Disposable vaporization system

Abstract

The vaporizer includes a housing that defines one or more air flow openings, an absorbent container, a battery, and a heating component. The air flow openings are defined in the wall of the housing and are spaced apart from the first and second ends of the housing. The first air flow opening is defined in the first wall of the housing at or near the midpoint of the first wall between the first and second ends of the housing. The second air flow opening is defined in the second wall of the housing at or near the midpoint of the second wall between the first and second ends of the housing. The first air flow opening and the second air flow opening are each disposed between the battery and the first end of the housing so that the air flow path through the vaporizer does not pass through the battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 202221462512.6, filed on June 10, 2022 and granted as Chinese Patent No. 218457304U on February 10, 2023; Chinese Patent Application No. 202221962805.0, filed on July 26, 2022 and granted as Chinese Patent No. 218185217U on January 3, 2023; Chinese Patent Application No. 202221999798.1, filed on July 29, 2022 and granted as Chinese Patent No. 21815218U on January 3, 2023; Chinese Patent Application No. 2022202222023768.3, filed on August 2, 2022 and granted as Chinese Patent No. 218650280U on March 21, 2023; and Chinese Patent Application No. 202222023768.3, filed on August 2, 2022. The entire disclosure of all of these is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an atomizing device, and more particularly to an atomizing device in the form of a simulated cigarette or an electronic cigarette that generates an atomized aerosol for a user to inhale by heating a liquid (e.g., a nicotine-containing liquid) with a heating coil.

Background Art

[0003] Conventional electronic cigarettes typically consist of an integrated body with a front part providing power and a rear part providing heating components. In such conventional electronic cigarettes, since the heating components do not sufficiently contact the oil storage tank containing the liquid, the heating and vaporization of the liquid are inefficient. Some solutions involve winding a heating wire around a glass fiber core and leading it out from a ventilation tube. However, these solutions require complex assembly processes, making the heating wire prone to damage, the resistance value of the heating wire prone to decrease, and the service life and heating / vaporization efficiency of the electronic cigarette unsatisfactory.

[0004] In addition to the above, conventional electronic cigarettes have an unnecessary number of components, requiring wasteful manufacturing costs and time. Furthermore, in such conventional electronic cigarettes, the vaporized aerosol may be provided to the user at an undesirably (potentially dangerous) high temperature. Moreover, in conventional electronic cigarettes, the absorption of the liquid in the nozzle cap is insufficient because the contact surface where the liquid can be absorbed is inadequate.

[0005] Among existing electronic cigarettes, there are those that are manufactured and / or assembled using robots. In some cases, in mass automated production using robots, the handling of small, difficult-to-handle, or easily damaged parts (e.g., wires), and / or the interference between moving parts (e.g., wires) and the robot can become difficult.

[0006] Among existing electronic cigarettes, there are those that can be easily disassembled and / or modified by end-users, etc. (e.g., for replacing or exchanging batteries, consumables, etc.), and these disassembly and / or modification may potentially not be safe.

[0007] Among existing electronic cigarettes, there are those that suck in ambient air from the bottom of the electronic cigarette and the air passes through the battery chamber and then through the battery. In this case, the air may become hotter than the desired temperature.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a vaporization device (e.g., a simulated cigarette or an electronic cigarette) that is easy to manufacture and / or assemble (including by a mobile robot), provides efficient vaporization, reduces the temperature of the vaporized aerosol, is not easily disassembled or altered, provides a consistent air temperature, prevents or delays fluid leakage, prevents or delays user risks, and / or prevents or delays the undesirable inhalation of droplets or condensates by the user.

[0009] In one embodiment, a vaporizer is provided. The vaporizer includes a housing. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The housing further includes one or more air flow openings. The one or more air flow openings are defined in the wall of the housing. The one or more air flow openings are spaced from the first end and the second end of the housing. The vaporizer further includes a container. The container is disposed within the housing. The container is disposed within the housing adjacent to its first end. The container is configured to store a liquid. The vaporizer further includes a battery. The battery is disposed within the housing. The battery is disposed within the housing adjacent to the second end. The battery is spaced from the container. The vaporizer further includes a heating component. The heating component is at least partially disposed within the container. The heating component is in electrical communication with the battery. The heating component is configured to be energized to supply vapor aerosol from the liquid.

[0010] In another embodiment, another vaporizer is provided. The vaporizer includes a housing. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The housing further includes a first air flow opening. The first air flow opening is defined in a first wall portion of the housing. The first air flow opening is defined in the first wall portion of the housing at or near the midpoint of the first wall portion between the first end and the second end of the housing. The housing further includes a second air flow opening. The second air flow opening is defined in a second wall portion of the housing. The second air flow opening is defined in the second wall portion of the housing at or near the midpoint of the second wall portion between the first end and the second end of the housing. The vaporizer further includes a container. The container is disposed within the housing. The container is disposed within the housing adjacent to the first end. The container is configured to store liquid. The vaporizer further includes a battery. The battery is disposed within the housing. The battery is disposed within the housing adjacent to the second end. The battery is spaced apart from the container. The vaporizer further includes a heating component. The heating component is at least partially disposed within the container. The heating component is in electrical communication with the battery. The heating component is configured to be energized to supply vaporized aerosol from the liquid. The first air flow opening and the second air flow opening are each disposed between the battery and the first end of the housing such that an air flow path through the vaporizer does not pass through the battery.

[0011] In a further embodiment, a further vaporizer is provided. The vaporizer includes a housing. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The housing defines a first portion. The first portion of the housing is adjacent to the first end. The housing further defines a second portion. The second portion of the housing is spaced from the first portion of the housing. The second portion of the housing is adjacent to the second end of the housing. The vaporizer further includes a non-absorbent tank. The tank is disposed within the first portion of the housing. The vaporizer further includes a container. The container is disposed within the tank within the first portion of the housing. The container is configured to store a liquid. The vaporizer further includes a battery. The battery is disposed within the second portion of the housing. The vaporizer further includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The PCBA is disposed within the second portion of the housing. The battery is directly electrically connected to the PCBA. There are no components electrically connected to the PCBA in the vaporizer. The vaporizer further includes a heating component. The heating component is at least partially disposed on the container within the first portion of the housing. The heating component is in electrical communication with the battery. The heating component is configured to be energized to supply a vapor aerosol from the liquid. The vaporizer further includes a seal. The seal is disposed at an intersection of the first portion and the second portion of the housing. The vaporizer further includes an O-ring. The O-ring is disposed adjacent to the seal. The seal and the O-ring are collectively configured to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal between the first portion and the second portion of the housing to retard leakage of the liquid from the first portion of the housing to the second portion of the housing.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, yet another vaporizer is provided. The vaporizer includes a housing. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The vaporizer further includes a container. The container is disposed within the housing. The container is disposed within the housing adjacent to the first end. The container is configured to store a liquid. The vaporizer further includes a battery. The battery is disposed within the housing. The battery is disposed within the housing adjacent to the second end. The battery is spaced apart from the container. The vaporizer further includes a heating component. The heating component is at least partially disposed within the container. The heating component is configured to be energized by the battery to generate a vapor aerosol from the liquid. The heating component includes an absorbent core element. The core element is configured to absorb the liquid. The heating component further includes a first insulating tube. The first insulating tube includes a first end. The first insulating tube further includes a second end opposite the first end. The first insulating tube further includes a pair of notches. The notches are spaced apart from each other. The notches are axially aligned with each other. The notches extend to the second end of the first insulating tube. The notches are configured to receive and secure the core element.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] The following description of the exemplary embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the potential embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods are not limited to those depicted.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like components unless the context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description and drawings are not meant to be limiting; they are for the purpose of illustration only. Other embodiments may be utilized and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject presented herein. Aspects of the present disclosure can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a variety of different configurations as generally described herein and illustrated in the drawings, and each of these configurations is explicitly contemplated and will be readily understood to form part of the present disclosure.

[0015] Although the electronic cigarette has been sufficient for its intended purpose, there is a need for a vaporizer (e.g., a simulated cigarette or an electronic cigarette) that is easy to manufacture and / or assemble (including by a mobile robot), provides efficient vaporization, reduces the temperature of the vaporized aerosol, is not easily disassembled or modified, provides a consistent air temperature, prevents or delays fluid leakage, prevents or delays user risks, and / or prevents or delays the undesirable inhalation of droplets or condensate by the user.

[0016] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the vaporizer of the present disclosure can be used for a variety of applications. By way of non-limiting example, it is contemplated that the vaporizer described herein can be used to provide an aerosol or smoke vaporized from a nicotine-containing liquid. In certain examples, the nicotine-containing liquid may be medical-grade nicotine (e.g., about 6%) and / or may be combined with benzoic acid, propylene glycol, and / or glycerin (e.g., vegetable glycerin), whereby the liquid can vaporize at a lower temperature and / or can produce a thick cloud upon exhalation.

[0017] Referring initially to FIGS. 1A and 1B, an exemplary vaporizer 100 is shown. As depicted, the vaporizer 100 can generally have an elongated body, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. In some examples, the vaporizer 100 may be disposable. As will be described in detail herein, the device 100 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular use. By way of non-limiting example, the device may have a length of about 112.5 mm, a width of about 15.5 mm, a height of about 7.0 mm, and / or a weight of about 15.7 grams. As a further non-limiting example, the device can have a length of about 115 mm, a width of about 17.95 mm, and a height of about 9.4 mm.

[0018] Certain components of the vaporizer 100 can be seen with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the vaporizer 100 taken along length 2-2 of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 2B is an exploded view of the vaporizer 100. As will be illustrated and described in detail herein, the vaporizer 100 may include a battery 105, a housing 110, a heating member 120, a first ventilation tube 130, a second ventilation tube 140, a container 150, an upper seal 160, a lower seal 170, a bottom cap 180, and / or a nozzle cap 190.

[0019] As depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the vaporizer 100 may include a battery 105. The battery 105 may be disposed within the housing 110. The battery 105 may generally be in electrical communication with a heating coil 124 (shown in FIG. 4) and may be configured to energize the heating coil 124. The battery 105 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. As a non-limiting example, the battery 105 may have a length of about 47 mm, a width of about 14 mm, and / or a height of about 5 mm. In certain embodiments, the battery 105 can be a lithium polymer battery. In certain embodiments, the battery 105 can be a lithium cobalt battery. The battery 105 may have a capacity of about 280 mmAh. In an embodiment, the battery capacity may be related to the capacity of the vapor 150, as described hereinafter. For example, the battery capacity of the battery 105 may be provided to match the amount of energy required to vaporize the fluid stored in the vapor 150. Such battery capacity can also include an amount of energization that exceeds the minimum energy required to vaporize all of the fluid stored in the container 150 and provides additional battery capacity to approximate the inefficiencies of vaporization due to the need to repeatedly re-energize the heating coil 124 from ambient temperature or below the vaporization temperature during the period of use or vaporization. In an embodiment, the battery 105 may be capable of being remanufactured or reused. For example, the battery 105 may be removable from the device, remanufactured (e.g., recharged or re-energized), and then reattached to another device (e.g., a remanufactured device). This can advantageously extend the battery life and reduce waste. In an embodiment, the battery 105 may be configured to have a maximum output voltage of about 4.25 volts, a resistance of about 2.0 - 2.5 ohms, and / or a maximum output current of about 1.7 amperes. In an embodiment, the device 100 may generally be configured to have a minimum operating voltage of about 3.2 volts, and the battery 105 may generally be configured to provide the minimum operating voltage.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 110 is generally an elongated member, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. The housing 110 includes a first end 112 and a second end 114. The first end 112 of the housing 110 is generally disposed on the opposite side of the second end 114 of the housing 110, and the housing 110 extends therebetween. As described in more detail herein, a viewing panel 116 may be provided proximate the second end 114 of the housing 110. The housing 110 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. Generally, the housing 110 is sized and shaped to be comfortably and conveniently held in a user's hand. As a non-limiting example, the housing 110 can have a length of about 96 mm, a width of about 15.5 mm, and / or a height of about 7 mm. As a non-limiting example, the housing 110 may have a length of about 98.5 mm, a width of about 17.95 mm, and / or a height of about 9.4 mm. In a particular example, the housing 110 may be made of aluminum. In one embodiment, the housing 110 may have a chamfered outer edge, thereby providing an ergonomic feel to the user.

