US20150164147A1 - Cartridge for a vaporizor - Google Patents

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
• 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
• 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
• 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.
• 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
• 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
• 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
• FIG. 2 illustrates a side cross sectional view of an embodiment of a cartomizer for use with a vaporizer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• With reference now to the Figures, an embodiment of acartomizer100 for use with a vaporizer or an electronic cigarette is provided in accordance with the disclosure. The electronic cigarette may composed of abattery portion10, which may house circuitry and a battery, as well as embodiments ofcartomizer100 as provided within the disclosure.Cartomizer100 may include anouter wall110, the dimensions of which defining an outer diameter or an outer circumference ofcartomizer100.Outer wall110 is illustrated as cylindrical, however the disclosure further contemplates additional shapes or dimensions ofouter wall110. In some embodiments,outer wall110 may be correspondingly dimensioned with the outer dimensions of thebattery portion10 to be joined or used withcartomizer100.Outer wall110 may be formed from plastic, glass or other any other suitable material known or to be discovered.
• Cartomizer100 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,cartomizer100 may be inserted into an end cavity or recess of thebattery portion10 of an electronic cigarette. Cartomizer100 may be substantially elongate and have a definedfirst end110A and a second end1109. At least two holes oropenings112A/112B may be provided so as to permit anair flow114 throughcartomizer100. One or morefirst openings112A may be provided proximate tofirst end110A, while one or moresecond openings112B may be provided proximate tosecond end110B. Anairflow114 may be thereby established throughcartomizer100 to permit a user of the electronic cigarette to inhale the produced vapor through one of theopenings112A/112B. In one embodiment, abattery portion10 of an electronic cigarette is connected at or proximate tofirst end110A ofcartomizer100, while a mouthpiece may be provided at or proximate tosecond end110B.
• Avaporizable liquid200 may be stored within aliquid tank116 in at least a portion ofcartomizer100. Liquid200 may be any known or to be developed liquid which may be used in electronic cigarettes. In order to vaporizeliquid200, aheating element120 is provided for elevating the temperature ofliquid200 to its vaporization temperature.Heating element120 may be an electrically conductive coil, such as a wiring substantially comprised of metal, from which a current may be supplied to through wires orcircuitry122. A current may be passed throughcircuitry122 by and through a battery housed in a battery portion of an electronic cigarette when the battery portion is connected tocartomizer100. Amembrane126 may be provided in order to transferliquid200 from thetank116 to awicking128.Membrane126 may be semi-permeable in order to control or limit the transport ofliquid200 as it is soaked intomembrane126 and transferred to wicking128. The semi-permeable nature ofmembrane126 may thereby prevent leakage fromtank116 to other portions ofcartomizer100. Wicking128 may be made from fiberglass and operable to transportliquid200 toheating element120. 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 element120 may thenheat liquid200 soaked intowick128 to a vaporized temperature, and the vapor may be inhaled by a user throughair stream114.
• Certain portions ofcartomizer100 andouter wall110 nearheating element120 may be exposed to a higher temperature by nature of their proximity toheating element120. In some embodiments,heating element120 may well exceed the transition temperature of theouter wall110, thereby risking that the outer wall may melt or deform due to the high temperatures generated byheating element120. In embodiments whereouter wall110 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. Aheat shield130 may be provided on portions ofcartomizer100 proximate toheating element120 in order to protect components ofcartomizer100 from the elevated temperatures ofheating element120.Heat shield130 may take the form of a ring provided betweenheating element120 andouter wall110.Heat shield130 may also, or alternatively, be provided proximate to a portion where the vaporizedliquid200 entersairflow path114, for instance between thetank116 andwall110. In addition to a ring,heat shield130 may take the form of a variety of shapes or dimensions, either interspersed or contiguous. Heat Shield130 may be manufactured of insulating material and in oneembodiment heat shield130 may be substantially composed of metal. Accordingly,heat shield130 operates to protect areas ofcartomizer100 exposed to elevated temperatures, and permits components in the protected areas ofcartomizer100, such asouter wall110, 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 toliquid tank116, which in some embodiments is made of plastic and, regardless of thematerial tank116 is made from, may benefit from insulation from high temperatures generated byheating element120. For instance, when a plasticouter shell110, 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Claims (12)

What is claimed:

1. A cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette, the cartomizer comprising:

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.

2. The cartomizer ofclaim 1, wherein the heat shield is provided between the heating element and the outer shell.

3. The cartomizer ofclaim 2, wherein the heat shield is formed as a ring.

4. The cartomizer ofclaim 1, wherein the heat shield is substantially composed of a metal.

5. The cartomizer ofclaim 1, wherein the heating element is composed of wicking and a conductive coil wrapped around the wicking.

6. The cartomizer ofclaim 5 further comprising 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.

7. An electronic cigarette comprising:

a battery portion including a battery housed within the battery portion; and

a cartomizer including

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.

8. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 7, wherein the heat shield is provided between the heating element and the outer shell.

9. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 8, wherein the heat shield is formed as a ring.

10. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 7, wherein the heat shield is substantially composed of a metal.

11. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 7, wherein the heating element is composed of wicking and a conductive coil wrapped around the wicking.

12. The electronic cigarette ofclaim 11 further comprising 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.

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