Vaporizer device with one or more heating elements

Abstract

To provide a vaporizer device for generating an inhalable mixed aerosol.SOLUTION: The vaporizer device 400 comprises a body 410 having an air passage therethrough, a first cartridge container 418 configured to receive a first cartridge 420 and to have a first volatile material, a second cartridge container 474 configured to receive a second cartridge 470 and to have a second volatile material, a first heater in communication with the first cartridge container for heating the first volatile material to form an inhalable first aerosol, and a second heater in communication with the second cartridge container for heating the second volatile material to form an inhalable second aerosol; The air passage extends adjacent to the first heater and the second heater and is configured to mix the first inhalable aerosol and the second inhalable aerosol to form a mixed aerosol for inhalation by a user from the end portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 757,689, filed November 8, 2018, entitled "Vaporizer Device with One or More Heating Elements," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 821,305, filed March 20, 2019, entitled "Vaporizer Device with One or More Heating Elements," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 930,542, filed November 4, 2019, entitled "Vaporizer Device with One or More Heating Elements," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 930,542, filed January 11, 2019, entitled "Vaporizer Device with One or More Heating Elements," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 791,709, entitled "Vaporizer with Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistance Heater," filed March 11, 2019; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 816,452, entitled "Vaporizer with Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistance Heater," filed March 11, 2019; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 898,522, entitled "Vaporizer with Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistance Heater," filed September 10, 2019, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

[0002] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The subject matter described herein relates to a vaporizer device configured to heat a volatile material. [Background technology]

[0003] Vaporizer devices, also known as vaporizers, electronic vaporizer devices, or e-vaporizer devices, can be used to deliver aerosols (e.g., gas-phase and / or condensed-phase material suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or other gas carrier), which contain one or more active ingredients, upon inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporizer device. For example, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) include a class of vaporizer devices that are battery-powered and do not burn tobacco or other substances, but can be used to simulate the smoking experience. Vaporizers are becoming increasingly popular for prescribed medical uses, both for the delivery of pharmaceuticals and for the consumption of tobacco, nicotine, and other plant-based materials. Vaporizers are portable, self-contained, and easy to use.

[0004] During use of a vaporizer device, a user inhales an aerosol, commonly referred to as "vapor." The aerosol can be generated by a heating element that vaporizes a volatile material (e.g., by at least partially transitioning a liquid or solid to the gas phase). The volatile material can be a liquid, solution, solid, paste, wax, and / or any other form compatible for use with a particular vaporizer device. The volatile material used with a vaporizer can be provided within a cartridge, e.g., a separable portion of the vaporizer device that contains the volatile material and has an outlet (e.g., a mouthpiece) for inhalation of the aerosol by a user.

[0005] To receive the inhalable aerosol produced by the vaporizer device, a user may, in certain examples, puff, press a button, and / or activate the vaporizer by some other approach. As used herein, puffing may refer to a user inhaling in a manner that draws air into the vaporizer device such that the combination of vaporized volatile material and air produces an inhalable aerosol.

[0006] Vaporizer devices' approach to generating inhalable aerosols from volatile materials involves heating the volatile material in a vaporization chamber (e.g., a heating chamber) to convert the volatile material to a gas (or vapor) phase. The vaporization chamber can refer to the area within the vaporizer device where a heat source (e.g., a conductive, convective, and / or radiative heat source) heats the volatile material to generate a mixture of air and the volatile material to generate a vapor of the volatile material for inhalation by a user of the vaporizer device.

[0007] In some embodiments, the liquid volatile material can be drawn from the container into the vaporization chamber through a wicking element (e.g., a wick). The drawing of the liquid volatile material into the vaporization chamber is due, at least in part, to capillary action provided by the wicking element as the wicking element draws the liquid volatile material along the wick toward the vaporization chamber.

[0008] The vaporizer device can be controlled by one or more vaporizer controllers, electronic circuitry (sensors, heating elements), etc. The vaporizer device can also wirelessly communicate with an external controller, for example, a computing device such as a smartphone.

[0009] Summary of the Invention In certain aspects of the present subject matter, challenges related to efficiently and effectively heating one or more types of volatile materials can be addressed by incorporating one or more features described herein or equivalents as understood by those skilled in the art. Aspects of the present subject matter relate to embodiments of vaporizer devices including various heating elements and heating systems for heating one or more types of volatile materials. In one aspect consistent with the present disclosure, a vaporizer device for generating an inhalable mixed aerosol may include a body having an air passage extending therethrough. The vaporizer device may include a first cartridge container configured to receive a first cartridge. The first cartridge may be configured to contain a first volatile material. The vaporizer device may include a second cartridge container configured to receive a second cartridge. The second cartridge may be configured to contain a second volatile material. The vaporizer device may include a first heater in communication with the first cartridge container to heat the first volatile material and form a first inhalable aerosol. The vaporizer device may include a second heater in communication with the second cartridge container for heating a second volatile material to form a second inhalable aerosol. An air passage may extend adjacent to the first heater and the second heater and be configured to mix the first inhalable aerosol and the second inhalable aerosol to form an inhalable aerosol from an end of the air passage.

[0010] The vaporizer device may include a third heater disposed adjacent to the air passage at a location upstream from at least one of the first heater and the second heater. The first volatile material may be a liquid. The second volatile material may be a non-liquid. The first volatile material and the second volatile material may be liquids. The first volatile material and the second volatile material may be non-liquids. The first volatile material may be a first liquid, and the second volatile material may be a second liquid different from the first liquid. The first volatile material may be a first non-liquid, and the second volatile material may be a second non-liquid different from the first non-liquid. The first heater or the second heater may include an electrically resistive material with a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient.

[0011] In a related aspect, a vaporizer device method for generating an inhalable mixed aerosol may include heating a first volatile material to form an inhalable first aerosol. The heating may be performed by a first heater of the vaporizer device. The vaporizer device may include a body having an air passage extending therethrough. The vaporizer device may include a first cartridge container configured to receive a first cartridge. The first cartridge may be configured to contain the first volatile material. The first heater may be in communication with the first cartridge container to heat the first volatile material. The vaporizer device may include a second cartridge container configured to receive a second cartridge. The second cartridge may be configured to contain a second volatile material. The vaporizer device may include a second heater in communication with the second cartridge container to heat the second volatile material to form an inhalable second aerosol. The airway may extend adjacent to the first heater and the second heater and be configured to mix the first inhalable aerosol and the second inhalable aerosol to form a mixed inhalable aerosol for inhalation by a user from an end of the airway. The method may include heating a second volatile material to form the second inhalable aerosol. The method may include mixing the first inhalable aerosol with the second inhalable aerosol to form a mixed inhalable aerosol for inhalation by a user.

[0012] In a related aspect, a vaporizer device may include a housing including an air inlet. The vaporizer device may include a heating element within the housing and positioned to receive the airflow from the air inlet. The heating element may include a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistivity material. The vaporizer device may include a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heating element and configured to transfer heat between the heating element and the airflow to heat the air in the airflow. The vaporizer device may provide heated air to a volatile material for vaporization of the volatile material.

[0013] The heat exchanger may include a first heat exchanger thermally coupled to a first side of the heating element. The heat exchanger may include a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to a second side of the heating element. The heat exchanger may include a plurality of fin mechanisms. The vaporizer device may include a flow diverter disposed in the air passage and configured to divert a portion of the airflow through the heat exchanger. The housing may include a cover containing the heat exchanger. The vaporizer device may include a power source configured to provide electrical energy to heat the heating element. The vaporizer device may include a cartridge disposed downstream of the heating element and oriented to receive the heated air, which may be downstream relative to the airflow. The vaporizer device may include a cartridge configured to contain a volatile material. The housing may include a connector configured to couple the housing to the cartridge. The cartridge may include a solid volatile material. The cartridge may include a container, a liquid volatile material in the container, and a wick in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material. The cartridge may be configured to receive heated air and direct the heated air to the wick. The cartridge may include a mouthpiece, and a wick may be disposed in the air passage between the heating element and the mouthpiece. The cartridge may include a second air inlet configured to draw a second air flow into the cartridge within a container located in the airflow path downstream from the heat exchanger and the volatile material for mixing with the heated air. The cartridge may include a container. The cartridge may contain a liquid volatile material within the container. The cartridge may include a wick in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material. The wick may be configured to receive the heated air from the heat exchanger and produce vaporized volatile material in an inhalable aerosol. The cartridge may include a solid volatile material configured to receive the vaporized volatile material from the wick. The cartridge may include a mouthpiece configured to receive the vaporized volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material.

[0014] The vaporizer device may include a first cartridge including a container, a liquid volatile material within the container, and a wick in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material. The wick may be configured to receive heated air from the heat exchanger to generate vaporized volatile material in an inhalable aerosol. The vaporizer device may include a second cartridge including a solid volatile material and a mouthpiece. The solid volatile material is configured to receive the vaporized volatile material from the wick. The mouthpiece may be configured to receive the vaporized volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material. The first cartridge may be removably coupled to the housing. The second cartridge may be removably coupled to the housing or the first cartridge.

[0015] The first and second cartridges may be disposable cartridges. The second cartridge may include a second air inlet for mixing ambient temperature air with the vaporized volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material. The vaporizer device may include a fibrous body arranged to receive and cool the vaporized volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material. The nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of the resistive material may include an electrical resistivity transition zone characterized by an increase in electrical resistance from a current range when the heating element is heated to a first temperature within the electrical resistivity transition zone. The power source is reduced to a level that limits further temperature increase of the heating element due to current flow. The electrical resistivity transition zone may begin at a temperature between 150°C and 350°C. The electrical resistivity transition zone may begin at a starting temperature between 220°C and 300°C. The electrical resistivity transition zone may begin at a temperature between 240°C and 280°C.

[0016] The increase in electrical resistance across the temperature range of the electrical resistivity transition zone may include an increase factor of at least 10. The increase factor may characterize the relative change in electrical resistance between the electrical resistance at a first temperature associated with the beginning of the electrical resistivity transition zone and the electrical resistance at a second temperature associated with the end of the electrical resistivity transition zone. The electrical resistivity transition zone begins at the first temperature, and the electrical resistivity of the heating element at temperatures below the first temperature is between 0.2 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm. The vaporizer device may include a power supply configured to provide a voltage between 3 volts and 50 volts to the heating element. The vaporizer device may include a pressure sensor. The vaporizer device may include a controller coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to detect inhalation and electrically connect the power supply to the heating element in response. The housing may be cylindrical. The heating element may be cylindrical. The heat exchanger may be cylindrical.

[0017] In a related aspect, a method may include receiving user input with a vaporizer device. The method may include heating a volatile material using the vaporizer device. The method may include forming an inhalable aerosol.

[0018] In a related aspect, a volatile material insert for use in a vaporizer device having a heating element may include an elongated body having an inner chamber defined by a sidewall and a first end. The elongated body may include an opening at a second end opposite the first end. The sidewall may include a plurality of perforations. The inner chamber may be defined by the sidewall and the first end. The inner chamber may be in fluid communication with the plurality of perforations. At least a portion of the sidewall may contain a volatile material. The vaporizer device may include a container for receiving a volatile material insert and a sealed air passage extending along the sidewall of the volatile material insert when the volatile material insert is inserted into the container. The vaporizer device may be configured to flow heated air through the sealed air passage, causing the heated air to pass through the plurality of perforations and heat the volatile material to form an inhalable aerosol in the inner chamber.

[0019] The details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. The claims following this disclosure are intended to define the scope of protected subject matter.

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, serve to explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 shows a block diagram of a vaporizer consistent with an implementation of the present subject matter. [Figure 2A] 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a heating and airflow system consistent with implementation of the present subject matter. [Figure 2B] 1 shows a block diagram of another embodiment of a heating and airflow system consistent with implementations of the present subject matter. [Figure 3] 3 shows a top view of an embodiment of a vaporizer including the heating and airflow system of FIG. 2. [Figure 4A] A top perspective view of another embodiment of a vaporizer including a liquid volatile material cartridge inserted into a first end of the vaporizer and a non-liquid tobacco cartridge inserted into a second end of the vaporizer. [Figure 4B] 4B illustrates a top perspective exploded view of the vaporizer of FIG. 4A showing the liquid volatile material cartridge and the non-liquid tobacco cartridge removed from the first and second ends of the vaporizer, respectively. [Figure 4C] 4B shows a top perspective view of the distal end of the vaporizer of FIG. 4A showing a cartridge receptacle for inserting a tobacco cartridge. [Figure 4D] 1 shows a block diagram of another embodiment of a heating and airflow system consistent with implementations of the present subject matter. [Figure 5A]1 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge with a tobacco consumable configured for use with any of the vaporizers described herein. [Figure 5B] 5B shows a perspective side view of the tobacco consumable of FIG. 5A. [Figure 5C] 5C shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the tobacco consumable of FIG. 5B displaying the interior region of the cigarette. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates exemplary properties relevant to thermal power generation in isotropic PTCR materials. [Figure 7] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary vaporizer device according to some embodiments of the current subject matter that can utilize convective heating to provide uniform heating of a volatile material. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vaporizer device and cartridge with a liquid volatile material that can utilize convection heating to provide uniform heating of the volatile material. [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporizer device having a volatile material. [Figure 10] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporizer device with a solid volatile material (e.g., a non-combustion product). [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vaporizer device and cartridge with liquid and solid volatile materials that can utilize convective heating to uniformly heat the volatile materials. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vaporizer device with multiple cartridges. [Figure 13] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporizer device with both liquid and solid volatile materials. [Figure 14] 1 graphically illustrates an exemplary resistivity versus temperature curve for a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) material. [Figure 15] 15 shows an exemplary table of resistivity versus temperature curve data for the nonlinear PTCR semiconductor material shown in FIG. 14. [Figure 16] 1 graphically illustrates an exemplary resistivity versus temperature curve for a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) material. [Figure 17A]1 illustrates an embodiment of a PTCR heating element that can enable improved vaporizer heating. [Figure 17B] 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a PTCR heating element. [Figure 18A] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 18B] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 18C] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 18D] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 18E] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 19A] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 19B] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 19C] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 19D] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 19E] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 19F] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 20] 1 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary heating element 6.0 seconds after voltage application under free convection conditions. [Figure 21A] 1 graphically illustrates the modeled surface temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element as a function of time. [Figure 21B] 10 graphically illustrates modeled and measured maximum surface temperatures as a function of time for an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 21C] 1 graphically illustrates modeled and measured average surface temperatures as a function of time for an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 22] 1 graphically illustrates the transient current response as a function of time for an exemplary PTCR heating element. [Figure 23] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly that can enable convection heating and improved uniform heating of volatile materials. [Figure 24] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a rectangular embodiment of a PTCR insert for a vaporizer device. [Figure 25] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled embodiment of a rectangular embodiment of a PTCR insert for a vaporizer device. [Figure 26] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary PTCR heating element having a cylindrical shape. [Figure 27] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary cylindrical PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly. [Figure 28] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary assembled cylindrical PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly. [Figure 29] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical embodiment of a PTCR insert for a vaporizer device. [Figure 30] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary cylindrical PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly. [Figure 31] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary graph illustrating the logarithm of resistivity of a cylindrical evaporator equipped with a PTCR heater as a function of temperature. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a temperature simulation of an embodiment of a cylindrical evaporator with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33A] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33B] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33C] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33D] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33E] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33F] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. [Figure 33G] 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating the temperature transient response for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporizer with a PTCR heater. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] In the embodiments, like reference numbers indicate like structures, features, or elements.

