KR102840877B1 - Cartridges for vaporizer devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A cartridge for a vaporizer device is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the cartridge may include a reservoir housing having at least one inner container configured to hold a vaporizable substance, and a vaporization chamber communicating with the reservoir housing and including at least one wicking element configured to introduce the vaporizable substance from the at least one inner container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element, wherein the at least one inner container is substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and the at least one inner container is configured to collapse as the vaporizable substance is withdrawn therefrom. A vaporizer device is also provided.

Description

Cartridges for vaporizer devices

Cross-citation of related applications

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/745,745, filed October 15, 2018, entitled “Cartridge for Vaporizer Device,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to the extent permitted by reference.

Technical field

The subject matter described herein relates to a vaporizer device comprising a vaporizer cartridge.

Vaporizer devices, which may also be referred to as vaporizers, electronic vaporizer devices, or e-vaporizer devices, can be used to deliver an aerosol (e.g., a vapor and/or condensed substance suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or other gaseous carrier) containing one or more active ingredients upon inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporization device. For example, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) include a type of vaporizer device that is battery-powered and can be used to simulate the experience of smoking, but does not burn tobacco or other substances. Vaporizer devices are becoming increasingly popular for both prescription medical use, medication delivery, and consumption of tobacco, nicotine, and other plant-based substances. Vaporizer devices may be portable, self-contained, and/or convenient to use.

When using a vaporizer device, a user inhales an aerosol, colloquially referred to as a "vapor," which may be generated by a heating element that vaporizes (e.g., at least partially transitions a liquid or solid into a gas phase) a vaporizable material, which may be a liquid, solution, solid, paste, wax, and/or any other form suitable for use with a particular vaporizer device. The vaporizable material for use with a vaporizer device may be provided within a detachable portion of the vaporizer device, such as a cartridge, containing the vaporizable material and including an outlet (e.g., a mouthpiece) for inhalation of the aerosol by the user.

To receive an inhalable aerosol generated by the vaporizer device, a user may, in certain instances, activate the vaporizer device by taking a puff, pressing a button, and/or by other means. As used herein, a puff may refer to an inhalation by a user by introducing a volume of air into the vaporizer device such that an inhalable aerosol is generated by the combination of the air volume and the vaporized vaporizable substance.

Approaches to vaporizer devices generating an inhalable aerosol from a vaporizable material involve heating the vaporizable material in a vaporization chamber (e.g., a heater chamber) that converts the vaporizable material into a gas (or vapor) phase. The vaporization chamber may refer to a region or volume within the vaporizer device in which a heat source (e.g., a conductive, convective, and/or radiant heat source) causes the vaporizable material to heat, thereby creating a mixture of air and the vaporizable material to form a vapor for inhalation of the vaporizable material by a user of the vaporization device.

The vaporizer devices may be controlled by one or more controllers, electronic circuits (e.g., sensors, heating elements), etc., within the vaporizer device. The vaporizer devices may also communicate wirelessly with an external controller, e.g., a computing device such as a smartphone.

In some embodiments, the vaporizable substance may be introduced into the vaporization chamber from the reservoir through a wicking element (e.g., a wick). As the wick draws the vaporizable substance along the wick toward the vaporization chamber, the introduction of the vaporizable substance into the vaporization chamber may be at least partially due to capillary action provided by the wick. However, as the vaporizable substance exits the reservoir, the pressure within the reservoir decreases, forming a vacuum and counteracting the capillary action. This may reduce the effectiveness of the wick in introducing the vaporizable substance into the vaporization chamber, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the vaporization device in vaporizing a desired amount of vaporizable substance when, for example, a user puffs from the vaporizer device. Furthermore, the vacuum created in the reservoir may ultimately not be able to introduce all of the vaporizable substance into the vaporization chamber, resulting in wasted vaporizable substance. Thus, improved vaporization devices and/or vaporization cartridges that improve or overcome these problems are desirable.

In certain aspects of the present subject matter, problems associated with creating a headspace within a storage tank can be addressed by incorporating one or more of the features described herein or similar/equivalent approaches understood by those skilled in the art. Aspects of the present subject matter relate to vaporizer devices and cartridges for use in vaporizer devices.

In some variations, one or more of the following features may optionally be included in any feasible combination:

In one exemplary embodiment, a cartridge for a vaporizer device is provided, comprising a reservoir housing having at least one inner container configured to hold a vaporizable substance, and a vaporization chamber communicating with the reservoir housing. The vaporization chamber comprises at least one wicking element configured to introduce vaporizable substance from the at least one inner container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element, wherein the at least one inner container is substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and wherein the at least one inner container is configured to collapse as the vaporizable substance is withdrawn therefrom.

In some embodiments, the collapsing of the at least one inner container as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one inner container can substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming.

In some embodiments, the cartridge may include at least one vent extending through a wall of the reservoir housing, the at least one vent allowing ambient air to pass through the vent and into the reservoir housing such that pressure equilibrium is substantially maintained within the reservoir housing as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container.

The vaporization chamber may have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one side wall of the reservoir housing. In other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall coated or formed with a hydrophobic material. In still other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall configured to allow at least a portion of an airflow to pass therethrough and enter the vaporization chamber.

The wicking element may have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the wicking element may be formed of one or more porous materials.

The storage housing may have various configurations. In some embodiments, the storage housing may include a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber, each chamber having at least one of at least one internal container disposed therein. In such embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be located between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber.

In another exemplary embodiment, a vaporizer device is provided and includes a vaporizer body and a cartridge selectively coupled to and removable from the vaporizer body. The cartridge includes a reservoir housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a vaporizable substance, and a vaporization chamber communicating with the reservoir housing. The vaporization chamber includes at least one wicking element configured to introduce vaporizable substance from the at least one internal container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element, the at least one internal container being substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and the at least one internal container being configured to collapse as the vaporizable substance is withdrawn therefrom.

The vaporizer body may have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporizer body may include a power source.

In some embodiments, the collapsing of the at least one inner container as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one inner container can substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming.

In some embodiments, the cartridge may include at least one vent extending through a wall of the reservoir housing, the at least one vent allowing ambient air to pass through the vent and into the reservoir housing such that pressure equilibrium is substantially maintained within the reservoir housing as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container.

The vaporization chamber may have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one side wall of the reservoir housing. In other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall coated or formed with a hydrophobic material. In still other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall configured to allow at least a portion of an airflow to pass therethrough and enter the vaporization chamber.

The wicking element may have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the wicking element may be formed of one or more porous materials.

