Cartridge for evaporator device

Abstract

A cartridge for an evaporator apparatus is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a cartridge (100) may include a reservoir housing (102) including a reservoir chamber (108) configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material, and an atomizer (104) in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber. The nebulizer includes a substrate (114) having an array of ordered pores (116) configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the storage chamber at a predetermined rate, and at least one heating material (118) configured to selectively heat at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate, to produce an evaporated material. An evaporator device is also provided.

Description

[0001] This invention patent application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application CN202080025508.0 (International Application No. PCT / US2020 / 025336) filed on March 27, 2020, with the invention name of “Material Box for Evaporator Device”.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 826,049, filed on March 29, 2019, and entitled “Cartridges for Vaporizer Devices,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0004] The subject matter described herein relates to a vaporizer device including a disposable vaporizer cartridge. Background Art

[0005] A vaporizer device, which may also be referred to as a vaporizer, an electronic vaporizer device, or an e-vaporizer device, may be used to deliver an aerosol (e.g., a vapor phase and / or condensed phase material suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or some other gaseous carrier) containing one or more active ingredients by inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporizer device. For example, an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) includes a class of vaporizer devices that are battery powered and can be used to simulate the experience of smoking, but without the burning of tobacco or other substances. Vaporizer devices are becoming increasingly popular for prescription medical uses in terms of delivering medicaments and for the ingestion of tobacco, nicotine, and other plant-based materials. Vaporizer devices may be portable, self-contained, and / or convenient to use.

[0006] In the use of the vaporizer device, the user inhales an aerosol (commonly known as "vapor"), which can be generated by a heating element, which vaporizes the vaporizable material (e.g., converts a liquid or solid at least partially into a gas phase), and the vaporizable material can be a liquid, a solution, a solid, a paste, a wax, and / or any other form that is compatible with the particular vaporizer device. The vaporizable material used with the vaporizer can be provided in a vaporizer cartridge (e.g., a detachable portion of the vaporizer device that contains the vaporizable material), and the vaporizer cartridge includes an outlet (e.g., a mouthpiece) for the user to inhale the aerosol.

[0007] To receive the inhalable aerosol generated by the vaporizer device, in some examples, the user can activate the vaporizer device by taking a puff, by pressing a button, and / or by some other method. As used herein, puffing can refer to an inhalation by a user in such a manner that the inhalation causes a volume of air to be drawn into the vaporizer device such that the inhalable aerosol is generated by the combination of the vaporized vaporizable material and the volume of air.

[0008] The vaporizer device may be controlled by one or more controllers, electronic circuits (eg, sensors, heating elements), and / or the like on the vaporizer device. The vaporizer device may also communicate wirelessly with an external controller, such as a computing device (eg, a smartphone).

[0009] The vaporizer device generally includes an atomizer, which is configured to receive and heat the vaporizable material and generate an inhalable aerosol instead of smoke. The atomizer may include a wicking element (e.g., a wicking portion) that delivers a certain amount of vaporizable material to a portion of the atomizer, which includes a heating element (e.g., conduction, convection, and / or radiation). In general, in this case, the heating element is thermally exchanged with the wicking element, and the wicking element is at least partially disposed in a storage chamber containing a certain amount of vaporizable material. As a result, when the wicking element is heated to evaporate at least a portion of the vaporizable material contained therein, a certain amount of heat is lost to the remaining vaporizable material in the storage chamber. Therefore, in order to ensure that a sufficient amount of vaporizable material in the wicking element is evaporated, the heating element supplies excess energy. In addition, due to the lack of thermal insulation in the atomizer, additional heat losses may occur, thereby requiring the supply of additional energy. This lack of thermal insulation can also cause at least a portion of the supplied energy to be dissipated to other areas of the vaporizer device, which may result in loss of structural integrity of the device, damage to internal components, etc. Additionally, due to the microstructure of the wicking element, it may also be difficult to control the amount and rate at which vaporizable material is drawn therein.

[0010] Therefore, what is desired is a vaporizer device and / or vaporizer cartridge that addresses one or more of these issues. Summary of the invention

[0011] In certain aspects of the current subject matter, challenges associated with heat loss can be addressed by incorporating one or more features described herein or comparable / equivalent approaches as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.Aspects of the current subject matter relate to evaporator cartridges for use in one or more evaporator devices.

[0012] In some variations, one or more of the following features may optionally be included in any feasible combination.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, a cartridge is provided, and includes a reservoir housing, the reservoir housing including a storage chamber configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material, and an atomizer in fluid communication with the storage chamber. The atomizer includes a substrate having an array of ordered pores, the ordered pores configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the storage chamber at a predetermined rate, and at least one heating material configured to selectively heat at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to produce vaporized material.

[0014] In some embodiments, the substrate may be in the form of a honeycomb structure. In other embodiments, the substrate may include an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) film.

[0015] In some embodiments, the at least one heating material may be formed of a metal alloy. In one embodiment, the ordered pores may be plated with the at least one heating material. In another embodiment, the substrate may extend from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least the first surface may be positioned within the storage chamber, and a layer of at least one heating material may be disposed on the second surface.

[0016] The atomizer can have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the atomizer can include at least one thermal insulation material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate. In one embodiment, the at least one thermal insulation material can include silicon dioxide. In another embodiment, the at least one thermal insulation material can be in the form of a tubular member having a lumen defined therein, and the substrate can reside within the lumen.

[0017] In some embodiments, each pore may have a diameter from about 1 nanometer to 1000 nanometers. In other embodiments, each pore may have a length extending from the first end to the second end, and the length may be between about 0 microns and 10 microns.

[0018] In another exemplary embodiment, a vaporizer is provided, and includes an vaporizer body and a cartridge that is selectively coupled to and removable from the vaporizer body. The cartridge includes a reservoir housing that includes a storage chamber configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material, and the cartridge includes an atomizer in fluid communication with the storage chamber. The atomizer includes a substrate having an array of ordered pores that are configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the storage chamber at a predetermined rate, and at least one heating material that is configured to selectively heat at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to produce vaporized material.

[0019] In some embodiments, the substrate may be in the form of a honeycomb structure. In other embodiments, the substrate may include an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) film.

[0020] In some embodiments, the at least one heating material may be formed of a metal alloy. In one embodiment, the ordered pores may be plated with the at least one heating material. In another embodiment, the substrate may extend from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least the first surface may be positioned within the storage chamber, and a layer of at least one heating material may be disposed on the second surface.

