Abstract:
A personal vaporizing unit (PVU) generates a vapor that is inhaled by a user. A substance (e.g. liquid) in a cartridge is vaporized or atomized by a heating element that heats the liquid. When the PVU is activated, and the user provides suction, the liquid to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through a wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing the heating element. The cartridge may be removable and utilize different connectors for connecting with the PVU. A seal may be used for the liquid reservoir that can be punctured upon usage.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/000,101, entitled “CARTRIDGE VAPORIZER SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS,” filed on May 19, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This application relates generally to personal vapor inhaling units, which are also referred to as vaporizers or electronic cigarettes. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    An alternative to smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is a personal vaporizer. Inhaled doses of heated and atomized flavor provide a physical sensation similar to smoking. However, because a personal vaporizer is typically electrically powered, no tobacco, smoke, or combustion is usually involved in its operation. For portability, and to simulate the physical characteristics of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, a personal vaporizer may be battery powered. In addition, a personal vaporizer may be loaded with a nicotine bearing substance and/or a medication bearing substance. The personal vaporizer may provide an inhaled dose of nicotine and/or medication by way of the heated and atomized substance. Thus, personal vaporizers may also be known as electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes. Personal vaporizers may be used to administer flavors, medicines, drugs, or substances that are vaporized and then inhaled. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of personal vaporizer unit (PVU). 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a side view of cartridge assembly. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is an alternative view of the cartridge assembly. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an alternative view of the cartridge assembly positioned with a light transmitting sleeve. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a proximal view of the cartridge and light transmitting sleeve. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is another embodiment of the cartridge and cartridge assembly. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is side view of the PVU without the cartridge or cartridge assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the PVU without the cartridge or cartridge assembly installed and mouthpiece/proximal connector cover removed. 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a cartridge assembly insertion into the PVU. 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is an embodiment of a case with a closed PVU storage that includes PVU charging and PVU data logging. 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is an embodiment of an open case. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates the personal vaporizer unit (PVU) showing the proximal end of the device at the mouthpiece where it interfaces with the users mouth and the distal end being a user replaceable cartridge or cartridge assembly. A main body of the PVU connects these components. The user replaceable cartridge may be liquid filled or filled with a gel consistency material or similar. The liquid or gel may contain a medicament such as nicotine or tobacco derived material or another medicament or plurality of medicaments or similar. The liquid or gel material may be primarily composed of a material, compound, or substance that is capable of being vaporized, aerosolized, or volatized with the application of heat. 
         [0016]    The cartridge in a cartridge assembly embodiment may include at least the cartridge and a proximal wick that serves to transfer, transport, or similarly deliver the liquid or gel material from the cartridge to the heating element or elements. The proximal wick may serve to transfer, transport, or similarly deliver the liquid or gel material to a distal wick that may be fluidly coupled to the heating element(s) or be in close proximity to the heating element. The proximal wick may use passive diffusion, active diffusion, capillary action, or similar to deliver the liquid or gel material to the heating element(s). The distal wick or the proximal wick, or the distal wick and proximal wick may together in sequence or simultaneously or independently serve to deliver aerosolized droplets from the wick element to the heating elements, or to within close proximity of the heating element(s) such that the heating element may vaporize, volatize, or further aerosolize the liquid or gel material for the purpose of generating an inhalable vapor or aerosol. The proximal wick may also function as support structure, lattice, substrate, stabilization member, positioning element, scaffold or similar for the heating element(s). The heating element(s) may be etched, plated, deposited, sputtered, directly written, or otherwise deposited, or applied on the proximal wick. The proximal wick may be a functional part of the heating element(s) such that thermal energy from the heating element is absorbed, emitted, reflected, or transferred to the proximal wick from the heating element(s). The heating element(s) may be connected to a microprocessor that serves to control, manage, modulate, regulate, monitor, cycle, or otherwise mediate, control or similar the activation of the heating element(s). In some embodiments, the heating element may be comprised a metal wire or coil, metal ribbon, a resistive element(s), a Microheater(s), a MEMS style Microheater(s), infrared (IR) emitter(s), grey body emitter(s), or similar. 