The storage housing may have various configurations. In some embodiments, the storage housing may include a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber, each chamber having at least one internal container disposed therein. In such embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be located between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber.

Details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. The claims that follow this disclosure are intended to define the scope of the subject matter protected.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, serve to explain certain principles associated with the disclosed embodiments.
Figure 1a is a block diagram of a vaporizer device.
FIG. 1b is a plan view of an embodiment of a vaporizer device showing a vaporizer cartridge separated from a vaporizer device body.
FIG. 1c is a plan view of the vaporizer device of FIG. 1b showing a vaporizer cartridge coupled to the vaporizer device body.
Figure 1d is a perspective view of the vaporizer device of Figure 1c.
Figure 1e is a perspective view of the carburetor cartridge of Figure 1b.
Figure 1f is another perspective view of the carburetor cartridge of Figure 1e.
Figure 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge.
Figure 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge.
In practical cases, similar drawing numbers represent similar structures, features or elements.

Embodiments of the present subject matter include methods, devices, articles of manufacture, and systems relating to vaporizing one or more substances for inhalation by a user. Exemplary embodiments include vaporizer devices and systems including vaporizer devices. The term "vaporizer device," as used in the following description and claims, refers to any standalone device, a device including two or more separable components (e.g., a vaporizer body including a battery and other hardware, and a cartridge including a vaporizable substance), etc. As used herein, a "vaporizer system" may include one or more components, such as a vaporizer device. Examples of vaporizer devices consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter include electronic vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), etc. Generally, such vaporizer devices are portable devices that heat a vaporizable substance (e.g., by convection, conduction, radiation, and/or some combination thereof) to provide an inhalable dose of the substance.

The vaporizable material used with the vaporizer device may be provided in a cartridge (e.g., a portion of the vaporizer device that holds the vaporizable material in a reservoir or other container) that may be refillable when empty, or may be disposable so that a new cartridge containing additional vaporizable material of the same or a different type may be used. The vaporizer device may be a vaporizer device using a cartridge, a vaporizer device without a cartridge, or a multi-purpose vaporizer device that can be used with or without a cartridge. For example, the vaporizer device may include a heating chamber configured to directly receive the vaporizable material in the heating chamber (e.g., an oven or other area where the material is heated by a heating element), and/or a reservoir for holding the vaporizable material.

In some embodiments, the vaporizer device may be configured for use with a liquid vaporizable substance (e.g., a carrier solution in which the active and/or inactive ingredient(s) are dissolved and suspended or maintained, or the vaporizable substance itself in liquid form). The liquid vaporizable substance may be completely vaporized. Alternatively, at least a portion of the liquid vaporizable substance may remain after all of the substance suitable for inhalation has been vaporized.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 1A, the vaporizer device (100) may include a power source (112) (e.g., a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery), and a controller (104) (e.g., a processor capable of executing logic, circuitry, etc.) for controlling heat transfer to the atomizer (141) to convert the vaporizable material (102) from a condensed form (e.g., a liquid, a solution, a suspension, a portion of at least partially unprocessed plant material, etc.) to a gaseous state. The controller (104) may be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with particular implementations of the present subject matter.

After conversion of the vaporizable substance (102) into a gaseous phase, at least a portion of the vaporizable substance (102) in the gaseous phase may condense to form particulate matter that is in at least partial local equilibrium with the gaseous phase as part of an aerosol that may form part or all of the inhalable dose provided by the vaporizer device (100) during a puff or inhalation by a user from the vaporizer device (100). It should be understood that the interaction between the gaseous and condensed phases in an aerosol generated by the vaporizer device (100) may be complex and dynamic due to factors such as ambient temperature, relative humidity, chemical properties, flow conditions in airflow paths (both within the vaporizer device and within the respiratory tracts of a human or other animal), and/or mixing of the vaporizable substance (102) in the gaseous or aerosol phase with other air streams, which may affect one or more physical parameters of the aerosol. In some vaporizer devices, particularly those configured for the delivery of volatile vaporizable substances, the inhalable volume may be predominantly in the gas phase (e.g., formation of condensed phase particles may be very limited).

In a vaporizer device (100), an atomizer (141) may be configured to vaporize a vaporizable substance (102). The vaporizable substance (102) may be a liquid. Examples of vaporizable substances (102) may include neat liquids, suspensions, solutions, mixtures, etc. The atomizer (141) may include a wicking element (i.e., a wick) configured to carry a predetermined amount of vaporizable substance (102) as part of the atomizer (141) that includes a heating element (not shown in FIG. 1A).

For example, the wicking element may be configured to draw vaporizable material (102) from a reservoir (140) configured to contain vaporizable material (102), such that the vaporizable material (102) may be vaporized by the heat transferred from the heating element. The wicking element may also optionally allow air to be drawn into the reservoir (140) to replace the volume of vaporizable material (102) that was removed. In some implementations of the present subject matter, capillary action may draw the vaporizable material (102) into the wick for vaporization by the heating element, and the air may return to the reservoir (140) through the wick to at least partially equalize the pressure within the reservoir (140). Other methods that allow air to return to the reservoir (140) to equalize the pressure are also within the scope of the present subject matter.

As used herein, the terms "wick" or "wicking element" include any material capable of causing fluid movement through capillary pressure.

The heating element may include one or more of a conductive heater, a radiant heater, and/or a convection heater. One type of heating element is a resistive heating element, which may include a material (e.g., a metal or alloy, such as a nickel-chromium alloy, or a non-metallic resistor) configured to dissipate electrical power in the form of heat when an electric current passes through one or more resistive segments of the heating element. In some implementations of the present subject matter, the atomizer (141) may include a heating element, which may include a resistive coil or other heating element that surrounds, is positioned within, is incorporated into a bulk form, is pressurized into thermal contact with, or is otherwise arranged to transfer heat to the wicking element, such that the vaporizable material (102) drawn from the reservoir (140) by the wicking element is vaporized into a gaseous and/or condensed (e.g., aerosol particles or droplets) phase for subsequent inhalation by the user. Other wicking element, heating element, and/or atomizer assembly configurations are also possible.