[0021] Turning now to FIG. 4, the manner of the heating component 120 can be seen. As can be understood with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the heating component 120 may be disposed within the housing 110. The heating component 120 includes a core element 122. The core element 122 may be an absorbent core element. Thus, the core element 122 may be configured to absorb and / or store liquid therein. In certain embodiments, the core element 122 may function as a temporary storage container for the liquid to be vaporized. In some embodiments, the core element 122 may be in the form of an elongated rod or tube, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, as can be understood with reference to FIG. 2A, the core element 122 is in contact with (i.e., in fluid communication with) the container 150 and can draw liquid from there onto the core element 122. The core element 122 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the core element 122 can have a length of about 19 mm, a diameter of about 2 mm, and / or a mass of about 0.8 g. In certain examples, the core element 122 may be made of cotton (e.g., organic cotton). In some embodiments, the core element 122 may be in the form of a cotton rope, oil-conductive wool, or other absorbent material. The core element 122 described herein may overcome some of the drawbacks of conventional glass fiber cores in that potentially harmful metals or fibers are prone to generating dust in the aerosolized air, which may be provided to the user in an adverse and potentially dangerous condition (e.g., by a ceramic coil breaking and releasing silica powder harmful to the user's health).

[0022] Continuing to refer to FIG. 4, the heating component 120 also includes a heating coil 124. The heating coil 124 may be in the form of a wire. In this way, at least a part of the heating coil 124 may be wound around the core element 122. In certain embodiments, the heating coil 124 may serve to heat the liquid drawn onto the core element 122. In an embodiment, the heating coil 124 may be configured to be energized to generate a vapor aerosol from the liquid. In certain embodiments, the liquid may be vaporized by absorption when the liquid is drawn in by the core element 122. That is, in an embodiment, generally only the liquid drawn in by the core element 122 is heated by the heating coil 124, and the remainder of the liquid stored in the container 150 (e.g., generally around the heating component 120) remains unheated. This may advantageously avoid the need to continuously reheat large amounts of liquid (e.g., the remainder of the liquid in the container 150), provide the user with a fresh and consistent experience between each inhalation of the vapor aerosol, and prevent molecular decomposition of the liquid (e.g., nicotine-containing liquid). This may also advantageously avoid providing the user with a vapor aerosol having an undesirable burnt taste or flavor as is known to occur in existing electronic cigarettes. The liquid may be drawn in by the core element 122 and / or heated by the heating coil 124 in response to signals (e.g., signals indicating inhalation or negative pressure) from the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 as described herein. When the liquid is heated via the heating coil 124 to generate a vapor aerosol or smoke, the vapor aerosol or smoke may generally move along the flow path illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 2A.

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 4, the heating coil 124 may include a first end portion 124a and a second end portion 124c. An intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may be disposed between the first and second end portions 124a, 124b. In an example, the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may be crimped to the first and second end portions 124a, 124b of the heating coil 124. In other examples, the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may be soldered or otherwise attached to the first and second end portions 124a, 124b of the heating coil 124. The intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may extend directly between the first and second end portions 124a, 124b of the heating coil 124. In an embodiment, the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 and the first and second end portions 124a, 124b may each be a portion of a single wire extending between the positive and negative terminals 105a, 105b of the battery 105a. The intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may be connected to the first and second end portions 124a, 124b of the heating coil 124 as described above, but the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 and the first and second end portions 124a, 124b are each separated (e.g., cut) from the first and second end portions 124a, 124b to facilitate winding the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 around the core element 122, and then reconnected (e.g., crimped, soldered). The heating coil 124 may be directly electrically connected to the battery 105, and the heating coil 124 may be defined by a single continuous wire having a substantially constant resistance (e.g., about 2.5 ohms) over its entire length such that it extends from the positive terminal 105a of the battery, wraps around the core element 122, and extends to the negative terminal 105b of the battery 105.In other related examples, the heating coil 124 can include a plurality of portions of the same or substantially the same wire (e.g., thermal properties such as the same or substantially the same material and resistance) joined together (e.g., crimped, soldered) to form the entirety of the heating wire 124. In each of the embodiments described herein, the heating coil 124 can generally have a substantially constant resistance over its entire length such that, as described herein, it extends from the positive terminal 105a of the battery, wraps around the core element 122, and extends to the negative terminal 105b of the battery 105. This enables the use of a lower resistance wire compared to existing electronic cigarettes and / or can provide better thermal management and battery draw. The heating coil 124 (e.g., its wire) may provide advantages over wires used in existing electronic cigarettes that conventionally use wires of different materials or different resistances between the connection of the heating coil and the battery. In such existing electronic cigarettes, this results in a more expensive, difficult, time-consuming, and generally inefficient manufacturing and assembly process.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, the intermediate portion 124b may be wound around the core element 122. In contrast, in this example, the first and second end portions 124a, 124b may not be wound around the core element 122. The first end portion 124a may be at least partially disposed within the first tube 126. Similarly, the second end portion 124c may be at least partially disposed within the second tube 128. The heating coil 124 (and its components) may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. As a non-limiting example, the heating coil 124 can have a diameter of about 0.12 mm and / or a resistance of about 2.5 ohms. In other examples, the heating coil 124 can have a larger or smaller diameter and / or a larger or smaller resistance, either or both of which can be based on the size or volume of the container 150 and / or the type of fluid within the container 150. The heating coil 124 may, in a particular example, include a nickel-chromium alloy. The heating coil 124 may, in a particular example, be a nickel-chromium wire. As a further non-limiting example, the first and second tubes 126, 128 may each have an outer diameter of about 0.5 mm, an inner diameter of about 0.25 mm, and / or a length of about 22 mm. The first and second tubes 126, 128 may, in one embodiment, each be made of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material (e.g., Teflon). In some embodiments, the first and second tubes 126, 128 may serve to insulate a portion of the heating coil 124 (e.g., the unwound first and second end portions 124a, 124c of the heating coil 124). As a further non-limiting example, the first and second end portions 124a, 124c of the heating coil 124 can have exposed lead wires of about 2 mm (i.e., uncoated regions on the opposing ends of each of the first and second tubes 126, 128). As a further non-limiting example, the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 can have a length of about 3 mm.Stated another way, in certain embodiments, about 3 mm of the heating coil 124 may be wound around the core element 122, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 13, the first and second end portions 124a, 124c of the heating coil 124 may each terminate in a "pin" or similar structure. For example, the first end portion 124a of the heating coil 124 may define a first pin, and the second end portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may define a second pin. The first and second pins may each be in electrical communication with the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182, and may each terminate in a "pin" or similar structure. For example, the first end portion 124a of the heating coil 124 may define a first pin, and the second end portion 124b of the heating coil 124 may define a second pin. The first pin and the second pin may each be electrically connected. In this way, the heating coil 124 may be electrically connected to the battery 105. In an embodiment, the wire 105c may electrically connect the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 to the positive terminal 105a of the battery 105 (e.g., the proximity connection point 125b). The first end portion 124a of the heating coil 124 may electrically connect the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 to the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 wound around the core element 122 (e.g., the proximity connection point 125a). As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the first end portion 124a of the heating coil 124 can transmit and / or receive signals between the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 and the heating coil 124. The second end portion 124c of the heating coil 124 may electrically connect the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 to the negative terminal 105a of the battery 105 (e.g., the proximity connection point 125b), and the negative terminal 105b of the battery 105 may be further electrically connected to the intermediate portion 124b of the heating coil 124 wound around the core element 122 (e.g., the proximity connection point 125c). As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the second end portion 124c of the heating coil 124 can transmit and / or receive signals between the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 and the heating coil 124.The connection points 125a to 125d may be, for example, crimped joints, soldered joints, etc. As described in this specification, in some examples, the connection points 125a to 125d may be connections along a single continuous wire with substantially constant resistance. In other examples, the connection points 125a to 125d can serve to interconnect substantially identical wire sections having substantially constant resistance (i.e., the connection points join portions of the same or substantially the same wire having the same or substantially the same material and thermal properties such as resistance). As described in this specification, the heating coil 124 may generally be energized by the battery 105. In an embodiment, the maximum voltage to the heating coil 124 may be about 3.6 volts, the maximum current flow to the heating coil 124 may be about 1.5 amperes, and / or the maximum power output to the heating coil 124 may be about 5.4 watts. In a further embodiment, the heating coil 124 may be configured to heat the liquid when the voltage to the heating coil 124 is about 3.2 volts or more. In other embodiments described herein, the vaporization device described herein may have no wires electrically connecting any of the electrical components (e.g., battery, PCBA) to each other and / or to other parts of the vaporization device.

[0026] Turning now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, an embodiment of the first insulating tube 130 may be seen. As understood with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B and as described in detail herein, the first insulating tube 130 may be configured to receive and fixedly secure the heating element 120 (e.g., its core element 122) within the housing 110. As depicted, the first insulating tube 130 may be in the form of an elongated rod or tube, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. The first insulating tube 130 may function as a vent tube in some embodiments. The first insulating tube 130 may include an outer wall 132. The outer wall 132 may generally define and / or constrain the interior 138 of the first insulating tube 130. The interior 138 of the first insulating tube 130 may be a hollow interior designed to receive and accommodate at least a portion of the heating component 120 therein and / or therethrough in some embodiments.

[0027] The outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130 can define the notch 134. Generally, the notch 134 may extend through the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130 and into the interior 138 of the first insulating tube 130. The notch 134 leads to and communicates with the through-hole 136. As can be best understood with reference to FIG. 5B, the through-hole 136 may completely penetrate the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130. In this way, as can be understood, the through-hole 136 can generally define two openings that penetrate the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130. Further understood, the notch 134 generally extends between and interconnects the two openings defined by the through-hole 136. Thus, as can be understood from FIG. 5B, a first portion 132a of the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130 can be bent, pulled, pushed, deflected, or otherwise relatively moved with respect to a second portion 132b of the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130 so as to allow insertion of the heating component 120 into the first insulating tube 130. In the example as shown in FIG. 5B, the core element 122 of the heating component 120 can generally extend through the through-hole 136 in the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130. Once the core element 122 is received within the through-hole 136, the first portion 132a of the outer wall 132 can be bent, pulled, pushed, deflected, or otherwise relatively moved with respect to the second portion 132b (e.g., to the initial closed position shown in FIG. 5A). In this way, the through-hole 136 can receive and fix the core element 122 in a predetermined position within the housing 110. This process of assembling the heating component 120 and the first insulating tube 130 provides a faster, more stable and efficient assembly process than that performed in conventional electronic cigarettes.The first portion 132a of the outer wall 132 has been described as being relatively movable with respect to the second portion 132b of the outer wall 132. However, the second portion 132b of the outer wall 132 may, instead, be relatively movable with respect to the first portion 132a of the outer wall 132, and / or each of the first and second portions 132a, 132b of the outer wall 132 may be relatively movable with respect to each other to open the outer wall 132 and accommodate the heating component 120 of the core element 122 within the through-hole 136. It should be readily understood.

[0028] The first insulating tube 130 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the first insulating tube 130 can have a length of about 28.5 mm, an outer diameter of about 4 mm, and / or an inner diameter of about 3.3 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the notch 134 may have a length of about 7.5 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the through-hole 136 may have a diameter of about 1.6 mm. Generally, the notch 134 may have a width smaller than the diameter of the through-hole 136. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the notch 134 in the axial direction along the first insulating tube 130 may be two lines or surfaces oriented at obtuse angles relative to each other (see FIG. 5A), but other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. The first insulating tube 130 may be made of glass fiber in a particular embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8A depicts the container 150. The container 150 may be an absorbent container. Thus, the container 150 may be configured to absorb and / or store liquid therein. In other words, the container 150 may be configured to have properties like a sponge (i.e., it can be wrung out to release the liquid and can re-absorb the liquid). This can solve the known problem of liquid pooling in existing e-cigarettes. This may also help prevent or delay leakage of the liquid from the container 150. Furthermore, this can prevent heating of more liquid than that drawn in near the heating coil 124 (e.g., by the core element 122), thereby preventing undesirable chemical changes (e.g., due to constant heating and cooling) and / or undesirable burnt flavors in the liquid during inhalation. Additionally, this is more energy efficient in that less liquid and / or conductive material is drawn into thermal communication with the heating coil 124 (e.g., by the core element 122), and in certain examples, requires less energy to generate a vapor aerosol therefrom. In an embodiment, the container 150 may be a single integral absorbent component. In an example, the container 150 may be a cartridge or a similar device. The container 150 can function as a primary storage container for the liquid to be vaporized in one embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, as well as FIG. 8C, the container 150 may be disposed within the tank 155 and disposed proximate the first seal 160. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the first seal 160 (e.g., its nipple 164) may be received within the container 150. In an embodiment, the container 150 includes an opening 156. The opening 156 may extend completely through the container 150 (e.g., from a first end 152 of the container 150 to an opposite second end 154). The opening 156 of the container 150 can receive a portion of the first seal 160 (e.g., its nipple 164) along one of its ends.Referring again to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 8C, the container 150 is disposed within the tank 155 and is disposed proximate to the second seal 170. In an embodiment, the container 150 may generally extend within the tank 155 between the first and second seals 160, 170. In an example as understood with reference to FIGS. 8C and 8D, a portion of the first insulating tube 130, the second insulating tube 140, the heating component 120, and / or the second seal 170 (e.g., its nipple 174) may be received within the container. For example, the opening 156 of the container 150 may receive the first insulating tube 130, the second insulating tube 140, the heating component 120, and / or a portion of the second seal 170 (e.g., its nipple 174) along one end thereof (i.e., opposite the first seal 160). The container 150 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the container 150 has a length of about 26.7 mm, a width of about 14.5 mm, and a height of about 6 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the opening 156 has a diameter of about 4 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the container 150 may have a volume of about 1.4 mL and / or a resistance of about 2.5 ohms. In an embodiment, the container 150 may include a combination of organic and synthetic materials. In a particular example, the container 150 may include cotton, a polypropylene material, and / or a polyethylene material, or a combination thereof.

[0030] In an embodiment, the capacity of the container 150 may be related to the capacity of the battery 105 such that the container 150 is configured to contain an amount of liquid that is substantially vaporized when the stored energy of the battery 105 is depleted or nearly depleted. In this way, the service life of the battery 105 can substantially coincide with the consumption of the amount of liquid in the container 150 based on the consumption during the use of the device 100. In such an embodiment, the user can easily understand that the useful life of the vaporizer 100 ends when the vaporized aerosol is no longer provided to the user, and in this embodiment, this should coincide with either the depletion of the battery 105 or the depletion of the liquid in the container 150 occurring first. In other embodiments, the capacity of the container 150 may be related to the capacity of the battery 105 such that the container 150 is configured to contain an amount of liquid that is vaporized before the stored energy of the battery 105 is depleted or nearly depleted. In this way, the service life of the battery 105 may generally be greater than the amount of liquid in the container 150. In such an example, the user can easily understand that the useful life of the vaporizer 100 ends when the vaporized aerosol is no longer provided to the user, and in this example, it should coincide with the depletion of the liquid in the container 150. Such an embodiment ensures that all of the liquid in the container 150 is vaporized (e.g., via energization of the heating coil 124 by the battery 105). In a further embodiment, the capacity of the container 150 may be related to the capacity of the battery 105 such that the container 150 is configured to contain the amount of liquid remaining after the stored energy of the battery 105 is depleted or nearly depleted. In this way, the service life of the battery 105 may generally be less than the amount of liquid in the container 150. In such an example, the user can easily understand that the useful life of the vaporizer 100 ends when the vaporized aerosol is no longer provided to the user, and in this example, it should coincide with the depletion of the battery 105.Such examples prevent the risk of vaporless operation (e.g., when the battery 105 energizes the heating coil 124 even though there is no liquid remaining in the container 150). In addition to or alternatively to the above, the capacity of the battery 105 may be related to the resistance of the heating coil 124 (i.e., the capacity of the battery 105 may be adjusted to the resistance of the heating coil).

[0031] Figure 8B depicts the tank 155. The tank 155 is generally non-absorbent. In this way, the tank 155 can hold a liquid or an absorbent component (e.g., the container 150) without allowing the liquid to pass through its walls. The tank 155 is generally rigid, although other examples are not so limited. The tank 155 is also generally elongated, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. In an embodiment, the container 150 may be disposed within the tank 155 such that the tank 155 completely encloses the container 150 (e.g., when the container 150 is disposed therein and the first and second seals 160, 170 are fitted into the corresponding first and second ends 159, 157 of the tank 155). In some embodiments, the tank 155 may be designed to be inserted into the housing 110, although in alternative embodiments, the tank 155 may be molded into the housing 110. The rigid and non-absorbent tank 155 provides structural integrity and can prevent the container 150 from being undesirably compressed or crushed, which is known to occur in conventional electronic cigarettes. In an embodiment, the tank 155 may be a single, integral, rigid, and non-absorbent component. Similarly referring to FIGS. 18G-H and 19G-H, the tank 155 may be disposed within the housing 110 and disposed proximate its first end 112. In an embodiment, the tank 155 may be disposed within the housing 110 such that the tank 155 and the battery 105 are spaced apart from each other within the housing 110. The tank 155 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. As a non-limiting example, the tank 155 is generally sized and shaped to receive the container 150 therein (e.g., such that the container 150 can be completely enclosed by the tank 155). As a further non-limiting example, the tank 155 is composed of stainless steel or other hard and non-absorbent materials. As a further non-limiting example, the tank 155 may be composed of hard, semi-hard, or flexible plastic.FIG. 8C depicts the tank 155 as partially transparent to assist in understanding how the container 150 is disposed therein, how the first seal 160 interfaces with its first end 159, and how the second seal 170 and seal fixing member 175 interface with its second end 157. FIG. 8D depicts both the tank 155 and the container 150 disposed therein as partially transparent to assist in understanding how the heating component 120, the first insulating tube 130, and the second insulating tube 140 are disposed within the container 150 and thus also within the tank 155. FIG. 8D also shows the pins 127a, 127b defined at respective ends of the heating coil 124 protruding outward from the tank 155 through the second seal 170 and the seal fixing member 175.

[0032] FIG. 9 depicts the second insulating tube 140. As can be understood with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B and FIG. 7D, at least a portion of the first insulating tube 130 may be disposed within the second insulating tube 140. In this way, the second insulating tube 140 may be configured to clamp the wires of the heating coil 124 (e.g., clamp the exposed end portion of the heating coil 124 against the outer wall 132 of the first insulating tube 130). In certain embodiments, the second insulating tube 140 may be disposed about the first insulating tube 130, and the heating coil 124 may extend between the first insulating tube 130 and the second insulating tube 140, although in other embodiments, not so limited, for example, in other embodiments, the heating coil 124 may pass through the interior 138 of the first insulating tube 130 (regardless of whether the second insulating tube 140 is provided), or alternatively, the heating coil 124 may extend through the second insulating tube 140 and extend outside the second insulating tube 140. The provision of the second insulating tube 140 can prevent the possibility of damage to the heating component 120, i.e., prevent the loosening of the heating coil 124. As depicted, the second insulating tube 140 may be in the form of an elongated rod or tube, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. The second insulating tube 140 may include an outer wall 142. The outer wall 142 can generally define and / or constrain the interior 148 of the second insulating tube 140. The interior 148 of the second insulating tube 140 may, in some embodiments, be a hollow interior designed to receive and accommodate at least a portion of the first insulating tube 130 therein and / or therethrough. In one embodiment, the first insulating tube 130 may be disposed within the second insulating tube 140 such that the second insulating tube 140 covers the through-hole 136 of the first insulating tube 130. The second insulating tube 140 can assist in preventing or retarding the leakage of liquid through the notch 134 and / or the through-hole 136 of the first insulating tube 130.The second insulating tube 140 may be of any desired size, shape, and / or material suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the second insulating tube 140 may have a length of about 10 mm, an outer diameter of about 4.5 mm, and / or an inner diameter of about 4 mm. In a particular example, the second insulating tube 140 may be made of glass fiber.

[0033] Referring again to FIGS. 19A and 19B, as described above, the first insulating tube 130 may be received within the second insulating tube 140. For example, the core element 122 of the heating component 1120 may be horizontally received within the notch 131 of the first insulating tube 130 (see FIG. 20A), and the first insulating tube 130 may then be at least partially disposed within the second insulating tube (see FIG. 19B). In the example shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the first end 130a of the first insulating tube 130 (the notch end in this example) is received within the second insulating tube 140, and the second insulating tube 140 may operate to provide a "downward" biasing and / or clamping force. As used herein, the term "biasing" means a bias or force in the indicated direction. The second insulating tube 140 operates to provide a "downward" biasing and / or clamping force in a direction from the first end 130a of the first insulating tube 130 toward the second end 130b, thereby biasing and / or clamping the heating component 120 (e.g., its core element 122) within the first end 130a of the first insulating tube 130 or within the notch 131 defined in the first end 130a. In contrast, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 20A - C, the second end 130a of the first insulating tube 130 (the notch end in this embodiment) is received within the second insulating tube 140, and the second insulating tube 140 may also operate to provide an "upward" biasing and / or clamping force in a direction from the second end 130b toward the first end 130a of the first insulating tube 130, thereby biasing and / or clamping the heating component 120 (e.g., the core element 122) within the notch 131 defined in or at the second end 130b of the first insulating tube 130. In a particular embodiment, a third insulating tube 145, as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, may be provided to further secure the heating component 120 within the notch 131 defined in the first insulating tube 130.The third insulating tube 145 may generally be configured to operate in a manner similar to the second insulating tube 140. The third insulating tube 145 receives the end portion of the first insulating tube 130 that is opposite to the end portion of the first insulating tube received by the second insulating tube 140. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the second end portion 130b (in this example, the non-notch end portion) of the first insulating tube 130 is received within the third insulating tube 145, and the third insulating tube 145 may operate to provide an "upward" biasing and / or clamping force in a direction from the second end portion 130b toward the first end portion 130a of the first insulating tube 130, whereby the heating component 120 (e.g., the core element 122) is further biased and / or clamped within the first end portion 130a of the first insulating tube 130 or within the notch 131 defined in the first end portion 130a. In this way, the heating component 120 (e.g., the core element 122) may be clamped within the notch 131 defined in the first insulating tube 130 by one or more of the second insulating tube 140 and the third insulating tube 145. In an example where the second insulating tube 140 and the third insulating tube 145 are respectively provided as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the second insulating tube 140 and the third insulating tube 145 may collectively operate to sandwich the heating component 120 (e.g., the core element 122) therebetween within the notch 131 defined in the first insulating tube 130.

[0034] The second insulating tube 140 can generally extend between its first end 140a and its second end 140b. In a particular embodiment as shown in FIG. 20B, a pair of axially aligned grooves or notches 141 spaced apart may be defined in the first end 140a and / or the second end 140b of the second insulating tube 140, and / or may extend into the second insulating tube 140 through its first end 140a and / or its second end 140b. The notch 141 may generally be defined by a cut portion of the second insulating tube 140. The notch 141 may be configured to at least partially receive the core element 122 of the heating component 120 therein. As shown in FIG. 20C, the notch 141 may be configured such that with the core element 122 disposed laterally and extending through the notch 141 across the second insulating tube 140, the core element 122 is horizontally disposed in the notch 141. The notch 141 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to suit a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, where the core element 122 is cylindrical, the notch 141 may generally be arcuate or U-shaped.

[0035] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 20B and 20C, when the first insulating tube 130 and the second insulating tube 140 each include a pair of the notches 131, 141, the first insulating tube 130 and the second insulating tube 140 are generally arranged such that the notches 131 defined in the first insulating tube 130 and the notches 141 defined in the second insulating tube 140 collectively form a through-opening in which the core element 122 of the heating component 120 is received. That is, the notch 131 defined in the first insulating tube 130 can have a shape complementary to the notch 141 defined in the second insulating tube 140, and when the notches 131, 141 are adjacent to each other, a through-opening in which the core element 122 of the heating component 120 can be received is formed. Thereby, the contact surface area between the heating component 120 (e.g., its core element 122) and the first insulating tube 130 and the second insulating tube 140 can be increased, thereby improving the clamping effect achievable by the first insulating tube 130 and the second insulating tube 140, delaying and / or preventing the core element 122 from loosening from the first insulating tube 130.

[0036] The second insulating tube 140 is generally described herein as being disposed about the first insulating tube 130 (i.e., at least a portion of the first insulating tube 130 is received within the second insulating tube 140), but it should be understood that other embodiments are not so limited. As a non-limiting example, in certain instances, the second insulating tube 140 may be at least partially received within the first insulating tube 130, as illustrated in FIG. 20C. Stated another way, in one embodiment, the second insulating tube 140 may have an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the first insulating tube 130, while in other embodiments, the first insulating tube 130 may have an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the second insulating tube 140. In certain embodiments, the first insulating tube 130 and the second insulating tube 140 may have relative dimensions such that interference fitting (i.e., fitting one within the other after slight compression) occurs when one is disposed about the other.

[0037] Turning now to FIGS. 10A and 10B, a particular aspect of the bottom cap 180 can be seen. Referring also to FIGS. 1A - 2B, the bottom cap 180 may be disposed adjacent to the second end 114 of the housing 110. As will be described in detail herein, the bottom cap 180 may be operably secured to the second end 114 of the housing 110. In certain instances, the bottom cap 180 may be removably connected to the second end 114 of the housing 110. Referring also to FIGS. 1A and 2A, in certain embodiments, a substantial portion of the bottom cap 180 may be received within the second end 114 of the housing 110.

[0038] Continuing to refer to FIG. 10A, the bottom cap 180 may include a control device 181. In an embodiment, the bottom cap 180 may further include a sensor 182. In a specific example, the sensor 182 may be part of the control device 181. As can be understood with reference to FIGS. 14, 17A, and 17C, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be supported within a holder 183 disposed within the bottom cap 180 in a particular embodiment, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. The holder 183 may define a cavity 183a (see FIG. 14) within which the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 is supported or otherwise disposed. In other embodiments, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be attached to and / or soldered to a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) (e.g., see PCBA 115 in FIGS. 18G - H and FIGS. 19G - H). In such an example, the bottom cap 190 and / or the holder 183 may at least partially receive the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 therein. The holder 183 may be made of silicone rubber (e.g., 40 - degree silicone rubber) in a particular example. The sensor 182 may be configured to detect an air flow and / or air pressure. For example, in an embodiment, the sensor 182 may be a microphone. In a more specific example, the sensor 182 may be a condenser microphone. In an example where the sensor 182 is a microphone, the sensor 182 may include a diaphragm configured to move under suction. The diaphragm may be configured to move when air passes through one or more cavities 182b defined in the sensor 182. The movement of the diaphragm of the sensor 182 may change the measured capacitance between the diaphragm (e.g., an exposed trace configured to contact the diaphragm) and a front plate separated from the diaphragm (e.g., by an insulating plastic ring and / or a conductive ring).Thus, the sensor 182 can be in the form of a microphone configured to operate as an airflow sensor (i.e., to detect airflow, air pressure, or both). The sensor 182 (e.g., a microphone) may, in certain examples, be configured to normally operate under a load greater than 1.2 ohms and / or a constant output voltage of about 3.6V. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the sensor 182 can also take other forms such as a valve (or other sensor that mechanically displaces as a result of flow, such as a turbine) or others. In embodiments, two or more sensors can be used. In embodiments where the amount of flow can be measured (e.g., the sensor provides an output greater than a binary output), the amount of air flow or suction can be compared to a threshold to determine whether to energize the heating coil 124 or energize the heating coil 124 to different levels, thereby controlling the amount of vapor generated. The sensor 182 can detect an air flow or air pressure (e.g., negative pressure) indicating whether the user is applying a suction force to the nozzle cap 190. In this way, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 can provide a signal indicating such suction, which may be used as user control to cause the device to provide a vaporized aerosol. In an example, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be configured to provide such a signal to the heating coil 124 when a predetermined negative pressure (e.g., about 400 pascals) is reached. In response to the suction, the heating coil 124 may be energized as described herein. When the liquid is heated via the heating coil 124, the vaporized aerosol or smoke generated thereby may be delivered to the user via the nozzle cap 190 (see the flow path of the vaporized aerosol or smoke illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 2A). The control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be configured to have a cutoff delay such that the heating coil 124 is energized (and the vaporized aerosol is provided to the user) until either suction occurs or a predetermined maximum amount of suction time has elapsed, whichever occurs first.For users with a small vital capacity or who prefer a small draw, this can provide a consistent draw according to their preference. Conversely, for users with a larger vital capacity or who prefer a larger draw, this can provide a consistent draw for a specific period of time (e.g., about 10 seconds). In other words, the cutoff delay can operate such that in response to the user's continued draw, the heating coil 124 is energized for a predetermined maximum time (e.g., about 10 seconds). After reaching the predetermined maximum time amount, the energization of the heating coil 124 may be stopped, for example, by sending a signal to stop the energization (from the control device 181) to the heating coil 124. This can prevent the heating coil 124 from being continuously energized for a long time and enhance the safety of the vaporizer 100. Additionally, this can ensure that an expected and / or consistent amount of vapor aerosol is provided to the user during each period of draw, including towards the end of the useful life of the vaporizer 100 (e.g., when the battery 105 is nearly depleted and / or when the liquid in the container 105 is nearly depleted). Advantageously, this can provide a more consistent and pleasant experience for the user and reduce the likelihood of overheating or burns. Furthermore, this can reduce the variation in use for the calibration of the battery 105, the container 150, and / or the heating component 120 to substantially simultaneously deplete the battery capacity and the liquid in the container 150, as described herein.

[0039] In embodiments, additional or alternative safety cutoffs may be provided. In such examples, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be configured to cut off the circuit to the heating coil 124 based on a triggered safety condition (e.g., temperature, voltage, risk of failure). For example, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be able to trigger a shutdown state upon detection of a short circuit, power surge, or overheating. This can prevent accidental operation or accidentally long operation, failure of the control device 181 or the sensor 182, and / or other problems resulting from a short circuit (e.g., due to dropping of the device or another mechanical or electrical hazard). As described above, in certain examples, the battery 105 may be configured to have an output voltage of about 3.5 volts. In an embodiment, if the actual output voltage of the battery 105 is greater than 3.5 volts, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be configured to cause the battery 105 to output only 3.5 volts. Conversely, in an embodiment, if the actual output voltage of the battery 105 is less than 3.5 volts, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be configured to cause the battery 105 to output the actual output voltage. In this way, the battery 105 can generally output an actual output voltage of 3.5 volts or less, and can assist in efficient and safe energization of the heating coil 124.

[0040] In response to a signal from the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182, the heating coil 124 may be energized to generate vaporized aerosol from the liquid. In certain embodiments, the heating coil 124 may be automatically energized without further action in response to a signal from the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 (e.g., a signal indicating negative pressure). As an alternative or additional example, a button or similar structure may be used alone or in combination with suction to energize the heating coil 124 and / or generate vaporized aerosol. In alternative embodiments, a button or other control may be used independently without detection of suction to the heating coil 124. In an embodiment, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may assist in ensuring that a consistent amount of vaporized aerosol (e.g., and nicotine) is provided to the user with each puff. Further, the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182 may be able to ensure that an optimal amount of vaporized aerosol is provided with respect to the user's lung capacity.

[0041] The bottom cap 180 may further include a light source 184. In an embodiment, the light source 184 may be embedded in or otherwise disposed in the control device 181 and / or the sensor 182. In other embodiments, the light source 184 may be attached to and / or soldered to the PCBA 115. The light source 184 may be configured to light up in response to a signal received from the sensor 182 (e.g., a signal indicating that the user is applying a suction force to the nozzle cap 190 and thus desires the provision of a vaporized aerosol). For example, in some examples, the light source 184 may be one or more light emitting diodes. The light source 184 may be configured to always light up when the heating coil 124 is energized and / or when the user is applying a suction force and / or when a vaporized aerosol is being provided to the user. The light source 184 may be configured to illuminate in different colors (e.g., white) and / or intensities (e.g., dimming) to represent different states of the vaporizing device 100 (e.g., provision of a vaporized aerosol, low battery). Generally, when suction is present, the sensor 182 (e.g., a microphone) is activated and can send a signal to the light source 184 to cause the light source 184 to light up in response thereto.

[0042] The bottom cap 180 may further include a light guiding element 186. In an embodiment, the light guiding element 186 may serve a dual function. For example, the light guiding element 186 may be configured to operably fix the bottom cap 180 to the second end portion 114 of the housing 110. The light guiding element 186 may further be configured to allow illumination light from the light source 184 to pass therethrough.

[0043] In an embodiment, the light guide element 186 can be in direct contact with the second end 114 of the housing 110 to operably fix the bottom cap 180. In a particular embodiment, the light guide element 186 can contact a viewing panel 116 disposed at the second end 114 of the housing 110. When the bottom cap 180 is inserted into the second end 114 of the housing 110, the light guide element 186 and the viewing panel 116 may be aligned with each other (see FIG. 1A). In an embodiment, the light guide element 186 and the viewing panel 116 may have complementary shapes. In a particular embodiment, the light guide element 186 may be in the form of a raised stop having a bore or a translucent or semi-translucent portion therethrough to allow passage of light, and the viewing panel 116 may be in the form of a slot configured to at least partially receive the light guide element 186 therein. As can be readily understood, these structures can be reversed or modified as desired. The contact surface between the light guide element 186 and the viewing panel 116 can operably fix the bottom cap 180 to the second end 114 of the housing 110. In this way, the illumination light from the light source 184 can pass through each of the light guide element 186 and the viewing panel 116. In an embodiment, the bottom cap 180 can include one or more reflective elements or reflective materials designed to amplify the illumination light from the light source 184 passing through the light guide element 186 and / or the viewing panel 116. In an embodiment, the light guide element 186 and / or the viewing panel 116 are at least partially transparent to the illumination light from the light source 184 so that the illumination light can pass therethrough. As a non-limiting example, the light guide element 186 and / or the viewing panel 116 may be at least 50% transparent, such as at least 75% transparent, to the illumination light from the light source 184.

[0044] The bottom cap 180 described in this specification realizes several advantages. For example, the number of components is reduced, thus reducing manufacturing costs and time. Similarly, the assembly process is also simplified. Further, as described above, the light guide element 186 serves a dual function of operably fixing the bottom cap 180 to the housing 110 and guiding the illumination light from the light source 184 therein. Regarding operably fixing the bottom cap 180 to the housing 110, a drop test was conducted on one of the embodiments disclosed herein to test the effectiveness and reliability of the contact surface between the light guide element 186 and the viewing panel 116. For the test, the vaporizer 100 was dropped from a height of 1 meter onto a marble floor with the nozzle cap 190 facing upward, the nozzle cap 190 facing downward, and the vaporizer 100 lying on its side. In each test, the contact surface between the light guide element 186 and the viewing panel 116 remained intact and there was no visible liquid leakage.

[0045] The bottom cap 180 may also include a light guide panel 188. The light guide panel 188 may be configured to allow the illumination light from the light source 184 to pass therethrough. In an embodiment, the light guide panel 188 is at least partially transparent to the illumination light from the light source 184 so that the illumination light can pass therethrough. As a non-limiting example, the light guide panel 188 may be at least 50% transparent, for example at least 75% transparent, to the illumination light from the light source 184. In a particular example, the light guide panel 188 may be disposed on the surface of the bottom cap 180 (e.g., the bottom surface of the bottom cap 180), and the light guide element 186 may be disposed on a different surface of the bottom cap 180 (e.g., the side surface of the bottom cap 180). In an embodiment, the bottom surface of the bottom cap 180 (e.g., the surface on which the light guide panel 188 is disposed) may be substantially planar. Thereby, the vaporizer 100 can be made to stand upright on a flat surface.

[0046] The bottom cap 180 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the bottom cap 180 may have a length of about 14.5 mm, a width of about 6.4 mm, and / or a height of about 8.7 mm. By way of non-limiting example, the bottom cap 180 may have a width of about 17.9 mm, and / or a height of about 9.4 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the bottom cap 180 light guide element 186 may have a length of about 3.3 mm, a width of about 1.3 mm, and / or a height of about 0.4 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the light guide panel 188 may have a length of about 2 mm, and / or a width of about 0.8 mm. In certain examples, the bottom cap 180 may be made of a polycarbonate material.

[0047] Turning now to FIGS. 11A - C, certain aspects of the nozzle cap 190 may be seen. Similarly referring to FIGS. 1A - 2B, the nozzle cap 190 may be disposed proximate the first end 112 of the housing 110. As will be described in detail herein, the nozzle cap 190 may be operably secured to the first end 112 of the housing 110. In certain examples, the nozzle cap 190 may be removably secured to the first end 112 of the housing 110. Similarly referring to FIGS. 1A and 2A, a substantial portion of the nozzle cap 190 may extend beyond the first end 112 of the housing 110 (in contrast to a substantial portion of the bottom cap 180 being received within the second end 114 of the housing 110). The nozzle cap 190 being separable from the housing 110 and / or being formed from a material different from the housing may advantageously allow for the nozzle cap 190 to expand as heated vapor passes therethrough and / or for a time to cool prior to inhalation. The nozzle cap 190 may be configured to promote vapor cooling between vaporization and inhalation.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 11A, the nozzle cap 190 may include a first lip 190b proximate to its distal end (i.e., the end spaced from the housing 110 to which the nozzle cap 190 is fixed). The first lip 190b may be defined by a raised portion of the nozzle cap 190 (i.e., such that the nozzle cap 190 tapers downwardly towards the distal end). The first lip 190b may be configured to provide a strong seal (e.g., an airtight seal) with the user's lips, particularly for users who prefer to place only a small portion of the nozzle cap 190 in the user's mouth when providing suction. As also shown in FIG. 11A, the nozzle cap 190 may also include a second lip 190c proximate to its proximal end (i.e., the end of the nozzle cap 190 that is fixed to the housing 110). The second lip 190c may be defined by a raised portion of the nozzle cap 190 (i.e., such that the nozzle cap 190 tapers upwardly towards the proximal end). The second lip 190c may be configured to provide a strong seal (e.g., an airtight seal) with the user's lips, particularly for users who prefer to place a substantial portion of the nozzle cap 190 in the user's mouth when providing suction. Providing a strong seal with the user's lips may reduce suction noise, prevent outside air from being inhaled (which can lead to more stable suction), and / or enhance comfort.

[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 11B and 11C, the nozzle cap 190 defines an air inlet 192. Referring similarly to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the air inlet 192 may be disposed proximate the first end 112 of the housing 110. In this way, the air inlet 192 may be configured to receive the vaporized aerosol (e.g., from the heating member 120). The nozzle cap 190 may further define at least one air outlet. In a particular example, first and second air outlets 194 may be provided (see FIGS. 11B and 11C). The air outlet(s) 194 may generally be spaced from the air inlet 192 along the nozzle cap 190 (e.g., away from the first end 112 of the housing 110). The air outlet(s) 194 may be configured to discharge the vaporized aerosol (e.g., from the nozzle cap 190 to the user). The nozzle cap 190 may further define an air flow path 193. The air flow path 193 may extend between the air inlet 192 and the air outlet(s) 194.

[0050] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 11B and 11C, the nozzle cap 190 may include at least one baffle 196. In a particular embodiment, first and second baffles 196 may be provided (see FIGS. 11B and 11C). The baffle 196 can at least partially define a cavity 196a within the air flow path 193. In the example shown in FIGS. 11A - C, the cavity 196a is defined between the first and second baffles 196. The first and second baffles 196 are spaced apart from each other. The oil absorption element 198 may be at least partially disposed within the cavity 196a. In the example shown in FIGS. 11A - C, two oil absorption elements 198 are disposed side by side within the cavity 196a. The first and second baffles 196 are spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the oil absorption element(s) 198, although other embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. The baffle 196 generally extends from the air inlet 192 to the air outlet 194.

[0051] As described herein, the oil absorption element(s) 198 may be designed to have a high surface area for contact with the vaporized aerosol passing through the air flow path 193. When suction is selectively applied and removed from the vaporizer 100, energization (i.e., heating) and de-energization (i.e., cooling) of the heating coil 124 can cause vapor condensation of nicotine or other liquids within the nozzle cap 190, which can lead to providing the user with condensation or droplets of a liquid that is not the intended vaporized aerosol and has an undesirably strong or burnt taste. The oil absorption element 198 may, in some embodiments, be configured to prevent or delay such condensation or water vapor from passing through the air flow path 193 to the air outlet 194. Advantageously, this can prevent or delay water vapor from being carried to the user's lungs when the user inhales the vaporized aerosol. When the user provides suction to receive the vaporized aerosol, the vaporized aerosol may be provided such that a substantial portion of the vaporized aerosol generally moves from the air inlet 192 to the air outlet(s) 194 along the center of the air flow path 193. In embodiments, the oil absorption element(s) 198 may be disposed proximate to the center of the nozzle cap 190 and / or the center of the air flow path 193. In other words, the oil absorption element(s) 198 may be disposed in-line within the air flow path 193. In embodiments, the number of the oil absorption elements 198 may match the number of the air outlets 194, although other embodiments are not so limited. For example, in one embodiment, the nozzle cap 190 can include a single air outlet 194 and one oil absorption element 198 disposed in-line with the air outlet 194 within the air flow path 193. In another embodiment, the nozzle cap 190 may include a pair of air outlets 194 and a pair of oil absorption elements 198 respectively disposed in-line with the air flow path 193 with one of the air outlets 194.In an example where the air outlet 194 is provided, the air outlets 194 may generally be connected to each other by a central opening (see FIG. 11B), and one or more of the oil absorption elements 198 may be provided (e.g., in-line with the central opening). As described herein, the use of one or more of the oil absorption elements 198 can assist in preventing or delaying condensed water or water vapor from reaching the user's lips. In certain examples as described herein, the nozzle cap 190 may be designed to be long enough (e.g., greater than about 20 mm) to assist in preventing or delaying condensed water or water vapor from reaching the user's lips without (or in addition to) using one or more of the oil absorption elements 198. In embodiments where the nozzle cap 190 is designed to be shorter (e.g., less than about 10 mm), one or more of the oil absorption elements 198 can be provided to assist in preventing or delaying condensed water or water vapor from reaching the user's lips, as described herein.

[0052] In an embodiment, the baffle(s) 196 can at least partially block the oil absorption element(s) 198 from being directly exposed to the air flow path 193. The portion(s) of the baffle(s) 196 that block the oil absorption element(s) 198 from direct exposure to the air flow path 193 can further serve to support the oil absorption element(s) 198 and / or define the cavity 196a in which the oil absorption element(s) 198 are disposed. In certain embodiments, the baffle 196 can define one or more notches 197. The notches 197 may be configured to expose the oil absorption element 198 to the air flow path 193. The portion(s) of the oil absorption element 198 that are exposed to the air flow path 193 can (e.g., by the one or more notches 197) absorb condensed water and prevent or delay such condensed water from being provided to the user with the vaporized aerosol.

[0053] In embodiments, various different oil absorption mechanisms can be employed. For example, as shown in FIGS. 18G and 18H, a pair of oil absorption elements 198 may be disposed within the cavity 196a defined within the air flow path 193 by the baffle 196 of the nozzle cap 190. The oil absorption elements 198 are shown in FIG. 11CC and, as described above with respect thereto, extend generally axially along the nozzle cap 190 between the air inlet(s) 192 and the air outlet(s) 194 defined thereby. In some embodiments, the pair of oil absorption elements 198 may generally be disposed between the first seal 160 and the nozzle cap 190. In other embodiments, the pair of oil absorption elements 198 may be disposed to generally surround at least a portion of the first seal 160 (e.g., its nipple 164) such that the first seal 160 passes through and / or between the pair of oil absorption elements 198. The pair of oil absorption elements 198 may be designed to have a high surface area for contact with the vaporized aerosol passing through the nozzle cap 190. As described above with respect to the oil absorption elements 198 disposed within the nozzle cap 190, the pair of oil absorption elements 198 can prevent or delay condensation or droplets from being provided to and inhaled by the user via the nozzle cap 190. The pair of oil absorption elements 198 function to capture such condensation or droplets while allowing the intended vaporized aerosol to be provided to the nozzle cap 190 for inhalation by the user. The pair of oil absorption elements 198 may, in certain examples, include cotton and / or plant fibers (e.g., organic cotton or synthetic cotton). In certain embodiments, the pair of oil absorption elements 198 may be made of surgical grade cotton.

[0054] The nozzle cap 190 described in this specification realizes several advantages. For example, the delivery distance from the air inlet 192 to the air outlet(s) 194 is effectively lengthened, thereby reducing the temperature of the vaporized aerosol to an appropriate temperature (e.g., less than about 48 degrees Celsius). To test the effectiveness and reliability of the nozzle cap 190 with respect to reducing the temperature of the vaporized aerosol to an appropriate temperature, a nozzle temperature test was conducted on one of the embodiments disclosed herein. The vaporizer 100 was attached to a suction machine, suction was performed for about 2 seconds, and then suction was stopped for about 8 seconds. The initial surface temperature at the start of each suction and the surface temperature of the nozzle cap 190 after suction were detected. In each test, the surface temperature of the nozzle cap 190 did not exceed 48 degrees Celsius. Table 1 below shows the surface temperature of the nozzle cap 190 for each of the described parameters.

[0055]

Table 1

[0056] Regarding the absorption of condensed water by the oil absorption element 198, tests were conducted to test the effectiveness and reliability of the oil absorption element 198. To conduct the test, the output of the battery 105 was maximized, the suction rate was set to about 17.5 mL / s, suction was performed for about 2 - 3 seconds, and then stopped for about 8 - 10 seconds. In each test, effective oil absorption by the oil absorption element 198 was observed, and no condensed water was detected.

[0057] The nozzle cap 190 may be of any size, shape, and / or material desired to be suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the nozzle cap 190 may have a length of about 15.5 mm, a width of about 7 mm, and / or a height of about 20 mm. By way of non-limiting example, the nozzle cap 190 may have a width of about 17.9 mm, and / or a height of about 9.4 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the baffle(s) 196 may have a width of about 0.8 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the oil absorption element may have a length of about 15 mm, a width of about 4 mm, and / or a height of about 1.8 mm. In a particular example, the nozzle cap 190 may be made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material. The oil absorption element may, in a particular example, include cotton and / or plant fibers (e.g., organic cotton or synthetic cotton). In a particular embodiment, the oil absorption element may be made of surgical grade cotton. The length of the nozzle cap 190 may be selected or optimized to reduce the temperature of the vaporized aerosol to an acceptable level. By way of non-limiting example, the nozzle cap 190 may have a length of about 10 mm to about 20 mm (i.e., measured between the air inlet 192 and the air outlet 194 along the air flow path 193). In addition to, or alternatively to, reducing the temperature of the vaporized aerosol to an acceptable level, the length of the nozzle cap 190 can further prevent condensed water or water vapor from passing to the user, and / or can further prevent the user from an undesirable or potentially harmful electric shock known to occur with existing electronic cigarettes.

[0058] During transportation, the orientation of the vaporizer may be frequently or rapidly changed, so conventional vaporizers are often susceptible to leakage. Therefore, it is important to prevent or delay leakage of liquid (e.g., nicotine-containing liquid) from the vaporizer 100 described herein during transportation. The vaporizer 100 described herein can include the nozzle cap case 190a as illustrated in FIG. 15. Generally, the nozzle cap case 190a may be configured to fit over the nozzle cap 190 so as to at least partially enclose the nozzle cap 190. In an embodiment, the nozzle cap case 190a may be configured to fit snugly over the nozzle cap 190 to assist in preventing or delaying leakage of liquid from the vaporizer 100 through the nozzle cap 190. The nozzle cap case 190a generally has a size and shape that is complementary to the nozzle cap 190 so as to fit over the nozzle cap 190 as described above. As a non-limiting example, the nozzle cap case 190a can have a length of about 15.7 mm, a width of about 7.2 mm, and / or a height of about 19.9 mm. In the same or an alternative example, the vaporizer 100 described herein may include a bottom cap case 180a as illustrated in FIG. 16. Generally, the bottom cap case 180a may be configured to fit over the bottom cap 180 so as to at least partially enclose the bottom cap 180. In an embodiment, the bottom cap case 180a may be configured to fit snugly over the bottom cap 180 to assist in preventing or delaying leakage of liquid from the vaporizer 100 through the bottom cap 180. The bottom cap case 180a generally has a size and shape that is complementary to the bottom cap 180 so as to fit over the bottom cap 180 as described above. As a non-limiting example, the bottom cap case 180a can have a length of about 15.9 mm, a width of about 7.4 mm, and / or a height of about 8.7 mm.

[0059] Next, turning to FIGS. 17A - C, a vaporizer 101 of another example is shown. The vaporizer 101 is generally understood to have the same features and functionality as the vaporizer 100, except where explicitly distinguished below. To avoid doubt, the features and functions of the vaporizer 100 may generally be applied to and / or extended to the vaporizer 101, except where explicitly distinguished below.

[0060] As depicted, the vaporizer 101 can generally include a seal fixing member 175. The seal fixing member 175 is generally configured to engage with the second seal 170. The seal fixing member 175 is also generally configured to hold the second seal 170 at a substantially constant dimension. In other words, the seal fixing member 175 is generally configured to hold the second seal 170 in a predetermined position within the housing 110, such as by maintaining the size and / or shape of the second seal 170. In a particular design, when the second seal 170 is sized to fit the dimensions of the housing 110 (e.g., sized to interference - fit within the housing), heat within the housing 110 (e.g., heat from the heating component 120 and / or the battery 105) can cause the second seal 170 to expand and / or contract over time. Such expansion or contraction of the second seal 170 under heat can, disadvantageously, cause temporary or permanent displacement and / or degradation of the second seal 170. As a result, fluid may leak through or over the second seal 170, thereby potentially shortening the service life of the vaporizer. The use of the seal fixing member 175 as described herein is intended to overcome this disadvantageous possibility.

[0061] In this way, the seal fixing member 175 can engage with and hold the second seal 170 to delay the expansion or contraction of the second seal 170. As best understood with reference to FIGS. 17B and 17C, at least a part of the seal fixing member 175 may be at least partially received within the second seal 170. Thus, at least a part of the second seal 170 may at least partially surround the seal fixing member 175. For example, the second seal 170 may include a base 172 (see FIG. 7). The base 172 may define a recess (not shown). The recess may be sized and / or shaped such that the seal fixing member 175 is at least partially received therein. In this way, in a particular embodiment, the base 172 of the second seal 170 can at least partially surround the seal fixing member 175. In such an embodiment, the seal fixing member 175 may be received within the recess defined by the base 172 of the second seal 170, and such a recess may be such that the seal fixing member 175 can engage and hold with substantially constant dimensions with the base 172 of the second seal 170 and / or such that the second seal 170 generally cannot expand or contract.

[0062] The seal fixing member 175 may be of any desired size, shape, and / or material suitable for a particular application. By way of non-limiting example, the seal fixing member 175 may be designed to be substantially non-flexible and / or rigid, such as by being made of a substantially non-flexible and / or rigid material (e.g., plastic). In an embodiment, the seal fixing member 175 may be dimensioned to interference fit (i.e., fit within the housing 110 after slight compression) within the housing 110.

[0063] Turning now to FIGS. 18A - H, another exemplary vaporizer 103 is shown. The vaporizer 103 is generally understood to have similar features and functions as the vaporizer 100 and / or the vaporizer 101, unless explicitly distinguished hereinafter. To avoid doubt, the features and functions of the vaporizer 100 and / or the vaporizer 101 generally apply to and / or may be extended to the vaporizer 103, unless explicitly distinguished hereinafter.

[0064] As depicted, the vaporizer 103 can generally define one or more air flow openings 118. The air flow openings 118 are generally configured to draw ambient air into the device. In a specific example, the air flow openings 118 are generally disposed on the side surface of the housing 110, in contrast to a conventional electronic cigarette that draws in ambient air from the bottom of the electronic cigarette. In a specific example, in contrast to a conventional electronic cigarette that sucks in ambient air from the bottom (i.e., the second end) of the electronic cigarette, the air flow openings 118 are generally disposed between the first end 112 and the second end of the housing 110. In other words, the air flow openings 118 may be spaced apart from each of the first end 112 and the second end 114 of the housing 110. In some examples, the air flow openings 118 may be defined at or near the midpoint between the first end 112 and the second end 114 in the housing 110 (e.g., on the side surface of the housing).

[0065] The size, shape, position, and / or number of the airflow openings 118 can be selected as desired to suit a particular application. As a non-limiting example, the vaporizer 103 shown in FIGS. 18A - H includes two airflow openings 118, one airflow opening 118 being defined in the first side wall 111 of the housing 110 near its midpoint, and one airflow opening 118 being defined in the second side wall 113 of the housing 110 near its midpoint. In this non-limiting example, the vaporizer 103 does not include the airflow opening 118 defined in the front wall 115 of the housing 110 or the rear wall 117 of the housing 110. Generally, the front wall 115 and the rear wall 117 of the housing 110 are arranged opposite to each other, and the first and second side walls 111, 113 are arranged opposite to each other. Further, the first front wall 115 and the rear wall 117 of the housing 110 generally have equal cross-sectional widths or diameters with respect to each other, and are larger than the cross-sectional widths or diameters of the first and second side walls 111, 113. In some examples where a plurality of the airflow openings 118 are provided in different walls of the housing 110, the airflow openings can be arranged to be equidistant from the opposing side walls of the housing 110 and / or from the first end 112 and / or the second end 114 of the housing 110. In other examples where a plurality of airflow openings 118 are provided in different wall surfaces of the housing 110, the airflow openings can be arranged to be at different distances from the first end 112 and / or the second end 114 of the housing 110.