[0021] The atomizer can have various configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the atomizer can also include at least one thermal insulation material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate. In one embodiment, the at least one thermal insulation material can include silicon dioxide. In another embodiment, the at least one thermal insulation material can be in the form of a tubular member having a lumen defined therein, and the substrate can reside within the lumen.

[0022] In some embodiments, each pore may have a diameter from about 1 nanometer to 1000 nanometers. In other embodiments, each pore may have a length extending from the first end to the second end, and the length may be between about 0 microns and 10 microns.

[0023] In some embodiments, the evaporator body may contain a power source.

[0024] 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 specification and drawings, and from the claims. The claims following this disclosure are intended to define the scope of the protected subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] 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, help explain some principles associated with the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge having a reservoir and an atomizer containing a substrate;

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of an atomizer;

[0028] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of the substrate taken from 3 locations;

[0029] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A top-down scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a portion of a substrate;

[0030] Figure 5 is a partially transparent top view of an embodiment of a vaporizer device including an vaporizer body and a vaporizer cartridge having a reservoir and an atomizer, showing the vaporizer cartridge and the vaporizer body separated from each other; and

[0031] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A partially transparent top view of an evaporator device of FIG. 1 , showing the evaporator cartridge inserted into the cartridge receptacle of the evaporator body.

[0032] When practical, similar reference numerals represent similar structures, features or elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Embodiments of the current subject matter include methods, devices, articles, and systems related to the evaporation of one or more materials for inhalation by a user. Exemplary embodiments include a vaporizer device and a system including a vaporizer device. As used in the following description and claims, the term "vaporizer device" refers to any of a stand-alone device, a device including two or more detachable components (e.g., a vaporizer body including a battery and other hardware, and a vaporizer cartridge containing vaporizable materials), 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 current subject matter include electronic vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and the like. In general, such a vaporizer device is a handheld device that heats (e.g., by convection, conduction, radiation, and / or some combination thereof) a vaporizable material to provide an inhalable dose of material.

[0034] The vaporizable material for use with the vaporizer device may be provided within an vaporizer cartridge (e.g., a portion of the vaporizer device that holds the vaporizable material in a reservoir or other container), which may be refilled when empty, or which may be disposable so that a new vaporizer cartridge containing additional vaporizable material of the same or different type may be used.

[0035] In some embodiments, the vaporizer device can be configured for use with a liquid vaporizable material (e.g., a carrier solution in which active and / or inactive ingredients are suspended or held in solution), a paste, and / or a wax. The liquid vaporizable material can be completely vaporized, or can include some portion of the liquid material that remains after all of the material suitable for inhalation has been vaporized.

[0036] As described above, existing evaporator devices may include a wicking element at least partially disposed within a storage chamber containing a certain amount of vaporizable material, and a heating element thermally connected to the wicking element to heat the vaporizable material drawn into the wicking element. As a result, heat losses may occur (e.g., the remaining amount of vaporizable material in the storage chamber may act as a heat sink). In addition, the lack of thermal insulation between the wicking element and the heating element may result in additional heat losses. Therefore, in order to ensure that a sufficient amount of vaporizable material is evaporated in the wicking element, the heating element supplies more energy. Additionally, due to the microstructure of existing wicking elements, it may be difficult to control the amount and rate of vaporizable material drawn therein. This may also result in heat losses, for example, when an insufficient amount of vaporizable material is drawn into the wicking element. Various features and devices that improve or overcome these aforementioned problems are described below.

[0037] The evaporator cartridge described herein utilizes an atomizer, which includes a substrate having an ordered pore array, and the ordered pore array allows for more controlled delivery of the vaporizable material to the heating area of ​​the evaporator device. As an example, the structural dimensions (such as diameter, length, density, etc.) of the ordered pores can be customized to control the amount and / or rate of the vaporizable material that is subsequently evaporated (such as from a storage chamber containing a certain amount of vaporizable material) to be sucked into the atomizer. In this way, the array of ordered pores can be configured to, for example, draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the storage chamber. In addition, the array of ordered pores can be configured to draw vaporizable materials, such as a predetermined volume of vaporizable materials, at a predetermined rate. In another aspect, the array of ordered pores provides a smaller, limited heating area for vaporizable materials. As used herein, "ordered pores" are pores that are generally consistent in size and shape and are generally oriented in a single direction. In addition, as used herein, when referring to size and shape, "generally uniform" means that the size and shape are within a predetermined dimensional tolerance, and "generally oriented" refers to the orientation within a predetermined angular tolerance.

[0038] As discussed in more detail below, the atomizer allows the vaporizable material to be drawn and separated from the remaining amount of vaporizable material in the storage chamber, avoiding unnecessary heating of the remaining vaporizable material when the vaporizable material is vaporized in the atomizer. As a result, thermal efficiency can be optimized. Although the substrate of the present invention is described herein as having an array of ordered pores, it is also contemplated that the substrate may alternatively include an array of disordered pores.

[0039] A vaporizer cartridge consistent with embodiments of the current subject matter generally includes a reservoir housing having a reservoir configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material, and an atomizer in fluid communication with the reservoir. As discussed in detail below, the atomizer includes a substrate having an array of ordered pores configured to draw at least a portion of the vaporizable material from the reservoir. It is also contemplated that in other embodiments, the atomizer may include an array of disordered pores configured to draw at least a portion of the vaporizable material from the reservoir.

[0040] The reservoir housing can have various configurations. Generally speaking, the reservoir housing includes at least one wall defining the storage chamber. In some embodiments, the reservoir housing can have a substantially rectangular configuration. In other embodiments, the reservoir can have any other possible shape.

[0041] The substrate can have various configurations. In general, the substrate extends from the first surface to the second surface opposite to the first surface. In some embodiments, the first surface can be positioned in the storage chamber, and therefore directly contact the vaporizable material arranged in the storage chamber. In this way, a part of the substrate resides in the storage chamber. The substrate can have any suitable shape and size. In one embodiment, the substrate can have a substantially cylindrical shape, and in other embodiments, the substrate can have a substantially rectangular shape. The size and shape of the substrate can at least depend on the other components of the evaporator cartridge and the structural dimensions of the evaporator cartridge itself. For example, in various embodiments, the first and second surfaces can be optionally parallel or at least approximately parallel. In other embodiments, the first and second surfaces can have other relative orientations. In certain embodiments, one or both of the first and second surfaces can be optionally at least approximately planar. In other embodiments, one or both of the first and second surfaces can be curved, undulating, ridged, or otherwise non-planar on at least some surfaces.

[0042] In some embodiments, the substrate can be in the form of a honeycomb structure. In other embodiments, the substrate can have any other possible suitable structure. In addition, the substrate can have various shapes and sizes. For example, the substrate can have an average pore size from about 1 nanometer to about 1000 nanometers. The thickness or depth of the substrate can reach about 10 microns. Those skilled in the art will understand that the average pore size and thickness can depend at least on the structural parameters of the evaporator cartridge and the evaporator device and the rheological properties of the evaporable material. As a result, in other embodiments, the substrate can have any suitable average pore size and / or thickness, which allows the evaporable material to be sucked into the substrate for evaporation.

[0043] The substrate may be formed of any suitable material. For example, in some embodiments, the substrate may be formed of one or more conductive materials, such as one or more metals or similar materials, while in other embodiments, the substrate may be formed of one or more electrically insulating materials, such as one or more polymers, ceramics, or similar materials. In one embodiment, the substrate may be formed of both conductive and non-conductive materials.

[0044] In some embodiments, the substrate can be formed of one or more metals. Thus, in such embodiments, the substrate can be configured to serve as both a wicking element and a heating element of the atomizer. That is, the array of ordered pores can be configured to draw vaporizable material from the storage chamber into the substrate, and the substrate can be configured to selectively heat at least a portion of the vaporizable material received therein to vaporized material (e.g., in response to being activated by a power source of the vaporizer device). In this way, the vaporizable material within the substrate can be vaporized in response to a large amount of heating of the substrate.

[0045] In some embodiments, the substrate may include an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) film. The AAO film may be formed using any suitable electrochemical process. The inner diameter of the pores in the film, the distance between the centers of adjacent pores in the film, and the distance between the edges of adjacent pores in the film may be controlled by the voltage of deposition, the type of acid, and other parameters.

[0046] The substrate includes an array of ordered pores. The array of ordered pores can be configured to control the flow rate of the vaporizable material drawn from the storage chamber along the ordered pores. The ordered pores can have any suitable shape and size, which allows at least a portion of the vaporizable material to be drawn into the substrate. In use, the vaporizable material is at least partially drawn into the pores by capillary action, and thereby drawn into the substrate. As a result, the amount of vaporizable material drawn into the substrate during use of the evaporator device and the rate at which the vaporizable material is drawn can be controlled at least by the size of the pores. Each pore can extend from a first end to a second end. Although each pore can extend in various directions, in some embodiments, the pore can extend along the depth of the substrate so that the first end of the pore is located at the first surface of the substrate, and the second end of the pore is located at the second surface of the substrate. In this way, at least depending on the structural configuration of the substrate, at least the first end of the pore is in direct contact with the vaporizable material in the storage chamber. In this way, the vaporizable material can be drawn into the substrate via capillary action through the first end of the pore toward the second end of the pore, and therefore toward the second surface of the substrate.

[0047] The size of the pores can be customized so that the surface tension between the evaporable material and the pores themselves can effectively prevent the evaporable material from flowing out of the substrate, while the pressure in the storage chamber is approximately the same as the pressure outside the storage chamber (e.g., along the airflow path of the evaporator device). That is, in the case where there is approximately no pressure difference between the first end and the second end of the pore (e.g., corresponding to a state where the user is not actively sucking on the evaporator device), the evaporable material is inhibited from flowing out of the pores. In addition, the size of the pores can be customized so that when the pressure in the storage chamber is less than the pressure along the airflow path of the evaporator device, the surface tension is overcome and the evaporable material is allowed to flow out of the substrate. That is, in the case where there is a pressure difference between the first end and the second end of the pore (e.g., corresponding to a state where the user is actively sucking on the evaporator device), the evaporable material can flow out of the pores.

[0048] In some embodiments, each pore can have a diameter from about 1 nanometer to 1000 nanometers. In some embodiments, each pore can have a length extending from its first end to its second end. The length of each pore can be between about 0 micrometer and 10 micrometers. In certain embodiments, the length of each pore can be substantially equal to the depth of the substrate. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the pore can have other suitable diameters and lengths.

[0049] In embodiments where the substrate itself is not configured to heat the vaporizable material contained therein into a vaporized material (e.g., when the substrate is formed of an electrically insulating material), the substrate may include at least one heating material. The at least one heating material may be configured to selectively heat a portion of the vaporizable material within the substrate into a vaporized material. The at least one heating material may include any suitable conductive material that can generate an effective amount of heat (e.g., in response to being activated by a power source of an evaporator device) to evaporate the vaporizable material within the substrate. In this manner, the at least one heating material may be configured to act as a heating element for an atomizer. Non-limiting examples of suitable heating materials include metal alloys, such as stainless steel or similar materials.

[0050] At least one heating material can be incorporated into the substrate in various ways. For example, in some embodiments, an array of ordered pores can be plated with at least one heating material. The first and / or second surface of the substrate can also be plated with at least one heating material. In the case where the first surface of the substrate is plated with at least one heating material, the length of each pore can extend along the depth or thickness of the substrate, plus the thickness or depth of the heating material plated on the first surface. In the case where the first and second surfaces of the substrate are plated with at least one heating material, the length of each pore can extend along the depth or thickness of the substrate, plus the thickness or depth of the heating material plated on the first and second surfaces. Any suitable method (e.g., physical or chemical vapor deposition) can be used to plate at least one heating material on the surface of the ordered pores and / or the first and / or second surface of the substrate. In other embodiments, at least one heating material can be in the form of one or more inserts, which are inserted into the substrate. In some further embodiments, at least one heating material can be deposited on at least a portion of the second surface of the substrate, resulting in a multilayer structure.

[0051] In some embodiments, the atomizer may further include at least one thermal insulation material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate. The at least one thermal insulation material may be used to inhibit heat from being transferred from the substrate itself or at least one heating material incorporated within the substrate to the remaining vaporizable material within the storage chamber and / or other areas of the vaporizer device. As a result, heat losses may be reduced, and a smaller amount of energy may be used to achieve vaporization of the vaporizable material within the substrate compared to the energy required by existing atomizers.

[0052] The at least one thermally insulating material may include any suitable material that can substantially inhibit heat transfer from the substrate itself or the at least one heating material. Non-limiting examples of suitable thermally insulating materials include silicon dioxide or similar materials.