Certain vaporizer devices may additionally or alternatively be configured to generate an inhalable dose of vaporizable material (102) in a gaseous and/or aerosol phase by heating the vaporizable material (102). The vaporizable material (102) may be a solid material (e.g., wax, etc.) or plant material (e.g., tobacco leaves and/or portions of tobacco leaves). In such vaporizer devices, the resistive heating element may be part of, or otherwise integrated with, or in thermal contact with, the walls of an oven or other heating chamber in which the vaporizable material (102) is placed. Alternatively, the resistive heating element or elements may be used to heat air passing through or over the vaporizable material (102), thereby causing convective heating of the vaporizable material (102). In other examples, resistive heating elements or elements may be placed in close contact with the plant material so that direct conductive heating of the plant material occurs from within the mass of the plant material, as opposed to solely by conduction inward from the walls of the oven.

The heating element may be activated in conjunction with user puffing (i.e., drawing, inhaling, etc.) at the mouthpiece (130) of the vaporizer device (100) to draw air from an air inlet along an airflow path through the atomizer (141) (i.e., the wicking element and the heating element). Optionally, air may flow from the air inlet through one or more condensation zones or chambers to an air outlet within the mouthpiece (130). The incoming air moving along the airflow path travels over or through the atomizer (141), where the gaseous vaporizable substance (102) is entrained into the air. The heating element may be activated via a controller (104), which may optionally be part of the vaporizer body (110) as described herein, to pass current from a power source (112) through a circuit including a resistive heating element, which may optionally be part of the vaporizer cartridge (120) as described herein. As mentioned herein, the gaseous entrained vaporizable substance (102) may condense as it passes through the remainder of the airflow path, such that an inhalable dose of the vaporizable substance (102) in aerosol form may be delivered from an air outlet (e.g., a mouthpiece (130)) for inhalation by a user.

Activation of the heating element may be triggered by automatic detection of a puff based on one or more signals generated by one or more sensors (113). The sensors (113) and the signals generated by the sensors (113) may include one or more of the following: pressure sensor(s) positioned to detect pressure along an airflow path relative to ambient pressure (or optionally to measure absolute pressure changes), motion sensor(s) of the vaporizer device (100) (e.g., an accelerometer), flow sensor(s) of the vaporizer device (100), a capacitive lip sensor of the vaporizer device (100), detection of user interaction with the vaporizer device (100) via one or more input devices (116) (e.g., buttons or other tactile control devices of the vaporizer device (100), reception of signals from a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device (100) and/or via other approaches to determine that a puff has occurred or is imminent.

As described herein, a vaporizer device (100) consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter may be configured to connect (e.g., wirelessly or via a wired connection) to a computing device (or optionally two or more devices) that communicates with the vaporizer device (100). To this end, the controller (104) may include communication hardware (105). The controller (104) may also include memory (108). The communication hardware (105) may include firmware and/or may be executed by software for executing one or more cryptographic protocols for communication.

A computing device may also be a component of a vaporizer system that includes the vaporizer device (100) and may include its own hardware for communication that can establish a wireless communication channel with the communication hardware (105) of the vaporizer device (100). For example, a computing device used as part of the vaporizer system may include a general-purpose computing device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, other portable device such as a smartwatch, etc.) that executes software to create a user interface for allowing a user to interact with the vaporizer device (100). In other implementations of the present subject matter, such a device used as part of the vaporizer system may be a hardware-only piece, such as a remote control or other wireless or wired device having one or more physical or soft (i.e., configurable on a screen or other display device and selectable through user interaction with a touch-sensitive screen or some other input device such as a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursor buttons, etc.) interface controls. The vaporizer device (100) may also include one or more outputs (117) or devices for providing information to a user. For example, the output sections (117) may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to provide feedback to the user based on the operating status and/or mode of the vaporizer device (100).

In examples where the computing device provides signals related to activation of the resistive heating element, or in other examples where the vaporizer device (100) and the computing device are combined to implement various control or other functions, the computing device executes one or more sets of computer instructions to provide a user interface and basic data handling. In one example, detection by the computing device of user interaction with one or more user interface elements may cause the computing device to signal the vaporizer device (100) to activate the heating element to reach an operating temperature for generating an inhalable dose of vapor/aerosol. Other functions of the vaporizer device (100) may be controlled by user interaction with a user interface on a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device (100).

The temperature of the resistive heating element of the vaporizer device (100) may depend on a number of factors, including the amount of power delivered to the resistive heating element and/or the duty cycle over which the power is delivered, conductive heat transfer to other parts of the electronic vaporizer device (100) and/or the environment, latent heat losses due to vaporization of the vaporizable material (102) from the wicking element and/or atomizer (141) as a whole, and convective heat losses due to airflow (i.e., air moving across the heating element or atomizer (141) as a whole when a user inhales from the vaporizer device (100). As noted herein, in order to reliably activate the heating element or heat the heating element to a desired temperature, in some implementations of the present subject matter, the vaporizer device (100) may utilize signals from a sensor (113) (e.g., a pressure sensor) to determine when a user is inhaling. The sensor (113) may be positioned in the airflow path and/or connected (e.g., by a passage or other path) to the airflow path, including an inlet for introducing air into the vaporizer device (100) and an outlet for inhaling the generated vapor and/or aerosol, such that the sensor (113) experiences changes (e.g., pressure changes) as air passes through the vaporizer device (100) from the air inlet to the air outlet. In some implementations of the present subject matter, the heating element may be activated in association with a user's puff, for example, by automatic detection of the puff or by the sensor (113) detecting a change (e.g., pressure change) in the airflow path.

The sensor (113) may be located or coupled (i.e., electrically or electronically, physically or via a wireless connection) to the controller (104) (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board). To ensure accurate measurement and maintain the durability of the vaporizer device (100), it may be advantageous to provide a seal (127) that is sufficiently resilient to isolate the airflow path from other portions of the vaporizer device (100). The seal (127), which may be a gasket, may be configured to at least partially surround the sensor (113) such that connections of the sensor (113) to the internal circuitry of the vaporizer device (100) are isolated from portions of the sensor (113) that are exposed to the airflow path. In the example of a cartridge-based vaporizer device, the seal (127) may also isolate portions of one or more electrical connections between the vaporizer body (110) and the vaporizer cartridge (120). This arrangement of the seal (127) in the vaporizer device (100) may help mitigate potential destructive effects on the vaporizer components arising from interactions with environmental factors such as water, other fluids such as vaporous substances (102) in vapor or liquid phases, and/or reduce the escape of air from the designated airflow path in the vaporizer device (100). Unwanted air, liquid or other fluids passing through and/or contacting the circuit of the vaporizer device (100) may cause various undesirable effects such as altered pressure readings and/or may cause accumulation of undesirable substances such as moisture, excess vaporous substances (102), etc. on components of the vaporizer device (100), which may result in poor pressure signals, deterioration of the sensor (113) or other components, and/or a shorter lifespan of the vaporizer device (100). A leak at seal (127) may also cause the user to inhale air passing over portions of the vaporizer device (100) that contain or consist of substances that may be undesirable to inhale.