[0066] By disposing the airflow opening(s) 118 at a position defined in the front wall, rear wall, and / or side wall(s) of the housing 110 and spaced apart from the second end portion 114 of the housing 110 (e.g., at or near the midpoint along each wall of the housing 112), the airflow opening(s) 118 can eliminate the need to draw in ambient air from below the vaporizer 103 as required in conventional electronic cigarettes. Thereby, advantageously, the lower portion (e.g., the lower half) of the housing 110 can be composed of only the battery 105 and related electrical components. Consequently, this can advantageously eliminate the need for wires running between, for example, the battery 105 and the control device or PCBA as described herein. In certain embodiments, the vaporizer described herein can completely eliminate wires. In such an example, the battery 105 may be directly connected to the PCBA 115 as described herein. Further, in some embodiments, the battery 105 may be directly connected to the heating coil 124, the control device 181, and / or the light source(s) as illustrated in FIG. 18H. Connecting the battery 105 and related electrical components directly to each other as described herein can advantageously reduce manufacturing complexity and / or cost, make the vaporizer more robust, and provide resistance to undesirable operation or failure when subjected to dropping or other rough handling.

[0067] In addition to the above, the airflow opening(s) 118 is / are defined in the front wall, rear wall, and / or side wall(s) of the housing 110 and is / are arranged so as to be spaced apart from the second end portion 114 of the housing 110 (e.g., at or near the midpoint along each wall of the housing 112). By doing so, the airflow opening(s) 118 can eliminate the need to take in ambient air from the bottom of the vaporizer 103 into the battery flow path as required in conventional electronic cigarettes. In other words, this may eliminate the need for the airflow path 107 that passes through the battery through the vaporizer. As a result, there is no need for air to cross or pass through the battery, which is susceptible to temperature changes and may cause undesirable overheating of the air. This may enable the temperature of the air to be more fully regulated and maintained.

[0068] Referring now to FIG. 18H, the airflow path 107 through the vaporizer is shown by the arrows and dashed lines. As can be seen, in this example, the airflow path 107 begins with ambient air entering and / or being drawn into the device 103 through one or more airflow openings 118. In a non-limiting example, the airflow path 107 may begin with a plurality of separate flow paths generally corresponding to the number of airflow openings 118 provided. As seen in FIG. 18H, the plurality of separate flow paths may combine within the vaporizer 103 before and / or as they cross the heating component 120. The airflow path 107 (e.g., the combined airflow) then passes through and / or across the heating component 120 and proceeds through the housing 110. As the airflow path 107 passes through and / or across the heating component 120, the consumable liquid drawn from the container 150 and vaporized by the heating component 120 proceeds along the airflow path 107 towards the first or upper seal 160. When the airflow path 107 reaches the nozzle cap 190, the airflow path 107 is divided into a plurality of separate flow paths. As a non-limiting example, the airflow path 107 may be divided into two separate flow paths within the nozzle cap 190, one flow path proceeding along the first side of the oil absorption element 198 as shown in FIG. 18H and the other flow path proceeding along the second side of the oil absorption element 198 on the opposite side.

[0069] In certain embodiments, the apparatus 103 can further include a light source disposed proximate to the airflow opening 118 to illuminate the airflow opening 118 from behind. In embodiments where a plurality of the airflow openings 118 are provided, a light source (not shown) may be employed for each airflow opening to illuminate the same airflow opening from behind. The light source(s) may be configured to illuminate in response to a signal received from the sensor 182 (e.g., a signal indicating that the user is applying a suction force to the nozzle cap 190 and thus desires the provision of a vaporized aerosol). For example, the light source(s) may be, in some instances, one or more light emitting diodes. The light source(s) may be configured to always turn on when the heating coil 124 is energized and / or when the user is applying a suction force and / or when a vaporized aerosol is being provided to the user. The light source(s) may be configured to turn on with different colors (e.g., white) and / or intensities (e.g., dimming) to indicate different states of the vaporizer 100 (e.g., provision of a vaporized aerosol, low battery). Generally, when suction is present, the sensor 182 (e.g., a microphone) can be activated and send a signal to the light source(s) to turn on the light source(s) in response thereto.

[0070] In addition to and / or instead of the aforementioned light source(s) for illuminating the airflow opening(s) 118 from behind, the apparatus 103 can further include one or more additional light sources 119. The light source(s) 119 can have a structure equivalent to and / or generally function in the same manner as the light source 184 described herein. In a specific example, the light source(s) 119 can generally be disposed with respect to the front wall and / or the reading wall(s) 111, 113 of the housing 110. In a specific example, the light source(s) 119 can generally be disposed between the first end 112 and the second end of the housing 110. In other words, the light source(s) 119 can be disposed at intervals from each of the first end 112 and the second end 114 of the housing 110. In some examples, the light source(s) 119 can be defined at or near the midpoint between the first end 112 and the second end 114 thereof in the housing 110 (e.g., on the front and / or back of the housing).

[0071] In some examples, such as those shown in FIGS. 18G and 18H, any of the exhaust vaporizers described herein may include a gasket (e.g., an O-ring). The O-ring 171 may be disposed adjacent to the second seal 170. In an embodiment, the O-ring 171 may be disposed between the heating component 120 and / or the tank 155 and the bottom cap 180 and / or the battery 105. In a specific example, the O-ring 171 may be disposed between the container 105 or the tank 155 and the PCBA 115 and / or the battery 105. In this way, similar to the second seal 170 described herein, the O-ring 171 can prevent or delay the leakage of liquid to the PCBA 155 and / or the battery 105 towards the bottom cap 180. By employing the O-ring 171 and / or the second seal 170, the leakage of liquid from the container 150 towards the PCBA 115 and the battery 105 is prevented or delayed, thereby preventing or delaying a short circuit. In connection therewith, by employing the O-ring 171 and / or the second seal 170, the leakage of the contents of the battery 105 from the battery 105 towards the consumable liquid in the container 150 is prevented or delayed, thereby preventing or delaying the risk to the user due to corrosion or damage of the battery. In an embodiment, the container 150 is selected to have a length such that the tank 155 directly contacts the O-ring 171, thereby complementing the lower seal 170 and providing further redundant leak prevention.

[0072] In some examples, such as those shown in FIG. 18G, any of the vaporizers described herein may include a second oil absorption element 199. The second oil absorption element 199 may be structured and / or generally function equivalently to the oil absorption element 198 described herein. In an example, the second oil absorption element 199 may be disposed adjacent to the first or upper seal 160. In an example, the second oil absorption element 199 may be disposed between the nozzle cap 190 and the heating component 120 and / or the first or upper seal 160. In a specific example, the second oil absorption element 199 may include slots or openings configured to at least partially receive therein and / or therethrough a portion of the first or upper seal 160 and / or a portion of the oil absorption element 198. As seen in FIG. 18G, the second oil absorption element 199 may be elongated along a direction substantially perpendicular to the elongated direction of the oil absorption element 198. In other words, the axis passing through the longest dimension of the second oil absorption element 199 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis passing through the longest dimension of the oil absorption element 198. In this way, the second oil absorption element 199 may be designed to have a high surface area for contacting the vaporized aerosol passing through the nozzle cap 190, similar to the oil absorption element 198 described herein. As suction is selectively applied and removed from the vaporizer, energization (i.e., heating) and de-energization (i.e., cooling) of the heating coil 124 may cause vapor condensation of nicotine or other liquids within the housing 100 proximate to the first or upper seal 160 and / or within the nozzle cap 190, which may lead to providing the user with condensation or droplets of liquids with an undesirably strong or burnt taste rather than the intended vaporized aerosol. The second oil absorption element 199 may, in some embodiments, be configured to prevent or delay such condensation or water vapor from passing into the nozzle cap 190 and / or through the nozzle cap 190 via the air flow path 193 to the air outlet(s) 194.

[0073] In some examples, the second seal 170 can support and / or contain the wires of the heating coil 124. For example, the second seal 170 may define a pair of openings 176 sized and shaped to allow the wires of the heating coil 124 (e.g., the ends 124a, 124b including their respective pins) to pass therethrough. The second seal 170 can include a base 172 and a nipple 174 extending outwardly from the base 172. As can be understood from FIGS. 8C and 8D, the second seal 170 may contact the first insulating tube 130 and / or the container 150 directly (e.g., via the nipple 174). The second seal 170 may further contact the second end 157 of the tank 155. In an example, the second seal 170 can provide a strong seal (e.g., a substantially liquid-tight seal) with the second end 157 of the tank 155 and delay leakage of liquid from inside the tank. The nipple 174 assists in maintaining the alignment of the second seal 170 within the tank 155 and / or the housing 110, thereby preventing movement of the second seal 170 and maintaining a strong seal (e.g., a liquid-tight seal). The second seal 170 can be of any desired size, shape, and / or material suitable for a particular application. As a non-limiting example, the second seal 170 can have a length of about 7.9 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the nipple 174 can have a diameter of about 1.8 mm, a length of about 12 mm, and / or a width of about 3.6 mm. As a further non-limiting example, the base 172 can have a length of about 15 mm, a width of about 6.5 mm, and / or a height of about 3.8 mm. As a further non-limiting example, each opening 176 can have a diameter of about 1.8 mm. In a particular example, the second seal 170 may be made of silicone rubber (e.g., 60-degree silicone rubber). In an embodiment, the second seal 170 may be made of a first material (e.g., 60-degree silicone rubber), and the first seal 160 may be made of a second material different from the first material (e.g., 60-degree silica gel).In other examples, the first and second seals 160, 170 may be made of the same material and may have the same or different hardnesses. The second seal 170 may, in certain examples, be resistant (e.g., avoid substantial changes in material properties or performance) at high temperatures (e.g., 250 degrees Celsius). In an embodiment, the second seal 170 may be dimensioned to interference fit (i.e., fit within the tank 155 and / or the housing 110 after slight compression) within the tank 155 and / or the housing 110.

[0074] Continuing to refer to FIGS. 18G - H and FIGS. 19G - H, any of the vaporizers described herein may include a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The PCBA 115 can generally include as few or as many electrical components as desired to be suitable for a particular application. The electrical components may generally be mounted on and / or soldered to the PCBA 115. As described above, the control device 181, the sensor 182, and / or the light source 184 may be mounted and / or soldered to the PCBA 115. In an embodiment, the PCBA 115 may be an integrally formed PCBA. Further, there may be no wires on the PCBA that electrically connect components to the PCBA. Such a design may advantageously enable easier handling of the machine (e.g., by a robot) compared to conventional electronic cigarettes that conventionally include movable parts (e.g., wires) that are very susceptible to interference from a moving robot. Further, such a design may similarly advantageously enable quick and easy assembly while preventing electrical components electrically connected to the PCBA from being easily removed or replaced (e.g., without breaking the device or the electrical component, or otherwise rendering the device inoperable), thereby making the device safer.