[0023] Embodiments of the present subject matter include methods, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and systems related to the vaporization of one or more materials for inhalation by a user. Embodiments include vaporizer devices and systems having vaporizer devices. As used in the following description and claims, the term "vaporizer device" refers to a self-contained device, a device that includes two or more separable parts (e.g., a vaporizer body including a battery and other hardware, and a cartridge containing a volatile material). As used herein, a "vaporizer system" can include one or more components, such as a vaporizer device. Examples of vaporizer devices consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter include electronic vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and the like. Generally, such vaporizer devices are handheld devices that heat a volatile material (by convection, conduction, radiation, or any combination thereof) to provide an inhalable amount of the material.

[0024] The vaporizers described herein may be cartridge-based vaporizers, cartridge-less vaporizers, or multi-use vaporizers that can be used with or without a cartridge. For example, some vaporizer embodiments may include a reusable vaporizer body configured to releasably couple to a disposable or refillable cartridge containing at least one volatile material. Thus, features described herein related to a vaporizer may be included in the vaporizer body or vaporizer cartridge. Furthermore, while some features described herein are described as being included in a cartridge, such features may also be included in the vaporizer body without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] In some embodiments disclosed herein, a vaporizer may generate an aerosol for inhalation as needed (e.g., when a user draws on the vaporizer). The generated aerosol may include a mixture of vaporized liquid material, vaporized non-liquid material, and / or an inhalable element formed by heating a non-liquid volatile material. Such a mixed aerosol provides an enhanced user experience that is the same as or similar to inhaling smoke from a conventional cigarette.

[0026] Some vaporizer embodiments disclosed herein include a heating and airflow system having a first heating element for heating a first chamber and a second heating element for heating a second chamber. The first chamber may be configured to contain a liquid volatile material, and the first heating element may be configured to heat and / or vaporize the liquid volatile material. Additionally, the second chamber may be configured to contain a non-liquid volatile material, and the second heating element may be configured to heat and / or vaporize the non-liquid volatile material. As described in more detail below, the contents released from the first and second chambers as a result of being heated by the first and second heating elements, respectively, can be mixed to form a mixed aerosol for inhalation by a user. This mixed aerosol can be provided on demand and can contain inhalable components from both liquid and non-liquid volatile materials, providing an experience similar to smoking a traditional cigarette. Various heating and airflow systems and associated functions for providing the mixed aerosol on demand are described in detail below.

[0027] Described herein are various heating element embodiments that can improve the efficiency and quality of heating a volatile material by heating the volatile material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the volatile material into an inhalable aerosol, but below a temperature that would produce harmful by-products or result in combustion of the volatile material. In some embodiments, the heating element may be configured to heat the volatile material (e.g., a non-liquid volatile material) to a temperature high enough to produce by-products of the volatile material but not vaporize it or cause combustion of the volatile material. In some embodiments, the heating elements described herein can achieve an optimal heating range at a rate that allows a user to have an enjoyable experience (e.g., a heating range that does not require a long wait for the heating element to reach the optimal temperature). In some embodiments, the heating element may be constructed, at least in part, of a material having a nonlinear, positive temperature coefficient of resistance. In some embodiments, vaporizer cartridges including such heating elements can be inexpensively manufactured, making them economically feasible as disposable cartridges. Various vaporizers including cartridges and heating elements including one or more of the above features are described in more detail below.

[0028] As mentioned above, the vaporizer device can be a cartridge-based vaporizer device, a cartridge-less vaporizer device, or a versatile vaporizer device that can be used with or without a cartridge. For example, the vaporizer device can include at least one heating chamber (e.g., an oven or other area where material is heated by a heating element) configured to receive volatile material directly into each heating chamber, and / or a container for containing volatile material, etc.

[0029] In some embodiments, vaporizer devices can be configured for use with liquid volatile materials (e.g., a carrier solution in which active and / or inactive ingredients are suspended or held in solution, or a liquid form of the volatile material itself), pastes, waxes, and / or non-liquid or solid volatile materials. Solid volatile materials can include plant material that releases a portion as volatile material (e.g., a portion of the plant material remains as waste after a user vaporizes the material for inhalation), or a solid form of the volatile material itself, as appropriate, so that all of the solid material can ultimately be vaporized for inhalation. Similarly, liquid volatile materials can be completely vaporized, or can include a portion of the liquid material that remains after all of the material suitable for inhalation has vaporized. As noted above, the volatile material used in the vaporizer is conveniently provided in a cartridge (e.g., a reservoir or other container containing the volatile material that, when empty or disposable, can be refilled with a new cartridge containing additional volatile material of the same or different type).

[0030] 1, the vaporizer device 100 can include a power source 112 (e.g., a battery, which may be a rechargeable battery) and a controller 104 (e.g., a processor capable of logic operations, circuitry, etc.) that controls the heat supply to convert at least one volatile material 102 from a condensed form to a gas phase. The controller 104 can be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with certain embodiments of the present subject matter. After conversion of the volatile material 102 to a gas phase, a portion of the volatile material 102 in the gas phase can condense to form particulate matter in at least partial local equilibrium with the gas phase as part of an aerosol, forming some or all of the respirable amount provided by the vaporizer device 100 during a user's inhalation or exhalation. It is understood that the interactions between the gas and condensed phases in the aerosol generated by the vaporizer device 100 can be complex and dynamic due to factors such as ambient temperature, relative humidity, chemistry, airway flow conditions (both inside the vaporizer and in the respiratory tract of a human or other animal), and / or mixing of the volatile material 102 in the aerosol phase with the gas phase or other airflow, which can affect one or more physical parameters of the aerosol. In some vaporizer devices, particularly those configured for the delivery of volatile materials, the inhalable amount may reside primarily in the gas phase (e.g., condensed phase particle formation may be significantly limited).

[0031] An atomizer (e.g., heating element 150) in the vaporizer device 100 can be configured to vaporize the volatile material 102. The volatile material 102 can be a liquid. Examples of the volatile material 102 include a concentrate, a suspension, a solution, a mixture, etc. The atomizer can include a wicking element (i.e., a wick) configured to deliver a predetermined amount of the volatile material 102 to the portion of the atomizer that includes the heating element 150.

[0032] For example, the wicking element is configured to draw volatile material 102 from a container 140 configured to contain the volatile material 102 so that the volatile material 102 can be vaporized by heat transferred from the heating element. The wicking element can also optionally allow air to enter the container 140 to replace the removed volatile material 102. In some embodiments of the present subject matter, the volatile material 102 can be drawn into the wick by capillary action for evaporation by the heating element, and the air can return to the container 140 through the wick, at least partially equalizing the pressure within the container 140. Methods of returning air to the container 140 to equalize the pressure are also possible. As used herein, the terms "wick" or "wicking element" include any material capable of inducing fluid movement due to capillary pressure.

[0033] Various embodiments of the heating element 150 are described herein, as well as various configurations of the one or more heating elements 150 of the heating system. For example, in some embodiments, the heating element 150 can comprise a heating element having a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material. In some embodiments, the vaporizer can comprise a heating system having one or more heating elements, such as two or three heating elements, configured to heat one or more types of volatile materials, as described in more detail below.

[0034] As previously described, vaporizers consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter may also or alternatively be configured to generate inhalable quantities of gas-phase and / or aerosol-phase volatile material via heating a non-liquid source material containing volatile material, such as solid-phase volatile material or plant material (e.g., tobacco leaves or tobacco leaf portions). In such vaporizers, the heating element may be part of or incorporated into the wall of an oven and / or other heating chamber in which the non-liquid source material containing the volatile material is placed. The heating element may also be used to heat air passing through or after the non-liquid source material to cause convective heating of the liquid volatile material. In yet other examples, one or more heating elements may be positioned in intimate contact with the plant material so that direct conductive heating of the source material occurs from the source material (e.g., not just through conduction inward from the oven walls). Such non-liquid volatile materials may be used in cartridge-based or cartridge-less vaporizers.

[0035] The heating element can include one or more of a conductive heater, a radiative heater, and / or a convective heater. One type of heating element is a resistive heating element, which can include a material (such as a metal or alloy, e.g., a nickel-chromium alloy, or a non-metallic resistor) configured to dissipate power as heat when an electric current is passed through one or more resistive segments of the heating element. In some embodiments of the present subject matter, a heating element, including a resistive coil or other heating element, is wrapped, disposed within, incorporated into a bulk shape, pressed into thermal contact, or otherwise arranged to transfer heat to a source material (e.g., a plant-based material such as tobacco) containing a vaporizable substance. In this disclosure, "source material" generally refers to a portion of a plant-based material containing volatile material that can be converted into a vapor or an inhalable aerosol (or other condensed form of plant material and / or other material that may release volatile material without combustion). Other heating element and / or vaporizer assembly configurations are possible.

[0036] For example, a user's puff (i.e., inhalation, etc.) at the mouthpiece 130 of the vaporizer device 100 can activate a resistive heating element, causing air to flow from the air inlet along an air passageway past the heating element and associated source material. Optionally, air can flow from the air inlet through one or more condensation regions or chambers to an air outlet of the mouthpiece 130. The incoming air moving along the air passageway displaces the heating element 150 and source material, whereupon the vaporizable material 102 in the vapor phase is entrained in the air. The heating element may be part of the vaporizer body 110, as described herein, and can be activated by the controller 104 to energize a circuit with the resistive heating element from the power source 112. As described herein, the volatile material entrained in the vapor phase can be compressed as it passes through the remainder of the air passageway, resulting in an inhalable amount of the volatile material 102 in aerosol form being conveyed from the air outlet (e.g., mouthpiece 130) for inhalation by the user. Other ventilation channels and collection of the aerosol and / or source material of one or more volatile materials are described in more detail below.

[0037] The one or more heating elements operate by automatic detection of a puff based on one or more signals generated by one or more sensors 113. The sensors 113 and signals generated by the sensors 113 may comprise one or more of a pressure sensor positioned to detect pressure along the air passage relative to ambient pressure (or optionally measure changes in absolute pressure), a motion sensor (e.g., an accelerometer, etc.) in the vaporizer device 100, a flow sensor in the vaporizer device 100, a capacitive lip sensor in the vaporizer device 100, detection of user interaction with the vaporizer device 100 via one or more input devices 116 (e.g., buttons or other tactile control devices on the vaporizer device 100), receiving a signal from a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device 100, and / or other approaches for determining that an exhalation is occurring or imminent.

[0038] As described herein, a vaporizer device 100 consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter can be configured to connect (e.g., via a wireless or wired connection) to a computing device (or optionally two or more devices). To this end, the controller 104 can include communications hardware 105. The controller 104 can also include memory 108. The communications hardware 105 can include firmware and can be controlled by software that implements one or more communications encryption protocols.

[0039] The computing device may be a component of a vaporizer system that also includes the vaporizer device 100 and may comprise communications hardware capable of establishing a wireless communication channel with the communications hardware 105 of the vaporizer device 100. For example, a computing device used as part of a vaporizer system may include a general-purpose computing device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, or other portable device such as a smartwatch) running software. In other embodiments of the present subject matter, such a device used as part of a vaporizer system may be dedicated hardware such as a remote control or other wireless or wired device having one or more physical or soft interface controls (i.e., a screen or other display device, selectable through user interaction with a touch panel or other input device such as a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursor buttons, etc.). The vaporizer device 100 may also include one or more outputs 117 or devices that provide information to a user. For example, the output 117 may include one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to provide feedback to a user based on the state and / or mode of operation of the vaporizer device 100.