In some implementations, the vaporizer body (110) includes a controller (104), a power source (112) (e.g., a battery), one or more sensors (113), charging contacts (e.g., for charging the power source (112)), a seal (127), and a cartridge receptacle (118) configured to receive a vaporizer cartridge (120) for coupling with the vaporizer body (110) via one or more of various attachment structures. In some examples, the vaporizer cartridge (120) includes a reservoir (140) for holding vaporizable material (102), and a mouthpiece (130) having an aerosol outlet for delivering an inhalable dose to a user. The vaporizer cartridge (120) may include an atomizer (141) having a wicking element and a heating element. Alternatively, one or both of the wicking element and the heating element may be part of the vaporizer body (110). In embodiments where any portion of the vaporizer (141) (i.e., the heating element and/or the wicking element) is part of the vaporizer body (110), the vaporizer device (100) can be configured to supply vaporizable material (102) from a reservoir (140) within the vaporizer cartridge (120) to the portion(s) of the vaporizer (141) contained in the vaporizer body (110).

In an embodiment of a vaporizer device (100) in which the power source (112) is part of the vaporizer body (110) and the heating element is disposed in the vaporizer cartridge (120) and configured to engage with the vaporizer body (110), the vaporizer device (100) may include electrical connection features (e.g., means for completing the circuit) for completing a circuit comprising a controller (104) (e.g., a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, etc.), the power source (112), and a heating element (e.g., a heating element within the atomizer (141). These features may include one or more contacts on the bottom surface of the vaporizer cartridge (120) (referred to herein as cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b)) and at least two contacts (referred to herein as receptacle contacts (l25a, l25b)) positioned near the base of a cartridge receptacle (118) of the vaporizer device (100) such that when the vaporizer cartridge (120) is inserted into and engaged with the cartridge receptacle (118), the cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b) and the receptacle contacts (l25a, l25b) make electrical connections. The circuit completed by these electrical connections may allow for the transmission of current to the heating element and may also be used for additional functions such as measuring the resistance of the heating element for use in determining and/or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on its thermal resistance coefficient.

In some implementations of the present subject matter, the cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b) and the receptacle contacts (l25a, l25b) can be configured to be electrically connected in at least one of two orientations. In other words, one or more circuits necessary for the operation of the vaporizer device (100) can be completed by inserting the vaporizer cartridge (120) into the cartridge receptacle (118) in a first rotational orientation (about an axis along which the vaporizer cartridge (120) is inserted into the cartridge receptacle (118) of the vaporizer body (110) such that the cartridge contact (124a) is electrically connected to the receptacle contact (125a) and the cartridge contact (124b) is electrically connected to the receptacle contact (125b). Additionally, one or more circuits necessary for operation of the vaporizer device (100) can be completed by inserting the vaporizer cartridge (120) into the cartridge receptacle (118) in a second rotational orientation such that the cartridge contact (124a) is electrically connected to the receptacle contact (125b) and the cartridge contact (124b) is electrically connected to the receptacle contact (125a).

For example, the vaporizer cartridge (120) or at least the insertable end (122) of the vaporizer cartridge (120) may be symmetrical when rotated 180° about an axis along which the vaporizer cartridge (120) is inserted into the cartridge receptacle (118). In this configuration, the circuitry of the vaporizer device (100) can support the same operation regardless of which symmetrical orientation of the vaporizer cartridge (120) occurs.

In one example of an attachment structure for coupling a vaporizer cartridge (120) to a vaporizer body (110), the vaporizer body (110) includes one or more stoppers (e.g., dimples, protrusions, etc.) that protrude inwardly from an inner surface of a cartridge receptacle (118), additional material (e.g., metal, plastic, etc.) formed to include a portion that protrudes into the cartridge receptacle (118), etc. One or more outer surfaces of the vaporizer cartridge (120) may include corresponding recesses (not shown in FIG. 1A) that can engage and/or otherwise snap into such stoppers or protrusions when the vaporizer cartridge (120) is inserted into the cartridge receptacle (118) on the vaporizer body (110). When the vaporizer cartridge (120) and the vaporizer body (110) are coupled (e.g., by inserting the vaporizer cartridge (120) into the cartridge receptacle (118) of the vaporizer body (110), the detents or projections of the vaporizer body (110) may fit into and/or otherwise remain within the recesses of the vaporizer cartridge (120) to hold the vaporizer cartridge (120) in place during assembly. This assembly may provide sufficient support to hold the vaporizer cartridge (120) in place while the user pulls on the vaporizer cartridge (120) with a suitable force to disengage the vaporizer cartridge (120) from the cartridge receptacle (118) to ensure good contact between the cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b) and the receptacle contacts (l25a, l25b).

In some implementations, at least the insertable end (122) of the vaporizer cartridge (120) configured for insertion into the cartridge receptacle (118) may have a non-circular cross-section that transverses the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge (120) is inserted into the cartridge receptacle (118). For example, the non-circular cross-section may be approximately rectangular, approximately elliptical (i.e., having an approximately oval shape), a non-rectangular shape having two sets of parallel or approximately parallel opposite sides (i.e., having a shape like a parallelogram), or other shapes having at least approximately two sets of rotational symmetry. In this regard, an approximately shape indicates that the basic similarity to the described shape is evident, but the sides of the shape need not be perfectly linear and the vertices need not be perfectly sharp. Rounding of either or both of the corners or vertices of the cross-sectional shape is contemplated in the description of any non-circular cross-section referred to herein.

The cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b) and receptacle contacts (l25a, l25b) may take a variety of forms. For example, one or both sets of contacts may include conductive pins, tabs, posts, receiving holes for pins or posts, etc. Some types of contacts may include springs or other features to facilitate good physical and electrical contact between the contacts on the vaporizer body (110) and the vaporizer cartridge (120). The electrical contacts may optionally be gold plated and/or may include other materials.