         [0017]    The cartridge assembly thus may include the cartridge, liquid or gel material and medicament, distal wick, proximal wick, heating element(s), microprocessor(s), PCB(s), and an interface or similar type connector(s) to link the cartridge assembly to the main PVU component(s) which consist primarily of the remaining elements and components, such as those not described previously as being a part of the cartridge assembly as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and henceforth described in this document as the “main PVU.” Where in an embodiment the main PVU is intended to be reusable such that the battery component or a capacitor component (not shown) may be charged or similarly replenished such that the main PVU can be used multiple times by the user to vaporize, volatile, aerosolize or similar more then one cartridge or cartridge assembly before requiring replacement. In such an embodiment the PVU is broadly composed of two primary components, a consumable component that is the cartridge or cartridge assembly, which is consumable or otherwise disposable and intended for a one-time use configuration, and the second component that is the reusable component that is comprised of the main PVU. The term “one-time use” may refer to the consumption of the contents of the cartridge which is intended to deliver a finite number of inhalations (e.g. 300-500 inhalation or 500-1000 inhalation or similar). The plurality of inhalations required to substantially consume the contents of the cartridge or cartridge assembly before the cartridge needs to be replaced is the one-time use embodiment. In yet another embodiment the user may be able to refill the cartridge or cartridge assembly such that the PVU is reusable and capable of delivering numerous operations such that the PVU would not need to be replaced until the heating element, battery, or capacitor, or combination of element, battery, and or capacitor, had reached their functional life in terms of total activation cycles. 
         [0018]    The connector may be a threaded type connection, a latching type interface, a magnetic or electromagnetic connection such that the cartridge assembly has a magnetic or electromagnetic that is of opposite polarity as the magnet or electromagnet connector on the main PVU and the magnetic attraction serves to engage and establish the interface, the connector may be a male female type data connection such as USB or similar. The connector may comprise components for delivering electrical energy from the battery. The connector may include a connection or interface that serve to transfer, gather, or transmit data between the cartridge assembly and the PVU. 
         [0019]    The cartridge assembly may be a consumable, or disposable assembly that once the liquid or gel material is consumed the assembly is removed and replaced by the user. The cartridge or cartridge assembly in a generally cylindrical embodiment (shown) is inserted into the distal end of the main PVU where the light transmitting sleeve is comprised such that the inner diameter of the light transmitting sleeve is in close tolerance to the outer diameter of the cartridge such as to effect a wholly, or partially airtight interface. 
         [0020]    The cartridge may have one or a plurality of geometric features to allow for one or a plurality of void(s), galley(s), channel(s), or similar to allow for airflow to enter and travel down the feature(s) in between the outer surface of the cartridge and the inner surface of the light transmitting sleeve. In the cylindrical embodiment this may be as the circular diameter of the cartridge having one or a plurality of geometries such that part of the circular shape is removed and replace by a linear line where the removal of the portion of the circular shape results in a void space when the cylindrical element of the cartridge is inserted in to the tubular light transmitting sleeve (e.g.  FIG. 5 ). Other embodiments are also possible and envisioned using compatible geometries such as an ovoid cartridge or cartridge assembly and light transmitting sleeve or pipe or similar, triangle shaped cartridge or cartridge assembly and light transmitting sleeve or pipe or similar, square or rectangular cartridge or cartridge assembly and light transmitting sleeve or pipe or similar, trapezoidal cartridge or cartridge assembly and light transmitting sleeve or pipe or similar, or multisided geometries such as pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or and n-gonal (where “n” is the number of sides of the multisided shape) cartridge or cartridge assembly and light transmitting sleeve or pipe or similar. 