[0040] In examples where a computing device provides signals regarding activation of the resistive heating element, or in other examples where the computing device is coupled to the vaporizer device 100 for various control or other functional embodiments, the computing device executes one or more sets of computer instructions that provide a user interface and basic data processing. In one example, detection by the computing device of a user's interaction with one or more user interface elements causes the computing device to send a signal to the vaporizer device 100 to activate the heating element and reach an operating temperature that produces an inhalable amount of vapor / aerosol. Other functions of the vaporizer device 100 can be controlled by user interaction with a user interface on a computing device that communicates with the vaporizer device 100.

[0041] The temperature of the resistive heating element of the vaporizer device 100 depends on several factors, including the amount of power supplied to the resistive heating element and / or the duty cycle at which the power is supplied, heat transfer to other parts of the electronic vaporizer device and / or the environment, latent heat loss due to vaporization of the volatile material 102 from the wicking element and / or across the atomizer, and convective heat loss due to airflow (i.e., air moving across the heating element or atomizer when a user inhales on the vaporizer device 100). As described herein, in some embodiments of the present subject matter, the vaporizer device 100 may utilize a signal from a sensor 113 (e.g., a pressure sensor) to determine when a user is inhaling in order to ensure activation of the heating element or heating the heating element to a desired temperature. The sensor 113 can be located in the air passage and / or connected (e.g., by a passageway or other path) to the air passage, including the inlet for air entering the vaporizer device 100 and the outlet through which the user inhales the resulting vapor and / or aerosol, so as to be subject to changes (e.g., pressure changes) simultaneously with the air passing through the vaporizer device 100 from the air inlet to the air outlet. In some embodiments of the present subject matter, the heating element can be activated in conjunction with a user's puff, for example, by automatic detection of a puff or by the sensor 113 detecting a change (e.g., pressure change) in the air passage.

[0042] The sensor 113 can be located on or coupled (i.e., electrically or electronically connected via a physical or wireless connection) to the controller 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board). To ensure accurate measurements and maintain the durability of the vaporizer device 100, it is useful to provide a seal 127 that is sufficiently resilient to isolate the air passage from other portions of the vaporizer device 100. The seal 127 can be a gasket and can be configured to surround at least a portion of the periphery of the sensor 113. This isolates the connection of the sensor 113 to the internal circuitry of the vaporizer device 100 from the portion of the sensor 113 that is exposed to the air passage.

[0043] In some embodiments, the vaporizer body 110 includes a controller 104, a power source 112 (e.g., a battery), one or more sensors 113, charging contacts (such as for charging the power source 112), a seal 127, and a cartridge receptacle 118 configured to receive a vaporizer cartridge 120 for coupling with the vaporizer body 110 via one or more various attachment structures. In some examples, the vaporizer cartridge 120 includes a receptacle 140 for containing the volatile material 102, and the mouthpiece 130 has an aerosol outlet for delivering an inhalable amount to a user. In these examples, the vaporizer cartridge 120 can include an atomizer having a wicking element and a heating element. Also, one or both of the wicking element and the heating element can be part of the vaporizer body 110. In embodiments in which any portion of the atomizer (i.e., the heating element and / or the wicking element) is part of the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer device 100 can be configured to supply the volatile material 102 from a reservoir 140 in the vaporizer cartridge 120 to the portion of the atomizer included in the vaporizer body 110.

[0044] Described herein are various embodiments of vaporizer cartridges configured to contain and vaporize one or more non-liquid materials, such as loose-leaf tobacco. Furthermore, such embodiments of vaporizer cartridges may be disposable, such that they cannot be refilled after use of the volatile material. Therefore, inexpensive materials and manufacturing methods may be required to make such disposable vaporizer cartridges economically viable. Furthermore, while it may be desirable to create and manufacture disposable vaporizer cartridges for vaporizing non-liquid materials, it is also desirable to efficiently and effectively vaporize the volatile material. For example, users who inhale vaporizer devices typically prefer to inhale the aerosol generated by the vaporizer device immediately after placing the vaporizer device between their lips (e.g., by placing their lips on the mouthpiece or pressing an activation button). Therefore, the vaporizer cartridge embodiments disclosed herein can beneficially achieve efficient vaporization of the volatile material from the source material to achieve a desired user experience. Furthermore, embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge disclosed herein can effectively provide sufficient thermal energy to a source material to cause the release of vaporizable material to create an aerosol form of the volatile material for inhalation, while limiting heating sufficiently to at least inhibit the production of at least one harmful by-product that a user does not want to inhale. To accomplish this, various embodiments of heating elements are disclosed and described in detail below.

[0045] For example, various embodiments of heating elements are described herein that are configured to heat within a desired temperature range, such as about 250°C or less. Such a temperature range can effectively vaporize a source material, such as processed tobacco, and aerosolize nicotine and volatile flavor compounds for delivery to a user vaping an associated vaporizer device. Additionally, temperatures within such a temperature range prevent the production of at least one harmful or potentially harmful by-product. Accordingly, at least one advantage of the heating assemblies described herein includes improved aerosol quality for inhalation by a user.

[0046] Additionally, various embodiments of the heating elements described herein can efficiently heat to temperatures within a desired range, thereby providing a desirable user experience for users inhaling with the associated vaporizer device. Such efficient heating times result in efficient use of power, such as battery power, from the vaporizer device. Furthermore, the heating elements of various embodiments described herein can achieve such benefits without having to increase the size of the vaporizer device. In some embodiments, the heating elements enable more compact vaporizer devices than those currently available. Additionally, embodiments of the heating elements can be created and manufactured at a cost that makes disposable vaporizer cartridges economically feasible.

[0047] The heating element embodiments described below can include at least one thermally conductive material, such as carbon, carbon foam, metal, metal foil, aluminum foam, or a biodegradable polymer. The thermally conductive material can transfer energy provided by the vaporizer device (e.g., via contact between the cartridge and the vaporizer device) to the thermally conductive feature, increasing the temperature along at least a portion of the thermally conductive feature, such as for vaporizing volatile material from the source material. The vaporizer body can include a controller capable of controlling the amount of energy provided to the thermally conductive material, thereby assisting the heating element in reaching a temperature within a desired range. For example, in some embodiments, the heating element 150 can include a heating element including a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material.

[0048] Further to the foregoing disclosure, various embodiments of vaporizers capable of heating multiple volatile materials using multiple heating elements are described herein.

[0049] 2A and 2B illustrate first and second embodiments of a heating and airflow system 250 for a vaporizer device consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter. For example, all and / or portions of the heating and airflow system 250 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may include a first heating element 251 configured to be removably coupled to a vaporizer body. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the heating and airflow system 250 includes a first heating element 251 configured to heat a first chamber 254 configured to hold a first volatile material. The heating and airflow system 250 also includes a second heating element 251 configured to hold a second volatile material. In this manner, the heating and airflow system 250 of FIGS. 2A and 2B may generate a mixed aerosol containing an inhalable extract from the first and second volatile materials. The first heating element 251 and the second heating element 252 may include heating elements of the same or different configurations and types, and they may be independently controlled. For example, the first heating element 251 and the second heating element 252 may be controlled to reach different temperatures and / or heat for different periods of time.

[0050] For example, first chamber 254 may be configured to contain a liquid volatile material, and first heating element 251 may be configured to heat or vaporize the liquid volatile material, and second chamber 256 may be configured to contain a non-liquid volatile material, and second heating element 252 may be configured to heat and / or vaporize the non-liquid volatile material. As described in more detail below, inhalable extracts from both liquid and non-liquid volatile materials may be combined for inhalation by a user.

[0051] 2A shows an air passage 260 having an inlet 262, an outlet 264, and a first passage 266 and a second passage 268 extending between the inlet 262 and the outlet 264. The first passage 266 passes through or is adjacent to the first heating element 251 and / or the first chamber 254, allowing the inhalable extract (e.g., in an aerosol) produced by heating and / or vaporizing a liquid volatile material to mix with the airflow passing through the vaporizer device. Additionally, the second passage 268 passes through or is adjacent to the second heating element 252 and / or the second chamber 256, allowing the inhalable extract produced from heating and / or vaporizing a non-liquid volatile material to mix with the airflow passing through the vaporizer device.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 2A , when a user inhales on a vaporizer device (e.g., a mouthpiece), air flows into an inlet 262 and along an air passage 260. For example, a first portion of the air flow can travel along a first passage 266 to collect an inhalable extract of a liquid volatile material. A second portion of the air flow can travel along a second passage 268 to collect an inhalable extract of a non-liquid volatile material. The first and second portions of the air flow converge before passing through an outlet 264 (e.g., a port along the mouthpiece). For example, the first and second passages 266 and 268 mix the inhalable extracts of the liquid and non-liquid volatile materials in a mixing chamber before traveling from the outlet 264 for inhalation by the user.

[0053] Various air passage implementations for heating and airflow system 250 are within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 2B , air passage 260 may comprise a single path through and / or adjacent first heating element 251, second heating element 252, and first chamber 254, second chamber 256. In this manner, the airflow passing through and / or adjacent second heating element 252 and second chamber 256 may contain an inhalable extract of the heated and / or vaporized first volatile material. An inhalable extract of the heated and / or vaporized second volatile material may be added such that the airflow exiting outlet 264 contains a mixed aerosol.

[0054] 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a vaporizer device 300 including a vaporizer cartridge 320 removably coupled to a vaporizer body 310 and a heating and airflow system consistent with the present disclosure, such as the heating and airflow system 250 illustrated in FIG. 2B. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the vaporizer cartridge 320 includes an atomizer chamber 354 having a humectant that is vaporized by a first heating element 351. The vaporizer cartridge 320 also includes a tobacco chamber 356 containing a tobacco blend that is heated and / or vaporized by a second heating element 352. The air passage 360 ​​of the vaporizer device 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 may collect and combine an inhalable extract from the humectant and tobacco and flow linearly through and / or adjacent to the first heating element 351 and the second heating element 352 for inhalation by a user.

[0055] In some embodiments, other inhalable extracts and / or other aerosol flavors can optionally be provided in flavor filter 358. Flavor filter 358 can be positioned between tobacco chamber 356 and outlet 364.

[0056] 4A-4D illustrate another embodiment of a vaporizer device 400 configured to removably couple two separate cartridges, such as a first cartridge 420 configured to contain a liquid volatile material and a second cartridge 470 configured to contain a non-liquid tobacco material. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , the vaporizer device 400 can include a first cartridge receptacle 418 configured to removably couple the first cartridge 420 to a first end 472 of a vaporizer body 410 and a second cartridge receptacle 474 configured to removably couple the second cartridge 470 to a second end 476 of the vaporizer body 410. For example, the first cartridge 420 and the first cartridge receptacle 418 can include features that enable vaporization of the liquid volatile material contained within the first cartridge 420, such as any features described herein. Additionally, the second cartridge 470 and the second cartridge receptacle 474 can include features that enable vaporization of the non-liquid tobacco material contained within the second cartridge 470, such as features described herein.

[0057] The first end 472 or the second end 476 of the vaporizer body 410 and either the first cartridge 420 or the second cartridge 470 can be configured to allow air to flow along and / or through them. For example, airflow can travel along or through either the first cartridge 420 and / or the second cartridge 470 so that an inhalable extract from the vaporized liquid volatile material and the vaporized non-liquid tobacco material can be inhaled by a user puffing on the vaporizer device 400. The vaporizer device 400 can be configured to allow a user to puff on either the first end 472 or the second end 476 of the vaporizer device 400 to inhale an aerosol containing an inhalable extract from the first cartridge 420 and the second cartridge 470.

[0058] 4C shows an example of a second cartridge 470 containing a non-liquid tobacco material that can be inserted into and removably connected to a second cartridge container 474. Both the first cartridge 420 and the second cartridge 470 can be refilled and / or replaced, allowing the vaporizer device to be used with a variety of cartridges containing a variety of materials.

[0059] In some embodiments, the first cartridge 420 and the second cartridge 470 can contain the same or similar materials, such as two different liquid volatile materials.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first cartridge receptacle 418 can be configured to only accept cartridges containing liquid or non-liquid materials. Similarly, the second cartridge receptacle 474 can be configured to only accept cartridges containing liquid or non-liquid materials.

[0061] In some embodiments, the vaporizer device 400 can be configured to form an aerosol for inhalation by a user only when both the first cartridge 420 and the second cartridge 470 are coupled to the vaporizer device 400. In some embodiments, only one of the first cartridge 420 and the second cartridge 470 needs to be coupled to the vaporizer device 400 to enable the vaporizer device 400 to form an aerosol for inhalation by a user.

[0062] 4D illustrates a third embodiment of a heating and airflow system 450 consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter. For example, the heating and airflow system 450 illustrated in FIG. 4D can be included in the vaporizer device 400 of FIG. 4D and / or the first cartridge 420 and second cartridge 470 of FIGS. 4A-4C.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 4D , the heating and airflow system 450 can include a first heating element 451 configured to heat a first chamber 454. The first chamber 454 is configured to hold a first volatile material, such as a liquid volatile material contained in a first cartridge 420. The heating and airflow system 450 can also include a second heating element 452 configured to heat a second chamber 456. The second chamber 456 is configured to hold a second volatile material, such as a non-liquid tobacco material contained in a second cartridge 470. In this manner, the heating and airflow system 450 of FIG. 4D can generate a mixed aerosol containing inhalable extracts from both the liquid and non-liquid volatile materials. The first heating element 451 and the second heating element 452 can have the same or different configurations and heating element types and can be independently controlled. For example, the first heating element 451 and the second heating element 452 can be controlled to reach different temperatures and / or heat for different periods of time. For example, in some embodiments, the heating element 150 may include a heating element having a non-linear positive temperature coefficient resistive material.

