Patent Publication Number: US-2022211110-A9

Title: Accessory E-Cigarette Filter Assembly

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This patent application claims benefit of the priority date of U.S. Prov. Pat. App. Ser. No. 62/774,276 filed on Feb. 12, 2019 entitled “Accessory E-Cigarette Filter Assembly.” Additionally further, this patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/070,186 filed on Mar. 15, 2016, entitled “E-Cigarette with Valve Allowing Exhale Filter,” which in turn, claims benefit of the priority date of U.S. Prov. Pat. App. Ser. No. 62/133,414 filed on Mar. 15, 2015; accordingly, the entire contents of all of these patent submissions are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains generally to accessories for smoking devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mouthpiece and sleeve for receiving an exhale filter further accommodating and coupling to a vaporizer or e-cigarette. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     Ever increasing in popularity, “electronic cigarettes/e-cigarettes” and vaporizers typically use an electrical heating element to heat a liquid usually containing a mixture of nicotine and flavorings/extract that produces a mist similar to smoke but without the excessive heat that causes combustion. A useful exemplary apparatus was proposed by Counts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,978, entitled “Electrical Smoking System for Delivering Flavors and Methods of Making Same,” and was awarded patent protection in 1997. This particular prior art device has a receptacle for receiving tobacco or “tobacco flavored material” and electrical heating elements configured to the device for heating the material in order to emit vapors or aerosol for delivery to a smoker. 
     Over the intervening years, e-cigarettes have evolved to pen-types, wafer or stick-types, or larger units fitting into a user&#39;s hand with a mouthpiece coupled thereto. Further, as e-cigarette use has evolved and gained momentum, either as an alternative to typical cigarettes or smoked flower material, so have accessory items to accompany them. One such accessory currently on the market has been branded the Smoke Buddy®. This device is specifically an external filter for receiving exhaled mist; however, it&#39;s a bit bulky, awkward and irregular in shape. Other e-cigarette accessories on the market include holders, containers, cases, and outer protectors such as typical for smart phones. Accordingly, the present invention herein is somewhat of a combination of these accessories further providing a novel and useful mating of a commercial vaporizer or e-cigarette with an original and unique filter. And still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a removable mouthpiece having valve technology at an interior there to include dual inhale and exhale valve technology. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above mentioned deficiencies, more specifically, the present invention, in a first aspect, is an electronic cigarette and/or vaporizer comprising: a mouthpiece for an inhale or an exhale function comprising: a polymer exterior comprising: a cylindrical base; and an inlet plenum at an interior thereto; an opening at a top of the polymer exterior; and a diverter valve for allowing air flow in the inhale or the exhale function, the diverter valve further comprising: a duck bill valve configuration including a pair of flaps meeting at a ridge, the flaps further extending to the cylindrical base. 
     The mouthpiece of the present invention is further designed removable from a separate main component and the diverter valve is a first of two check valves that allow air flow in opposite directions. Particularly, the is a removable single unitary piece configured to be coupled to a vaporizer in the inhale function or a filter in the exhale function. 
     In a second aspect, the present invention is a filter assembly for a vaporizer comprising: a dual channel sleeve for receiving a filter on a channel first side and a vaporizer juxtaposed thereto on a channel second side; and a dual mouthpiece coupled to an upper portion of the sleeve additionally connected to the vaporizer and the filter, allowing vapor drawn therethrough in an inhale function and subsequently exhaled to the filter in an exhale function. 
     The invention in this aspect is additionally characterized as including a jacket configured at least partially around an outside of the dual mouthpiece, the jacket providing impact resistance thereto. Still further, the dual mouthpiece further has an outlet check valve and an inlet check valve, the inlet check valve comprises a duck bill valve configuration including a pair of flaps meeting at a ridge, the flaps further extending to a cylindrical base or the cylindrical base could be substantially rectangular. Among other features, the dual mouthpiece further comprising the inlet check valve further comprising and inlet from the vaporizer comprising a flexible gromet that provides a seal between the vaporizer and the dual mouthpiece. Alternatively, the cylindrical base of the mouthpiece could be polygonal; hence the duck bill valve would also have a base that is polygonal. 
