Abstract:
An electronic cigarette or vaporizer may be composed of a battery portion and a cartomizer connectable to the battery portion. The cartomizer may include a heating element and a tank for holding a vaporizable fluid. The heating element may be substantially composed electrically conductive wiring wrapped around wicking. The vaporizable fluid may be transferable to the heating element through a semi-permeable membrane. A heat shield may be placed between the heating element and an outer shell of the cartomizer in order to prevent the outer shell, or other components of the cartomizer, from experiencing undesired temperature raises potentially resulting in failure.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/916,650, filed Dec. 16, 2014, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to the field of vaporizers, also referred to as electronic cigarettes, and more particularly a cartomizer for a vaporizer, also referred to as a cartridge. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Electronic cigarettes have recently emerged as a new product for providing nicotine through a smokeless inhalation process. There are many embodiments of the electronic cigarette. Most implementations consist of a power supply (typically a battery) and an atomizing device. In reusable electronic cigarettes the two items are separated into a battery and a cartomizer, to allow the disposal and replacement of the nicotine containing fluid cartomizer while preserving the more costly battery and associated circuitry (microcontroller, switch, indicating LED, etc.) In disposable electronic cigarettes the two items are combined to integrate the functions into one unit that is disposed of after either the battery energy or the nicotine containing liquid is exhausted. 
         [0004]    The liquid that is used to produce vapor in electronic cigarettes is a generally a solution of one or more of propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG) and/or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) mixed with concentrated flavors, and optionally, a variable percentage of a liquid nicotine concentrate. The solution is often sold in a bottle or in disposable cartridges or cartomizers. Many different flavors of such liquid are sold, including flavors that resemble the taste of regular tobacco, menthol, vanilla, coffee, cola and various fruits. Various nicotine concentrations are also available, and nicotine-free solutions are also common. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    Embodiments of a cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette may include an elongate outer shell having first and second ends; a first opening provided proximate to the first end of the outer shell, and a second opening provided proximate to the second end of the outer, and an airflow establishable between the first and second openings; a tank provided within the outer shell, the tank dimensioned to hold a vaporizable fluid; a heating element provided within the outer shell and adjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of the airflow, the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to a vaporization temperature; and a heat shield provided proximate to the heating element. An electronic cigarette may include a battery portion which may include a battery housed within the battery, and embodiments of a cartomizer as described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a battery portion for a vaporizer and a cartomizer in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure; longitudinal cross sectional view of an embodiment of a cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette; and 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side cross sectional view of an embodiment of a cartomizer for use with a vaporizer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention solely for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use the invention. As such, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely exemplary in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, or its protection, in any manner. It should also be understood that the drawings are not to scale and in certain instances details have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention, such as conventional details of fabrication and assembly. 
         [0009]    Embodiments of a cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette may include an elongate outer shell having first and second ends; a first opening provided proximate to the first end of the outer shell, and a second opening provided proximate to the second end of the outer, and an airflow establishable between the first and second openings; a tank provided within the outer shell, the tank dimensioned to hold a vaporizable fluid; a heating element provided within the outer shell and adjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of the airflow, the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to a vaporization temperature; and a heat shield provided proximate to the heating element. 
         [0010]    In further embodiments of a cartomizer, the heat shield is provided between the heating element and the outer shell. The heat shield may be formed as a ring. The heat shield may be substantially composed of a metal. The heating element may be composed of wicking and a conductive coil may be wrapped around the wicking. Embodiments of the cartomizer may further include a semi-permeable membrane provided between the tank and the heating element, and wherein the liquid is transferred from the tank to the heating element through the semi-permeable membrane. 
         [0011]    An electronic cigarette may include a battery portion which may include a battery housed within the battery, and embodiments of a cartomizer as described herein. 
         [0012]    With reference now to the Figures, an embodiment of a cartomizer  100  for use with a vaporizer or an electronic cigarette is provided in accordance with the disclosure. The electronic cigarette may composed of a battery portion  10 , which may house circuitry and a battery, as well as embodiments of cartomizer  100  as provided within the disclosure. Cartomizer  100  may include an outer wall  110 , the dimensions of which defining an outer diameter or an outer circumference of cartomizer  100 . Outer wall  110  is illustrated as cylindrical, however the disclosure further contemplates additional shapes or dimensions of outer wall  110 . In some embodiments, outer wall  110  may be correspondingly dimensioned with the outer dimensions of the battery portion  10  to be joined or used with cartomizer  100 . Outer wall  110  may be formed from plastic, glass or other any other suitable material known or to be discovered. 
