Patent Publication Number: US-2021169139-A1

Title: System And Device For Consumption Of Smokeable Product Using A Vaporizer Natural Herbal Inhaler Device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a system and product for consuming inhalable herbal products through the use of a vaporizer natural herbal inhaler device. More specifically, the invention relates to a pouch for containing inhalable herbal products that is safe and convenient for use in a vaporizer natural herbal inhaler device, a kit for preparing the pouch for use, and a machine for producing and filling the pouches with the inhalable product. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of vaporizers for consuming inhalable products, such as tobacco, cannabis, other herbs and flowers, and the like, is becoming more and more popular. Popular vaporizer devices include the Davinci IQ and MIQRO devices and the PAX 2 and 3 and PAX Era devices. In most instances, consumers load their smoke-able product directly in their vaporizer device. This approach has significant drawbacks, as the smoke-able product can plug up the device if it is not properly cleaned after use, remnants of previously used product may remain in the device even after a thorough cleaning, creating a less enjoyable smoking experience, and loading the smoke-able product directly into the device can create a mess around and on the outside of the device and often leads to the loss of some portion of smoke-able product during the loading process. 
     The use of a pouch to contain tobacco products—for example, chewable tobacco—is also well known in the industry. However, the pouches used in association with chewable tobacco are not intended to be consumed and would not properly hold up if placed in the heating environment of a vaporizer device. Furthermore, the chewable tobacco pouch products on the market are self-contained, and do not permit the consumer to select the type or amount of product within. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a pouch product that can be safely and conveniently filled with a user&#39;s smoke-able product of choice, placed inside the heating environment of a vaporizer device, and easily removed after use without encountering the drawbacks relating to messiness, cleanup, and loss of smoke-able product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pouch comprising material capable of containing a smoke-able product, safely surviving the heating environment of a vaporizer natural herbal inhaler device without affecting the vaporization of the smoke-able product contained within, and convenient to insert into and remove from the vaporizer device without significant cleanup of the device or risk of loss of smoke-able product upon loading. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pouch with an open end allowing the consumer to fill the pouch with whatever type and amount of smoke-able product he or she chooses. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a do-it-yourself kit containing specialized items to facilitate filling the pouch with whatever type and amount of smoke-able product the consumer chooses. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine capable of producing and filling such pouches, with a pre-determined amount of smoke-able product both rapidly and at scale. 
     The present invention accomplishes these and other objectives by providing an herbal pouch usable in dry-herbal vaporizers and other natural herbal inhalers, the pouch preferably comprising natural fiber cellulose, hemp fibers, manila hemp, all natural wood pulp and/or other smoke-safe material capable of surviving the heating environment of a vaporizer device without breaking down or affecting the vaporization process of any smoke-able product contained within. The pouches are specially designed and manufactured using materials that permit the heat generated in the vaporizer device&#39;s oven to permeate the pouch and reach the smoke-able product contained therein. The pouch material then allows vapors from the heated smoke-able product to escape for consumption by the user, without any burning or vaporizing affect on the pouch itself, accomplishing certain objectives of the present invention. 
     Some preferable embodiments of the pouch comprise a first sealed end and a second open end for inserting smoke-able product. Other preferable embodiments are provided to the consumer with both ends sealed and the smoke-able product already packaged within. In such embodiments, users may choose a pouch with a known amount of smoke-able product, such as 0.2 grams, 0.35 grams, 0.5 grams, or another measured amount. 
     Preferable embodiments of the present invention provide a pouch sized appropriately to fit in the typical oven of a vaporizer device, such as the Davinci IQ and MIQRO and similar PAX devices, for example. Thus, one particularly preferable pouch size is ¾ inches wide by 1.5 inches long when lying flat, though the present invention is not limited thereto. Preferable embodiments also employ latitudinal seals along one or both longitudinal ends of the pouch. Some embodiments employ a seal around ⅜ inches from at least one of the ends so as to create a pinchable handle portion to facilitate the pouch&#39;s insertion into and removal from the vaporizer device. Some preferable embodiments further employ one or more laterally extending handle extensions in addition to the pinchable handle portion to further facilitate loading and unloading the pouch. 
     Some preferable embodiments include more than one lateral seal at each longitudinal end of the pouch, a unique feature that improves the functionality of the pinchable handle portion(s) and ensures that the smoke-able product cannot escape from a sealed pouch. In preferable embodiments employing one or more seals at both longitudinal ends of the pouch, additional air space is provided within the pouch&#39;s containment chamber allowing the smoke-able product therein room to shift. This additional air space also facilitates preparing the pouch for use and helps with the vaporization process. 
     The present invention also provides a do-it-yourself kit for using and filling the pouches described above. The kit preferably includes one or more pouches and a loading tool to facilitate easy filling of the pouch with the chosen smoke-able product. The loading tool preferably comprises a tube open on both ends and a longitudinal insert slidably inserted therein. The tube and insert are preferably cylindrical in shape, though other shapes are possible as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The tube preferably employs markings for measuring the amount of smoke-able product within the loading tool, facilitating accurate loading of product into the pouch by the user. 
