SELF-CONTAINED ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE THAT PRODUCES SMOKE AND ASH BY INCINERATION

Embodiments include an electronic smoking device that produces authentic smoke and ash by incinerating smoking material placed directly onto a heating source that obtains a high temperature. This heat could also be harnessed for warmth or lighting cigars and cigarettes. The device may be an electronic pipe with a housing compartment, a power source, an atomizer heating source, a mouthpiece, a power trigger, a charger, and airflow ducts. The heating source may include one or more filaments that get heated in the burnable material compartment. The device may be conical in shape as to be a compatible water-pipe accessory. The housing may include several separable sections, including a battery housing and a burn housing that may separate from each other. The device may include adapters including plugged bifurcated adapters, to mitigate leaking from burn housing into the battery adapter, a ceramic dish, and insulation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, several examples and embodiments of the invention are described. However, it will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth and can be adapted for any of several other uses.

Some embodiments of the invention include an electronic smoking device that produces smoke and ash by incinerating smoking material. The electronic smoking device comprises a heat source that heats the smoking material when the heat source is electrically powered. In some embodiments, the smoking material is placed adjacent to the heat source. In some embodiments, the adjacently placed smoking material incinerates when the electrically charged heat source is heated to at least a threshold temperature. In some embodiments, the threshold temperature is a temperature that is sufficiently high to incinerate the smoking material.

The electronic smoking device of some embodiments comprises a housing compartment, a power source, an atomizing heat source, and a detachable mouthpiece. In some embodiments, the heat source comprises one or more heat-conducting coils (filaments) in one or more of a cartridge, an atomizer, and a housing. In some embodiments, the housing comprises a plurality of separable sections. In some embodiments, the separable sections comprise a battery housing section and a burn housing section that separate from each other. In some embodiments, the electronic smoking device comprises a mouthpiece that corresponds with the burn housing section, a battery that corresponds with the adapter end of the atomizer housing section, and a charger that corresponds with the battery housing. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece separates from the burn housing section. In some embodiments, the electronic smoking device further comprises a set of adapters (which may have airflow ducts), a ceramic dish, insulation, a bifurcated adapter plug, a charger, a housing with airflow ducts, and a power button/trigger. In some embodiments, the electronic smoking device is one of an electronic pipe, an electronic burnpen, and an electronic cigarette.

By way of example,FIG. 1conceptually illustrates a front perspective view of an example electronic smoking device in some embodiments. The electronic pipe10comprises a housing18, a mouthpiece12, a power button/trigger14, a cap16, and a digital display20. In some embodiments, the housing18is a singular pipe incinerator combination. In some other embodiments, the electronic smoking device comprises a burn housing section18A and a battery housing section18B. In some embodiments, the burn housing section18A includes a filament (described by reference toFIGS. 5 and 6) that is designed to get extremely hot and promote incineration of smoking materials within the burnable material compartment (not visible in this figure, but present inside the burn housing, and also called the bowl) or dish or anywhere within the cartridge. In some embodiments, there is no buffer or space between the bowl and the filament allowing the dish to be incorporated as part of the burnable material compartment, thereby causing incineration when the filament gets red hot. In some embodiments, the temperature is limited by a heat setting, such that the filament cannot exceed the maximum temperature. For example, an Ohm to volt ratio can be set, or the resistance of the electrical wires can be manipulated. The burn housing section18A connects to the mouthpiece12acts as a straw or funnel to provide the smoke produced in the burn housing section18A. In the example electronic pipe10illustrated in this figure, there is a battery housing section18B which provides electronic power to the electronic pipe10. However, in some embodiments, the electronic pipe10has electric passthrough abilities, allowing it to connect to an AC power source or generate power from an alternative source, such as a solar panel.

FIG. 2is a rear perspective view in some embodiments of the electronic smoking device illustrated inFIG. 1. As shown in this figure, the cap16provides an end piece covering the end of the electronic smoking device. When a user smokes the electronic smoking device, air flow streams through slits (ducts) positioned throughout the electronic pipe10and is directed toward the mouthpiece12. The power button/trigger14in some embodiments provides a way to start the electronic pipe incineration process, and can be automatic or manual and may be illuminated when triggered. For example, a user of the pipe10may activate the power button/trigger14which incinerates a smoking product present in the burn housing18A and produces smoke and ash, thereby allowing the user to experience smoking with authentic smoke and ash from an electronic smoking device. In some embodiments, when a filament is present in the burn housing18A, activating the power button/trigger14causes the filament to be heated red hot (e.g., at temperatures between, but not limited to, 230 and 1150 degrees Celsius, although the typical combustion zones for incense materials and smoking materials hover around 500 degrees Celsius, between 300 and 600), thereby producing actual smoke and ash when the user inhales air through the mouthpiece.

Although illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, the digital display20is an optional feature of the electronic pipe10which provides information about the available amount of power from the batteries and/or the active temperature of the heat source and/or usage count.