         [0021]    The alteration of a geometric feature or features of the cartridge outer diameter or dimension allows for control of the amount of airflow that may be drawn into the PVU by the user through the suction, or vacuum pressure, generated during inhalation. The airflow may be limited, restricted, of otherwise mediated through the modification of the geometries of the outer surface of the cartridge and inner surface of the light transmitting sleeve. It may be desirable to modify, mediate, or set the resistance of the device during inhalation, in one embodiment the draw resistance of the PVU would match the draw resistance of a typical smoking article such as a cigarette. In one embodiment, the airflow that flows into the device may be controlled such that it displaces the fluid from the distal wick, or the distal wick and proximal wick such that the air flow travels down the space between the outer surface of the cartridge and inner surface of the light transmitting sleeve and then is forced into the air intake port of the atomizer housing, once the airflow enters the atomizer housing it must passed through liquid or gel saturated wick material, such as a porous ceramic where the liquid or gel in the porous ceramic is forced as droplets or micro-droplets or as an aerosol of droplets or micro-droplets of the approximate size of the pores of the ceramic onto or in close proximity of the heating element to be vaporized. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, for optimal PVU operation there may be an adjustment of the amount of allowable airflow to be correlated to the type of liquid or gel material being used in the vaporizer. Less airflow may be desirable for highly viscous or gel type materials and greater airflow may be desirable for less viscous and more liquid type material. As more liquid materials will diffuse more rapidly, or be more actively transported though capillary action by and through the wick material such that having a greater allowable airflow results in greater delivery of liquid material to the heating element or heating element proximity. Conversely, as more viscous or gel type material does not diffuse as rapidly as less viscous material and does not transfer by capillary action as quickly as less viscous material resultantly it would be desirable in order to effect optimal activation of the PVU to reduce the airflow such that the airflow is metered to account for the slower rate of transport of the more viscous or gel type material by diffusion or capillary action. This may allow for the metering of the airflow to corresponded the amount of fluid displaced from the wick or wicks such that am optimal fluid to air ratio is achieved to allow for optimal vaporization, volatilization, or aerosolization of the material for inhalation by the user. In another embodiment, the air intake fluid displacement ratio may be modulated, adjusted, configured such as to achieve a desirable particle size for the inhalation product (e.g. 1-3 micron, 3-5, micron, 3-10 micron, 5-10 micron, 5-15 micron, 10-20 micron, or greater then 15 micron, or greater then 20 micron particle size, or range of particle sizes, or similar) to achieve pulmonary delivery of the active compound or medicament(s), to the pulmonary vasculature, or to the oral pharyngeal mucosa, or to selectively the pulmonary vasculature and the oral pharyngeal mucosa or to both the pulmonary vasculature and the oral pharyngeal mucosa. In such an embodiment it may be desirable to deliver liquid components that have a flavor component to the oral mucosa such that the particles interact with the taste receptors on the user&#39;s tongue. In another embodiment, it may be desirable to deliver the medicament or active component to the oral mucosa or oral pharyngeal mucosa for slower systemic absorption or absorption than absorption or absorption achieved through the more rapid systemic absorption or absorption achieved by pulmonary deliver of the medicament(s). In another embodiment, it may be desirable to deliver the medicament to the pulmonary vasculature (e.g. nicotine to replicate the pharmacodynamics of nicotine delivered by smoking tobacco). 
         [0023]    Additionally, the light transmitting sleeve is positioned such that the proximal aspect of the light transmitting component is in contact or close proximity with a light emitting diode (LED) or LED array such that light from the LED is transferred, transmitted, or conveyed from the LED to the light transmitting sleeve. The light transmitting sleeve may be configured to be in proximity to the cartridge, or cartridge element of the cartridge assembly such that light is transferred, transmitted, or conveyed to the cartridge. This allows for the light transmitting sleeve and cartridge to send visual indicators to the user. Visual indicators may include indicators of device activation, cartridge status such as an empty cartridge or new cartridge or cartridge status in the range of either being new and fully or partially consumed, cartridge or cartridge assembly recognition such that the cartridge or cartridge assembly is recognized as being the correct cartridge, battery or capacitor or battery and capacitor status, charging status, remaining activation cycles, reminder notifications, device error(s), and similar. 