     The loading tool&#39;s tube preferably employs laterally extending grip extensions to assist the user in holding the tube in place while sliding the longitudinal insert within. The longitudinal insert preferably includes a laterally extending stopper portion at one end to prevent the end of the longitudinal insert from entering into the tube and to provide a ridge for gripping and sliding the insert. The longitudinal insert preferably includes a substantially flat edge on the product contact end, the end opposite the end with the laterally extending stopper portion, to facilitate the use of the longitudinal insert to expel smoke-able product from the loading tool&#39;s tube into the pouch. 
     To that end, the longitudinal insert and tube are preferably sized such that the outer surface of the longitudinal insert contacts the inner surface of the tube. For example, in embodiments wherein a cylindrical loading tool is used, the circumference of the outer surface of the longitudinal insert closely matches the circumference of the inner surface of the tube, such that smoke-able product is not able to get between the outer surface of the longitudinal insert and the inner surface of the tube. In some preferable embodiments, the longitudinal insert also includes a lateral indentation near the product contact end. Such a lateral indentation may be employed to facilitate smooth sliding of the longitudinal insert within the tube. 
     Some preferable embodiments of the kit further include one or more of a smoke-able product grinding device, which can be used to prepare the smoke-able product for insertion into the pouch, a vaporizer device, an extraction tool, which may be used to assist the user in removing the pouch from the vaporizer device&#39;s oven after use, and cleaning product safe for use with a vaporizer device. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the necessity and propriety of the items available for inclusion in the present invention&#39;s kit. 
     As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and arrangements described above. Other objects of the present invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an image of a preferable embodiment of the pouch of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the use in conventional vaporizer devices of the preferable embodiment of the pouch depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an image of the contents of a preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an image of the loading tool included in the preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of the process of loading the pouch of the present invention using the loading tool and preparing the loaded pouch for storage or for use in the vaporizer device all included in the preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric representation of the loading tool included in the preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 3 , with the tube and longitudinal insert depicted separately. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description illustrates the technology by way of example, not by way of limitation of the principles of the invention. This description will enable one skilled in the art to make and use the technology, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. One skilled in the art will recognize alternative variations and arrangements, and the present technology is not limited to those embodiments described hereafter. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , preferable embodiments of the present invention include first and second longitudinal ends  12 ,  14  and a product containment chamber  16  therebetween. Inside the product containment chamber  16  is smoke-able product  18 , either preloaded and sealed within the pouch  10  or loaded by the user individually. In the case of a pre-loaded pouch  10 , both the first and second longitudinal ends  12 ,  14  are preferably sealed to prevent any of the smoke-able product  18  from escaping. Preferable embodiments of the pre-loaded pouches  10  include additional air space  20  within the product containment chamber  16  to allow the smoke-able product  18  to shift around within the product containment chamber  16 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , preferable embodiments of the pre-loaded pouches  10  employ one or more lateral seals  22 ,  24  at each longitudinal end  12 ,  14 . The inner-most seal  22 ,  24  is preferably a distance from the edge of the pouch  10  to create pinchable handle portions  26  on one or both of the pouch&#39;s longitudinal ends  12 ,  14 . For example, the inner-most seal may be about ⅛ to ½ inches, or more preferably about ¼ to ⅜ inches, or even more preferably about  3 / 8  inches from the pouch&#39;s edge in some preferable embodiments. In some preferable embodiments, the inner-most seal  22  on the pouch&#39;s top longitudinal end  12  may be about ⅜ or ⅖ inches from the pouch&#39;s top edge and the inner-most seal  24  on the pouch&#39;s bottom longitudinal end  14  may be about  1 / 8  or  3 / 20  inches from the pouch&#39;s bottom edge, for example. The handle portions  26  may have one or more additional seals  22 ,  24  on either or both longitudinal ends  12 ,  14  between the inner-most seal and the edge to create ridges that help facilitate the use of the handle portions  26  to insert and remove the pouch  10  from the vaporizer device  34 , as depicted. Some preferable embodiments may also include laterally extending handle extensions on one or both longitudinal ends  12 ,  14  of the pouch  10  to further facilitate handling of the pouches  10  once loaded, though not depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
     Preferable embodiments of the pouches are sized appropriately to fit into the oven of a conventional vaporizer device  34 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 . For example, the pouch  10  may be approximately ½ to 1 inch wide by 1 to 3 inches long or more preferably approximately ½ to ¾ inches wide by 1.5 to 2.5 inches long, or even more preferably approximately ¾ inches wide by 1.5 inches long. Likewise, the depicted handle portion  26  is provided for facilitating easy loading and unloading of the pouch  10  in a vaporizer device  34 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts the contents of a preferable embodiment of the kit  30  of the present invention. As depicted, preferable kits  30  include one or more un-filled pouches  10  and a loading tool  40 , and may further include a smoke-able product grinding device  32 , a vaporizer device  34 , a bag for holding filled or un-filled pouches  36 , an extraction tool (not depicted), cleaning product (not depicted) safe for use with the vaporizer device  34 , and some pre-measured portion of smoke-able product  18 . 