[0064] For example, the first chamber 454 may be configured to contain a liquid volatile material, and the first heating element 451 may be configured to heat or vaporize the liquid volatile material. Alternatively, the second chamber 456 may be configured to contain a non-liquid volatile material, and the second heating element 452 may be configured to heat and / or vaporize the non-liquid volatile material. The first heating element 451 may be integrated with the vaporizer device 400 or the first cartridge 420, and the second heating element 452 may be integrated with the vaporizer device 400 or the second cartridge 470.

[0065] 4D , the heating and airflow system 450 can include a third heating element 453 disposed along the air passage 460 and configured to assist in heating air traveling along the air passage 460, such as upstream or downstream from other heaters (e.g., heaters for vaporizing volatile materials). For example, the third heating element 453 can be integrated with the vaporizer device 400 and disposed along the air passage 460 upstream of the second chamber 456 and the second heating element 452. In this manner, the third heating element 453 can increase the temperature of the airflow along the air passage 460 leading to the second chamber 456 and the second heating element 452. For example, such heating of the airflow can achieve a smaller temperature gradient along the second chamber 456, thereby enabling more efficient and effective vaporization of the volatile material (e.g., non-liquid tobacco material) contained therein. Furthermore, the warm airflow entering the second chamber 456 (compared to heating and airflow systems that do not heat the airflow before it enters the chamber containing the vaporizable material) allows the non-liquid vaporizable material contained in the second chamber 456 to be heated by the second heating element 452 at a lower, more optimal temperature. Such temperatures reduce the formation of undesirable by-products when vaporizing at least the non-liquid volatile material and allow for effective initiation and cessation of vaporization of the non-liquid volatile material. Such initiation and cessation of vaporization can accommodate users who wish to enjoy one or more sessions (smoking) with the vaporizer device 400 using a single cartridge containing the non-liquid volatile material.

[0066] 5A-5C illustrate embodiments of a vaporizer cartridge 520 and a volatile material insert 580 suitable for use with at least the vaporizer devices described herein. For example, FIG. 5A illustrates a vaporizer cartridge 520 with a volatile material insert 580 inserted into a chamber 554 of the vaporizer cartridge 520, which may include a heating element 550. As shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the volatile material insert 580 can include a hollow core 582 enclosed within the volatile material insert 580, except for an open end 584 of the volatile material insert 580, which can be positioned outside the chamber 554 of the vaporizer cartridge 520, as shown in FIG. 5A.

[0067] 5A, the vaporizer cartridge 520 can include a seal 586 that forces heated air generated in the vaporizer cartridge 520 through the walls of a volatile material insert 580 (which can contain a volatile material, such as tobacco). Such vapor or aerosol can flow from a hollow core 582 of the volatile material insert 580 out through an open end 584, for example, so that a user can inhale the aerosol.

[0068] In some embodiments, the volatile material insert 580 can include an exterior shell 588 made of one or more of a paper material and a plastic (low COG) material. In some embodiments, the volatile material insert 580 can include holes in various patterns, for example, along one or more edges and sides of the volatile material insert 580. Air can be passed through to assist in forming an inhalable aerosol that collects in the hollow core 582 of the volatile material insert 580 for inhalation by a user. In some embodiments, the volatile material insert 580 can include a mouthpiece 530 that can assist a user in inhaling the aerosol.

[0069] At least one advantage of the volatile material insert 580 and vaporizer cartridge 520 of Figures 5-5C includes aerosol generation within the volatile material insert 580, including collection within the hollow core 582. The airflow containing the aerosol can be cleanly and directly emitted from the vaporizer cartridge 520 and mouthpiece 530, for example, without contacting or contaminating any durable parts of the vaporizer device.

[0070] Various air passages may be implemented in the heating and airflow system, and are within the scope of the present disclosure, including the heating and airflow systems described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. For example, as shown in Figure 4D, the air passage 460 may include a single path that sequentially passes through the first chamber 454 and the second chamber 456. For example, the air passage 460 may pass adjacent to the first heating element 451, the third heating element 453, and the second heating element 452 in succession. Thus, the airflow directly and / or closely passing through the second heating element 452 and the second chamber 456 may contain the heated and / or vaporized inhalable extract from the first heating element 451 and the first chamber 454. Furthermore, the airflow containing the heated and / or vaporized inhalable extract from the first cartridge 420 may be heated along the air passage 460 by the third heating element 453 before passing through the second heating element and the second chamber 456. An inhalable extract from the heated and / or vaporized second volatile material can be added to the airflow such that the airflow exiting outlet 464 includes a mixed aerosol. Various other air passage configurations and heating and airflow systems are within the scope of this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, heating element 150 can include a heating element having a non-linear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material.

[0071] Vaporizers including the heating and airflow systems described herein (e.g., the heating and airflow systems shown in Figures 2A-3) may offer one or more various advantages over currently available vaporizer devices. For example, the heating and airflow systems described herein may provide a mixed aerosol (e.g., an inhalable component from liquid and non-liquid volatile materials). Other advantages may include the ability to provide the mixed aerosol on demand, thereby eliminating the need for the user to wait for the heating element to reach the required temperature. Typically, such heating time may be required to extract an inhalable extract from the non-liquid volatile material. With the heating and airflow systems described herein, an inhalable extract is extracted from both the non-liquid and liquid volatile materials, and the liquid volatile material is more efficiently and effectively vaporized on demand. Furthermore, the heating elements configured to heat and / or vaporize the non-liquid volatile material may heat to temperatures (e.g., below 150°C) that eliminate the possibility of carbonization (e.g., reducing or limiting harmful and potentially harmful amounts) combined with the ability to start and stop sessions at will, including multiple times with the same cartridge or heating and airflow system. As such, a user can enjoy multiple sessions from a single cartridge without having to consume or use the entire non-liquid volatile material contained in the cartridge and / or heating and airflow system in a single session. For example, the non-liquid volatile material (e.g., tobacco) is refreshed by the vapor generated in the atomizer chamber, so the user's experience is consistent throughout the session. Other advantages of the vaporizers and heating and airflow systems described herein are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0072] In embodiments of the vaporizer device 100 in which the power supply 112 is part of the vaporizer body 110 and a heating element is disposed within the vaporizer cartridge 120 and configured to couple with the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer device 100 can include electrical connection features (e.g., means for completing a circuit) for completing a circuit including the controller 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board, microcontroller, etc.), the power supply 112, and the heating element (e.g., a heating element within an atomizer). These features can include one or more contacts (herein, cartridge contacts 124a and 124b) on one or more exterior surfaces of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and at least two contacts (herein, reservoir contacts 125a and 125b) disposed within the vaporizer, and optionally, cartridge reservoir 118 of the vaporizer device 100, such that the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and reservoir contacts 125a and 125b are electrically connected when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into and coupled to the cartridge reservoir 118. The circuit completed by these electrical connections allows for the supply of current to the heating element and can be used for additional functions, such as measuring the resistance of the heating element for use in determining and / or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on the thermal resistance coefficient of the heating element.

[0073] Other configurations in which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled to the vaporizer body 110 without being inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118 are also within the scope of the present subject matter. References herein to "receptacle contacts" are understood to refer more generally to contacts on the vaporizer body 110, not including within the cartridge receptacle 118, but configured to electrically connect with cartridge contacts 124a and 124b when the vaporizer cartridge 120 and vaporizer body 110 are coupled. The circuit completed by these electrical connections allows for the supply of current to the resistive heating element and may further be used for additional functions, such as measuring the resistance of the resistive heating element for use in determining and / or controlling the temperature of the resistive heating element based on the thermal coefficient of resistance of the resistive heating element, or for identifying the cartridge based on one or more electrical characteristics of the resistive heating element or other circuitry, such as the vaporizer cartridge. The vaporizer device 100 (and other features described herein according to one or more embodiments) may include a heating element having a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material, or a circuit having a heating element with that characteristic, e.g., the same as in the embodiments described in more detail below.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present subject matter, the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the reservoir contacts 125a and 125b can be configured to be electrically connected in one of at least two orientations. In other words, one or more circuits required for operation of the vaporizer device 100 can be completed by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receptacle 118 in a first rotational orientation (about the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110) such that the cartridge contacts 124a are electrically connected to the reservoir contacts 125a and the cartridge contacts 124b are electrically connected to the reservoir contacts 125b. Furthermore, one or more circuits required for operation of the vaporizer device 100 can be completed by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receptacle 118 in a second rotational orientation, such that the cartridge contacts 124a are electrically connected to the reservoir contacts 125b and the cartridge contacts 124b are electrically connected to the reservoir contacts 125a.

[0075] In one example of an attachment structure for coupling the vaporizer cartridge 120 to the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer body 110 includes one or more detents (e.g., indentations, protrusions, etc.) that protrude inward from the inner surface of the cartridge receptacle 118, additional material (metal, plastic, etc.) formed to include a portion that protrudes into the cartridge receptacle 118, etc. One or more outer surfaces of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may include corresponding recesses (not shown in FIG. 1 ) that can fit and / or otherwise engage with such detents or protruding portions when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110. When the vaporizer cartridge 120 and vaporizer body 110 are coupled (e.g., by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110), detents or protrusions on the vaporizer body 110 can fit into or otherwise be retained within recesses on the vaporizer cartridge 120 to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in place during assembly. Such an assembly can hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in place to ensure good contact between the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receptacle contacts 125a and 125b, while providing sufficient support to allow release of the vaporizer cartridge 120 from the vaporizer body 120 when a user pulls the vaporizer cartridge 120 with an appropriate force to remove the vaporizer cartridge 120 from the cartridge receptacle 118. It is understood that other configurations for coupling the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 are within the scope of the present subject matter, for example, as described in more detail herein.

[0076] In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least the insertable end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 configured for insertion into the cartridge receptacle 118, can have a non-circular cross-section transverse to the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118. For example, the non-circular cross-section can be generally rectangular, generally elliptical (i.e., generally oval), non-rectangular, but can also have two sets of parallel or generally parallel opposing sides (i.e., shaped like a parallelogram), or other shapes with at least second-order rotational symmetry. In this regard, approximate shapes are intended to indicate a clear fundamental similarity to the described shapes, but the sides of the shapes in question need not be perfectly straight, and the apexes need not be perfectly sharp. The descriptions of non-circular cross-sections referred to herein contemplate rounding of the edges and / or apexes of the cross-sectional shapes.

[0077] The cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the reservoir contacts 125a and 125b can take a variety of forms. For example, one or both sets of contacts can include conductive pins, tabs, posts, pin or post receiving holes, etc. Some types of contacts can include springs or other features to help improve physical and electrical contact between the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 contacts. The electrical contacts can be gold-plated and / or include other materials, as appropriate.

[0078] In addition to the above discussion of the electrical connection between the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 being reversible and allowing for at least two-way rotation of the vaporizer cartridge 120 within the cartridge receptacle 118, in some embodiments of the vaporizer device 100, the shape of the vaporizer cartridge 120, or the shape of at least the insertable end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 configured for insertion into the cartridge receptacle 118, can have at least two degrees of rotational symmetry. In other words, the vaporizer cartridge 120 or at least the insertable end of the vaporizer cartridge 120 can have 180° rotational symmetry about the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118. In such a configuration, the circuitry of the vaporizer device 100 can support the same operation regardless of which direction the vaporizer cartridge 120 is symmetrical.

[0079] Some aspects of the present subject matter relate to vaporizer heaters that utilize nonlinear positive temperature resistivity (PTCR) heating elements, also referred to as PTCR heaters, and are used as convection heaters, such as in the vaporizer embodiments described herein. In convection heaters for such vaporizers, air is heated by the heating element and passed over or through a volatile material to form a vapor and / or aerosol for inhalation. In some embodiments, the volatile material may include solid volatile material (e.g., loose-leaf material commonly used in non-thermal combustion (HNB) vaporizers) and / or liquid volatile material (e.g., pre-filled cartridges, pods, etc.). PTCR heating elements used for convection heating (or, alternatively, other heating elements consistent with the present disclosure) can heat the volatile material more uniformly. Improved heating uniformity can provide many benefits, including avoiding temperature differences within the volatile material that act as an insulator, preventing contamination of the heating element, etc. Additionally, because the heating element can be formed from a PTCR material, the heating element can be temperature self-limiting and will not heat above a specific temperature when a known range of voltage is applied, thereby avoiding the formation of undesirable and potentially hazardous chemicals. Optionally, the PTCR heating element may be implemented without the need for temperature control circuitry, provided that the transition temperature of the PTCR material is selected to deliver heated air at the desired target operating temperature of the volatile material.

[0080] The thermoelectric power generation in an isotropic PTCR material can be characterized as follows: for all controlled variables ∂x, ∂y, ∂z in the isotropic PTCR material subject to the voltage gradient ∇V, the controlled variables ∂x, ∂y, z heat to a temperature within the PTCR transition zone and maintain that temperature within a wide range of 1 / 3 as shown in Figure 6. The thermoelectric power generation can be expressed as:

number

[0081] By utilizing a PTCR heating element, in some embodiments, the temperature can be controlled over a range of applied voltages without the need for temperature sensors, electronic circuitry, microprocessors and / or algorithms to control power to the heating element.

[0082] As used herein, the term "solid volatile material" generally refers to volatile materials containing solid materials. For example, some vaporizer devices heat plant leaves or other plant-derived materials to extract the plant's characteristic flavor aromas and other products as an aerosol. These plant materials can be chopped and blended with various plant products, potentially including tobacco, into a homogenized composition. Nicotine and / or nicotine compounds are then produced and delivered to the user of such a vaporizer device in the form of an aerosol. The homogenized composition may contain a volatile liquid, such as propylene glycol or glycerol, to increase the vapor density and aerosol produced upon heating. To avoid the production of undesirable harmful or potentially harmful compounds (HPHCs), this type of vaporizer device benefits from a heater with temperature control means. Vaporizer devices that heat plant leaves or homogenized compositions in this manner to maintain temperatures below combustion levels are commonly referred to as heat-non-burn (HNB) devices.