         [0013]    Cartomizer  100  may be used connected to a battery portion of an electronic cigarette. Embodiments of a battery portion are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/903,344, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, cartomizer  100  may be inserted into an end cavity or recess of the battery portion  10  of an electronic cigarette. Cartomizer  100  may be substantially elongate and have a defined first end  110 A and a second end  1109 . At least two holes or openings  112 A/ 112 B may be provided so as to permit an air flow  114  through cartomizer  100 . One or more first openings  112 A may be provided proximate to first end  110 A, while one or more second openings  112 B may be provided proximate to second end  110 B. An airflow  114  may be thereby established through cartomizer  100  to permit a user of the electronic cigarette to inhale the produced vapor through one of the openings  112 A/ 112 B. In one embodiment, a battery portion  10  of an electronic cigarette is connected at or proximate to first end  110 A of cartomizer  100 , while a mouthpiece may be provided at or proximate to second end  110 B. 
         [0014]    A vaporizable liquid  200  may be stored within a liquid tank  116  in at least a portion of cartomizer  100 . Liquid  200  may be any known or to be developed liquid which may be used in electronic cigarettes. In order to vaporize liquid  200 , a heating element  120  is provided for elevating the temperature of liquid  200  to its vaporization temperature. Heating element  120  may be an electrically conductive coil, such as a wiring substantially comprised of metal, from which a current may be supplied to through wires or circuitry  122 . A current may be passed through circuitry  122  by and through a battery housed in a battery portion of an electronic cigarette when the battery portion is connected to cartomizer  100 . A membrane  126  may be provided in order to transfer liquid  200  from the tank  116  to a wicking  128 . Membrane  126  may be semi-permeable in order to control or limit the transport of liquid  200  as it is soaked into membrane  126  and transferred to wicking  128 . The semi-permeable nature of membrane  126  may thereby prevent leakage from tank  116  to other portions of cartomizer  100 . Wicking  128  may be made from fiberglass and operable to transport liquid  200  to heating element  120 . In one embodiment, wicking may be a non-coated glass fiber which may prevent a burning taste which often comes from a coating thereby avoiding the introduction of any potentially harmful substance into the vapor. Heating element  120  may then heat liquid  200  soaked into wick  128  to a vaporized temperature, and the vapor may be inhaled by a user through air stream  114 . 
         [0015]    Certain portions of cartomizer  100  and outer wall  110  near heating element  120  may be exposed to a higher temperature by nature of their proximity to heating element  120 . In some embodiments, heating element  120  may well exceed the transition temperature of the outer wall  110 , thereby risking that the outer wall may melt or deform due to the high temperatures generated by heating element  120 . In embodiments where outer wall  110  is composed of a transparent or semi-transparent plastic, the transition temperature may result in the plastic changing from a clear amorphous solid into an opaque solid through a crystallization process. A heat shield  130  may be provided on portions of cartomizer  100  proximate to heating element  120  in order to protect components of cartomizer  100  from the elevated temperatures of heating element  120 . Heat shield  130  may take the form of a ring provided between heating element  120  and outer wall  110 . Heat shield  130  may also, or alternatively, be provided proximate to a portion where the vaporized liquid  200  enters airflow path  114 , for instance between the tank  116  and wall  110 . In addition to a ring, heat shield  130  may take the form of a variety of shapes or dimensions, either interspersed or contiguous. Heat Shield  130  may be manufactured of insulating material and in one embodiment heat shield  130  may be substantially composed of metal. Accordingly, heat shield  130  operates to protect areas of cartomizer  100  exposed to elevated temperatures, and permits components in the protected areas of cartomizer  100 , such as outer wall  110 , to be manufactured from materials which might otherwise melt or deform due to their exposure to high temperatures. Embodiments of the heat shield may be provided alternatively, or additionally, proximate to liquid tank  116 , which in some embodiments is made of plastic and, regardless of the material tank  116  is made from, may benefit from insulation from high temperatures generated by heating element  120 . For instance, when a plastic outer shell  110 , or other plastic component, is heated to a glass transition temperature, the plastic changes from a substantially clear amorphous solid and begins to crystallize into an opaque solid. 
         [0016]    The descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and not limiting, and persons of skill in the art will recognize that various common and known deviations from the above described structures are considered to be within the scope of the disclosed concepts described herein. 
         [0017]    The embodiments illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may also be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein and that does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention.