing defining an outer surface of the reservoir and an inner tube defining an inner surface of the reservoir, such that the reservoir interior is an annulus; and applying the superabsorbent polymer includes applying a superabsorbent layer on at least one of the inner surface of the outer housing and the outer surface of the inner tube, the superabsorbent layer including the superabsorbent polymer and at least one binder.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein
the superabsorbent polymer includes a fibrous material; and applyin

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc
• Altria Client Servcies LLC

Inventors

• Karles Georgios
• Sena Erica

Classifications

• B05D7/227

  of containers, cans or the like · CPC title

• B05D5/00

  Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures · CPC title

• B01J20/267

  Cross-linked polymers · CPC title

• B05D7/24

  for applying particular liquids or other fluent materials · CPC title

• B65D81/264

  for absorbing liquids · CPC title