[0083] As used herein, the term "liquid volatile material" generally refers to a volatile material that does not contain solid material. Liquid volatile materials can include, for example, liquids, solutions, waxes, or any other form that can be adapted for use with a particular vaporizer device. In some embodiments, liquid volatile materials can include any form that is suitable for utilizing a wick or wicking element to draw the volatile material into the vaporization chamber.

[0084] Vaporizer devices heat volatile materials to the appropriate temperature to generate aerosols, but they operate without burning or carbonizing the volatile materials. One class of vaporizers is more sophisticated in that they utilize relatively strict temperature control to prevent overheating and the associated formation of HPHCs. Such sophisticated technology, which typically requires electronic circuitry including a microprocessor, is typically difficult to achieve with HNB devices due to the inherent non-uniformity of the heated volatile material and the associated spatially inconsistent thermal characteristics. This results in the creation of overheated regions and potential HPHCs. Additionally, some existing solutions lack the ability to control local temperatures within the vaporizer device, resulting in increased temperature regions and the potential for HPHC formation.

[0085] Another class of vaporizer devices is simpler in that they do not provide temperature control means, making the vaporizer device less expensive to construct, but they run the risk of overheating, which can result in the generation of undesirable chemical by-products.

[0086] In HNB vaporizer devices (e.g., when the volatile material is solid), some known methods lack the ability to achieve a uniform temperature for one or more of the following reasons. For example, the solid volatile material being heated has low thermal diffusivity, which can slow high-temperature diffusion from the heating element to the solid volatile material, resulting in high temperature gradients. As a result, uneven heating can be unavoidable. As another example, when controlling the temperature of a heating element, the temperature control typically addresses an average temperature, such that high temperatures within the heating element can result in uneven heating of the solid volatile material, resulting in high temperatures within the solid volatile material. As yet another example, to enable heating of insulating materials, some existing HNB devices require a preheating time of 30 seconds or more, which entails costs in energy consumption, battery consumption, and user inconvenience.

[0087] In vaporizer devices in which a fluid is vaporized by contacting a heating element with the fluid to be vaporized, contamination of the heating element can occur, impairing performance. A solution to this problem is to incorporate the heating element into a disposable portion of the vaporizer that is replaced with a new disposable portion, thereby limiting, but not eliminating, contamination of the heating element.

[0088] To overcome the difficulty of uniformly heating the volatile material, some embodiments of the present subject matter can provide air preheating using one or more PTCR heating elements in conjunction with a heat exchanger. When a user draws air into the vaporizer, the incoming air passes through the heat exchanger and is heated at a controlled temperature as it passes through the heated volatile material. The volatile material can be a solid material (e.g., HNB material) or a liquid (e.g., a fluid with a porous wick). In some embodiments, the air passes through the heat exchanger, passes through a porous wick saturated with the liquid volatile material, and then passes through the solid volatile material (e.g., HNB material) before reaching the user. In some embodiments, a geometry for the inflow of cooling air, such as a balanced air inlet, may be included between the wick and the user. Furthermore, the present subject matter can provide a PTCR heater with inherent temperature control beyond the designed peak temperature, such as a specified range of supply voltage (variable by more than 10 times in some embodiments). Such an approach can result in improved uniform heating of the volatile material compared to some conventional approaches.

[0089] Also, using this convection heating approach, a PTCR heating element (or some other conventional heating element) can be placed upstream of the wick, fluid container, and / or volatile material, allowing the PTCR heating element to be completely removed from the disposable portion of the mechanism. Including a PTCR heating element in the non-disposable portion of the vaporizer device can avoid unnecessary waste. While the description of certain convection heating embodiments refers to the use of heating elements formed from or including PTCR material, and are optionally temperature self-limiting, other heating elements (convection, conduction, and / or radiant heating) are within the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the PTCR elements described herein can be substituted for conventional resistive heating elements used in conjunction with electrical and / or electronic circuitry capable of controlling the temperature raised by the heating element and / or the air moving across it and / or the volatile material heated thereby.

[0090] 7 shows a block diagram of a vaporizer device 700 according to some embodiments of the present subject matter that can utilize convective heating to provide uniform heating of a volatile material 702. The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 includes an air inlet 706, a PTCR heater with a heat exchanger 742, and a power source 712, such as a battery or capacitor. The vaporizer device 700 can include a housing 732 that can be coupled to one or more of the heat exchanger 742 and the PTCR heater with the power source 712. In some embodiments, the vaporizer device 700 can optionally include a controller 704 and a pressure sensor 713. In some embodiments, the air inlet 706 can be formed in the housing 732.

[0091] The heater with heat exchanger may be a conventional heating element or may include a heating element formed of a PTCR material, as described in more detail below. The PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 may be thermally coupled to the heating element and configured to transfer heat between the heating element and an airflow passing over and / or through the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742. For example, the heater may include multiple heat exchangers coupled to different sides of the heating element and may include flow diverters to divert airflow through and / or over the fins of the heat exchangers to improve heat exchange. A more detailed discussion of an exemplary PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 will be found below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0092] The vaporizer device 700 may include a connector 715 (shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 13) for coupling the housing 732 to one or more cartridges 720 containing the volatile material 702. In some embodiments, the coupling is releasable, such that the cartridges 720 can be easily coupled and detached from the vaporizer device 700 via the connector 715 by a user.

[0093] When the vaporizer device 700 is coupled to the cartridge 720, the vaporizer device 700 and cartridge 720 can be positioned to define an air passage from the air inlet 706, through and / or over the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742, through the volatile material 702, and out of the mouthpiece 730.

[0094] A controller 704 (e.g., a processor, circuitry, etc. capable of executing logic) may be configured to control heat transfer to convert the volatile material 702 from a condensed form (e.g., a solid, liquid, solution, suspension, a portion of at least partially untreated plant material, etc.) to a gas phase. The controller 704 may be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with certain embodiments of the present subject matter.

[0095] The power supply 712 can include any power source suitable for powering the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742. For example, the power supply 712 can include a battery, a capacitor (even with resistor-capacitor (RC) decay), etc. In some embodiments, the power supply 712 can provide a wide range of selectable voltages. For example, in some embodiments, the power supply 712 can provide a voltage from 3 volts to 50 volts or more. In some embodiments, the voltage applied to the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 can be varied by orders of magnitude with little effect on the performance of the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742. In some embodiments, the power supply 712 can include multiple power sources that can be selected based on operating conditions and / or desired vaporizer device performance.

[0096] In operation, a user can draw air (e.g., take a puff) through the mouthpiece 730, which can be detected by the controller 704 using the pressure sensor 713. In response to detecting a puff, the controller 704 can energize the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 from the power supply 712, which causes the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 to heat up. Because the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 is formed from a PTCR material, heating is self-limiting and the heating element will not overheat.

[0097] The airflow from the air inlet 706 flows over and / or passes through the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742, where it is uniformly heated. The uniformly heated air passes over the volatile material 702, where it is uniformly heated and forms a vapor (gas). The volatile material 702 may comprise a liquid, solution, solid, wax, or other form. In some embodiments, the incoming air passing along the air passages passes through the interior, surface, etc. of a region or chamber (e.g., an atomizer) with the gas-phase volatile material suspended in the air.

[0098] The suspended gas-phase volatile material may condense as it passes through the remainder of the airway so that an inhalable amount of the volatile material in aerosol form can be transferred to the mouthpiece 730 for inhalation by the user in vapor and / or aerosol form. In some embodiments, the cartridge 720 cools the airflow after the heated air has passed through the volatile material (e.g., includes a PTCR heater 742 with heat exchanger and an equilibrium air inlet 762 that serves to provide ambient temperature air for mixing with the heated air downstream of the volatile material 702) and prior to inhalation by the user. In some embodiments, the equilibrium air inlet 762 is integral with the mouthpiece 730.

[0099] The PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 may be activated by one or more events. Such events include automatic detection of smoke at absolute pressure based on one or more signals generated by one or more sensors positioned to detect pressure along the air passage relative to ambient pressure (or measure changes in absolute pressure, as appropriate), such as the pressure sensor 713, or one or more motion sensors of the vaporizer device, one or more flow sensors of the vaporizer device, or a capacitive lip sensor of the vaporizer device. Other events may include detection of user interaction with one or more input devices (such as buttons or other tactile control devices on the vaporizer, such as a manual toggle switch, push button switch, pressure switch, etc.), or in response to receiving a signal from a computing device communicating with the vaporizer directly and / or via other approaches to determine that smoke is occurring or imminent.

[0100] As mentioned in the previous paragraph, a vaporizer device consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter may be configured to connect (e.g., via a wireless or wired connection) to a computing device (optionally, two or more devices) that communicates with the vaporizer. To this end, the controller 704 may include communications hardware. The controller 704 may also include memory. A computing device may be a component of a vaporizer system that also includes the vaporizer device and may include its own communications hardware capable of establishing a wireless communications channel with the communications hardware of the vaporizer device. For example, a computing device used as part of a vaporizer system may include a general-purpose computing device (such as a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, smartwatch, or other portable device) that executes software to generate a user interface that allows a user of the device to interact with the vaporizer. In other embodiments of the present subject matter, such a device used as part of a vaporizer system may be dedicated hardware, such as a remote control or other wireless or wired device, having one or more physical or soft interface controls (e.g., a screen or other display device selectable via user interaction with a touch-sensitive screen or other input device such as a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursor buttons, etc.). The vaporizer device may also include one or more output features or devices for providing information to a user.

[0101] A computing device that is part of the vaporizer system defined above can be used for any one or more functions, such as controlling dose (e.g., dose monitoring, dose setting, dose limiting, user tracking), controlling session processing (e.g., session monitoring, session setting, session limiting, user tracking), controlling nicotine delivery (e.g., switching between nicotine and non-nicotine vaporizable materials, adjusting the amount of nicotine delivered), obtaining location information (e.g., locations of other users, retail / commercial establishment locations, vaporization locations, relative or absolute location of the vaporizer itself), personalizing the vaporizer (e.g., naming the vaporizer, locking / password protecting the vaporizer, adjusting one or more parental controls, associating the vaporizer with a user group, registering the vaporizer with the manufacturer or warranty / maintenance organization), connecting with other users in social activities (e.g., games, social media communication, interacting with one or more groups), etc. The terms "session processing," "session," "vaporizer session," or "vaporization session" are used generally to refer to a period of time dedicated to vaporizer use. The period can include a time period, number of doses, amount of volatile material, and the like.

[0102] In an example where a computing device provides signals related to activation of the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742, or in other examples of coupling a computing device with a vaporizer to perform various control or other functions, the computing device executes one or more sets of computer instructions to provide a user interface and basic data processing. In one example, detection by the computing device of a user's interaction with one or more user interface elements can cause the computing device to send a signal to the vaporizer to activate the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 to a full operating temperature to generate an inhalable amount of vapor / aerosol. Other functions of the vaporizer may be controlled by user interaction with a user interface on a computing device in communication with the vaporizer.

[0103] The temperature of the vaporizer's PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 may depend on many factors, including heat transfer to other parts of the electronic vaporizer or the environment, latent heat loss due to vaporization, volatile material from across the wicking element or atomizer, and convective heat loss due to airflow (e.g., air moving across the heating element or atomizer when a user inhales into an electronic vaporizer). As noted above, to ensure the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 is activated or heated to a desired temperature, the vaporizer, in some embodiments of the present subject matter, may utilize a signal from a pressure sensor 713 to determine when a user is inhaling. The pressure sensor 713 may be located in the airway or connected to an airway connecting (e.g., by a passageway or other path) the air inlet 706 and outlet (e.g., in the mouthpiece 730) of air entering the vaporizer device such that the user inhales the resulting vapor or aerosol and the pressure sensor 713 experiences pressure changes simultaneously with the air passing through the vaporizer device from the air inlet 706 to the air outlet. In some embodiments of the present subject matter, the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 can be optionally activated in connection with a user's smoke, for example, by automatic smoke detection, such as by a pressure sensor 713 that detects changes in air pressure. In some embodiments, a switch is an input device that can be used to electrically complete a circuit between the power source 712 and the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742. In some embodiments, input devices including relays, solenoids, and / or vaporizer devices may be used to electrically complete a circuit between the power source and the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742.

[0104] Typically, the pressure sensor 713 (and other sensors) can be located on or coupled (e.g., electrically or electronically connected via a physical or wireless connection) to the controller 704 (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board). To ensure accurate measurements and maintain the durability of the vaporizer, it is useful to provide a resilient seal to isolate the air passage from other portions of the vaporizer. The seal can be a gasket and can be configured to at least partially surround the pressure sensor 713 such that the connection of the pressure sensor 713 to the vaporizer's internal circuitry is isolated from the portion of the pressure sensor 713 exposed to the air passage. In the example of a cartridge-based vaporizer device, the seal or gasket may isolate one or more electrical connections between the vaporizer body and the vaporizer cartridge. Such placement of a vaporizer gasket or seal can help mitigate potentially destructive effects on vaporizer components resulting from interactions with environmental factors, such as water, volatile materials, or other fluids, in either vapor or liquid phase, and reduce air leakage through the vaporizer's designed air passage. The vaporizer circuitry that is contacted by unwanted air or other liquids and / or other fluids passing through it can cause various undesirable results, such as altering pressure measurements and / or causing the accumulation of undesirable materials, such as moisture, volatile materials, and the like, in parts of the vaporizer that can result in a reduced pressure signal, degradation of optional pressure sensors or other components, or a shortened vaporizer lifespan. Leaking seals or gaskets can also result in the user inhaling air that has passed through parts of the vaporizer device that contain or are constructed with materials that are undesirable to inhale.

[0105] In some embodiments, cartridge 720 can include a fibrous body for cooling the heated air after it passes through volatile material 702. As described above, volatile material 702 can include a solid volatile material (e.g., an HNB material) and / or a liquid volatile material (e.g., a liquid, a solution, etc.).

[0106] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a vaporizer device 700 and cartridge 720 with a liquid volatile material that can utilize convective heating to uniformly heat the volatile material 702. The volatile material 702 includes an atomizer including a porous wick 744 in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir or fluid container 740. The porous wick 744 is disposed in an airway between a PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 and a mouthpiece 730. During operation, heated air passes over and / or through the porous wick 744, becoming saturated with the volatile material 702 and causing the liquid volatile material to vaporize, thereby forming a vapor and / or aerosol. In some embodiments, the porous wick 744 can allow air to enter the fluid container 740 to replace the volume of liquid that has been removed. In other words, capillary action draws the liquid volatile material into the porous wick 744 for vaporization by the heated air, and the air returns to the fluid container 740 through the wick to at least partially equalize the pressure within the fluid container 740 in some implementations of the present subject matter. Other approaches that allow air to return to fluid reservoir 740 and equalize pressure are also within the scope of the present subject matter.

[0107] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporizer device with a liquid volatile material, and FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporizer device with a solid volatile material (e.g., an HNB product).

[0108] In some embodiments, the volatile material 702 can include both liquid and solid volatile materials. For example, FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a vaporizer device 700 and cartridge 720 with a liquid volatile material 702a and a solid volatile material 702b that can utilize convective heating to uniformly heat the volatile material 702. The cartridge 720 can include a fluid reservoir 740 containing the liquid volatile material 702a therein, a porous wick 744 in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material 702a, and a solid volatile material 702b located downstream (relative to the airflow). The porous wick 744 is positioned to receive heated air from the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 and generate vaporized volatile material in vapor and / or aerosol form. The solid volatile material 702b is positioned to receive the vaporized volatile material from the wick. The mouthpiece 730 is positioned to receive the vaporized volatile material after it passes through the solid volatile material 702b. The combination of both the liquid volatile material 702a and the solid volatile material 702b provides improved flavor. Additionally, by utilizing convection heating with the PTCR heater 742 with heat exchanger to vaporize both the liquid volatile material 702a and the solid volatile material 702b, a single heater is sufficient to heat both materials.

[0109] In some embodiments, the liquid volatile material 702a and the solid volatile material 702b can be contained in different cartridges. For example, FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a vaporizer device 700 with multiple cartridges. A first cartridge 721 (having a fluid reservoir 740 and a porous wick 744) contains the liquid volatile material 702a, and a second cartridge 722 contains the solid volatile material 702b, which can utilize convective heating to uniformly heat the volatile material 702. The first cartridge 721 can be removably coupled to the vaporizer device 700, and the second cartridge 722 can be removably coupled to the first cartridge 721. As shown, the first cartridge 721 includes a fluid reservoir 740 (e.g., a tank), the liquid volatile material 702a in the fluid reservoir 740, and the porous wick 744 in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material 702a. When the first cartridge 721 is coupled to the vaporizer device 700, the porous wick 744 is positioned to receive heated air from the PTCR heater with heat exchanger 742 and generate vaporized volatile material in vapor and / or aerosol form. The second cartridge 722 includes a solid volatile material 702b, an equilibrium air inlet 762, and a mouthpiece 730. When the second cartridge 722 is coupled to the first cartridge 721, the solid volatile material 702b is positioned to receive the vaporized volatile material. After the vaporized volatile material passes through the solid volatile material 702b, the mouthpiece 730 is configured to receive the vaporized volatile material. In some embodiments, the equilibrium air inlet 762 can provide ambient temperature air to cool the heated air that has passed through the solid volatile material 702b. FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a vaporizer device 700 including both a liquid volatile material 702a and a solid volatile material 702b.

[0110] This convection heating approach can offer several advantages over traditional conduction heating approaches for vaporizing solid materials (e.g., HNB materials). For example, instead of poor conduction into insulating materials (e.g., solid volatile materials) in a direction perpendicular to the air flow, or the generation of volatilization and different porosity of the volatile material being heated, some embodiments of the present subject matter can provide preheated air that uniformly penetrates the volatile material as waves that uniformly cover the cross-section of the volatile material. In a direction parallel to the heated air flow, volatiles are released in line with the increased porosity. As another example, the uniform cross-sectional release of volatile material and the simultaneous increase in porosity can solve different airflow problems in some embodiments. As yet another example, the problem of poor heat transfer in products can be solved by some embodiments of the present subject matter. As yet another example, some embodiments of the present subject matter can eliminate the prior preheat period required, allowing the present subject matter to provide aerosol on demand from heated volatile materials.

[0111] Similarly, this convective heating approach can offer several advantages for vaporizing liquid volatile materials. For example, instead of directly heating the liquid volatile material using a heating element in direct contact with the liquid volatile material, some embodiments of the present subject matter can provide preheated air that enters as a wave that evenly covers the porous cross-section, thereby creating a wick saturated with the vaporizing fluid, avoiding temperature differences and potential contamination of the heating element.

[0112] As another example, placing the wick upstream (with respect to the airflow) in close proximity to solid volatile material (eg, loose-leaf tobacco) can minimize unwanted aerosol condensation within the device.

[0113] Additionally, the inherent temperature control behavior of a PTCR heater with a heat exchanger simplifies the power supply circuitry in that it does not require specific thermal feedback. The power supply circuitry to a PTCR heater with a heat exchanger can be further simplified by eliminating the need for a power supply to provide a relatively constant voltage, as is typical of power supply systems. In some embodiments, the applied voltage can vary by an order of magnitude or more without significantly affecting the resulting temperature of the heating element.

[0114] An exemplary PTCR heater with a heat exchanger will now be described in more detail. PTCRs include semiconductor materials with electrical resistivity that changes nonlinearly with increasing temperature. While temperatures remain below the temperature transition zone, the resistivity of a typical PTCR material is relatively low. Above the temperature transition zone, the resistivity of the PTCR material becomes higher than the resistivity of the same PTCR material at temperatures below the temperature transition zone. The change in resistivity can increase by several orders of magnitude below the temperature transition zone of 50°C.

[0115] Heating elements can utilize nonlinear PTCR materials to enable inherent temperature control. For example, a heating element at ambient temperature can be connected to a power source to provide a voltage gradient and current flow. Because the resistivity of the heating element is relatively low at ambient temperature (e.g., the ambient temperature is lower than the transition zone), a current flows through the heating element. As the current flows through the nonlinear PTCR material, heat is generated by the resistance (i.e., power dissipation). The generated heat increases the temperature of the heating element, changing its resistivity. When the temperature of the heating element reaches the transition zone, the resistance increases significantly over a small temperature range. The change in resistivity can be caused by the physical properties of the material. For example, a phase transition can occur within the material. This increase in resistivity (resulting in an overall increase in resistance) reduces the current so that heat generation decreases. The transition zone encompasses the temperature at which there is an inflection point where insufficient heat is generated to further increase the temperature of the heating element, thereby limiting the temperature of the heating element. As long as the power source is connected and current is supplied, the heating element maintains a uniform temperature with minimal temperature change. In this example, the power supplied to the PTCR heating element is calculated using the equation PI = (Voltage) 2 / resistance. Heat loss in a PTCR heating element can be expressed as PL, which includes any combination of conduction, convection, radiation, and latent heat. During steady-state operation, PI = PL. As PL increases, the temperature of the PTCR heating element decreases, its resistance decreases, and the current through it increases. As PL decreases, the temperature of the PTCR heating element increases, its resistance increases, and the current through it decreases. As PL approaches zero, the resistance of the PTCR heating element increases logarithmically. The operating temperature limit of a PTCR heating element can be affected by the element material, element geometry, element resistivity as a function of temperature characteristics, power supply, and circuit characteristics (such as voltage gradient, current, and time-varying characteristics).

[0116] FIG. 14 is an example graph showing a resistivity versus temperature curve for a nonlinear PTCR material. The vertical axis is logarithmic. Heating elements constructed (e.g., formed) with nonlinear PTCR materials (referred to as PTCR heaters) can include advantageous properties. For example, upon application of a sufficient voltage gradient (e.g., V), the PTCR heater heats up and increases in temperature until it reaches a transition zone. In the curve shown in FIG. 14, the transition zone spans temperatures T1 and T2. While the resistivity versus temperature curve appears nonlinear between T1 and T2 in the curve shown in FIG. 14, in other embodiments, the resistivity versus temperature curve may be approximately linear, linear, or of other shapes. As the temperature exceeds T1, the resistivity of the nonlinear PTCR material increases, increasing the overall resistance to a point where current flow is limited, thereby preventing further temperature increase. In other words, embodiments of PTCR heaters can be considered temperature self-limiting; when a known range of voltage is applied, they will not heat beyond the low point T1 of the temperature transition zone.

[0117] As shown in Figure 14, the performance of a PTCR heater depends on the PTCR behavior and heater geometry. PTCR heaters with relatively long, narrow geometries and electrical contacts along both long edges for applying a differential voltage are ineffective because the resistivity of the nonlinear PTCR material is typically too high at temperatures below T1. Nonlinear PTCR materials with abrupt transition zones where the temperature difference between T1 and T2 is less than 10°C will result in all voltage drops falling within a portion of the elongated geometry, potentially resulting in unavoidable spatial nonuniformities within any material. Therefore, some PTCR heater embodiments include an electrode structure for the PTCR heater, with the nonlinear PTCR material disposed in a parallel circuit. In embodiments with improved heating uniformity, the PTCR heater geometry can include a thin region of nonlinear PTCR material sandwiched between conductors or conductive coatings across which a differential voltage is applied.

[0118] FIG. 15 is a data table illustrating the resistivity versus temperature curves for the nonlinear PTCR semiconductor material shown in FIG. 14. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 100 Ω·cm at 100°C and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 150,000 Ω·cm at 260°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 20 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100°C and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 200,000 Ω·cm at 265°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity less than 100 Ω·cm at 100°C and greater than 100,000 Ω·cm at 260°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity less than 100 Ω·cm at 100°C and greater than 250,000 Ω·cm at 275°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of less than 100 Ω·cm at 100° C. and greater than 300,000 Ω·cm at 295° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 325,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 350,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 375,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 400,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 450,000 Ω·cm at 280° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 500,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 50 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 150,000 Ω·cm and 325,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 50 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 150,000 Ω·cm and 350,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of 50 Ω·cm to 200 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 1,500,000 Ω·cm and 365,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 3,000 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 150,000 Ω·cm and 400,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 150,000 Ω·cm and 450,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 150,000 Ω·cm and 5,000,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 2,000,000 Ω·cm and 325,000 Ω·cm at 280° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 2,000,000 Ω·cm and 3,500,000 Ω·cm at 28° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 450,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 500,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of 10 Ω·cm to 110 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity of 10 Ω·cm to 50 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity of 50,000 Ω·cm to 125,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 100 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity between 50,000 Ω·cm and 150,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity between 50,000 Ω·cm and 175,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 200,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 250 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 250,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 300,000 Ω·cm at 260° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 50 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 125,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 100 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 150,000 Ω·cm and 75,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 175,000 Ω·cm and 75,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 75,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 250 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 250,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 300,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 30 Ω·cm and 50 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity between 100,000 Ω·cm and 125,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 30 Ω·cm and 100 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity between 100,000 Ω·cm and 150,000 Ω·cm at 260° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 175,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 200,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 250 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 250,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 300,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 50 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 325,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 100 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 350,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 375,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 25° C. The PTCR heating element has a resistivity of 10 Ω·cm to 200 Ω·cm at 150° C. and a resistivity of between 100,000 Ω·cm and 400,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of between 10 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity of between 10 Ω·cm and 250 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity of between 100,000 Ω·cm and 450,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of between 10 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity of between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity of between 100,000 Ω·cm and 500,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of 50 Ω·cm to 110 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity of 20 Ω·cm to 50 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity between 150,000 Ω·cm and 325,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of 50 Ω·cm to 150 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity of 20 Ω·cm to 100 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity between 150,000 Ω·cm and 350,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity of 50 Ω·cm to 200 Ω·cm at 25° C., a resistivity of 20 Ω·cm to 150 Ω·cm at 150° C., and a resistivity of 150,000 Ω·cm to 375,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 150,000 Ω·cm and 400,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 250 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 150,000 Ω·cm and 450,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 20 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 150,000 Ω·cm and 500,000 Ω·cm at 280° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 50 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 325,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 100 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 350,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 375,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 400,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 250 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 450,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 25° C., between 30 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 150° C., and between 200,000 Ω·cm and 500,000 Ω·cm at 280° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 50,000 Ω·cm and 125,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 50,000 Ω·cm and 150,000 Ω·cm at 260° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 175,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 200,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 250,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 10 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 10 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 50,000 Ω·cm and 300,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 50 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 125,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 50 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 150,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 75000 Ω·cm and 175000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 75000 Ω·cm and 200000 Ω·cm at 260° C.In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 50 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 250,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 50 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 50 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 75,000 Ω·cm and 300,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 110 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 125,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 150 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 150,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 200 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 175,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 50° C., between 90 Ω·cm and 300 Ω·cm at 100° C., and between 100,000 Ω·cm and 200,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 400 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 100,000 Ω·cm and 250,000 Ω·cm at 260° C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element has a resistivity between 75 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 50° C., a resistivity between 90 Ω·cm and 500 Ω·cm at 100° C., and a resistivity between 100,000 Ω·cm and 300,000 Ω·cm at 260° C.