     While the apparatus and method has or will be described for the sake of grammatical fluidity with functional explanations, it is to be expressly understood that the claims, unless expressly formulated under 35 USC § 112, or similar applicable law, are not to be construed as necessarily limited in any way by the construction of “means” or “steps” limitations, but are to be accorded the full scope of the meaning and equivalents of the definition provided by the claims under the judicial doctrine of equivalents, and in the case where the claims are expressly formulated under 35 USC § 112 are to be accorded full statutory equivalents under 35 USC § 112, or similar applicable law. The invention can be better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein like elements are referenced by like numerals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is first perspective illustration of a dual channel filter assembly of the present invention in a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 1B  is a profile illustration of the filter assembly; 
         FIG. 1C  is an additional perspective view from an underneath vantage point; 
         FIG. 2A  is first exploded view of an additional embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a more detailed exploded view shown from another angle; 
         FIG. 2C  is a profile view of the illustrated embodiment; 
         FIG. 2D  is a partial cross-sectional view depicting a mouthpiece of the present invention taken along line  2 D- 2 D in  FIG. 2C ; 
         FIG. 3A  is an additional mouthpiece of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the additional mouthpiece taken along line  3 B- 3 B in  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1A , the present invention is initially a novel mouthpiece  11  that can be removably coupled to an inhale  96 ,  97  and/or an exhale  98  device. A polymer (e.g. silicon polymer) sleeve is removably attached to the mouthpiece and holds the vaporizer stick  96  or pen  97  in addition to an exhale filter  98  ( FIG. 2B ). The mouthpiece has one opening  15  at an apex thereof for both an inhale function and an exhale function. Arrows at the opening  15  illustrate the purpose of the dual channel and the dual directional air flow. A flexible jacket  21  at least partially covers the mouthpiece  11  at a neck area of the device  10 , the neck area being defined as the interface between the mouthpiece  11  and the sleeve  21 . A relief or opening  16  in the sleeve  22  is provided in order for filter  98  (or vaporizer  96 ,  97  on the opposite side) to be worked in and/or out by a user when replacing removably attached components  96 ,  97 ,  98 . 
       FIG. 1B  and  FIG. 1C  are additional depictions or the device  10  in a profile view and an underneath perspective view, respectively. In some embodiments, the filter  98  may extend beyond the sleeve  22  ( FIG. 1B ) or the filter  98  exit vent  93  is flush with an end  14  of the sleeve  22  ( FIG. 1C ). Further with regard to  FIG. 1C , the sleeve  22  comprises duel channels for holding the pen  97  and the filter  98 . It should be appreciated that the stick  96 , pen  97  and filter  98  are sometimes shown with dashed lines or without dashed line because different invention embodiments can alternatively include these device  96 ,  97 ,  98  or not. The filter  98  is provided to scrub and subsequently condense vapor importantly providing near zero emissions needed for closed environments where exhaled vapor may be prohibited or undesired. 
     As presented herein the invention is the removable mouthpiece  11 ,  41  having unique valve technology comprising check valves for the inhale function, the exhale function, individually, or together. Specifically, one or more of the inlet  44  and outlet  45  check valves comprise a right  44   a  flap or a left  44   b  that taper to a cylinder ( FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B ). The cylindrical base could also be a polygonal base as mouthpiece  11  depicted in  FIG. 2B  has a polygonal base. 
       FIG. 2A  is illustrative of a pen type  97  vaporizer illustrates a stick-type vaporizer being introduced to filter assembly of the present invention. As shown without the mouthpiece that is removable and separate, the sleeve is a dual channel  12 ,  13  with the filter introduced on one side  12  and the pen  97  introduced on an opposite side  13 . Both  97 ,  98  are held in place by friction fit. The dual mouthpiece  11 ,  41  of the present invention allows a user to inhale and exhale into the same opening  15  while remaining versatile to a multitude of pen  97  and stick type  96  vaporizers and e-cigarettes. Even though opposite channel  13  is rectilinear, the round  97  pen will fit the channel because the sleeve  22  material has enough elasticity to receive and hold the device  97 . 
       FIG. 2B  is an additional exploded view of the present invention shown without the protective jacket  21  but with the removable mouthpiece  11  that couples directly to the sleeve  22 . Herein, sleeve  22  couples to the mouthpiece  11  and the filter  10  slides through  12  the sleeve and connects to the mouthpiece. Either a stick  96  or a vape pen  97  can be chosen by a user with an adaptor  94  included, if needed, to accommodate differences in geometry between vaporizer opening and the inlet  31  to the mouthpiece. The adaptor  94  could either convert a round opening to a square, or vice versa, and could be provided in varying sizes. 
     With regard to  FIG. 2C , a profile view of the present invention  10  is illustrated with all removable components  97 ,  98 ,  11  assembled together. In this illustration, the protective jacket  21  covering the neck area is not included. For reference purposes, the neck area is on the device  10  where the sectional line  2 D- 2 D is drawn on  FIG. 2C . 