Figures 1b through 1d illustrate an embodiment of a vaporizer body (110) having a cartridge receptacle (118) into which a vaporizer cartridge (120) may be releasably inserted. Figures 1b and 1c respectively show plan views of a vaporizer device (100) showing a vaporizer cartridge (120) positioned and inserted for insertion into the vaporizer body (110). Figure 1d illustrates a reservoir (140) of the vaporizer cartridge (120) formed entirely or partially of a translucent material such that the level of vaporizable material (102) is visible through a window (132) (e.g., a translucent material) along the vaporizer cartridge (120). The vaporizer cartridge (120) may be configured such that the window (132) remains visible when the vaporizer cartridge (120) is insertably received by the vaporizer cartridge receptacle (118) of the vaporizer body (110). For example, in one exemplary configuration, the window (132) may be positioned between a bottom edge of the mouthpiece (130) and a top edge of the vaporizer body (110) when the vaporizer cartridge (120) is engaged with the cartridge receptacle (118).

FIG. 1e illustrates an exemplary airflow path (134) generated during a puff by a user in a vaporizer device (100). The airflow path (134) may direct air to a vaporization chamber (150) (see FIG. 1f) contained in a wick housing where air is combined with an inhalable aerosol for delivery to a user via a mouthpiece (130), which may be part of a vaporizer cartridge (120). For example, when a user puffs in a vaporizer device (100), air may pass between an exterior surface of the vaporizer cartridge (120) (e.g., a window (132) illustrated in FIG. 1d) and an interior surface of a cartridge receptacle (118) in the vaporizer body (110). Air may then be drawn into the insertable end (122) of the vaporizer cartridge (120), passed through a vaporization chamber (150) containing or housing a heating element and a wick, and expelled through an outlet (136) of the mouthpiece (130) for delivery of an inhalable aerosol to the user.

As illustrated in FIG. 1e, this configuration allows air to flow around the insertable end (122) of the vaporizer cartridge (120) into the cartridge receptacle (118) and then around the insertable end (122) of the vaporizer cartridge (120) (e.g., the opposite end of the end including the mouthpiece (130)) as it enters the cartridge body toward the vaporization chamber (150) and then back in the opposite direction. The airflow path (134) then travels through the interior of the vaporizer cartridge (120), for example, via one or more tubes or internal channels (e.g., the cannula (128) illustrated in FIG. 1f) and through one or more outlets formed in the mouthpiece (130) (e.g., outlets (136)). The mouthpiece (130) may be a separable component of the vaporizer cartridge (120) or may be formed integrally with other component(s) of the vaporizer cartridge (120) (e.g., may be formed as a unitary structure with the reservoir (140), etc.).

FIG. 1F illustrates additional features that may be included in a vaporizer cartridge (120) consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter. For example, the vaporizer cartridge (120) may include a plurality of cartridge contacts (such as cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b)) positioned at an insertable end (122). The cartridge contacts (l24a, l24b) may optionally be portions of a single metal piece forming a conductive structure (such as a conductive structure (126)) each connected to one of two ends of a resistive heating element. The conductive structure may optionally form opposite sides of the heating chamber and may act as heat shields and/or heat sinks to reduce heat transfer to the exterior walls of the vaporizer cartridge (120). Figure 1f also shows a cannula (128) within a vaporizer cartridge (120) defining a portion of an airflow path (134) between a heating chamber formed between a conductive structure (126) and a mouthpiece (130).

As mentioned above, when the vaporizable substance (102) is drawn from the reservoir, a vacuum may be created in the reservoir (140). The presence of a vacuum within the reservoir (140) may reduce or prevent the capillary action provided by the wick. This may reduce the effectiveness of the wick in drawing the vaporizable substance (102) into the vaporization chamber (150), thereby reducing the effectiveness of the vaporizer device (100) in vaporizing a desired amount of the vaporizable substance (102), for example, when a user puffs from the vaporizer device (100). Furthermore, the vacuum created in the reservoir (140) may ultimately prevent all of the vaporizable substance (102) from being drawn into the vaporization chamber (150), resulting in wasted vaporizable substance. Various features and devices that improve or overcome these problems are described below. For example, various features are described herein to prevent a vacuum from forming in the reservoir housing as the vaporizable material is drawn from the reservoir housing and introduced into the vaporization chamber of the vaporizer device. Avoiding vacuum formation offers advantages and improvements over existing approaches, while also introducing additional benefits described herein. As used herein, "reservoir housing" is used synonymously with "reservoir."

The vaporizer cartridges described herein allow vaporizable material to flow from a reservoir housing of a vaporization device that utilizes at least one wicking element (e.g., a wick) while reducing headspace, which acts against the capillary action of the wicking element. The vaporizer cartridges generally include a reservoir housing having at least one internal vessel configured to hold vaporizable material. As described in more detail below, the at least one internal vessel is configured to collapse or deform as vaporizable material flows into the at least one wicking element such that the pressure within the at least one internal vessel remains substantially constant. That is, as the at least one wicking element withdraws vaporizable material from the at least one internal vessel, the volume of the at least one internal vessel decreases, thereby substantially preventing the creation of a headspace vacuum. In this way, the at least one wicking element can more effectively withdraw vaporizable material from the reservoir housing, resulting in a greater degree of saturation. The greater the degree of saturation of the at least one wicking element, the more effectively the vaporizer device can vaporize a desired amount of vaporizable material. Additionally, at least one inner container is substantially sealed to at least one wicking element to prevent undesirable leakage of the vaporous substance. This sealing causes the vaporous substance to be distributed substantially only through the at least one wicking element.

Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary vaporizer cartridge (200) that may be selectively coupled to and removable from a vaporizer body, such as the vaporizer body (110) illustrated in Figures 1A-1D. More specifically, the vaporizer cartridge (200) includes an inner container (202) and is configured to collapse, thereby reducing its volume, when a user puffs and/or puffs a vaporizable substance (206) therefrom, for example, from a mouthpiece (230) coupled with the vaporizer cartridge (200).

As illustrated, the vaporizer cartridge (200) includes a reservoir housing (204) and a vaporization chamber (208) with a wicking element (210) extending therebetween. The reservoir housing (204) has an internal volume defined by reservoir walls (204a, 204b, 204c, 204d). The reservoir housing (204) includes an internal container (202) that holds a vaporizable substance (206).

The reservoir housing (204) may be formed of a material and/or structural configuration having greater rigidity than the inner container (202). As such, the reservoir housing (204) may also protect the inner container (202) from damage. For example, the reservoir housing (204) and the inner container (202) may serve as two lines of defense against undesirable leakage of the vaporizable substance (206) into the environment and/or other portions of the vaporizer cartridge (200), such as the portion of the mouthpiece (230) that the user applies to his or her lips.