     The loading tool  40 , depicted in  FIG. 4 , preferably includes a tube  42  open on both ends and a longitudinal insert  44  slidably inserted therein. The depicted tube  42  and insert  44  are cylindrical in shape, though other shapes are possible as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. As depicted, the tube  42  preferably employs markings  46  for measurement of the amount of smoke-able product  18  within the loading tool  40 , facilitating accurate loading of product  18  into the pouch  10  by the user. Preferable embodiments of the loading tool  40  may be about 2 and ¾ inches in length with a diameter of ⅜ inches to conveniently fit and extend into a pouch  10  open on one end for quick and easy filling of loose herb smoke-able product  18 . Other preferable embodiments of the loading tool  40  may be longer or shorter with a diameter of, for example, ½ inches. 
     The loading tool&#39;s tube  42  preferably employs laterally extending grip extensions  48  to assist the user in holding the tube  42  in place while sliding the longitudinal insert  44  within, as depicted in  FIG. 4 . The longitudinal insert  44  preferably includes a laterally extending stopper portion  50  at one end to prevent the end of the longitudinal insert  44  from entering into the tube  42  and to provide a ridge for gripping and sliding the insert  44 . The laterally extending stopper portion  50  can also more clearly be seen in the loading tool depicted in  FIG. 5 . The longitudinal insert  44  also preferably includes a substantially flat edge  54  on the product contact end  52 , the end opposite the end with the laterally extending stopper portion  50 , to facilitate the use of the longitudinal insert  44  to expel smoke-able product  18  from the loading tool&#39;s tube  42  and into the pouch  10 , as depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     To that end, the longitudinal insert  44  and tube  42  are preferably sized such that the outer surface of the longitudinal insert  44  contacts the inner surface of the tube  42 . For example, in embodiments wherein a cylindrical loading tool  40  is used, the circumference of the outer surface of the longitudinal insert  44  closely matches the circumference of the inner surface of the tube  42 , such that smoke-able product  18  is not able to get between the outer surface of the longitudinal insert  44  and the inner surface of the tube  42 . In some preferable embodiments, the longitudinal insert  44  also includes a lateral indentation  56  near the product contact end  52 . Such a lateral indentation  56  may be employed to facilitate smooth sliding of the longitudinal insert  44  within the tube  42 . 
     In some preferable embodiments, such as that depicted in  FIG. 4 , the circumference of the inner surface of the tube  42  closely matches the circumference of the outer surface of the substantially flat edge  54  of the longitudinal insert&#39;s product contact end  52 . The circumference of the outer edge of the rest of the longitudinal insert  44  need not, in such embodiments, closely match the circumference of the inner edge of the tube  42 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 , as the substantially flat edge  54  of the product contact end  52  prevents the smoke-able product  18  from getting between the outer surface of the longitudinal insert  44  and the inner surface of the tube  42 . 
       FIG. 5  includes a demonstration of the use of the loading tool  40  to collect and retain smoke-able product  18 , the smoke-able product  18  having been prepared and collected in a portion of the grinding device  32  in the schematic depicted in  FIG. 5 , and then to fill a pouch  10  of the present invention by compressing the longitudinal insert  44  to expel the smoke-able product  18  into the pouch  10 . As depicted, the filled pouch  10  can then be folded for storage or pinched for use in a vaporizer device  34 . Those of skill in the art will understand the uses of the loading tool  40  in connection with the un-filled pouches  10  and other items included in the preferable embodiments of the kit  30  of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  depicts a preferable embodiment of the loading tool  40  wherein the tube  42  and the longitudinal insert  44  have been separated. The depicted preferable embodiment of the tube  42  includes the laterally extending grip extension  48  extending around the entire circumference of the tube  42  and includes markings  46  depicting a 2 mL capacity for smoke-able product  18  contained therein. The depicted preferable embodiment of the longitudinal insert  44  includes the substantially flat edge  54  of the product contact end  52  that operates to expel the smoke-able product  18  from the loading tool&#39;s tube  42  and into a pouch  10  of the present invention. Also depicted are the lateral indentations  56  near the product contact end  52 . In the preferable embodiment depicted in  FIG. 6 , the longitudinal insert&#39;s laterally extending stopper portion  50  includes an indentation  58  to facilitate the use of the loading tool  40 . 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and arrangements of parts, features, and the like, it is not limited to these embodiments or arrangements. Indeed, modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art, all of which are inferentially and inherently included in these teachings.