[0053] In addition, at least one thermally insulating material can be incorporated into the atomizer in various configurations. For example, in one embodiment, at least one insulating material can be formed into a tubular member that defines a lumen therein. Thus, the substrate can reside within the lumen and is therefore insulated. In another embodiment, at least one insulating material can be disposed on a portion of the substrate, for example, as a layer on a planar surface of the substrate.

[0054] In some embodiments, the evaporator cartridge can be selectively coupled to the evaporator body of the evaporator device using a coupling mechanism and can be removed from the evaporator body. For example, the evaporator cartridge and the evaporator body can each include a corresponding coupling element, and the corresponding coupling element is configured to releasably engage with each other. That is, in use, once the evaporator cartridge of a predetermined length is inserted into the evaporator body, the corresponding coupling elements can engage with each other, thereby fixing the evaporator cartridge to the evaporator body. Similarly, once the evaporator cartridge needs to be replaced (or refilled), the corresponding coupling element can be disengaged so that the evaporator cartridge can be removed. And then, the new evaporator cartridge or the refilled evaporator cartridge can be selectively coupled or recoupled with the evaporator body, respectively. Further, the position of the corresponding coupling element can depend at least on the desired length of the evaporator cartridge to be inserted into the evaporator body, for example, to avoid damage caused by the insertion force to the substrate and / or at least one heating material.

[0055] In some embodiments, the evaporator body of the evaporator device may include a cartridge receptacle configured to receive at least a portion of the evaporator cartridge. In one embodiment, the cartridge receptacle may be defined by a sleeve of the evaporator body.

[0056] In one example of a coupling element for coupling the evaporator cartridge to the evaporator body, the evaporator body may include one or more snap-fit ​​portions (e.g., pits, protrusions, etc.) protruding inwardly from the inner surface of the cartridge receptacle, additional material (e.g., metal, plastic, etc.) formed to include a portion protruding into the cartridge receptacle, and / or the like. One or more outer surfaces of the evaporator cartridge may include corresponding recessed portions that can be adapted and / or otherwise snapped onto these snap-fit ​​portions or protrusions when the evaporator cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle of the evaporator body. When the evaporator cartridge and the evaporator body are coupled (e.g., by inserting the evaporator cartridge into the cartridge receptacle of the evaporator body), the snap-fit ​​portions or protrusions of the evaporator body can be adapted and / or otherwise retained in the recessed portions of the evaporator cartridge so that the evaporator cartridge is held in place during assembly. Such an assembly may provide sufficient support to hold the evaporator cartridge in place during use while allowing the evaporator cartridge to be released from the evaporator body when a user pulls on the evaporator cartridge with reasonable force to disengage the evaporator cartridge from the cartridge receptacle. In other embodiments, the outer surface of the evaporator cartridge may include one or more snap-fit ​​portions, and the cartridge receptacle may include one or more recessed portions.

[0057] In some embodiments, the evaporator cartridge, or at least the insertable end of the evaporator cartridge configured to be inserted into the cartridge receptacle, may have a non-circular cross-section that is transverse to the axis along which the evaporator cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. For example, the non-circular cross-section may be approximately rectangular, approximately elliptical (i.e., having an approximately oval shape), non-rectangular but having two sets of parallel or approximately parallel opposite sides (i.e., having a parallelogram-like shape), or other shapes with at least second-order rotational symmetry. In this context, an approximate shape means that the basic similarity to the described shape is obvious, but the sides of the shape in question do not have to be completely straight and the vertices do not have to be completely sharp. In the description of any non-circular cross-section mentioned herein, rounding of both or either of the edges or vertices of the cross-sectional shape is also considered.

[0058] The vaporizer device may also include a power source (e.g., a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery), and a controller (e.g., a processor capable of executing logic, circuitry, etc.) for controlling heat delivery from the substrate and / or at least one heating material to convert the vaporizable material from a condensed form (e.g., a wax, paste, liquid, solution, suspension, etc.) to a vapor phase. The controller may be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with certain embodiments of the current subject matter.

[0059] After the vaporizable material is converted into the gas phase, at least some of the vaporizable material in the gas phase can condense to form particulate matter, at least partially balancing with the portion of the vaporizable material remaining in the gas phase. The vaporizable material in the gas phase and the condensed phase are part of the aerosol, which can form part or all of the inhalable dose provided by the vaporizer device during the user's puffing or suction of the vaporizer device. It should be understood that the interaction between the gas phase and the condensed phase in the aerosol produced by the vaporizer device can be complex and dynamic, due to factors such as ambient temperature, relative humidity, chemical composition, flow conditions in the airflow path (both inside the vaporizer device and the respiratory tract of humans or other animals) and / or the vaporizable substance in the gas phase or the vaporizable substance in the aerosol phase mixed with other airflows, which can affect one or more physical parameters of the aerosol. In some vaporizer devices, and particularly for vaporizer devices configured to deliver volatile vaporizable materials, the inhalable dose can be mainly present in the gas phase (e.g., the formation of condensed phase particles can be very limited).

[0060] As described above, the array of ordered pores can be configured to draw at least a portion of the vaporizable material contained within the storage chamber into the substrate. The substrate itself and / or the at least one heating material can be configured to vaporize at least a portion of the vaporizable material when activated. As such, electrical contacts can be attached to the substrate to operatively couple the substrate and / or the at least one heating material to at least a power source (e.g., a power source disposed within the evaporator body). The electrical contacts can have a variety of configurations. For example, in one embodiment, the electrical contacts are in the form of wires, which can be over molded.

[0061] The substrate and / or at least one heating material can be activated to generate heat by various mechanisms. For example, the substrate and / or at least one heating material can be activated in association with the user directly sucking (i.e., suction, inhalation, etc.) the evaporator cartridge itself or alternatively the nozzle coupled to the evaporator cartridge to make air flow from the air inlet along the airflow path through the atomizer. Optionally, the air can flow from the air inlet through one or more condensation zones or condensation chambers to the outlet in the evaporator cartridge itself, or alternatively to the nozzle coupled to the evaporator cartridge. The air moving into along the airflow path moves around the atomizer or through the atomizer, and the vaporizable material in the gas phase at the atomizer is entrained into the air. At least one heating material can be activated via a controller, which is optionally a part of the evaporator body discussed herein, so that current passes from a power source through a circuit containing the substrate and / or at least one heating material. The vaporizable material entrained in the vapor phase may condense as it passes through the remainder of the airflow path, which also travels through the interior of the vaporizer cartridge (e.g., through one or more internal passages therein), so that an inhalable dose of the vaporizable material in the form of an aerosol can be delivered from an outlet (e.g., in the vaporizer cartridge itself and / or in a mouthpiece coupled to the vaporizer cartridge) for inhalation by a user. In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridge includes an internal passage extending through the vaporizer cartridge from an inlet to an outlet of the vaporizer cartridge. In one embodiment, the sidewalls of the reservoir housing may at least partially define the sidewalls of the internal passage.