         [0024]    Following vaporization, volatilization, or aerosolization, collectively referred to in this paragraph as the “vapor” of the liquid or gel type material by the heating element airflow generated by the user forces the vapor out of the atomizer housing and related area of the heating element and proximal wick through a flow galley, or galleys, that serve as the aspiration tube. This area of the device may be the space between the outer diameter or the surface of the battery and the inner surface or diameter of the main body of the PVU. In one embodiment, the battery is encapsulated, shielded, encased, or otherwise isolated from the aspiration tube such that the vapor and airflow though the device does not come into contact with the battery or capacitor directly. The vapor and airflow then passes through the mouthpiece to the user for inhalation. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly may include the cartridge, the element that serves as a liquid storage tank component of the cartridge that contains the liquid or gel material and medicament(s) if desired, distal wick, proximal wick (not shown), heating element(s) (not shown), microprocessor(s) (not shown), PCB(s) (not shown), and an interface or similar type connector to link, connect, interface or similar the cartridge assembly to the main PVU component (not shown), the atomizer housing which has an air intake or plurality of air intake ports. In one embodiment, the cartridge assembly may have a seal, plug, or similar to prevent liquid from leaking out of the cartridge or from becoming contaminated by exposure to the outside environment. In one embodiment, the seal is a tear away, or peel away seal to be removed by the user prior to insertion into the main PVU. In another embodiment the seal is a puncture type seal such as a foil seal or similar. In another embodiment, there may be a seal or plug that prevents fluid leaking or contamination. The cartridge may be clear or translucent such that the liquid or fluid is visible in the cartridge and that light from the LED or similar internal light source may serve to illuminate the cartridge. The cartridge material may be an ultra violet (UV) resistant material to prevent oxidative degradation or oxidization or similar degradation or decomposing of the liquid or gel type material. The cartridge material may be an ultra violet (UV) permeable material such that the cartridge may be UV sterilized. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the main cartridge assembly. The main cartridge assembly may comprise the cartridge, the element of the liquid storage tank component of the cartridge that contains the liquid or gel material and medicament(s) if desired, distal wick, proximal wick, heating element(s) (not shown), microprocessor(s) (not shown), PCB(s) (not shown), circuitry (not shown), and an interface or similar type connector to link, connect, interface or similar the cartridge assembly to the main PVU component (not shown), the atomizer housing which has an air intake or plurality of air intake ports. Other features of the cartridge are also illustrated such as the surface geometry of the cartridge that serves to make the cartridge only a partial cylinder such that the non-cylindrical surface feature(s) of the cartridge provide for an air intake channel(s) by providing a space(s), galley or galleys for outside “clean air” (atmospheric) to enter the PVU and travel to the atomizer housing.  FIG. 3  illustrates anti-vacuum feature(s) such that air can flow into the cartridge to allow air to enter the cartridge to replace the volume of liquid displaced from the cartridge into the wick elements and also the liquid or gel material that has undergone vaporization, volatilization, or aerosolization. The channel(s) are designed to allow for small volume of airflow into the cartridge while being of a small enough surface area to prevent, deter, or diminish, the leaking of fluid from the anti-vacuum channel secondary to the surface tension of the liquid or gel material. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is an alternative view of the cartridge assembly positioned with a light transmitting sleeve. The cartridge assembly may include a cartridge, the element that serves as a liquid storage tank component of the cartridge that contains the liquid or gel material and medicament(s) if desired, distal wick, proximal wick (not shown), heating element(s) (not shown), microprocessor(s) (not shown), PCB(s) (not shown), and an interface or similar type connector to link the cartridge assembly to the main PVU component (not shown), the atomizer housing which has air intake or plurality of air intake ports. The outer surface, or outer diameter surface geometry of the cartridge may be in relationship and positioning with the light transmitting sleeve. Airflow from the distal air intake between the stand-off features on the proximal aspect of the cartridge distal element and the most distal aspect of the light pipe sleeve and main body (not shown) direct airflow into a channel created by the surface feature(s), geometry, arrangement of the cartridge outer surface and the light transmitting sleeve. This creates a space(s), channel(s), galley or galleys for outside “clean air” (atmospheric) to enter the PVU and travel to the atomizer housing. This airflow is illustrated distal to proximal by a black dotted line with arrowhead indication the path of the airflow through the assembly. When the airflow enters the atomizer housing, the flow is illustrated by the dotted line, as the airflow is internal to the atomizer housing. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a proximal view of the cartridge and light transmitting sleeve. The cartridge inserted into the light transmitting sleeve in  FIG. 5  illustrates the previously described features of the light transmitting sleeve and the cartridge. This illustrates the void(s), channel(s), gap(s), galley or galleys, created by the difference in the outer surface geometry of the cartridge and the inner surface of the light transmitting sleeve. The liquid reservior has an inner diameter and outer diameter. Between the inner and outer diameters are gaps for air flow from outside air to the device. This feature geometery may be used to regulate air intake volume. The outer diameter of the liquid reservoir is surrounded by a light transmitting sleeve. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is another embodiment of the cartridge and cartridge assembly. The top embodiment illustrates a cartridge with a foil type seal and an internal gasket, diaphragm, or similar. This embodiment may prevent leakage of the contained liquid or gel and also serves to prevent refilling of the cartridge. This diaphragm or plug may be comprised of a silicon or similar type material, such materials may be “self-healing” such that once punctured they may be removed and the diaphragm or plug still prevents the leakage or contamination of the contained liquid or gel. This provides an embodiment where the cartridge may be partially used and then removed by the user for subsequent use. The user may want to use a different cartridge that contains a liquid or gel that contains a different medicament(s), dosage of medicament(s), or other variation of flavor or similar traits of the liquid or gel components. A puncturing element (not shown) is utilized to access the cartridge and transfer, transport, convey or similar the liquid to the wick or wick element(s). 
         [0030]    The middle embodiment of  FIG. 6  illustrates the cartridge where a puncture type seal contains the fluid in the cartridge and prevents contamination, additionally the cartridges once filled may be purged with nitrogen gas or similar such as to prevent degradation from atmospheric air being contained within the cartridge during filling, the purging of the cartridge or similar extends the storage life and freshness of the contained liquid or gel material. The cartridge when inserted into the PVU is accessed by a puncturing element composed of the distal element of the atomizer housing or in an alternative embodiment the distal wick directly. The cartridge may have a unique serial or identification number. This serial or identification number may be used to convey information about the cartridge and cartridge contents to the user, health care provider, pharmacist or another third party, such information may include but is not limited to the cartridge manufacturer, date of manufacturer, contents, dose of medicament(s), other contents, “use by” date and similar. 
         [0031]    The bottom embodiment in  FIG. 6  illustrates the cartridge assembly described herein. In this embodiment, a foil type seal is used to prevent contamination or leakage of the cartridge contents. This embodiment illustrates the heating element assembly and/or the wick/atomizer are engaged at the proximal end of the PVU. In particular, the proximal/puncture end (e.g. shown in the top and middle embodiments) is where the wick or atomizer or heating element assembly is located. That assembly may puncture the liquid reservoir so that the atomizer can create a vapor from the stored liquid or material in the cartridge. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is side view of the PVU without the cartridge or cartridge assembly. There may be a window or a cut out in the main body with a clear or translucent light transmitting sleeve to view into the cartridge. The window in the main body of the device may be located such that through the window and transparent light transmitting sleeve the cartridge is visible and the contents and amount of contents can be directly visualized by the user. In particular, the cut out in the main body may be used to check a fill level of a liquid reservoir in the cartridge. Additionally, the contents may be illuminated by the use of the previously described LED(s) or light(s) that transmit, convey, transfer visible light through the light transmitting sleeve and then to the cartridge. 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  also demonstrates areas for labeling or placing a logo on the device. The main body as may be comprised of a metal, and in other embodiments, the main body may be comprised of other materials such as composites, carbon fiber, ceramic, plastics, polymers, glasses, ceramics, papers, paper composites, natural fiber materials, or similar. In one embodiment, the opening in the main body may be a logo, or text that is cut out or otherwise removed from the main body such that it serves the same functional purpose of the window for the visualization of the cartridge contents by the user. 