[0075] In an example, the PCBA 115 can include a connection point (not shown) configured to communicate electrically with the battery 105. In one embodiment, the battery 105 may be directly soldered to the PCBA 115. For example, the positive terminal 105a of the battery 105 may be directly soldered to a first (e.g., positive) connection point of the PCBA 115, and the negative terminal 105b of the battery 105 may be directly soldered to a second (e.g., negative) connection point of the PCBA 115. Soldering the battery 105 to the PCBA 115 may advantageously enable easier handling of the machine (e.g., by a robot) compared to conventional electronic cigarettes that conventionally include movable parts (e.g., wires) that are very susceptible to interference with a moving robot. Further, by soldering the battery 105 to the PCBA 115, it is possible to advantageously prevent the battery 105 from being easily removed or replaced (e.g., without destroying the device or the battery 105, or otherwise rendering the device inoperable), thereby making the device safer.

[0076] In an embodiment, the PCBA 115 may further include a connector (not shown) configured to communicate electrically with the heating component 120. The first end of the heating coil 124 (e.g., the first end portion 124a) may communicate electrically with the first connector of the PCBA 115, and the opposite second end of the heating coil 124 (e.g., the second end portion 124b) may communicate electrically with the second connector of the PCBA 115. In an embodiment, the first and second connectors of the PCBA 115 may be V-groove connectors, although other embodiments are not so limited. In such an example, the first end of the heating coil 124 (e.g., the first end portion 124a) may be received within the first V-groove connector of the PCBA 115 and / or may define a first pin that is bent about the first V-groove connector of the PCBA 115, and the second end of the heating coil 124 on the opposite side (e.g., the second end portion 124b) may be received within the second V-groove connector of the PCBA 115 and / or may define the second pin that is bent about the second V-groove connector of the PCBA 115. Such a design may advantageously enable easier handling of the machine (e.g., by a robot) than a conventional electronic cigarette that conventionally includes movable parts (e.g., wires) that are very susceptible to interference from a moving robot. Further, such a design may similarly advantageously enable quick and easy assembly while preventing the tank 155, in which the heating component 120 is disposed and from which the heating coil 124 protrudes, from being easily removed or replaced (e.g., without breaking the device or otherwise rendering the device inoperable), thereby making the device safer.

[0077] Note that the illustrations and descriptions of the embodiments shown in the figures are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure contemplates various embodiments. Further, it should be understood that the concepts described above, together with the above-described embodiments, may be employed alone or in combination with any of the other above-described embodiments. Further, it should be understood that the various alternative embodiments described above with respect to one illustrated embodiment may be applied to all of the embodiments described herein unless otherwise indicated.

[0078] Unless expressly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as an approximation, as if the term "about", "approximately", or "substantially" were present before the value or range. The terms "about" and "approximately" can be understood to represent a range within 15% of the specified value, unless otherwise specified.

[0079] Conditional language used herein, particularly "can", "may", "might", "could", "for example", etc., unless specifically stated otherwise or otherwise understood within the context in which it is used, generally is intended to convey that a particular embodiment includes a particular feature, element, and / or step, while other embodiments do not include that particular feature, element, and / or step. Thus, such conditional expressions are generally not intended to imply that a feature, element, and / or step is necessary for one or more embodiments in any way, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include these features, elements, and / or steps. The terms "comprising", "including", "having", etc. are synonymous and are used in an inclusive, open-ended fashion and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, etc.

[0080] While specific embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention disclosed herein. Accordingly, nothing in the foregoing description is intended to suggest that any particular feature, characteristic, step, module, or block is necessary or indispensable. Indeed, the novel methods and articles described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Further, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the methods and articles described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention disclosed herein. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as fall within the particular scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein.

[0081] As used herein, it will be understood that references to "a" or "one" of a feature such as a component or step are not intended to preclude additional features or multiples of the feature. For example, a reference to an apparatus having or defining "one" of a feature does not preclude the apparatus from having or defining more than one of the feature, so long as the apparatus has or defines at least one of the feature. Similarly, references herein to "one" of a plurality of features do not preclude the invention from including two or more, up to and including all, of the features. For example, a reference to an apparatus having or defining "one" of X and Y does not preclude the apparatus from having both X and Y.

Claims

1. A vaporization device, comprising a housing having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the housing having one or more air flow openings defined in a wall portion of the housing and spaced apart from the first and second ends, the housing; a container disposed within the housing adjacent to the first end of the housing and configured to store a liquid; a battery disposed within the housing adjacent to the second end and spaced apart from the container; a heating component at least partially disposed within the container, electrically communicating with the battery, and configured to be energized by the battery to generate a vapor aerosol from the liquid The vaporization device having.

2. The vaporization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more air flow openings are defined in the wall portion of the housing at or near a midpoint of the wall portion between the first and second ends of the housing.

3. The vaporization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more air flow openings include a first air flow opening and a second air flow opening, the first air flow opening being defined in a first side wall of the housing, and the second air flow opening being defined in a second side wall opposite to the housing.

4. The vaporization device according to claim 3, wherein the first and second air flow openings are spaced equidistantly from the second end of the housing.

5. The vaporization device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more air flow openings are disposed between the battery and the first end of the housing such that an air flow path through the vaporization device does not pass through the battery.

6. The vaporization device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more light sources, each of the one or more light sources being disposed adjacent to a respective one of the one or more air flow openings and configured to illuminate the respective one of the one or more air flow openings from behind with light.

7. The vaporization device according to claim 1, further comprising A printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) disposed within the housing, wherein the battery is directly electrically connected to the PCBA, and the vaporizer has no wires for electrically connecting components to the PCBA. The vaporizer has the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA).

8. In the vaporizer according to claim 1, further,[ A non-absorbent tank disposed within the housing adjacent to the first end, wherein the container is disposed within the tank and the battery is spaced from the tank. The vaporizer has the non-absorbent tank.

9. In the vaporizer according to claim 8, the tank is made of plastic or stainless steel. The vaporizer.

10. In the vaporizer according to claim 8, further,[ A first seal configured to be adjacent to the first end of the container and to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal, and a second seal configured to be adjacent to the second end opposite the tank and to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal. The first and second seals are collectively configured to retard leakage of the liquid from within the tank. The vaporizer has the first and second seals.

11. In the vaporizer according to claim 10, further,[ The vaporizer has a seal fixing member configured to engage and hold the second seal to suppress expansion or contraction of the second seal and maintain the second seal at a substantially constant dimension.

12. In the vaporizer according to claim 1, further,[ The vaporizer has a nozzle cap operably fixed to the first end of the housing.

13. In the vaporizer according to claim 12, further,[ A first oil absorption element disposed between the container and the nozzle cap, and A second oil absorption element disposed between the container and the nozzle cap and spaced from the first oil absorption element The vaporizer has them.

14. In the vaporizer according to claim 13, an axis passing through the longest dimension of the first oil adsorption element is oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis passing through the longest dimension of the second oil adsorption element. The vaporizer.

15. In the vaporizer according to claim 13, the airflow path through the vaporizer is divided into a first airflow path along the first side surface of the first oil adsorption element and a second airflow path along the second side surface opposite to the first side surface of the first oil adsorption element. Vaporizer.

16. In the vaporizer according to claim 1, further, (a) a predetermined maximum time during which suction is applied to the vaporizer, and (b) a control device configured to send a signal to the battery to continuously energize the heating component for a time shorter than the continuous suction applied to the vaporizer. Vaporizer.

17. A vaporizer, A housing having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and further, A first airflow opening defined in the first wall of the housing at or near the midpoint of the first wall between the first and second ends of the housing; A second airflow opening defined in the second wall of the housing at or near the midpoint of the second wall between the first and second ends of the housing Including, Said housing, A container disposed in the housing adjacent to the first end of the housing and configured to store liquid; A battery disposed in the housing adjacent to the second end and spaced from the container; A heating component at least partially disposed in the container, electrically connected to the battery, and configured to be energized by the battery to generate a vapor aerosol from the liquid Having, The first airflow opening and the second airflow opening are each disposed between the battery and the first end of the housing so that the airflow path through the vaporizer does not pass through the battery. Vaporizer.

18. In the vaporizer according to claim 17, further, A first light source disposed adjacent to the first airflow opening and configured to illuminate the first airflow opening from behind with light; A second light source disposed adjacent to the second airflow opening and configured to illuminate the second airflow opening from behind with light Having,

19. A vaporizer, A housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing defining a first portion adjacent to the first end and a second portion spaced from the first portion and adjacent to the second end of the housing, the housing, A non-absorbent tank disposed within the first portion of the housing, A container disposed within the tank of the first portion of the housing and configured to store a liquid, A battery disposed in the second portion of the container, A printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) disposed within the second portion of the housing, wherein the battery is directly electrically connected to the PCBA and the vaporizer has no wires for electrically connecting components to the PCBA, a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), A heating component disposed at least partially within the container of the first portion of the housing, in electrical communication with the battery, and configured to be energized by the battery to generate a vapor aerosol from the liquid, A seal disposed at an intersection of the first portion and the second portion of the housing and an O-ring disposed adjacent to the seal, the seal and the O-ring collectively configured to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal between the first portion and the second portion of the housing to retard leakage of the liquid from the first portion of the housing to the second portion of the housing, the seal and the O-ring Having a vaporizer.

20. The vaporizer according to claim 19, further comprising A nozzle cap operably fixed to the first end of the housing, A first oil absorption element disposed between the container and the nozzle cap, A second oil absorption element disposed between the container and the nozzle cap and spaced from the first oil absorption element Having, An axis passing through the longest dimension of the first oil adsorption element is oriented substantially perpendicular to an axis passing through the longest dimension of the second oil adsorption element, A vaporizer in which an airflow path through the vaporizer is divided into a first airflow path along a first side surface of the first oil adsorption element and a second airflow path along a second side surface opposite the first side surface of the first oil adsorption element.

21. A vaporizer, A housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, A container disposed within the housing adjacent to the first end of the housing and configured to store a liquid; A battery disposed within the housing adjacent to the second end and spaced from the container; A heating component at least partially disposed within the container and configured to be energized by the battery to generate a vapor aerosol from the liquid, An absorbent core element configured to absorb the liquid; A first insulating tube having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a pair of notches extending to the second end of the first insulating tube, each notch of the pair of notches of the first insulating tube being axially aligned with a space therebetween, and configured to receive and fix the absorbent core element, the first insulating tube; Having The heating component A vaporizer having.

22. The vaporizer according to claim 21, wherein the absorbent core element is cylindrical, and each notch of the pair of notches extending to the second end of the first insulating tube is arcuate.

23. The vaporizer according to claim 21, further comprising: A second insulating tube having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a pair of notches extending to the first end of the second insulating tube, each notch of the pair of notches of the second insulating tube being axially aligned with a space therebetween, and configured to receive and fix the absorbent core element, the second insulating tube.

24. The vaporizer according to claim 23, wherein the absorbent core element is cylindrical, and each notch of the pair of notches extending to the first end of the second insulating tube is arcuate.

25. The vaporizer according to claim 23, wherein the pair of notches of the first insulating tube has a shape complementary to the pair of notches of the second insulating tube.

26. In the vaporizer according to claim 23, the second end of the first insulating tube is disposed adjacent to the first end of the second insulating tube, and the pair of notches of the first insulating tube and the pair of notches of the second insulating tube collectively form a through-opening into which the absorbent core element is received. A vaporizer.

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