Distal end inserted personal vaporizing inhaler cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427711-B2
Application number	US-201414273612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2014
Priority date	May 15, 2010
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A personal vaporizing unit having a proximal end configured to be placed in a human mouth and a distal end, said personal vaporizing unit comprising:
a cartridge having a first end and a second end and holding a fluid to be vaporized into a mixture of air and vaporized fluid;
a chamber open at the distal end of the personal vaporizing unit, the chamber configured to receive the cartridge, at least one space between an exterior surface of said cartridge and an interior surface of said chamber defining a passage for outside air without said vaporized mixture being drawn from outside said personal vaporizing unit at the distal end, wherein said outside air without said vaporized mixture is drawn along said passage from said distal end to said second end; and,
a porous wick that breaks a seal on said sealed cartridge to allow said fluid to be vaporized into said vaporized mixture, wherein said porous wick absorbs a portion of said fluid from said cartridge and passes it for vaporization.

2. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein at least an end surface of said cartridge is translucent to diffuse light produced internally to said personal vaporizing unit.

3. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said chamber is configured to hold said cartridge to place said porous wick in direct contact with said fluid to facilitate said fluid passing through said porous wick.

4. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 3 , further comprising a heating element, wherein said wick exposes said received portion of said fluid to said heating element.

5. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said at least one space is created by a flat surface on said cartridge and a round inner diameter of said chamber.

6. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein air is drawn from outside said personal vaporizing unit to said at least one space through a space determined by at least one stand-off that creates a space between said first end and said distal end of said personal vaporizing unit.

7. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said cartridge has at least one anti-vacuum channel in an interior surface that allows air into a cartridge chamber holding said fluid to be vaporized.

8. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein the porous wick comprises a porous ceramic, porous metal, ceramic coated porous metal, woven metal, spun metal, metal wool, porous polymer, porous coated polymer, porous silica, or porous Pyrex material.

9. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein the air passes through said porous wick by capillary action of said porous wick.

10. A personal vaporizing unit having a proximal end configured to be placed in a human mouth and a distal end, the personal vaporizing unit comprising:
a distal end chamber;
a porous wick comprising a pointed end; and
a cartridge comprising:
a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing configured to have the second end inserted in an opening at the distal end chamber, said housing configured to hold a fluid to be vaporized into a vaporized mixture of air and vaporized fluid said housing and an interior surface of said distal end chamber forming, when said cartridge is inserted in said distal end chamber, at least one space between an exterior surface of said housing and said interior surface of said distal end chamber that defines a passage for outside air without said vaporized mixture to be drawn from outside and along said passage from said distal end to said second end; and,
a seal that holds said fluid inside said housing wherein said pointed end of said porous wick punctures the seal when said cartridge is installed into said distal end chamber, further wherein said porous wick absorbs a portion of said fluid and said fluid is removed by capillary action of said porous wick.

11. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein said housing further comprises:
at least one anti-vacuum channel formed by an interior surface of said housing that, after said seal is punctured, allows air into said cartridge to replace said fluid that is removed from said cartridge.

12. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 11 , wherein said wick is in contact with said fluid when the seal is punctured.

13. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein at least an end surface of said housing is translucent to diffuse light produced internally to said personal vaporizing unit.

14. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein said at least one space is created by a flat surface on said housing and a round inner diameter of said interior surface of said personal vaporizing unit.

15. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , further comprising:
at least one stand-off that, when said cartridge is inserted in said personal vaporizing unit, creates a space between said distal end of said personal vaporizing unit and said first end of said housing.

16. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein said porous wick comprises a porous ceramic, porous metal, ceramic coated porous metal, woven metal, spun metal, metal wool, porous polymer, porous coated polymer, porous silica, or porous pyrex material.

17. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein an interior surface of said housing is configured to contact said personal vaporizer unit to form a contact seal that prevents said fluid from flowing into said at least one space.

Assignees

• Minusa Holdings Llc
• Rai Strategic Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Terry Nathan Andrew
• Minskoff Noah Mark

Classifications

• A61M2205/52

  with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient · CPC title

• A61M2205/3553

  remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office · CPC title

• A61M2205/8237

  Charging means · CPC title

• A61M15/0001

  Details of inhalators; Constructional features thereof · CPC title

• A61M2205/8206

  battery-operated · CPC title