While the reservoir housing (204) and the inner vessel (202) may have various shapes and configurations, the reservoir housing (204) and the inner vessel (202) may each have a substantially rectangular shape, as illustrated in FIG. 2 . In other embodiments, the inner vessel (202) may have a shape different from that of the reservoir housing (204). Furthermore, the initial volume of the inner vessel (202) may be substantially the same as the inner volume of the reservoir housing (204). As such, the size and shape of the inner vessel (202), and thus the amount of vaporizable material (206) disposed therein, depend at least in part on the size and shape of the reservoir housing (204).

In general, as described above, the inner container (202) is configured to collapse as the vaporizable substance (206) is withdrawn from the inner container (202) and introduced into the wicking element (210). Consequently, the volume of the inner container (202) decreases as the volume of the vaporizable substance (206) decreases. This volume reduction of the inner container (202) can substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming within the inner container (202). This allows the capillary action of the wicking element (210) to effectively draw the vaporizable substance (206) from the reservoir housing (204) into the vaporization chamber (208) after each puff from the mouthpiece (230) by the user.

As illustrated, the inner container (202) is substantially sealed to the wicking element (210) at the interface (212). Consequently, removal of the vaporizable substance (206) from the inner container (202) occurs primarily, if not completely, through the wicking element (210), thereby increasing leakage resistance therebetween. That is, substantially sealing the inner container (202) to the wicking element (210) may help prevent leakage of the vaporizable substance to the environment and/or other portions of the vaporizer cartridge, such as the portion of the mouthpiece (230) that the user applies to his or her lips. Any suitable method may be used to seal the inner container (202) to the wicking element (210), including, for example, heat sealing.

The inner container (202) may have various configurations. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the inner container (202) has a pouch configuration. The inner container (202) may be formed of a flexible material. Any flexible material that can decrease in size (reduce the internal volume of the reservoir housing (204)) as the vaporizable material (206) is withdrawn from the inner container (202) may be used. For example, the flexible material may be an elastic material that expands to an extended state when the volume of the vaporizable material (206) is placed therein and returns to a collapsed state as the volume of the vaporizable material (206) is withdrawn. Non-limiting examples of suitable flexible materials include elastomers, etc. The flexible material may have a single-layer or multi-layer structure. The flexible material may also be air impermeable, thereby preventing air within the storage tank housing (204) from entering the inner vessel (202) and displacing the volume of the withdrawn vaporizable material (206). Alternatively or additionally, the flexible material may be coated with an impermeable coating. Other suitable structural configurations of the inner vessel (202) are also contemplated herein.

During use, as the volume of the inner container (202) decreases, a negative pressure may be created in the reservoir housing (204). This negative pressure may exert a traction force on the inner container (202), which pulls the inner container (202) outwardly relative to the wicking element (210), thereby hindering the ability of the inner container (202) to collapse. To eliminate or reduce this negative pressure, the pressure inside the reservoir housing (204) may be increased when the inner container (202) collapses. For example, the vaporizer cartridge (200) may optionally include at least one vent (214) configured to allow the passage of air from the environment into the reservoir housing (204) to maintain an internal pressure within the reservoir housing (204) substantially equal to the ambient pressure. This at least one vent (214) may be a passive valve or an active valve.

The at least one vent (214) may have various configurations. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the at least one vent (214) may extend through a side wall of the reservoir housing (204) and optionally include one or more holes that allow air to pass into (or out of) the reservoir housing (204). For example, the one or more holes allow air to pass into the reservoir housing (2014) to increase the internal pressure. This pressure increase effectively relieves any vacuum (negative pressure) that may have developed within the reservoir housing (204) itself as the volume of the inner vessel (202) decreases. That is, during use, as the vaporizable material (206) is withdrawn from the inner vessel (202), an influx of air enters the reservoir housing (204) through the one or more holes to equalize the pressure within the reservoir housing (204) itself. Furthermore, this influx of air may also assist in collapsing the inner vessel (202).

The one or more holes may be of any suitable size that allows an effective amount of air to enter the reservoir housing (204). That is, the one or more holes are sized so as to substantially unrestrict airflow. For example, in some embodiments, the size of the one or more holes may affect the rate of air inflow corresponding to the absorption rate of the wicking element (210). Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the size of the one or more holes may be the same, while in other embodiments, the size of the one or more holes may vary.

At least one vent (214) may be positioned at various locations along the reservoir housing (204) to achieve pressure equalization, for example. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the at least one vent (214) is positioned proximate the top portion (203) of the reservoir housing (204). Thus, the effective location of the at least one vent (214) may thus depend at least in part on the location of the wicking element (210) relative thereto and the direction of gravitational flow of the vaporizable material within the inner vessel (202).

The vaporization chamber (208) may have various configurations, but is defined by two opposing side walls (208a, 208b) and a bottom wall (208c) extending therebetween, as illustrated in FIG. 2, one of the side walls being a side wall (204b) of the reservoir housing (204). Thus, in this illustrated embodiment, the vaporization chamber (208) extends flush with the reservoir housing (204). As illustrated, an airflow passage (216) extends through the vaporization chamber (208). The airflow passage (216) is configured to direct airflow (218) and aerosol through the vaporization chamber (208) to a mouthpiece (230) for inhalation by a user.

As the user puffs from the mouthpiece (230), airflow (218) enters the vaporization chamber (208) through the bottom wall (208c). As such, the bottom wall (208c) is configured to allow the airflow (218) to readily pass therethrough into the vaporization chamber (208). The bottom wall (208c) may have various configurations, but is perforated as illustrated in FIG. 2 . The perforations may have any suitable size that allows air to pass through the bottom wall (208c). In certain embodiments, the size of the perforations may prevent the vaporizable substance (206) or aerosol from passing through the bottom wall (208c), thereby preventing undesirable leakage into other parts of the device. The bottom wall (208c) may include any suitable number of perforations, and thus the number of perforations is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. 2 . Alternatively or additionally, the bottom wall (208c) may be formed of an air-permeable material. Thus, the bottom wall (208c) functions as an air inlet for the vaporization chamber (208).

The bottom wall (208c) may also be configured to prevent airflow (218) and/or aerosol within the vaporization chamber (208) from passing therethrough. That is, the bottom wall (208c) may be configured as a one-way valve, thus only allowing airflow (218) to pass through into the vaporization chamber (208). In some embodiments, any remaining walls of the vaporization chamber (208) may be perforated and/or formed of an air-permeable material to allow air to pass into (or out of) the vaporization chamber (208) as desired.