       FIG. 2D  illustrates a partial cross-section view focused to the removeable mouthpiece  11  taken along line  2 D- 2 D of  FIG. 2C . Its dual action is provided by two check valves  44 ,  45 ; one for inlet  44  from the vaporizer and a second  45  for outlet to the filter. A male post  34  internal to the mouthpiece engages the filter  98  opening  95  (shown in  FIG. 2A  in dashed lines and again in  FIG. 2B  without dashed lines) so that exhaled vapor is appropriately channeled to the filter  98 . While the upper portion of the dual sleeve  11  is rigid for mouthpiece  11  support, internal openings  31 ,  34  of the mouthpiece are flexible for friction fit to the vaporizer  96 ,  97  and filter  98 , respectively. In a preferred embodiment, flexible grommets  32  are configured to the internal openings  31  providing this function. In the exhale function, check valve  45  is connected to a funnel  33 , channeling air toward the valve  45 . The mouthpiece  11  further has an inlet plenum that is interior to mouthpiece  15  encompassed by the outlet of the right check valve  44  and inlet of left check valve  45  as shown in  FIG. 2B . As stated, the outer jacket  21  housing valve components  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  44 ,  45  is also comprised of flexible or soft polymer material. 
     As detailed herein the invention  10  includes a sleeve  22  comprising: a first lengthwise channel  12 , parallel to a longitudinal axis  99  of the sleeve  11 , for receiving the exhale filter device  98 . Additionally, the accessory sleeve  11  has a second lengthwise channel  13  parallel to the first lengthwise channel  12  for receiving a vaporizer  96 ,  97 , wherein the first and second channels are juxtaposed and configured to friction fit both the vaporizer  96 ,  97  and the exhale filter device  98 . In a preferred embodiment, the upper part (neck portion) of the sleeve  22  is rigid polymer for structural support of the mouthpiece  11  while the lower part of the sleeve (everything underneath the neck portion) is flexible for friction fit of the vaporizer juxtaposed to the filter device with the sleeve. 
     With regard to  FIG. 3A , an alternative removable mouthpiece  41  embodiment is shown in perspective having a portion removed revealing the inlet plenum. Diverter valve  44  is further applicable to the previous mouthpiece  11  embodiment ( FIG. 2D ). As shown, the mouthpiece  41  has annular ribs  49  for griping and flexing. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3B  a cross-sectional view of a mouthpiece portion  41  is shown with flaps  44   d  and  44   e  on lateral sides of diverter valve  44  that stay shut in the inhale function and will unseat and open in the exhale function. The duckbill valves  44  introduced herein remain shut to all air flow in the relaxed/steady state. Specially, the valve  44  is constructed so that only a one-way differential pressure will cause the valve  44  to open; and when pressure subsequently equalizes, the valve  44  returns to steady state. In the inhale function, pressure in the inlet plenum will drop below pressure in the other side (center, or right  FIG. 2D ))  44   c  causing the valve  44  to open. In the exhale function, greater pressure in the one side will not cause the valve  44  to open in the center  44   c  as its design acts like a check valve. Instead, air is diverted around the outside of the valve  44  into the device filter. 
     More specifically referencing  FIG. 3B , the second mouthpiece embodiment 41 is designed with a dual duck valve configuration wherein a first pair of flaps  44   a ,  44   b  meet at a center forming a ridge  44   c  and wherein second  44   d  and third  44   e  pairs of flaps are on lateral sides of the first pair of flaps  44   a ,  44   b . As before, the center/first pair of flaps  44   a ,  44   b  are open for the inhale function; and, the first pair of flaps  44   a ,  44   b  are to remain shut for the exhale function. However, in this embodiment 41, second  44   d  and third  44   e  pairs of flaps are shut for the inhale function, wherein the second and third pairs of flaps  44   d ,  44   e  remain open for the exhale function. More specifically, the flaps  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c ,  44   d  are check valves that open when pressure drops at an exterior thereof ( 44   a ,  44   b  due to inhalation). Or, they  44   d ,  44   e  open when pressure at an interior thereof increases and reaches a threshold (due to exhalation). As shown in  FIG. 3B , a slit is shown directly underneath ridge  44   c  between flaps  44   a  and  44   b . It is additionally contemplated that the valve  44  could operate without this additional slit  44   c . Also notably, both the diverter valve  44  and mouthpiece  41  have a cylindrical base that forms the bottom of the inlet plenum. The mouthpiece  11 ,  41  of the present invention is further designed removable from a separate main component  22 . As stated, the cylindrical base could be a polygonal base as in valve  11  embodiment shown in  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2B  and  FIG. 2D . 
     While the particular Accessory E-Cigarette Filter Assembly herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims. 
     Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.