[0062] Activation of the substrate and / or at least one heating material may be caused by automatic detection of a puff based on one or more signals generated by one or more sensors. The one or more sensors and the signals generated by the one or more sensors may include one or more of: one or more pressure sensors of the evaporator device to detect pressure relative to ambient pressure along the airflow path (or alternatively measure changes in absolute pressure), one or more motion sensors of the evaporator device (e.g., accelerometers), one or more flow sensors of the evaporator device, a capacitive lip sensor of the evaporator device, detecting user interaction with the evaporator device via one or more input devices (e.g., buttons or other tactile controls of the evaporator device), receiving signals from a computing device in communication with the evaporator device, and / or determining by other methods that a puff is occurring or is about to occur.

[0063] As discussed herein, a vaporizer device consistent with embodiments of the current subject matter can be configured to connect (such as, for example, wirelessly or via a wired connection) to a computing device (or optionally two or more devices) that communicates with the vaporizer device. To this end, a controller can include communication hardware. The controller can also include memory. The communication hardware can include firmware and / or can be controlled by software for executing one or more encryption protocols for communication.

[0064] The computing device may be a component of an evaporator system that also includes an evaporator device, and may include its own hardware for communication that may establish a wireless communication channel with the communication hardware of the evaporator device. For example, a computing device used as part of an evaporator system may include a general-purpose computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, some other portable device such as a smart watch, etc.) that executes software to generate a user interface that enables a user to interact with the evaporator device. In other embodiments of the current subject matter, such a device used as part of an evaporator system may be dedicated hardware, such as a remote control or other wireless or wired device having one or more physical or software (i.e., configurable on a screen or other display device and selectable via user interaction with a touch-sensitive screen or some other input device such as a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursor buttons, etc.) interface controls.

[0065] The vaporizer device may also include one or more outputs or devices for providing information to a user. For example, the output may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to provide feedback to a user based on the state and / or operating mode of the vaporizer device. In some aspects, the one or more outputs may include a plurality of LEDs (i.e., two, three, four, five, or six LEDs). The one or more outputs (i.e., each individual LED) may be configured to display light in one or more colors (e.g., white, red, blue, green, yellow, etc.). The one or more outputs may be configured to display different light patterns (e.g., by illuminating a particular LED, changing the light intensity of one or more LEDs over time, illuminating one or more LEDs with different colors, and / or the like) to indicate different states, operating modes, and the like of the vaporizer device. In some embodiments, the one or more outputs may be disposed near and / or at least partially within the bottom region of the vaporizer device. The vaporizer device may additionally or alternatively include externally accessible charging contacts that may be disposed near and / or at least partially within the bottom region of the vaporizer device.

[0066] In examples where the computing device provides a signal associated with activating a heating element (e.g., a substrate and / or at least one heating material), or in other examples where the computing device is coupled to a vaporizer device to implement various control or other functions, the computing device executes one or more sets of computer instructions to provide a user interface and underlying data processing. In one example, detection by the computing device of a user interacting with one or more user interface elements can cause the computing device to signal the vaporizer device to activate the heating element to an operating temperature for generating an inhalable dose of vapor / aerosol. Other functions of the vaporizer device can be controlled by user interaction with a user interface on a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device.

[0067] When configured as a resistive heating element, the temperature of the substrate and / or at least one heating material can depend on many factors, including the amount of electrical power delivered to the resistive heating element and / or the duty cycle of the delivered electrical power, conductive heat to other parts of the electronic vaporizer device and / or the environment, latent heat loss due to evaporation of the vaporizable material from the substrate and / or the atomizer as a whole, and convective heat loss due to airflow (i.e., air moving across the heating element or the entire atomizer when the user inhales into the vaporizer device). As noted herein, in order to reliably activate the heating element or heat the heating element to a desired temperature, in some embodiments of the current subject matter, the vaporizer device can utilize a signal from a sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor) to determine when the user inhales. The sensor can be positioned in an airflow path and / or can be connected to the airflow path (e.g., through a passage or other path), the airflow path comprising an inlet for air to enter the vaporizer device and an outlet for the vapor and / or aerosol produced by the user's inhalation, so that the sensor simultaneously experiences changes (e.g., pressure changes) with the air passing through the vaporizer device from the air inlet to the air outlet. In some embodiments of the current subject matter, a heating element (e.g., a substrate and / or at least one heating material) can be activated in association with a user's puff, such as by automatically detecting a puff, or by a sensor detecting a change in an airflow path (e.g., a pressure change).

[0068] The sensor may be positioned on or coupled to a controller (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board) (i.e., electrically or electronically connected physically or by wireless connection). In order to accurately measure and maintain the durability of the evaporator device, it is beneficial to provide a seal with sufficient elasticity to separate the airflow path from other parts of the evaporator device. The seal may be a gasket that can be configured to at least partially surround the sensor so that the connection of the sensor to the internal circuit of the evaporator device is separated from the portion of the sensor exposed to the airflow path. In the example of an evaporator based on a cartridge, the seal may also separate one or more electrically connected portions between the evaporator body and the evaporator cartridge. Such a seal arrangement in the evaporator device can help mitigate the potential destructive effects on the evaporator components caused by interaction with environmental factors (such as water in the gas phase or liquid phase, other fluids such as evaporable materials, etc.), and / or reduce the escape of air from a designated airflow path in the evaporator device. Unwanted air, liquids, or other fluids passing through and / or contacting the circuitry of the evaporator device can cause various undesirable effects, such as changes in pressure readings, and / or can cause unwanted materials (such as moisture, excess vaporizable substances, etc.) to accumulate in various parts of the evaporator device, which can result in poor pressure signals, degradation of sensors or other components, and / or shortened life of the evaporator device. Leaking seals can also cause a user to inhale air that has passed through parts of the evaporator device that contain or consist of materials that may not be desirable to inhale.

[0069] Figure 1 An exemplary vaporizer cartridge 100 for a vaporizer device is illustrated. More specifically, the vaporizer cartridge 100 includes a reservoir housing 102 and an atomizer 104 in fluid communication with a reservoir chamber 108. For simplicity only, certain components of the vaporizer cartridge 100 are not shown.

[0070] The reservoir housing 102 includes a reservoir chamber 108. The reservoir chamber 108 is configured to contain a vaporizable material (not shown). Although the reservoir housing 102 may have a variety of sizes and shapes, Figure 1 As shown, the reservoir housing 102 is substantially rectangular in shape. The reservoir housing 102 includes at least two sets of opposing side walls, wherein a first set of opposing side walls 110a, 110b extends substantially perpendicular to a second set of opposing side walls 112a, 112b. As shown, these side walls 110a, 110b, 112a, 112b define at least a portion of the reservoir chamber 108. In other embodiments, the size and shape of the reservoir housing 102 may be differently configured, including any other possible shape.

[0071] Although the atomizer 104 can have a variety of configurations, Figures 1 to 3As shown, the atomizer 104 includes a substrate 114. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate 114 is substantially cylindrical in shape. Figure 2 102, and thus includes a first surface 114a, a second opposing surface 114b, and a third curved surface 114c extending between the first surface 114a and the second surface 114b. In this illustrated embodiment, the substrate 114 partially resides within the reservoir 108. In particular, the first surface 114a is positioned within the reservoir 108, and the second surface 114b is positioned at the distal end of the reservoir housing 102. In other embodiments, the second surface 114b can be flush with the distal end 102d of the reservoir housing 102.

[0072] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown in more detail in FIG. 1 , substrate 114 includes an array of ordered pores 116, each pore extending from a first end 116a to a second end 116b. In this illustrated embodiment, substrate 114 is an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane. In use, the array of ordered pores 116 draws at least a portion of the vaporizable material (not shown) from reservoir 108 and into substrate 114 by capillary action for vaporization. As described above, the structural dimensions (e.g., diameter and length) of pores 116 and / or the density of pores 116 within substrate 114 can control the flow rate of vaporizable material from reservoir 108. Pores 116 can be arranged along the depth (D) of the substrate. S ) with a certain length (L P ). As shown, the first end 116a of the pore 116 is located at the first surface 114a of the substrate 114, and the second end 116b of the pore 116 is located at the second surface 114b of the substrate 114. As a result, in use, when the reservoir 108 is filled with vaporizable material, the vaporizable material is drawn into the substrate 114 through the first end 116a of the pore 116 and toward the second end 116b of the pore 116, and thus from the first surface 114a of the substrate 114 toward the second surface 114b, so as to evaporate.

[0073] The atomizer 104 also includes at least one heating material 118 and a thermal insulation material 120. Figure 3 As shown, at least one heating material 118 is plated on the surface of the pore 116 and the first surface 114a and the second surface 114b of the substrate 114. As such, the pore 116 extends a length (L) along the depth or thickness of the substrate 114. p), plus the depth or thickness of at least one heating material 118 coated on the first surface 114a and the second surface 114b of the substrate 114. In use, the at least one heating material 118 is activated to generate heat, thereby evaporating the evaporable material sucked into the substrate 114. As further shown, the thermal insulation material 120 is in the form of a tubular member, in which a lumen is defined. The substrate 114 resides in the lumen so that the thermal insulation material 120 is arranged around the third curved surface 114c of the substrate 114. In this way, the thermal insulation material 120 can substantially control the heat generated by the at least one heating material 118 within the scope of the substrate 114, thereby hindering the heat from being lost to the evaporable material remaining in the storage chamber 108. As a result, this can reduce the heat loss during the evaporation of the evaporable material in the substrate 114, thereby improving the efficiency of the atomizer 104. As described above, this reduction in heat loss can achieve evaporation using a smaller amount of energy than the amount of energy required for evaporation using a known atomizer.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, the vaporizer cartridge 100 further includes an internal passage 122 extending from an inlet 124 of the vaporizer cartridge 100 to an outlet 126. The internal passage 122 is configured to direct air and vaporized material through the vaporizer cartridge 100 for inhalation by a user. Although the internal passage 122 may have a variety of configurations, for example, Figure 1 As shown, the internal passage 122 is limited by two sets of opposite side walls 128a, 128b, 130a, 130b. In other embodiments, the size and shape of the internal passage 122 can be set differently, including any other possible shape. In use, the user can suck the end 103 of the evaporator cartridge 100 so that the air and evaporated material in the evaporator cartridge 100 can be directly delivered to the user from the outlet 126 for inhalation. Alternatively, a nozzle (not shown) can be coupled to the end 103 of the evaporator cartridge 100, in which case the user can suck the nozzle instead of directly sucking the end 103 of the evaporator cartridge 100. In this way, the air and evaporated material in the evaporator cartridge 100 can travel from the outlet 126 to the nozzle for inhalation by the user.

[0075] Further, if Figure 1 As shown, the evaporator cartridge 100 also includes a first set of coupling elements 132a, 132b, which can be used to selectively couple the evaporator cartridge 100 to an evaporator body, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 Although the first set of coupling elements 132a, 132b can have various configurations, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, the first set of coupling elements 132 a , 132 b includes two protrusions extending outwardly from two opposing side walls of the evaporator cartridge 100 .

[0076] Figure 5 and Figure 6 An exemplary evaporator device 200 is shown, which includes an evaporator body 202 and an evaporator cartridge 204. Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , the evaporator body 202 and the evaporator cartridge 204 are shown in a decoupled configuration, while in FIG. Figure 6 In FIG. 1 , the evaporator body 202 and the evaporator cartridge 204 are shown in a coupled configuration. Figure 1 The evaporator cartridge 100 is similar to that in FIG. 1 and is therefore not described in detail herein. For simplicity, Figure 5 and Figure 6 Certain components of the evaporator device 200 are not shown in the figure.

[0077] The evaporator body 202 and the evaporator cartridge 204 may be coupled to each other via corresponding coupling elements. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the evaporator body 202 includes a first set of coupling elements 206a, 206b, and the evaporator cartridge 204 includes a second set of corresponding coupling elements 208a, 208b. Although the first and second sets of coupling elements can have various configurations, in the illustrated embodiment, the first set of coupling elements 206a, 206b includes two recessed holes extending inwardly into the evaporator body 202, and the second set of coupling elements 208a, 208b includes two protrusions extending outwardly from two opposing side walls 209a, 209b of the evaporator cartridge 204.