In some embodiments, batteries are not used as the power source. In some cases, the electronic pipe receives power through a charge port22which is revealed when the cap16is removed.FIG. 3conceptually illustrates a detailed exploded view of a charging port in some embodiments of an electronic pipe. As shown in this figure, a charging plug24plugs into the charge port22at the end of the housing18. In some embodiments, the charge port22is included at the end of the housing18instead of the cap16. In some embodiments, the electronic smoking device includes passthrough technology and may use a wired power source (i.e., a power cord). In other embodiments, the electronic pipe10comprises both the charge port22and the cap16. In these embodiments, the charge port22is revealed when the cap16(not shown in this figure) is removed and is hidden when the cap is stationed at the end of the electronic pipe10. In the embodiments ofFIG. 3, the charge port22is revealed when the cap16is removed and is hidden when the cap is stationed at the end of the electronic pipe10.

In some embodiments, the charge port22is a universal port that supports charging by any of several methods. For instance, the electronic pipe10can be charged when a power source is connected to the charge port22, such as by a connected solar panel or a power source connected to the charge port22via a universal serial bus (USB) cable or other such power passthrough connection.

In some embodiments, the battery housing section18B includes rechargeable batteries that are charged by the charging plug24when it is plugged into the charging port22. These power features provide a user of the electronic pipe great mobility and convenience, as the user is free to move around while using the electronic pipe, so long as the batteries are charged, or can be used while charging.

For embodiments having a separable housing18, the pipe10is dismantled and assembled with relative ease.FIG. 4conceptually illustrates an exploded view of the electronic pipe illustrated inFIG. 2. In this figure, the separate housing sections are shown, including the burn housing18A and the battery housing18B. The mouthpiece12is also shown. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece separates from the other sections of the pipe housing18. The mouthpiece includes an O-ring26, which secures it to the burn housing section18A. Although the examples described by reference toFIG. 4focus on both threaded turn mechanisms and O-ring fittings to disassemble and re-assemble the parts, a person skilled in the art would understand that any attaching/detaching mechanism can be used. For example, the different parts could be snapped together or twist locked together, or magnetically connected.

To better understand the overall manner in which the electronic smoking device is able to produce smoke and ash, the burn housing section18A operation is described by way of example inFIG. 5, which conceptually illustrates an exploded view of the different parts within the burn housing of the electronic pipe illustrated inFIG. 2. As shown in this figure, the inside of the burn housing section18A includes an adapter36, a ceramic dish40, an insulation sleeve50, a metal sleeve42, and a filament32. While some electronic cigarettes use wicks and leading liquid lines with their filaments or coils to vaporize material, and others use only the filament/coil to produce dry vapor combustion smoke, the electronic smoking device of some embodiments described in this disclosure has no buffer or screen between the ceramic dish40and the filament32(i.e., no distance between the smoking material and the heat source). This direct proximity of the smoking material to the filament/coil promotes incineration of the smoking material. In some embodiments, the filament gets hot by assigning an Ohm/Volt ratio that may limit the heat. The Ohm is also known as the resistance. In some embodiments, the ceramic dish40holds the filament which is centered in the bottom of the burnable material compartment of the burn housing. In further embodiments, the airflow is centered through the ceramic dish40directly through the filament32, thereby creating a concentrated heat source in line with the airflow.

All other electronic smoking devices to date are only designed to vaporize smoking material, creating an imitation smoke. In contrast, the electronic smoking device of some embodiments described in this disclosure includes multiple modes of operation. These modes comprise at least one mode in which authentic smoke and ash are generated by incinerating the smoking material and yet another mode in which the smoking material is vaporized, without generating smoke and ash, through combustion. A volt variance is an easy way to provide this feature. This heat variance feature would primarily be used when incinerating smoking materials with varying auto-combustion temperatures, given the importance that many people place on having a device that produces authentic ash and smoke.

A more detailed example of the operation of the electronic smoking device described above is presented in the next example. In particular,FIG. 6conceptually illustrates a detailed cross-sectional view showing air flow from the housing18through the filament32, which produces smoke and ash, and then to the mouthpiece12of the electronic pipe10. As shown in this figure, the electronic pipe10comprises a housing18comprising a battery housing section18B and a burn housing section18A. The electronic pipe10further comprises a mouthpiece12, a button trigger14on the battery housing18B, and at least one battery30within the battery housing18B. In some embodiments, the housings18A and18B connect by the adapters36which have air intakes38to promote sufficient airflow46through the burn housing section18A when a user inhales through the mouthpiece12. A burnable material compartment44or the upper distal hollow portion of the burn housing (including the coil, dish, and adapter area) connects to a mouthpiece in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, a set of electrical wires34connect from the battery30near the button trigger14to the adapters36and37and then to the filament32in order to heat the filament. In some embodiments, the insulation sleeve50and/or a sleeve42surrounds the ceramic dish40to ensure that the filament32is properly centered over the airflow within the burnable material compartment44. The ceramic dish40is also included in the burn housing18A, surrounding the filament32so that no buffer or space exists within the burnable material compartment, from the adapter towards the large opening. In some embodiments, the burnable material compartment44connects to the mouthpiece12by the mouthpiece O-ring26. With this example configuration, a user of the electronic pipe10can inhale air through the mouthpiece12such that airflow46is drawn from the air intakes38of the adapters36and37, through the filament32causing burnable material resident in the burnable material compartment44to incinerate and thereby generate ash and smoke which the user inhales as the airflow46exits the mouthpiece12.