         [0034]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the PVU without the cartridge or cartridge assembly installed and mouthpiece/proximal connector cover removed.  FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7  in showing the window or cut out in the main body described above.  FIG. 8  also illustrates the mouthpiece or proximal connector cover removed. In particular, the proximal end may include a cover or connector that attaches to the main body. The connection may be through a screw mechanism, a snapping mechanism, or other attachment mechanisms. The proximal connector may interface for charging. The proximal connector may also interface for data transfer. 
         [0035]      FIG. 9  illustrates the process of cartridge insertion. Cartridge removal is performed by reversing the illustrated sequence. In particular, the cartridge insertion is shown in  FIG. 9  such that each diagram (top down) shows how the cartridge is inserted into the distal end of the PVU. The top diagram illustrates the cartridge completely removed from the PVU, while the bottom diagram illustrates the cartridge fully inserted into the PVU. There may be a connector with the cartridge to establish the cartridge assembly. The connector may function to attach the cartridge to the main body of the PVU. The main body may include a corresponding internal connector (not shown) for receiving the connector from the cartridge. 
         [0036]      FIG. 10  is an embodiment of a case with closed PVU storage that includes PVU charging and PVU data logging. The case may be a carrying case for transporting the one or more PVUs. The multi-functional case for the PVU may interface with the PVU proximal connection to charge the PVU internal battery or capacitor. In some embodiments, the case may interface/connect/link with the PVU using one or more connectors. The case may include one or more PVUs. The opened case shown in  FIG. 11  includes two PVUs, but that is merely exemplary. The case has an internal power source such as a battery and/or capacitor that is capable of recharging the PVU multiple times before the case itself requires recharging such that the case internal battery has a capacity that is several times the capacity of the PVU. The case is capable of being connected to a digital device such as a computer (partially shown) by wired means such as USB data cable or similar (shown). The case may also transfer data from the PVU to a digital device by the same wired means. In another embodiment, the case may be charged by AC or DC methods using a power cable. The case may also transfer, transmit, receive, gather, assimilate, extrapolate, analyze, input, output, or similar data from the PVU or digital device through wireless methods such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, IR, or cellular methods. The case may have a microprocessor(s), CPU(s), circuitry, software, application(s), or similar computer systems. 
         [0037]    The case in one embodiment has an external LED or similar light source for indication case status such as charging, discharging, data transfer, or similar (shown). The case may have an interior storage for PVU accessories such as mouthpieces and spare cartridges or cartridge assemblies. The case may be designed such that a part or the whole of the distal aspect of the contained PVU(s) are visible such that the charging status, or other device status, of the PVU(s) as indicated by the distal LED in the case can be visualized by the user without having to open the case. The case may be designed to be pocket friendly with a convex top surface containing the LED indicator and a partially concave bottom surface (not shown) to optimize the case for being pocket friendly. In another embodiment the case may approximate dimensions to a pack of 20 “100” length cigarettes. 
         [0038]      FIG. 11  is an embodiment of an open case. In particular, the case in  FIG. 10  is shown in an open state in  FIG. 11 . The case may include two PVUs in one embodiment. The case also includes storage for spare mouthpiece/connector covers, and spare cartridges or cartridge assemblies. The LED from the PVUs may be displayed near an edge of the case to indicate charging status or other data. 
         [0039]    It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be understood as an illustration of selected forms that the invention can take and not as a definition of the invention. It is only the following claims, including all equivalents that are intended to define the scope of the claimed invention. Finally, it should be noted that any aspect of any of the preferred embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another.