[0078] The evaporator body 202 may have various configurations. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the evaporator body 202 includes a sleeve 210 extending from a proximal end 210a to a distal end 210b. The sleeve 210 defines a cartridge receptacle 212 within the evaporator body 202, which is configured to receive at least a portion of the evaporator cartridge 204. The distal end 210b of the sleeve 210 is coupled to a chassis 214, which is configured to accommodate at least a portion of additional components of the evaporator device 200, such as, for example, any of the components discussed above (e.g., power supply, input device, sensor, output, controller, communication hardware, memory, etc.). In this illustrated embodiment, the evaporator device 200 includes a power supply 302, an input device 304, a sensor 306, an output 308, a controller 310, communication hardware 312, and a memory 314, as shown. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, they are disposed within the evaporator body 202. Once the evaporator cartridge 204 is coupled to the evaporator body 202, a first airflow path 220 is created within the cartridge receptacle 212 between the bottom plate 214 and the distal surface 204a of the evaporator cartridge 204, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 shown.

[0079] In addition, if Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the first air inlet 218 extends through the wall 211 of the sleeve 210. The first air inlet 218 is configured to allow at least a portion of ambient air outside the evaporator body 202, and therefore outside the reservoir housing 205 of the evaporator cartridge 204, to enter the evaporator device 200. In use, when a user sucks directly on the end 203 of the evaporator cartridge 204, at least a portion of the ambient air enters the evaporator body 202 and travels through the first airflow path 220. Alternatively, a nozzle (not shown) may be coupled to the end 203 of the evaporator cartridge 204, in which case the user may suck on the nozzle instead of sucking directly on the end 203 of the evaporator cartridge 204. As described in more detail below, the evaporated material joins the first airflow path 220 and combines with at least a portion of the air to form a mixture. The mixture travels through the remainder of the first airflow path 220 and then through the second airflow path 222, which extends through the interior passage 224 of the vaporizer cartridge 204. As such, the first airflow path 220 and the second airflow path 222 are in fluid communication with one another.

[0080] In use, once the vaporizer cartridge 204 is coupled to the vaporizer body 202, at least one heating material (e.g., Figure 3 The heating material 118 in the vaporizer cartridge 204 can be activated by the user sucking on the end 203 of the vaporizer cartridge 204, and at least a portion of the vaporizable material in the substrate 228 of the atomizer 226 is evaporated into a vaporized material. This suction also simultaneously draws ambient air into the first air flow path through the first air inlet 218 of the sleeve 210. As a result, at least a portion of the vaporized material joins the air traveling along the first air flow path 220. Subsequently, at least a portion of the added vaporized material and air continue to travel through the vaporizer body 202 and enter the second air flow path 222 of the vaporizer cartridge 204. When the added vaporized material and air at least travel through the second air flow path 222, and therefore through the internal channel 224 of the vaporizer cartridge 204, they at least partially condense into an aerosol for subsequent inhalation by the user.

[0081] the term

[0082] For the purposes of describing and defining the present teachings, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified, the term "substantially" is used herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty attributable to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other characterization. The term "substantially" is also used herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative characterization may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.

[0083] When a feature or element is referred to herein as being "on" another feature or another element, the feature or element may be directly on another feature or element, or there may also be intermediate features and / or elements. On the contrary, when a feature or element is referred to as being "directly on" another feature or element, there are no intermediate features or elements. It will also be understood that when a feature or element is referred to as being "connected," "attached" or "coupled" to another feature or element, the feature or element may be directly connected, attached or coupled to another feature or element, or there may be intermediate features or elements. On the contrary, when a feature or element is referred to as being "directly connected," "directly attached" or "directly coupled" to another feature or element, there are no intermediate features or elements.

[0084] Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements described or shown in this way may be applicable to other embodiments. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that reference to a structure or feature disposed "adjacent" to another feature may have a portion that overlaps or underlays the adjacent feature.

[0085] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and implementations only and are 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 indicates otherwise.

[0086] In the above description and in the claims, phrases such as "at least one of..." or "one or more of..." may appear after the consecutive enumeration of elements or features. The term "and / or" may also appear in the enumeration of two or more elements or features. Unless otherwise implicitly or obviously contradictory to the context in which such phrases are used, such phrases are intended to represent any of the listed elements or features individually, or any of the listed elements or features in any combination with other listed 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 each intended to represent "A alone, B alone, or A and B together". Similar interpretations are also intended to include enumerations of 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 each intended to represent "A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A and B and C together". Use of the term “based on” above and in the claims is intended to mean “based at least in part on” such that unrecited features or elements are also allowable.

[0087] Spatially relative terms such as "forward", "backward", "under", "below", "down", "above", "on", etc. may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that in addition to the orientations depicted in the accompanying drawings, the spatially relative terms are also intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device is inverted in the accompanying drawings, the elements described as being "under" or "below" other elements or features will then be oriented to be "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary term "under" can include both the orientation of "above" and the orientation of "under". The device can be oriented otherwise (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptive information elements used herein are interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms "upward", "downward", "vertical", "horizontal", etc. are used herein for the purpose of explanation only, unless otherwise explicitly indicated.

[0088] Although the terms "first" and "second" may be used herein to describe various features / elements (including steps), these features / elements are not limited by these terms unless the context indicates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature / element from another feature / element. Therefore, without departing from the teachings provided herein, the first feature / element discussed below may be referred to as the second feature / element, and similarly, the second feature / element discussed below may be referred to as the first feature / element.