[0119] Figure 16 shows another example of a PTCR resistivity versus temperature curve. In this example, the density of the PTCR material is 5700 kg / m 3, heat capacity is 520 J / kg·K, and thermal conductivity is 2.1 W / m·K. There is a sharp increase near 440 K and between 503 K and 518 K. At 298 K, the resistivity of the PTCR material forming the PTCR heating element is 0.168 Ω·m, at 373 K, the resistivity of the PTCR material forming the PTCR heating element is 0.105 Ω·m, and at 518 K, the resistivity of the PTCR material forming the PTCR heating element is 3.669 Ω·m. In some example embodiments, the density of the PTCR material is 5000 kg / m 3 ~7000kg / m 3 The heat capacity is 450J / kgK to 600J / kg·K, and the thermal conductivity is 1.5W / mK to 3.0W / m·K.

[0120] Figure 17A shows an exemplary PTCR heating element 850 that allows for improved vaporizer heating. A thin slice of nonlinear PTCR material 890 is shown in Figure 17A. The nonlinear PTCR material 890 is sandwiched between conductive layers 892, which are attached to conductive leads 894 across which a differential voltage can be applied. Figure 17B shows a cross-sectional view of the PTCR heating element 850 of Figure 17A.

[0121] For example, in some exemplary embodiments useful in vaporizer devices using a fluid combination including propylene glycol and glycerol, the PTCR heating element 850 includes the geometry shown in Figure 17A, where the nonlinear PTCR material has other dimensions of 0.5 mm (height) and 5.0 mm (length and width). The electrical properties of the nonlinear PTCR material include a T1 value between 150°C and 300°C, such as 220°C and 280°C; a resistivity at a temperature less than T1 between 0.01 Ω·m and 100 Ω·m, such as between 0.1 Ω·m and 10 Ω·m; a change in resistivity between T1 and T2 having an increase by a factor of more than 10, such as more than 100; and a temperature difference between T1 and T2 less than 200°C, such as less than 50°C.

[0122] 18A-18E show modeled temperatures for an embodiment of a PTCR heating element 850. In the illustrated example, the nonlinear PTCR material 890 includes a 5 mm x 5 mm x 0.5 mm plate shape. The conductive layer 892 may be formed of silver (Ag) and measure 5 mm x 5 mm x 0.025 mm. The conductive leads 894 may be formed of copper (Cu) and measure 12 mm x 2 mm x 0.2 mm. The nonlinear PTCR material 890 may include a PTCR resistivity vs. temperature curve with a nonlinear transition zone from about 240°C to about 300°C, as shown in FIG. 31. A voltage of 3-6 volts was applied across the conductive leads 894 of the exemplary PTCR heating element 850. Under these conditions, an exemplary PTCR heating element 850 in open air with free convection airflow will increase in temperature as shown in the modeled sequences of Figures 18A-18E at 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 seconds after application of the voltage differential. As shown, the temperature is relatively uniform beyond 1.0 second, with a peak temperature at the surface of the conductive layer 892 of less than 270°C.

[0123] 19A through 19F show modeled temperatures for another example of a PTCR heating element 850. A gradient temperature scale is shown on the left side of each figure, with red representing the hottest temperature of approximately 255°C and a sequence of colors in the visible light spectrum (e.g., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) for the coolest temperature of approximately 23°C. In each of the illustrated examples, the nonlinear PTCR material 890 includes a plate shape measuring approximately 5 mm x 5 mm x 0.5 mm. The conductive layer 892 is formed of silver (Ag) measuring approximately 5 mm x 5 mm x 0.025 mm, and the conductive leads 894 are formed of copper (Cu) measuring approximately 12 mm x 2 mm x 0.2 mm. The plate shape can include two parallel sides including a conductive layer 892 with a conductive lead 894 attached. The conductive leads 894 are centrally attached to the conductive layer 892 on each side of the PTCR heating element 850 by connections 896. In some embodiments, the connections 896 are clamps, clips, conductive paste, high temperature leads, free solder, and / or combinations thereof.

[0124] 19A shows the temperature 1.0 seconds after activating the PTCR heating element 850 by passing a current through it. The conductive leads 894 (e.g., purple) are still at about 25° C. The majority of the nonlinear PTCR material 890 and conductive layer 892 have risen in temperature to about 120° C., while the area containing the central connection 896 is slightly cooler at a temperature of about 80° C.

[0125] 19B shows the temperature 2.0 seconds after activating the PTCR heating element 850 by passing a current through it. The conductive leads 894 (e.g., blue / green) have risen in temperature to approximately 90° C. The majority of the nonlinear PTCR material 890 and conductive layer 892 have risen in temperature to approximately 210° C., while the region containing the central connection 896 is cooler at approximately 160° C.

[0126] 19C shows the temperature 3.0 seconds after activating the PTCR heating element 850 by passing current through it. The temperature of the conductive leads 894 (e.g., green) has risen to about 140° C. The majority of the nonlinear PTCR material 890 and conductive layer 892 has risen to about 250° C., while the region containing the central connection 896 is cooler at about 200° C.

[0127] 19D shows the temperature 4.0 seconds after activating the PTCR heating element 850 by passing current through it. The conductive leads 894 (e.g., green) have risen in temperature to approximately 160° C. The majority of the nonlinear PTCR material 890 and conductive layer 892 remain at a temperature of approximately 250° C., while the region containing the central connection 896 is cooler at a temperature of approximately 215° C.

[0128] 19E shows the temperature 5.0 seconds after activating the PTCR heating element 850 by passing current through it. The conductive leads 894 (e.g., green / yellow) have risen in temperature to approximately 180° C. The majority of the nonlinear PTCR material 890 and conductive layer 892 remain at a temperature of approximately 250° C., with the region containing the central connection 896 being slightly cooler at a temperature of approximately 225° C.

[0129] Figure 19F shows the temperature 6.0 seconds after activating the PTCR heating element 850 by passing current through it. The conductive leads 894 (e.g., yellow) have risen in temperature to approximately 200°C. The majority of the nonlinear PTCR material 890 and conductive layer 892 remain at a temperature of approximately 250°C, while the area containing the central connection 896 is slightly cooler at a temperature of approximately 235°C. Figure 20 shows the modeled temperature of an exemplary heater 6.0 seconds after applying voltage under free convection conditions.

[0130] FIG. 21A shows the modeled surface temperature as a function of time for an exemplary PTCR heating element. In the model, the surface temperature of the PTCR heating element begins at time zero at 25°C (i.e., room temperature). After current application, the surface temperature rises linearly to approximately 225°C over approximately 2 seconds. After approximately 2 seconds, the rate of temperature rise gradually slows, reaching a steady-state operating temperature of approximately 250°C approximately 3 seconds after activation. The model assumes that the nonlinear PTCR material is in a non-contact, free-convection state, with the heat released measured remotely. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 240°C to 280°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 245°C to 255°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of approximately 250°C.

[0131] FIG. 21B shows the modeled and measured maximum surface temperature as a function of time for an exemplary PTCR heating element. Using an infrared camera, four measurements were repeated to measure the maximum surface temperature of the PTCR heating element as a function of time and plotted against the model of maximum surface temperature. The model assumed the nonlinear PTCR material was in a noncontact, free-convection state, with the heat emitted measured from a distance. In each case, the maximum surface temperature of the PTCR heating element begins at time zero at approximately 25°C (i.e., room temperature). After current application, the maximum surface temperature increases linearly to approximately 225°C over approximately 2 seconds. After approximately 2 seconds, the rate of temperature increase gradually slows, and approximately 3 seconds after activation, the steady-state operating temperature of approximately 250°C is reached. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 240°C to 280°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 240°C to 280°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 245°C to 255°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of about 250°C.

[0132] FIG. 21C shows the modeled and measured average surface temperature of an exemplary PTCR heating element as a function of time. Using an infrared camera, four measurements were repeated to measure the average surface temperature of the PTCR heating element as a function of time and plotted against the model of the average surface temperature. The model assumed the nonlinear PTCR material was in a noncontact, free-convection state, with the heat emitted measured from a distance. In each case, the maximum surface temperature of the PTCR heating element begins at time zero, at approximately 25°C (i.e., room temperature). After applying current, the maximum surface temperature increases linearly to approximately 225°C over approximately 2 seconds. After approximately 2 seconds, the rate of temperature increase gradually slows, and approximately 3 seconds after activation, the steady-state operating temperature of approximately 250°C is reached. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 240°C to 280°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 240°C to 280°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of 245°C to 255°C. In some embodiments, the PTCR heating element is heated to an operating temperature of about 250°C.

[0133] 22 illustrates the transient current response as a function of time of an exemplary PTCR heating element consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter. The graph shows that the current, measured in amperes, increases at a nearly linear rate, reaching a peak current approximately 1.5 seconds after activation. Thereafter, as the PTCR heating element reaches its self-regulating operating temperature, the resistance increases rapidly and the current is throttled.

[0134] Uniform temperature is a desirable attribute of PTCR heaters, offering a distinct advantage over series coil heaters, which include series heaters with power input controlled by a temperature sensor, microprocessor-based electronics, and sophisticated algorithms dedicated to temperature control. These known series heaters can adjust their overall power in response to point temperature measurements or the average temperature estimated by the overall electrical resistance combined with the TCR (temperature coefficient of resistance) of a typical series heating element. However, in some series heaters, local differences in the thermal mass of the surrounding medium and local differences in losses to the acoustic medium lead to local resistivity variations, which can cause temperatures within the series heater to vary by more than 40°C.

[0135] In some embodiments, if the PTCR heating element 850 is constructed from a material with a nonlinear PTCR resistivity vs. temperature curve identical or similar to that shown in FIG. 14, has a parallel geometry as shown in FIGS. 17A-17B, and has an appropriate differential voltage (e.g., 3V-6V) applied to the conductive leads 894, each predetermined controlled variable in such a PTCR heater will typically have a temperature within a narrow range of less than 10°C. This is achievable even with different heat loads. By controlling the material and geometry of the PTCR heating element, vaporization can be tuned to a range of less than 10°C.

[0136] Alternative PTCR heater designs and configurations are possible.

[0137] In some embodiments, the PTCR heater can include a heat exchanger for the purpose of preheating the air entering and passing through the volatile material. Figure 23 is a perspective view of an exemplary PTCR heater with heat exchanger assembly 942. The PTCR heater with heat exchanger assembly 942 can include a PTCR heating element 950 containing a PTCR material 934 and a heat exchanger with a heat exchanger element 936 that allows for convective heating and improved uniform heating of the volatile material.

[0138] The PTCR heater with heat exchanger assembly 942 (also called a rectangular PTCR air heater) includes a PTCR material 934 sandwiched between conductive layers 992. In contact with the PTCR material 934 is a heat exchanger element 936, which is extruded from aluminum or other conductive material. Surrounding the heat exchanger element 936 is a heater cover 946.

[0139] Figure 24 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of a rectangular PTCR insert 980. The PTCR insert 980 includes a PTCR heater with heat exchanger assembly 942 and a disposable, rectangular volatile material product 902 with a rectangular product cover 938. In some embodiments, the product 902 and product cover 938 can include disposables containing solid volatile material. In some embodiments, the volatile material product 902 and product cover 938 can include disposable liquid cartridges (e.g., pods) having liquid volatile material and a wick. Figure 25 shows an assembled perspective view of an embodiment of the PTCR insert 980.

[0140] The present subject matter is not limited to rectangular shapes. For example, alternative designs of the heat exchanger assembly 942 or the PTCR heater with the PTCR insert 980 may not be in the many configurable planar shapes that can be produced by extrusion or injection molding. For example, FIG. 26 is a perspective view of an exemplary PTCR heating element 950 having a cylindrical shape. The exemplary PTCR heating element 950 includes a cylindrical embodiment of the PTCR heating element 950 with a cylindrical surface conductive layer 992.

[0141] Figure 27 is an exploded view of an exemplary cylindrical PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly 942, including a PTCR heating element 950, an external cylindrical heat exchanger 937, an internal cylindrical heat exchanger 935, a cylindrical flow diverter 998, and a heater cover 946. Figure 28 is an assembled perspective view of an exemplary cylindrical PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly 942. Figure 29 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cylindrical PTCR insert 980 with the external cover and cylindrical flow diverter removed, illustrating the orientation of the cylindrical PTCR heater with the heat exchanger assembly 942, external cylindrical heat exchanger 937, and internal cylindrical heat exchanger 935 in alignment with a cylindrical embodiment of a volatile material product 902.

[0142] Figure 30 is a perspective view of an exemplary cylindrical PTCR heater with a heat exchanger assembly 942 including a PTCR heating element 950, an external cylindrical heat exchanger 937, an internal cylindrical heat exchanger 935, a cylindrical flow diverter 998, a heater cover 946, and a cylindrical product cover 938 (the volatile material product 902 is not shown in Figure 23).

[0143] 31 shows an exemplary graph of the logarithm of resistivity of an exemplary cylindrical evaporator with a PTCR heater as a function of temperature. The performance shown in FIG. 31 is based on example calculations characterizing the performance of an example cylindrical PTCR heater with heat exchanger assembly 942. The example cylindrical PTCR heater with heat exchanger assembly 942 is an HNB device with an HNB product calculated as porous,

number

number

[0144] For the calculations, ambient conditions were 20.05°C at a standard pressure of 1 atmosphere. The input airflow rate was constant at 1.4 (l / m) and the applied voltage was constant at 3.7 volts across the opposing conductive layers 992. No current limiting was applied beyond the PTCR behavior shown in Figure 26.