In some embodiments, the battery (or power cord) powers an atomizer whose filament gets red hot within the housing18A. This housing is the bowl of the pipe and also houses the heating element. After the bowl is loaded, a mouthpiece may be attached. To smoke, provide power to the filament. Almost anything touching a red hot filament should burn into smoke and ash. This key feature allows this device to additionally function as a cordless lighter for cigars and cigarettes, as well as being a cordless electronic incense and fragrance device. In some other embodiments, the electronic smoking device can be used as a cordless electronic space heater. The electronic smoking device can thereby operate as a cordless electronic warming device.

Air intakes are in the adapters, housing, and ceramic dish, and air flows right through the center of the filament. This device gets hot enough to burn given that the filament is close enough to the loaded substance to burn such given substance. All parts used in construction near the heating element are flame retardant and heat resistant. Made to modern standards, with the same filament in car lighters and household toasters, or nichrome coils in standard modern electronic cigarettes; also includes ceramic, metallic, and other heat resistant parts that don't burn easily are used for the atomizer and parts nearby. As a unit, the atomizer of some embodiments comprises at least the filament32, an adapter36, the insulation48, the ceramic dish40, and the set of electrical wires34.

In some embodiments, the burn housing18A works as a pipe bowl and also contains the heating element. In some embodiments, one end of the housing18A has an adapter and the other end is open interfaced. The Volt/Ohm ratio in some embodiments is configured so that the adapter36has the proper resistance to make the filament32become red hot, or hot enough to burn. For example, some electronic pipes may set the volt/Ohm ratio to 3.7 volts to 1.0-5.0 Ohm resistance depending on the gauge of the coil, which in this example may be 0.2 mm in diameter. However, as heating source (i.e., coil) details differ, a person skilled in the art would understand that other Ohm/volt ratios may apply for other heating sources. (In some embodiments that use battery power, the battery can be any standard use battery. For example, dry cell, alkaline and lithium ion batteries can be used, but lithium ion may provide enhance use due to longer lasting power and other power features. In some embodiments, the self-contained electronic smoking device may possess passthrough capabilities to power itself In some embodiments, the threading is a compatible threading setting (e.g., 510 threading).

In some embodiments, the electronic pipe comprises a single filament. In some other embodiments, the electronic pipe comprises a plurality of filaments. In some embodiments, each filament is made of a conductive material, such as an electric coil made of nichrome, an alloy, a pure metal, or other such materials. In some embodiments, the filament can be replaced with a larger heavy duty filament. In some embodiments, the size and position of the air ducts may be altered to allow more or less airflow. In some embodiments, the air flow46can be designed for a different path than the air flow46shown by reference toFIG. 6.

The electronic pipe of some embodiments further comprises a set of accessory items. The accessory items can be any small items that would be user friendly and easy to carry with the electronic pipe, such as packing tools, scrapers, storage containers, cases, mouthpieces, conical water-pipe adapting cartridges and fittings, cleaning tools, screens, a compression spring (to keep the smoking material in position), and solar panels.

The housing material comprises one or more of glass, metal, alloy metal, and other materials that can withstand the high temperatures produced by the heating source. The example electronic pipes shown by reference toFIGS. 1-6do not specify particular dimensions of individual parts, as any dimensions can be used. For example, the electronic pipe in the examples above could have included longer/shorter or narrower/wider housing sections, and/or mouthpiece. The electronic pipe of some embodiments could also have a separate detachable bowl and heating element to make repacking or cleaning the bowl easier (i.e., not within the burn housing section, as described above by reference toFIG. 4). Moreover, the shape in some embodiments can be another type of shape, such as conical, cylindrical, etc. The filament could also be interchanged with any heat conducting source. The heat source could be reversed so that the bowl was packed on the opposite side of the heater.

Thus, when a person uses an electronic pipe as described in this specification, the person will be able to satisfy their cravings because they will not be limited to imitation smoke, thereby enjoying the pleasurable effects of smoke that is produced by naturally burning tobacco or other such smoking material into smoke and ash. Since the heating source is internal, the smoking device can be used to heat anything at short range, so long as the item intended to be burned to ash or heated is put up to the heating element. Then, all that a user must do to use the electronic pipe is to (i) pack the cartridge properly (e.g., with a smoking material and not too loosely or too tightly), (ii) activate the power button/trigger while inhaling, and, depending on personal preference, (iii) optionally insert a screen between the filament and the burnable material (i.e., so as to vaporize the material without producing smoke), or (iv) remove any screen insert previously in place between the filament and the burnable material (i.e., so as to produce smoke and ash, if a screen had already been in place). A pipe screen may also be added within the cartridge and/or mouthpiece, to trap debris.