In some embodiments, at least one wall of the vaporization chamber (208), such as the side wall (204b) of the reservoir housing (204), may be formed of or coated with a hydrophobic material to prevent any condensate from accumulating within the vaporization chamber (208). In this way, any water that may be present in the aerosol and airflow (218) as the user puffs from the mouthpiece (230) may be carried through the vaporization chamber (208) and out of the chamber.

A heating element or heater may be housed within the vaporization chamber (208) and coupled to a wicking element (210). The wicking element (210) is configured to provide a capillary action to draw vaporizable material (206) from the inner vessel (202) of the reservoir housing (204) into the vaporization chamber (208) so that it is vaporized into an aerosol by the heat generated by the heating element. The aerosol is then combined with an airflow (218) moving along an airflow passage (216) for inhalation by a user.

Although the wicking element (210) may be positioned anywhere along the airflow passage (216), the wicking element (210) is positioned proximate the bottom wall (208c) of the vaporization chamber (208), as illustrated in FIG. 2. The wicking element (210) may be any suitable porous material that allows the vaporizable material (206) to flow under capillary pressure. For example, the wicking element (210) may be formed of one or more ceramic materials, such as silica. Alternatively or additionally, the wicking element (210) may be a composite of two or more materials, such as an inner material (e.g., graphite) surrounded by an outer material (e.g., a ceramic material).

In some embodiments, the wicking element (210) may be formed of a porous material comprising a conductive material. For example, the ceramic material of the wicking element (210) may be doped to impart resistive properties. Doping the wicking material (e.g., ceramic) may increase the heating rate of the wicking element (210) and, thus, the vaporization rate of the vaporizable material (206).

Some embodiments may include a wicking element (210) having a cross-section that varies along the length of the wicking element (210). For example, a portion of the wicking element (210) that comprises a smaller cross-section compared to other portions of the wicking element (210) may, for example, provide greater resistance to energy flow, thereby allowing for faster evaporation and vaporization of the vaporizable material (206), for example, to form an aerosol for inhalation by a user. In some implementations, at least one of the cross-sectional dimensions and the density of the conductive material may vary along the length of the wicking element (210), for example, to achieve variable results (e.g., vaporization rates, heating rates, etc.).

In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridge (200) includes two or more cartridge contacts, such as, for example, two cartridge contacts (232a, 232b). The two or more cartridge contacts may be configured to mate with, for example, receptacle contacts (l25a, l25b) to form one or more electrical connections with the vaporizer device (100). A circuit completed by these electrical connections may be coupled to a wicking element (210) and allow current to pass to a heating element or heater within the vaporization chamber (208). As mentioned, the wicking element (210) provides a capillary action to draw vaporizable material (206) from the inner vessel (202) of the reservoir housing (204) into the vaporization chamber (208), where the vaporizable material (206) is vaporized into an aerosol by the heat generated by the heating element. The aerosol is then combined with the airflow (218) moving along the airflow passage (216) for inhalation by the user. The circuit may also provide additional functions, such as measuring the resistance of the heating element for use in determining and/or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on, for example, the thermal resistance coefficient of the heating element.

While embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge have been described with reference to a single internal vessel and a single wick, alternative embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge may utilize multiple internal vessels and/or multiple wicks. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the vaporizer cartridge (300) may include a wicking element (310), such as a wicking element (210) (FIG. 2), extending between two chambers (304a, 304b) of a reservoir housing (304), such as a reservoir housing (204) (FIG. 2). Each chamber (304a, 304b) includes an internal vessel (302a, 302b), such as the internal vessel (202) (FIG. 2). Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the vaporizer cartridge (300) includes a vaporization chamber (308), such as a vaporization chamber (208) (FIG. 2), extending between two chambers (304a, 304b) of the reservoir housing (304), thereby forming a central air passage (316). Furthermore, FIG. 3 illustrates the vaporizer cartridge (300) including a mouthpiece (312) and one or more cartridge contacts, such as, for example, a first cartridge contact (314a) and a second cartridge contact (314b).

Terminology

For purposes of describing and defining this teaching, unless otherwise indicated, the term "substantially" is used herein to indicate the degree of inherent uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The term "substantially" is also used to indicate the extent to which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without altering the fundamental function of the subject matter.

When a feature or element is referred to herein as being "on" another feature or element, it will be understood that it is directly on the other feature or element, or that intervening features and/or elements may also be present. Conversely, when a feature or element is referred to as being "directly on" another feature or element, no intervening features or elements are present. Furthermore, when a feature or element is referred to as being "connected," "attached," or "coupled" to another feature or element, it will be understood that it may be directly connected, attached, or coupled to the other feature or element, or that intervening features or elements may be present. Conversely, when a feature or element is referred to as being "directly connected," "directly attached," or "directly coupled to" another feature or element, no intervening features or elements are present.

Although described or illustrated with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements so described or illustrated may be applied to other embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that references to a structure or feature being positioned "adjacent" to another feature may include portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and implementations only and is not intended to be limiting. For example, as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the description and claims above, phrases such as "at least one" or "one or more" may be followed by a list of combinations of elements or features. The term "and/or" may also appear in lists of two or more elements or features. Unless implicitly or explicitly contradicted by the context in which they are used, such phrases are intended to mean any of the listed elements or features individually or any of the recited elements or features in combination with any of the other recited elements or features. For example, the phrases "at least one of A and B," "one or more of A and B," and "A and/or B" are intended to mean "A alone, B alone, or A and B together," respectively. A similar interpretation applies to lists containing three or more items. For example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C," "one or more of A, B, and C," and "A, B, and/or C" are intended to mean "A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together," respectively. The use of the term "based on" above and in the claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on" so that unrecited features or elements may also be permitted.

Spatially relative terms such as "forward," "backward," "below," "beneath," "under," "below," "under," "above," and "above" may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to other element(s) or feature(s) as depicted in the drawings. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device is flipped in the drawings, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented differently (rotated 90 degrees or to another orientation) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms "upward," "downward," "vertical," "horizontal," etc. are used for descriptive purposes only unless specifically indicated otherwise.

Although the terms "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various features/elements (including steps), these features/elements should not be limited by these terms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/element from another. Thus, without departing from the teachings provided herein, a first feature/element described below may be referred to as a second feature/element, and similarly, a second feature/element described below may be referred to as a first feature/element.