[0145] The calculated PTCR heated cylindrical evaporator included a conductive layer 992 that was silver, an outer cylindrical heat exchanger 937 and an inner cylindrical heat exchanger 935 that were aluminum extrusions, a cylindrical flow diverter 998 and a heater cover 946 that was polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and the product cover 938 was paper.

[0146] FIG. 32 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating a temperature simulation of an example cylindrical vaporization device with a PTCR heater, as described above with respect to FIG. 33. FIGS. 33A-33G show exemplary cross-sectional views illustrating the temperature transient response as color for an exemplary embodiment of a cylindrical vaporization device with a PTCR heater. FIGS. 33A-33G show that temperatures at every location do not exceed 280°C and are significantly below combustion temperatures. Also, as can be seen from FIGS. 33A-33G, heating of the solid vaporizable material progresses in a wave-like manner from upstream to downstream, eliminating hot spots in the cross-section and resulting differential porosity voids. term

[0147] As used herein, when a feature or element is referred to as being "on" another feature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or element, or it can be present with intervening features and / or elements. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being "directly on" another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements. When a feature or element is referred to as being "connected," "attached," or "coupled" to another feature or element, it is understood that it can be directly connected, attached, or coupled to the other feature or element, or there are intervening features or elements. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being "directly connected," "directly attached," or "directly coupled" to another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements.

[0148] Although described or illustrated with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements so described or illustrated may be applicable to other embodiments. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that a reference to a structure or feature being located "adjacent" another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

[0149] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. For example, as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0150] In the above description and in the claims, terms such as "at least one" or "one or more" may appear followed by a conjunctive list of elements or features. The term "and / or" may also appear in lists of two or more elements or features. Unless implicitly or explicitly contradicted by the context in which it is used, such terms are intended to refer to any of the listed elements or features individually, or any of the listed elements or features in combination with any of the other listed elements or features. For example, the phrases "at least one of A and B," "one or more of A and B," and "A and / or B" mean "A alone, B alone, or A and B together," respectively. A similar interpretation is intended for lists containing more than two items. For example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C," "one or more of A, B, and C," and "A, B, and / or C" are intended to mean "A only, B only, C only, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together," respectively. Use of the term "based on" above and in the claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on," allowing for unrecited features or elements.

[0151] Spatially relative terms such as "front," "back," "below," "above," and the like are used herein for ease of description. It will be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device during use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted. For example, if a device in the figures is turned upside down, elements described as "below" or "below" other elements or features would be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. A device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein will be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms "upward," "downward," "vertically," "horizontally," and the like are used herein for descriptive purposes, unless otherwise noted.

[0152] Although the terms "first" and "second" are used herein to describe various features / elements (including steps), these features / elements should not be limited by these terms unless the context dictates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature / element from another. Thus, a first feature / element described below could be referred to as a second feature / element, and similarly, a second feature / element described below could be referred to as a first feature / element without departing from the teachings provided herein.

[0153] As used in this specification and claims, including those used in the embodiments, unless expressly specified otherwise, all numbers can be read as beginning with the word "about" or "approximately," even if no such term is explicitly stated. The phrase "about" or "approximately" is used when describing a size and / or location to indicate that the described value and / or location is within a reasonable expected range of value and / or location. For example, a numerical value can be + / - 0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), + / - 1% of the stated value (or range of values), + / - 2% of the stated value (or range of values), + / - 5% of the stated value (or range of values), + / - 10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Also, unless the context indicates otherwise, it is understood to include about or approximately that value. For example, if the value "10" is disclosed, "about 10" is also disclosed. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all subranges contained therein. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, when a value is disclosed as being "less than or equal to" that value, it is understood that "greater than or equal to" the value, and possible ranges between values, are also disclosed. For example, if a value "X" is disclosed, "less than or equal to X" and "greater than or equal to X" (e.g., X is a number) are also disclosed. It is also understood that throughout the application, data is provided in various formats, representing endpoints and starting points, and ranges for any combination of the data points. For example, when specific data points "10" and "15" are disclosed, it is understood that greater than, greater than or equal to, less than, less than, less than, and equal to 10 and 15 are also disclosed. It is also understood that each unit between two specified units is disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

[0154] While various exemplary embodiments have been described above, various modifications may be made to the various embodiments without departing from the teachings herein. For example, the order in which various described method steps are performed may often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments, one or more method steps may be skipped entirely. Optional features of various device and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments but not in other embodiments. Accordingly, the foregoing description has been provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0155] One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein can be realized in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuits, specially designed application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate array (FPGA) computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various aspects or features include embodiment in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, transmitting data and instructions to a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computing system can include clients and servers. Typically, clients and servers are remote from each other and typically interact through a communications network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0156] These computer programs, also referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be written in a high-level procedural language, an object-oriented programming language, a functional programming language, a logic programming language, and / or an assembly / machine language. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to a computer program product, apparatus, and / or device, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, memory, or programmable logic device (PLD), used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to a signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium may non-transitory store such machine instructions, such as, for example, a non-transitory solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any equivalent storage medium. A machine-readable medium may alternatively or additionally store such machine instructions in a transient manner, such as, for example, a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores. The examples and figures included herein illustrate, by way of illustration and not limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. As noted above, other embodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be individually or collectively referred to herein by the term "invention" merely for convenience, without any intention to intentionally limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept. In fact, disclosure. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. The present disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or modifications of the various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the above description. The use of the term "based on" in the specification and claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on," allowing for non-recited features or elements. The subject matter described herein may be implemented in systems, devices, methods, and / or articles, depending on the desired configuration. The embodiments set forth in the foregoing description do not represent all embodiments consistent with the subject matter described herein. Instead, they are merely some examples consistent with aspects related to the described subject matter. While some variations have been described in detail herein, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, additional features and / or variations may be provided in addition to those described herein. For example, the embodiments described herein may be directed to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and / or combinations and subcombinations of certain additional features disclosed herein. Additionally, the logic flow illustrated in the accompanying drawings and / or described herein does not necessarily require the particular order shown or sequential order to achieve desirable results. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A vaporizer device for producing an inhalable mixed aerosol, comprising: a main body having a ventilation passage therethrough; a first cartridge container configured to receive a first cartridge and to have a first volatile material; a second cartridge container configured to receive a second cartridge and having a second volatile material; a first heater in communication with the first cartridge container for heating the first volatile material to form the first inhalable aerosol; a second heater in communication with the second cartridge container for heating a second volatile material to form a second inhalable aerosol; Equipped with The air passage extends adjacent to the first heater and the second heater and is configured to mix the first inhalable aerosol and the second inhalable aerosol to form a mixed aerosol for inhalation by a user from the end.

2. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , further comprising a third heater disposed adjacent to the air passage at a location upstream from at least one of the first heater and the second heater.

3. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the first volatile material is a liquid.

4. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the second volatile material is a non-liquid.

5. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the first volatile material and the second volatile material are liquids.

6. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the first volatile material and the second volatile material are non-liquids.

7. 10. The vaporizer device of claim 1, wherein the first volatile material is a first liquid and the second volatile material is a second liquid different from the first liquid.

8. 10. The vaporizer device of claim 1, wherein the first volatile material is a first non-liquid and the second volatile material is a second non-liquid different from the first non-liquid.

9. The vaporizer device of claim 1 , wherein the first heater and / or the second heater comprises a non-linear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material.

10. 1. A method of using a vaporizer device to generate an inhalable mixed aerosol, comprising: heating a first volatile material with a first heater of the vaporizer device to form a first inhalable aerosol; The vaporizer device comprises: a main body including a ventilation passage therethrough; The first cartridge container is a first cartridge container configured to receive a first cartridge containing a first volatile material and in communication with the first heater for heating the first volatile material; a second cartridge container configured to receive a second cartridge containing a second volatile material; heating the second volatile material and forming a second inhalable aerosol; a second heater in communication with the cartridge container; Equipped with the air passage extends adjacent to the first heater and the second heater and is configured to mix the first and second inhalable aerosols to form a mixed aerosol for inhalation by a user from an end of the air passage; heating the second volatile material to form a second inhalable aerosol; mixing the first aerosol and the second aerosol to form an inhalable mixed aerosol for inhalation by a user; How to use a vaporizer device to perform.

11. a housing including an air inlet; a heating element within the housing and positioned to receive the airflow from the air inlet, the heating element having a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material; a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heating element and configured to transfer heat between the heating element and the airflow to heat the air in the airflow; Equipped with A vaporizer device that provides heated air for vaporization of a volatile material.

12. 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, wherein the heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanger thermally coupled to a first side of the heating element and a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to a second side of the heating element.

13. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a plurality of fin features.

14. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , further comprising a flow diverter disposed in the air passage and configured to divert a portion of the airflow through the heat exchanger.

15. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a cover that covers the heat exchanger.

16. 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, further comprising a power source configured to provide electrical energy to heat the heating element.

17. 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, further comprising a cartridge positioned downstream of the heating element relative to the air flow and oriented to receive the heated air.

18. 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, comprising a cartridge configured to contain the volatile material, the housing further comprising a connector configured to couple to the cartridge.

19. 20. The vaporizer device of claim 18, wherein the cartridge contains a solid volatile material.

20. 20. The vaporizer device of claim 18, wherein the cartridge includes a container, a liquid volatile material within the container, and a wick in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material, the cartridge configured to receive heated air and direct the heated air over the wick.

21. 21. The vaporizer device of claim 20, wherein the cartridge includes a mouthpiece, and the wick is disposed in an air passage between the heating element and the mouthpiece.

22. The cartridge directs a second air stream through the heat exchanger and the second air stream for mixing with the heated air.

20. The vaporizer device of claim 18, including a second air inlet configured to draw into the cartridge within a container located in an airflow path downstream from the volatile material.

23. The cartridge comprises: A container and a liquid volatile material in the container; a wick in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material and positioned to receive heated air from the heat exchanger and produce vaporized volatile material in the form of an inhalable aerosol; a solid volatile material disposed to receive vaporized volatile material from the wick; a mouthpiece configured to receive the vaporized volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material; 20. The vaporizer device of claim 18, comprising:

24. a first cartridge including a container, a liquid volatile material within the container, and a wick in fluid communication with the liquid volatile material, the wick receiving heated air from the heat exchanger and producing vaporized volatile material in the form of an inhalable aerosol; a second cartridge including a solid volatile material and a mouthpiece, the solid volatile material being positioned to receive the evaporated volatile material from the wick, the mouthpiece being configured to receive the evaporated volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material; Furthermore, 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, wherein the first cartridge is removably coupled to a housing, and the second cartridge is removably coupled to the housing and / or the first cartridge.

25. 25. The vaporizer device of claim 24, wherein the first cartridge and the second cartridge are disposable cartridges.

26. 25. The vaporizer device of claim 24, wherein the second cartridge includes a second air inlet through which the vaporized volatile material mixes with air at ambient temperature after passing through the solid volatile material.

27. 25. The vaporizer device of claim 24, further comprising a fibrous body positioned to receive and cool the vaporized volatile material after it has passed through the solid volatile material.

28. 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, wherein the nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of the resistive material includes an electrical resistance transition region characterized by an increase in electrical resistance over a temperature range, and when the heating element is heated to a first temperature within the electrical resistance transition region, the current from the power source is reduced to a level that limits further temperature increase of the heating element due to the current.

29. 30. The vaporizer device of claim 28, wherein the electrical resistivity transition region begins at an onset temperature between 150°C and 350°C.

30. 30. The vaporizer device of claim 28, wherein the electrical resistivity transition region begins at an onset temperature between 220°C and 300°C.

31. 30. The vaporizer device of claim 28, wherein the electrical resistivity transition region begins at an onset temperature between 240°C and 280°C.

32. the increase in electrical resistivity over the temperature range of the electrical resistivity transition region comprises an increase factor of at least 10, the increase factor being greater than or equal to the electrical resistivity at a first temperature associated with the onset of the electrical resistivity transition zone; 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, characterized by a relative change in electrical resistance between the electrical resistivity at the second temperature relative to the end of the electrical resistivity transition zone.

33. 12. The vaporizer device of claim 11, wherein the electrical resistance transition zone begins at a first temperature, and the electrical resistance of the heating element at temperatures below the first temperature is between 0.2 ohm-cm and 200 ohm-cm.

34. a power supply configured to apply a voltage of between 3 volts and 50 volts to the heating element; A pressure sensor; a controller coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to detect inhalation and, in response, electrically connect a power source to the heating element; The vaporizer device of claim 11 further comprising:

35. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the housing, the heating element, and the heat exchanger are cylindrical.

36. receiving a user input by a vaporizer device according to any one of claims 1 to 26; heating a volatile material using a vaporizer device; forming an inhalable aerosol; A method for providing

37. an elongate body including an interior chamber defined by a sidewall and a first end; the elongated body has an opening at a second end opposite the first end, and the sidewall has a plurality of perforations; A volatile material insert for use with a vaporizer device having a heating element, the interior chamber being defined by a sidewall and a first end and in fluid communication with a plurality of perforations.

38. 40. The volatile material insert of claim 37, wherein at least a portion of the sidewall comprises a volatile material.

39. 38. The volatile material insert of claim 37, wherein the vaporizer device includes a container for receiving the volatile material insert and a sealed ventilation passage extending along a sidewall of the volatile material insert when the volatile material insert is inserted into the container.

40. 40. The volatile material insert of claim 39, wherein the vaporizer device is configured to flow heated air through a sealed air passage, causing the heated air to pass through a plurality of perforations and heat the volatile material to form an inhalable aerosol within the internal chamber.

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