[0089] As used in this specification and claims, including as used in the examples, and unless otherwise expressly indicated, all numbers can be understood as words preceded by "about" or "approximately", even if the term does not appear explicitly. When describing size and / or position, the phrase "about" or "approximately" can be used to indicate that the value and / or position described are within the reasonable expected range of the value and / or position. For example, a numerical value may have a value (or range of values) of + / -0.1% of the stated value, a value (or range of values) of + / -1% of the stated value, a value (or range of values) of + / -2% of the stated value, a value (or range of values) of + / -5% of the stated value, a value (or range of values) of + / -10% of the stated value, etc. Any numerical value given herein should also be understood to include about the value or about the value, unless otherwise indicated by the context. For example, if the value "10" is disclosed, "about 10" is also disclosed. Any numerical range listed herein is intended to include all subranges contained in the numerical range. It is also understood that when a value is disclosed, "less than or equal to" the value, "greater than or equal to" the value, and possible ranges between the values ​​are also disclosed, as appropriately understood by those skilled in the art. For example, if the value "X" is disclosed, "less than or equal to X" and "greater than or equal to X" (e.g., in the case where X is a numerical value) are also disclosed. It is also understood that throughout this application, data is provided in a variety of different formats, and that the data represents endpoints and starting points and ranges for any combination of data points. For example, if a specific data point "10" and a specific data point "15" are disclosed, it is understood that greater than, greater than or equal to, less than, less than or equal to, and equal to 10 and 15 are also considered disclosed, along with between 10 and 15. It is also understood that each unit between two specific units is also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

[0090] Although different illustrative embodiments are described above, any number of changes may be made to the different embodiments without departing from the teachings herein. For example, the order in which the different described method steps are implemented can often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments, one or more method steps may be skipped entirely. Optional features in various device and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not in other embodiments. Therefore, the above description is provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0091] One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be implemented as follows: digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed 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 implementations using one or more computer programs, which may be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be dedicated or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to send data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. A programmable system or computing system may include a client and a server. The client and server are conventionally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The connection between the client and the server is generated by means of computer programs running on respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other.

[0092] These computer programs, which may also be referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components or codes, include machine instructions for programmable processors and may be implemented in high-level programming languages, object-oriented programming languages, functional programming languages, logic programming languages ​​and / or in assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program product, device and / or device for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, such as, for example, a disk, an optical disk, a memory and a programmable logic device (PLD), including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium may store such machine instructions non-temporarily, such as, for example, a non-temporary solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any equivalent storage medium. A machine-readable medium may alternatively or additionally store such 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.

[0093] The examples and descriptions included herein show, by way of illustration and in a non-limiting manner, specific embodiments in which the subject matter can be practiced. As mentioned, other embodiments may be used, and other embodiments may be derived from the specific embodiments, so that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Such embodiments of the subject matter of the invention may be referred to herein individually or collectively by the term "invention", which reference is only for the sake of convenience, and if more than one invention is in fact disclosed, it is not intended to actively limit the scope of the present application to any single invention or inventive concept. Therefore, although specific embodiments are illustrated and described herein, any arrangement structure intended to achieve the same purpose may replace the specific embodiments shown. The present disclosure is intended to cover any and all modifications or variations of different embodiments. After reading the above description, the combination of the above embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The term "based on" used herein and in the claims means "based at least in part on" so that unlisted features or elements are also allowed.

[0094] The subject matter described herein may be implemented in systems, devices, methods and / or articles depending on the desired configuration. The embodiments listed in the foregoing description do not represent all embodiments consistent with the subject matter described herein. Instead, they are merely some examples consistent with aspects related to the described subject matter. Although some modifications have been described in detail herein, other modifications or supplements are possible. In particular, in addition to those listed herein, additional features and / or modifications may be provided. For example, the embodiments described herein may involve various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and / or combinations and subcombinations of several additional features disclosed herein. In addition, the logical flows depicted in the drawings and / or described herein do not necessarily require the specific order shown or the sequential order to achieve the desired results. Other embodiments may fall within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A material box for an evaporator device, the material box comprising: a reservoir housing containing a reservoir chamber configured to selectively retain a vaporizable material; as well as an atomizer, which is in fluid communication with the storage chamber, the atomizer comprising: a substrate having an array of ordered pores configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the reservoir at a predetermined rate, and at least one heating material configured to selectively heat at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to produce vaporized material, wherein the substrate extends from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least the first surface is positioned within the storage chamber; wherein each of the ordered pores comprises a first end and a second end, and each of the ordered pores extends along the depth of the substrate such that the first end is at a first surface of the substrate and the second end is at a second surface of the substrate; and The surface of the ordered pores is coated with the at least one heating material. 2 . The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a first end of each of the ordered pores is in direct contact with the vaporizable material in the reservoir.

3. A cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the substrate is in the form of a honeycomb structure.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one heating material is formed of a metal alloy.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one layer of heating material is disposed on the second surface of the substrate.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the atomizer further comprises at least one thermal insulation material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate.

7. Cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the at least one thermal insulation material comprises silicon dioxide.

8. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the at least one thermally insulating material is in the form of a tubular member defining a lumen therein, and wherein the substrate resides within the lumen.

9. The cartridge of claim 1 or 2, wherein each pore has a diameter from about 1 nanometer to 1000 nanometers.

10. The cartridge of claim 1 or 2, wherein each aperture has a length extending from a first end to a second end, and wherein the length is between about 0 microns and 10 microns.

11. An evaporator device comprising: Evaporator body; as well as A material box, the material box is selectively coupled to the evaporator body and can be removed from the evaporator body, the material box comprising: a reservoir housing containing a reservoir chamber configured to selectively retain a vaporizable material; and an atomizer, which is in fluid communication with the storage chamber, the atomizer comprising: a substrate having an array of ordered pores configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the reservoir at a predetermined rate, and at least one heating material configured to selectively heat at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to produce vaporized material, wherein the substrate extends from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least the first surface is positioned within the storage chamber; wherein each of the ordered pores comprises a first end and a second end, and each of the ordered pores extends along the depth of the substrate such that the first end is at a first surface of the substrate and the second end is at a second surface of the substrate; and The surface of the ordered pores is coated with the at least one heating material.

12. The evaporator device of claim 11, wherein a first end of each of the ordered pores is in direct contact with the vaporizable material in the reservoir.

13. An evaporator device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the substrate is in the form of a honeycomb structure.

14. The evaporator device of claim 11 or 12, wherein the at least one heating material is formed from a metal alloy.

15. The evaporator device of claim 11 or 12, wherein the at least one layer of heating material is disposed on the second surface of the substrate.

16. The vaporizer device of claim 11 or 12, wherein the atomizer further comprises at least one thermal insulation material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate.

17. The evaporator device of claim 16, wherein the at least one thermally insulating material comprises silicon dioxide.

18. The evaporator device of claim 16, wherein the at least one thermally insulating material is in the form of a tubular member defining a lumen therein, and wherein the substrate resides within the lumen.

19. The evaporator device of claim 11 or 12, wherein each pore has a diameter from about 1 nanometer to 1000 nanometers.

20. The evaporator device of claim 11 or 12, wherein each aperture has a length extending from a first end to a second end, and wherein the length is between about 0 microns and 10 microns.

21. An evaporator device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the evaporator body comprises a power source.

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