As used in the specification and claims, including those used in the examples, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, all numbers can be read as if preceded by the word "about" or "approximately," even if the term does not explicitly appear to be the same. The phrases "about" or "approximately" may be used when describing magnitudes and/or positions to indicate that the stated value and/or position is within a reasonably expected range of values and/or positions. For example, a numerical value may have a value that is +/- 0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/- 10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical value given herein should also be understood to include about or approximately that value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, if the value "10" is disclosed, then "about 10" is also disclosed. Any numerical range mentioned herein is intended to include all subranges subsumed therein. Additionally, when a value is disclosed as "less than or equal to," "greater than or equal to," it is understood that possible ranges between the values are also disclosed, as would be appropriately understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, if the value "X" is disclosed, not only "less than or equal to" but also "greater than or equal to" (e.g., where X is a numerical value) is disclosed. Additionally, throughout the application, data is provided in various formats, and it is understood that the data represents endpoints and starting points and ranges for all combinations of data points. For example, if a particular data point "10" and a particular data point "15" are disclosed, it is understood that the ranges between 10 and 15 are disclosed, as well as greater than, greater than, or equal to, less than, less than, or equal to, or equal to 10 and 15. Additionally, each unit between two particular units is also understood to be disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are initiated, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also initiated.

While various exemplary embodiments have been described above, numerous modifications may be made to the various embodiments without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. For example, the order in which the various described method steps are performed may often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments, one or more method steps may be skipped entirely. Optional features of the various device and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not in others. Accordingly, the foregoing description is provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be realized in digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and/or combinations thereof. These various aspects or features may include implementation in one or more computer programs executable and/or interpretable on a programmable system, which includes at least one programmable processor, which may be special-purpose or general-purpose, coupled to transmit data and instructions to and receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computing system may include clients and servers. The clients and servers are typically remote from each other and typically interact through a communications network. The relationship between the clients and servers is created by computer programs running on each computer and having a client-server relationship with each other.

Such computer programs, which may also be referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in a high-level procedural language, an object-oriented programming language, a functional programming language, a logic programming language, and/or assembly/machine language. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, apparatus, and/or device, such as, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a memory, and programmable logic devices (PLDs), used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives the machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor. The machine-readable medium may store such machine instructions non-transitorily, such as, for example, a non-transitory solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any equivalent storage medium. The machine-readable medium may alternatively or additionally store these machine instructions in a temporary manner, such as, for example, a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

The examples and drawings included herein illustrate, by way of example and not limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. As mentioned, other embodiments may be utilized and derived, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Embodiments of this inventive subject matter, if actually disclosed in more than one context, may be referred to individually or collectively by the term "invention" merely for convenience, without arbitrarily limiting the scope of the present application to any single invention or inventive concept. Accordingly, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any arrangement contemplated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments illustrated. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all modifications or variations of the various embodiments. Combinations of the above-described embodiments with other embodiments not specifically described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the foregoing description. The use of the term "based on" in this specification and claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on" so that unrecited features or elements are also permitted.

The subject matter described herein can be implemented as systems, devices, methods, and/or articles, depending on the desired configuration. The implementations presented in the foregoing description are not intended to represent all implementations consistent with the subject matter described herein. Instead, they are merely examples consistent with aspects related to the described subject matter. While several variations have been described in detail herein, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, additional features and/or modifications may be provided in addition to those described herein. For example, the implementations described herein may relate to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and/or combinations and subcombinations of several additional features disclosed herein. Furthermore, the logic flows depicted in the accompanying drawings and/or described herein do not necessarily require the specific order or sequential order depicted to achieve desirable results. Other implementations may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (19)

A cartridge for a vaporizer device, said cartridge comprising:
A storage housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a volatile substance; and
A vaporization chamber communicating with the storage tank housing, comprising at least one wicking element configured to introduce vaporizable material from at least one internal container into the vaporization chamber to be vaporized by the heating element;
wherein said at least one inner container is substantially sealed to said at least one wicking element, and said at least one inner container is configured to collapse as said vaporizable substance is withdrawn therefrom;
A cartridge for a vaporizer device further comprising at least one vent extending through a wall of said reservoir housing, said at least one vent allowing ambient air to pass through said vent and into said reservoir housing such that pressure equilibrium is substantially maintained within said reservoir housing as said vaporizable material is withdrawn from said at least one internal container. In the first paragraph,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein collapsing of said at least one internal container substantially prevents a headspace vacuum from forming as said vaporizable material is withdrawn from said at least one internal container. delete In the first paragraph,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one side wall of the reservoir housing. In the first paragraph,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall coated or formed with a hydrophobic material. In the first paragraph,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein said vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall configured to allow at least a portion of an airflow to pass therethrough and enter said vaporization chamber. In the first paragraph,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein the wicking element is formed of one or more porous materials. In the first paragraph,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein the storage tank housing comprises a first storage tank chamber and a second storage tank chamber, each of the first storage tank chamber and the second storage tank chamber having at least one of at least one internal container disposed therein. In Article 8,
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein the vaporization chamber is located between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber. As a vaporizer device,
carburetor body; and
A vaporizer body selectively coupled to and including a removable cartridge, said cartridge comprising a reservoir housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a vaporizable substance, and a vaporization chamber communicating with said reservoir housing, said vaporization chamber including at least one wicking element configured to introduce vaporizable substance from the at least one internal container into said vaporization chamber to be vaporized by a heating element;
wherein said at least one inner container is substantially sealed to said at least one wicking element, and said at least one inner container is configured to collapse as said vaporizable substance is withdrawn therefrom;
A vaporizer device further comprising at least one hole extending through a wall of said reservoir housing to allow ambient air to pass therethrough and enter said reservoir housing so that pressure equilibrium is substantially maintained within said reservoir housing as said vaporizable substance is withdrawn from said at least one internal container. In Article 10,
A vaporizer device, wherein the vaporizer body includes a power source. In Article 10,
A vaporizer device wherein the collapsing of the at least one internal container substantially prevents a headspace vacuum from forming as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container. delete In Article 10,
A vaporizer device, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one side wall of the storage tank housing. In Article 10,
A vaporizer device, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall coated or formed with a hydrophobic material. In Article 10,
A vaporizer device wherein said vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall configured to allow at least a portion of an airflow to pass therethrough and enter said vaporization chamber. In Article 10,
A vaporizer device, wherein the wicking element is formed of one or more porous materials. In Article 10,
A vaporizer device, wherein the storage tank housing comprises a first storage tank chamber and a second storage tank chamber, each of the first storage tank chamber and the second storage tank chamber having at least one of at least one internal container disposed therein. In Article 18,
A vaporizer device, wherein the vaporization chamber is located between the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber.