Vaporizer system including adaptive temperature profiling

Abstract

This relates to adaptive temperature profiling for vaporizer systems. [Solution] An apparatus is disclosed comprising a heating element configured to vaporize a vaporizable material; a sensor configured to detect the duration of a first puff and the interval between the first puff and a second puff following it; and a control device configured to adjust the temperature of the heating element based on at least the duration of the first puff and the interval between the first puff and the second puff. Additionally, a method is disclosed which includes adjusting the temperature of the heating element in response to deviations of the duration of the first puff and / or the interval between the first puff and the second puff from a predetermined value, so that a consistent total particulate matter (TPM) is delivered by each successive puff.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications This application claims priority to Greek Patent Application No. 20200100441, filed on 24 July 2020, entitled “ADAPTIVE TEMPERATURE PROFILING,” and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 057,696, filed on 28 July 2020, entitled “Vaporizer Device Including Adaptive Temperature Profiling,” the entirety of which disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Technical field The subject matter described herein generally relates to vaporizer systems, and more specifically to adaptive temperature profiling for vaporizer systems.

[0003] background A vaporizer, also called an electronic vaporizer or e-vaporizer, is a vaporizer that can be used to deliver an aerosol containing one or more active ingredients (e.g., a vapor phase and / or condensed phase material suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or any other gas carrier) by inhalation of the aerosol by the user of the vaporizer. For example, an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) includes a type of vaporizer that is battery-powered and can be used to simulate the experience of smoking, but without the combustion of tobacco or other substances. Vaporizers are gaining popularity for both prescription medicine use in drug delivery and for the consumption of tobacco, nicotine, and other plant-based substances. Vaporizers can be portable, self-contained, and / or convenient to use.

[0004] In the use of a vaporizer, the user inhales an aerosol, colloquially referred to as "vapor." The aerosol may be generated by a heating element, which vaporizes the vaporizable material (e.g., a liquid or solid, at least partially, into the gas phase). The vaporizable material may be a liquid, solution, solid, paste, wax, and / or any other form suitable for use with a particular vaporizer. The vaporizable material used with the vaporizer may be provided in a cartridge (e.g., a separable part in the vaporizer that contains the vaporizable material). This cartridge includes an outlet (e.g., a mouthpiece) for the user to inhale the aerosol.

[0005] To receive the inhalable aerosol produced by the vaporizer, the user may activate the vaporizer by puffing, in certain examples, by pressing a button, and / or by any other approach. As used herein, puffing may mean inhalation by the user such that the volume of air is drawn into the vaporizer so that the vaporized vaporizable material and the volume of air are mixed to produce an inhalable aerosol.

[0006] An approach in which a vaporizer device generates an inhalable aerosol from a vaporizable material includes the step of heating the vaporizable material in a vaporization chamber (e.g., a heater chamber) to convert the vaporizable material into a gas phase (or vapor phase). A vaporization chamber can mean a region or volume within the vaporizer device where a heat source (e.g., a conductive, convective, and / or radiant heat source) causes the vaporizable material to heat, producing a mixture of air and the vaporizable material, forming vapor for the user of the vaporizer device to inhale.

[0007] In some embodiments, the vaporizable material may be drawn from the reservoir into the vaporization chamber via a wicking element (e.g., a wick). The drawing of the vaporizable material into the vaporization chamber may be at least partially due to the capillary action provided by the wick, because the wick draws the vaporizable material along it toward the vaporization chamber.

[0008] The vaporizer system can be controlled by one or more control devices, electronic circuits (e.g., sensors, heating elements), and / or similar devices installed in the vaporizer. The vaporizer system can also communicate wirelessly with an external control device (e.g., a computing device such as a smartphone).

[0009] overview In certain embodiments of this subject matter, challenges related to the delivery of a consistent inhalable dose of vaporizable material can be addressed by incorporating one or more of the features described herein or equivalent approaches that would be understood by those skilled in the art. Embodiments of this subject matter relate to methods and systems for adaptive temperature profiling in vaporizer devices. Adaptive temperature profiling would ensure that a consistent amount of volatile matter from a vaporizable material, such as measured in the form of total particulate matter (TPM), is delivered by each successive puff.

[0010] In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising a heating element, a sensor, and a control device. The heating element can be configured to heat a vaporizable material. The sensor can be configured to detect the duration of a first puff and the interval between the first puff and a second puff following it. The control device can be configured to adjust the temperature of the heating element based at least on the duration of the first puff and the interval between the first puff and the second puff.

[0011] In some variants, one or more of the following features can be optionally included in any viable combination: The heating element is adjustable to a first temperature during the first puff and to a second temperature during the second puff.

[0012] In some modified forms, the heating element can be maintained at a second temperature during the second puff and at least during the third puff following the second puff.

[0013] In some variants, the heating element is further adjustable to a third temperature following a third puff.

[0014] In some variants, the control device can adjust the temperature of the heating element to achieve a flat total particulate matter (TPM) profile.

[0015] In some variations, a flat TPM profile can correspond to the delivery of a first TPM by a first puff and a second TPM by a second puff. The first and second TPMs may be within a predetermined TPM range.

[0016] In some variants, a given TPM range may be between 3.5 milligrams and 5 milligrams.

[0017] In some variant forms, the first TPM and the second TPM can correspond to the mass of volatiles contained in the aerosol delivered by the corresponding puff.

[0018] In some modified embodiments, the control device can adjust the temperature of the heating element by adjusting at least the output voltage of the device's power supply and / or the duty cycle when power from the power supply is supplied to the heating element.

[0019] In some modified forms, the heating element can be positioned adjacent to a vaporizable material receiving section configured to receive a vaporizable material insert containing a vaporizable material.

[0020] In some variations, the vaporizable material insert may include one or more perforations, which are configured to allow air moving along the airflow path of the apparatus to pass through the vaporizable material contained within the vaporizable material insert.

[0021] In another embodiment, a method for adaptive temperature profiling is provided. The method may include the steps of: receiving vaporizable material into a vaporizable material compartment of a vaporizer device, the vaporizer device further including an air channel and an adaptive heating system, the air channel extending along the vaporizable material compartment, and the adaptive heating system including a heating element configured to heat the vaporizable material; a sensor configured to detect the duration of a first puff and the interval between the first puff and a second puff following the first puff; and a control device configured to adjust the temperature of the heating element based on at least the duration of the first puff and the interval between the first puff and the second puff; heating the vaporizable material with the heating element to generate an aerosol for delivery to a user; and adjusting the temperature of the heating element in response to the duration of the first puff and / or the interval between the first puff and the second puff deviating from a predetermined value.

[0022] In some variants, one or more of the following features can be optionally included in any viable combination: The heating element is adjustable to a first temperature during the first puff and to a second temperature during the second puff.

[0023] In some modified forms, the heating element can be maintained at a second temperature during the second puff and at least during the third puff following the second puff.

[0024] In some variants, the heating element is further adjustable to a third temperature following a third puff.

[0025] In some variations, the control device can adjust the temperature of the heating element to achieve a flat total particulate matter (TPM) profile.

[0026] In some variations, a flat TPM profile can correspond to delivering a first TPM by a first puff and a second TPM by a second puff. The first TPM and the second TPM can be within a predetermined TPM range.

[0027] In some variations, the predetermined TPM range can be between 3.5 milligrams and 5 milligrams.

[0028] In some variations, the first TPM and the second TPM can correspond to the mass of volatiles contained in the aerosol delivered by the corresponding puff.

[0029] <able to adjust the temperature of the heating element by adjusting at least the output voltage of the device's power supply and / or the duty cycle when power from the power supply is supplied to the heating element.

[0030] In some variations, one or more perforations can be formed in the vaporizable material insert containing the vaporizable material before the vaporizable material insert is placed within the vaporizable material section. The one or more perforations can be configured to allow air moving along the air flow path to pass through the vaporizable material contained within the vaporizable material insert.

[0031] Details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the specification and drawings, and from the claims. The claims that follow this disclosure are intended to define the scope of the protected subject matter.

[0032] ​The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming part of this specification illustrate specific aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description thereof, are useful for illustrating some of the principles relating to the disclosed embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1A] This block diagram shows an example of a vaporizer device that matches the implementation configuration of this subject. [Figure 1B] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a vaporizer device and vaporizer cartridge that match the implementation configuration of this subject. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows another example of a vaporizer device that matches the implementation configuration of this subject. [Figure 3A] This is a perspective view of an example of a vaporizable material insert that matches the implementation configuration of this subject. [Figure 3B] This is a perspective view of another example of a vaporizable material insert that matches the implementation configuration of the subject. [Figure 3C] This is a perspective view of another example of a vaporizable material insert that matches the implementation configuration of the subject. [Figure 4A] This graph shows an example of a temperature profile that matches the implementation configuration of this subject. [Figure 4B] This flowchart shows an example of a process for adaptive temperature profiling that matches the implementation form of this subject. [Figure 4C] This flowchart shows an example of a process for adaptive temperature profiling that matches the implementation form of this subject. [Figure 5A] This graph shows an example of a variable temperature profile graph that matches the implementation configuration of this subject. [Figure 5B] This graph shows the total particulate matter (TPM) as a function of the number of puffs for various examples of vaporizable material inserts that match the implementation form of this subject. [Figure 5C]This is another graph showing total particulate matter (TPM) as a function of the number of puffs for various examples of vaporizable material inserts that match the implementation form of this subject. [Figure 5D] This is another graph showing total particulate matter (TPM) as a function of the number of puffs for various examples of vaporizable material inserts that match the implementation form of this subject.

[0034] Similar reference symbols refer to similar structures, features, or elements, where it is practical to do so.

[0035] Detailed explanation The embodiments covered herein include methods, apparatus, articles, and systems relating to the vaporization of one or more materials for user inhalation. Exemplary embodiments include vaporizer devices and systems comprising vaporizer devices. As used in the following description and claims, the term “vaporizer device” means any of the following: a self-containing device, a device comprising two or more separable parts (e.g., a vaporizer body including a battery and other hardware, and a cartridge containing vaporizable material), and / or similar. As used herein, “vaporizer system” may include one or more components such as vaporizer devices. Examples of vaporizer devices corresponding to the embodiments covered herein include electronic vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and / or similar. Generally, such vaporizer devices are handheld devices that heat vaporizable material (by convection, conduction, radiation, and / or some combination thereof) to provide an inhalable dose of the material. The vaporizable material used with the vaporizer may be supplied in a cartridge (e.g., the part of the vaporizer that contains the vaporizable material in a reservoir or other container), which may be refillable when empty or disposable so that a new cartridge containing the same or different additional vaporizable material can be used. The vaporizer may be a cartridge-using vaporizer, a cartridge-free vaporizer, or a versatile vaporizer that can be used with or without a cartridge. For example, the vaporizer may include a heating chamber configured to directly receive the vaporizable material into the heating chamber (e.g., an oven or other area where the material is heated by a heating element), and / or a reservoir or similar for containing the vaporizable material.

[0036] In some embodiments, the vaporizer device may be configured for use with liquid vaporizable materials (e.g., a carrier solution in which active and / or inactive components are suspended or contained in the solution, or the vaporizable material itself in a liquid form), pastes, waxes, and / or solid vaporizable materials. The solid vaporizable material may include plant material that releases a portion of the plant material as vaporizable material (e.g., a portion of the plant material remains as waste after being vaporized for inhalation by the user). Alternatively, the solid vaporizable material may optionally be in a solid form of the vaporizable material itself, such that all of the solid material can ultimately be vaporized for inhalation. The liquid vaporizable material may similarly be fully vaporizable and may include a portion of liquid material that remains after all of the material suitable for inhalation has vaporized.

[0037] Referring to the block diagram in Figure 1A, the vaporizer device 100 may include a power supply 112 (which may be a rechargeable battery, for example) and a control device 104 (which may be a logic-executing processor, circuit, etc.). The control device 104 is used to control the heat supply to the atomizer 141. The atomizer 141 converts the vaporizable material 102 from a condensed form (such as a solid, liquid, solution, suspension, or part of at least partially untreated plant material, etc.) to a gas phase. The control device 104 may be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) that match the particular embodiment of this subject. After the vaporizable material 102 has been converted to a gas phase, at least a portion of the vaporizable material 102 in this gas phase may aggregate to form particulate matter that is at least partially and locally in equilibrium with the gas phase as part of an aerosol, and this particulate matter may constitute part or all of the inhalable dose provided by the vaporizer device 100 during a single puff or inhalation by the user on the vaporizer device 100. It should be understood that the interaction between the gas phase and the condensed phase in the aerosol produced by the vaporizer device 100 can be complex and dynamic due to factors such as ambient temperature, relative humidity, chemical reactions, flow conditions in the airflow path (both inside the vaporizer and in the respiratory tracts of humans or other animals), and / or mixing of the vaporizable material 102 in the gas phase or aerosol phase with other airflows, which can affect one or more physical parameters of the aerosol. In some vaporizer devices, particularly those configured to deliver volatile vaporizable materials, the inhalable dose may be primarily in the gas phase (e.g., the formation of particles in the condensed phase may be very limited).

[0038] The atomizer 141 within the vaporizer device 100 can be configured to vaporize a vaporizable material 102. The vaporizable material 102 may be a liquid. The vaporizable material 102 includes, for example, a stock, suspension, solution, mixture, and / or similar. The atomizer 141 may include a wicking element (e.g., a wick), which is configured to transport a predetermined amount of vaporizable material 102 to a portion of the atomizer 141 that includes a heating element (not shown in Figure 1A).

[0039] For example, a wicking element may be configured to draw vaporizable material 102 from a reservoir 140 configured to contain the vaporizable material 102, thereby allowing the vaporizable material 102 to be vaporized by heat supplied from a heating element. The wicking element may optionally allow air to enter the reservoir 140 and replace the volume of the removed vaporizable material 102. In some embodiments of the subject, capillary action may draw the vaporizable material 102 into the wick for vaporization by the heating element, and air may return through the wick to the reservoir 140 to at least partially equalize the pressure within the reservoir 140. Other methods that allow air to return into the reservoir 140 to equalize the pressure are also within the scope of the subject.

[0040] As used herein, the terms “wick” or “wicking element” include any material capable of causing fluid motion via capillary pressure.

[0041] The heating element may include one or more of the following: conduction heaters, radiant heaters, and / or convection heaters. One type of heating element is a resistive heating element, which may include a material (such as a metal or alloy, e.g., a nickel-chromium alloy, or a non-metallic resistor) configured to dissipate power in the form of heat as an electric current passes through one or more resistive segments of the heating element. In some embodiments of this subject, the atomizer 141 may include a heating element, which includes a resistive coil or other heating element. This resistive coil or other heating element is wound around a wicking element, located inside a wicking element, integrated into the bulk shape of the wicking element, pressed to make thermal contact with the wicking element, or otherwise arranged to supply heat to the wicking element, thereby vaporizing the vaporizable material 102 drawn from the reservoir 140 by the wicking element into a gas phase and / or condensed phase (e.g., aerosol particles or droplets) for subsequent inhalation by the user. Other wicking elements, heating elements, and / or atomizer assembly structures are also possible.

[0042] Additionally or alternatively, certain vaporizer devices may be configured to produce inhalable doses of vaporizable material 102 in gaseous and / or aerosol phases via heating of the vaporizable material 102. The vaporizable material 102 may be a solid-phase material (such as wax or similar) or a plant material (e.g., tobacco leaves and / or parts of tobacco leaves). In such a vaporizer device, the resistance heating element may be part of the wall of the oven or other heating chamber in which the vaporizable material 102 is placed, or otherwise incorporated into or thermally in contact with such wall. Alternatively, the resistance heating element can be used to heat the air passing through or flowing over the vaporizable material 102 to cause convective heating of the vaporizable material 102. In yet another example, the resistance heating element may be positioned in close contact with the plant material so that direct conduction heating of the plant material occurs from within the mass of the plant material, rather than solely by conduction from the oven wall inward.

[0043] To allow air to flow along an air channel from the air inlet through the atomizer 141 (e.g., wicking element and heating element), the heating element may be activated in conjunction with the user's puff (e.g., inhalation, suction, etc.) on the mouthpiece 130 of the vaporizer device 100. Optionally, air may flow from the air inlet through one or more condensation regions or condensation chambers to the air outlet in the mouthpiece 130. The incoming air moving along the air channel travels across or through the atomizer 141. In the atomizer 141, vaporizable material 102 in the gas phase is mixed into this air. The heating element may be activated via a control device 104. The control device 104 may optionally be part of the vaporizer body 110 discussed herein and supply current from a power supply 112 to a circuit including a resistive heating element. The circuit including the resistive heating element may optionally be part of the vaporizer cartridge 120 discussed herein. As described herein, the vaporizable material 102 in the mixed gas phase may condense as it passes through the rest of the air passage, thereby allowing an inhalable dose of the vaporizable material 102 in aerosol form to flow out through an air outlet (e.g., mouthpiece 130) for the user to inhale.

[0044] The heating element may be activated by automatic detection of a puff based on one or more signals generated by one or more of the sensors 113. The sensors 113 and the signals generated by the sensors 113 may include one or more of the following: pressure sensors positioned to detect pressure along the airflow path relative to ambient pressure (or optionally to measure changes in absolute pressure); motion sensors of the vaporizer unit 100 (e.g., accelerometers); flow sensors of the vaporizer unit 100; capacitive lip sensors of the vaporizer unit 100; detection of interaction between the user and the vaporizer unit 100 via one or more input devices 116 (e.g., buttons or other tactile control devices of the vaporizer unit 100); reception of signals from a computing device communicating with the vaporizer unit 100; and / or other approaches to identify that a puff is occurring or imminent.

[0045] As discussed herein, a vaporizer 100 corresponding to the embodiments covered herein can be configured to be connected (e.g., via a wireless or wired connection) to a computing device (or optionally two or more devices) that communicates with the vaporizer 100. For this purpose, the control unit 104 may include communication hardware 105. The control unit 104 may also include memory 108. The communication hardware 105 may include firmware and / or be controlled by software for performing one or more cryptographic protocols for communication.

[0046] The computing device may be a component of the vaporizer system, which also includes the vaporizer device 100, and may include its own hardware for communication that can establish a wireless communication channel with the communication hardware 105 of the vaporizer device 100. For example, the computing device used as part of the vaporizer system may include a general-purpose computing device (such as a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, other portable device such as a smartwatch, or similar). The general-purpose computing device runs software that generates a user interface to enable a user to interact with the vaporizer device 100. In other embodiments of the subject, such a device used as part of the vaporizer system may be a dedicated part of the hardware, such as a remote control, or other wireless or wired device having one or more physical or soft interface controls (e.g., configurable on a screen or other display device and selectable via user interaction with a touch-sensitive screen or other input device such as a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursor buttons, or similar). The vaporizer device 100 may also include one or more output units 117 or devices for providing information to the user. For example, the output unit 117 may include one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to provide feedback to the user based on the state and / or operating mode of the vaporizer unit 100.

[0047] In one example, the computing device provides signals regarding the operation of the resistive heating element, or in another example, the computing device is coupled to the vaporizer 100 to perform various controls or other functions. In this case, the computing device executes one or more computer instruction sets to provide a user interface and underlying data processing. In one example, the computing device may notify the vaporizer 100 to operate the heating element to reach an operating temperature for producing an inhalable dose of vapor / aerosol by detecting user interaction with one or more user interface elements. Other functions of the vaporizer 100 may be controlled by interaction between the user and the user interface on the computing device communicating with the vaporizer 100.

[0048] The temperature of the resistive heating element of the vaporizer 100 may depend on several factors. These factors include the amount of power supplied to the resistive heating element and / or the duty cycle when power is supplied, heat conduction to other parts of the vaporizer 100 and / or the environment, latent heat loss due to the vaporization of the vaporizable material 102 from the wicking element and / or the entire atomizer 141, and convective heat loss due to airflow (e.g., air moving across the heating element or the entire atomizer 141 when a user inhales on the vaporizer 100). As described herein, in order to ensure the heating element operates or to heat the heating element to a desired temperature, the vaporizer 100 may, in some embodiments of this application, utilize a signal from a sensor 113 (e.g., a pressure sensor) to determine when a user is inhaling. The sensor 113 may be located within the airflow path and / or connected (e.g., by a conduit or other passage) to an airflow path having an inlet for air to enter the vaporizer device 100 and an outlet through which the user inhales the resulting vapor and / or aerosol. This allows the sensor 113 to sense 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 this subject, the heating element may be activated in relation to the user's puff, for example by automatic detection of the puff, or by the sensor 113 detecting changes (such as pressure changes) in the airflow path.

[0049] The sensor 113 may be located on the control device 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board) and may be coupled (e.g., physically or electrically or electronically via a wireless connection). To ensure accurate measurements and maintain the durability of the vaporizer unit 100, it may be beneficial to provide a seal 127 with sufficient elasticity to isolate the air passage from the rest of the vaporizer unit 100. This seal 127, which may be a gasket, can be configured to at least partially surround the sensor 113, thereby isolating the connection between the internal circuitry of the vaporizer unit 100 and the sensor 113 from the portion of the sensor 113 exposed to the air passage. In an example of a cartridge-based vaporizer, the seal 127 may also isolate part of one or more electrical connections between the vaporizer body 110 and the vaporizer cartridge 120. Such arrangement of seals 127 within the vaporizer unit 100 may help mitigate potential destructive effects on the vaporizer components resulting from interactions with environmental factors such as water in the vapor or liquid phase, or other fluids such as vaporizable material 102, and / or reduce air leakage from designated air passages within the vaporizer unit 100. Unwanted air, liquid, or other fluids passing through and / or coming into contact with the circuits of the vaporizer unit 100 may cause a variety of unwanted effects, such as alteration of pressure readings, and / or result in the accumulation of unwanted materials such as moisture or excess vaporizable material 102 in parts of the vaporizer unit 100. This accumulation of unwanted materials may result in weakening of the pressure signal, degradation of sensors 113 or other components, and / or a shortened lifespan of the vaporizer unit 100. Leakage at seal 127 could result in the user inhaling air that has passed through a portion of the vaporizer 100 containing, or composed of, materials that may not be desirable to inhale.

[0050] In some embodiments, the vaporizer body 110 includes a control device 104, a power supply 112 (e.g., a battery), one or more sensors 113, charging contacts (such as contacts for charging the power supply 112), a seal 127, and a cartridge receiver 118. The cartridge receiver 118 is configured to receive a vaporizer cartridge 120 for coupling to the vaporizer body 110 via one or more of various mounting structures. In some examples, the vaporizer cartridge 120 includes a reservoir 140 for containing vaporizable material 102. The mouthpiece 130 has an aerosol outlet for delivering an inhalable dose to the user. The vaporizer cartridge 120 may also include an atomizer 141 having a wicking element and a heating element. Alternatively, one or both of the wicking element and the heating element may be part of the vaporizer body 110. In embodiments where any part of the atomizer 141 (e.g., a heating element and / or wicking element) is part of the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer device 100 may be configured to supply vaporizable material 102 from a reservoir 140 in the vaporizer cartridge 120 to the portion of the atomizer 141 contained within the vaporizer body 110.

[0051] Cartridge-based configurations for vaporizer devices 100 that generate an inhalable dose of a non-liquid vaporizable material 102 by heating a non-liquid material are also within the scope of this application. For example, a vaporizer cartridge 120 may contain a mass of plant material processed and formed to be in direct contact with a portion of one or more resistive heating elements. The vaporizer cartridge 120 may be configured to be mechanically and / or electrically coupled to a vaporizer body 110 which includes a control device 104, a power supply 112, and one or more receiving contacts 125a and 125b. One or more receiving contacts 125a and 125b are configured to be connected to one or more corresponding cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and to complete a circuit together with one or more resistive heating elements.

[0052] In an embodiment of the vaporizer device 100 in which the power supply 112 is part of the vaporizer body 110 and the heating element is located inside the vaporizer cartridge 120 and is configured to be coupled to the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer device 100 may include electrical connection features (e.g., means for completing the circuit) for completing a circuit including a control device 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, or similar), the power supply 112, and the heating element (e.g., the heating element inside the atomizer 141). These features may include one or more contacts (referred to herein as cartridge contacts 124a and 124b) provided on the bottom surface of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and at least two contacts (referred to herein as receiving contacts 125a and 125b) located near the bottom of the cartridge receiving section 118 of the vaporizer device 100. As a result, the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receiving contacts 125a and 125b form an electrical connection when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into and coupled to the cartridge receiving section 118. The circuit completed by these electrical connections can enable the supply of current to the heating element and can also be used for additional functions such as measuring the resistance of the heating element for use in determining and / or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on the temperature coefficient of the resistivity of the heating element.

[0053] In some embodiments of this subject, the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receiving contacts 125a and 125b can be configured to be electrically connected in at least one of two directions. In other words, one or more circuits required for the operation of the vaporizer device 100 can be completed by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receiving portion 118 (about the axis in which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receiving portion 118 of the vaporizer body 110) in a first rotational direction such that the cartridge contact 124a is electrically connected to the receiving contact 125a and the cartridge contact 124b is electrically connected to the receiving contact 125b. Furthermore, one or more circuits required for the operation of the vaporizer device 100 can be completed by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receiving portion 118 in a second rotational direction such that the cartridge contact 124a is electrically connected to the receiving portion contact 125b, and the cartridge contact 124b is electrically connected to the receiving portion contact 125a.

[0054] In one example of a mounting structure for connecting the vaporizer cartridge 120 to the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer body 110 includes one or more stoppers (e.g., dimples, projections, etc.) protruding inward from the inner surface of the cartridge receiving portion 118, additional material (such as metal, plastic, etc.) formed to include portions protruding into the cartridge receiving portion 118, and / or similar. One or more outer surfaces of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may include corresponding recesses (not shown in Figure 1A) which can engage with and / or otherwise snap into such stoppers or projections when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receiving portion 118 of the vaporizer body 110. When the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 are coupled (for example, by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receiving portion 118 of the vaporizer body 110), the retaining or projection of the vaporizer body 110 may fit into a recess in the vaporizer cartridge 120 and / or otherwise be held inside the recess in the vaporizer cartridge 120, so that the vaporizer cartridge 120 is held in place when assembled. Such an assembly may provide sufficient support to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in place to ensure good contact between the cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receiving portion contacts 125a and 125b, while at the same time allowing the vaporizer cartridge 120 to be removed from the vaporizer body 110 if the user pulls the vaporizer cartridge 120 with moderate force to release it from the cartridge receiving portion 118.

[0055] In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least the vaporizable material insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120, configured to be inserted into the cartridge receiving portion 118, may have a non-circular cross-section that crosses the axis through which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receiving portion 118. For example, the non-circular cross-section may be substantially rectangular, substantially elliptical (e.g., having a substantially oval shape), non-rectangular (e.g., having a parallelogram-like shape) but having two sets of parallel or substantially parallel opposite sides, or other shapes having at least a second-order rotational symmetry. In this context, substantially shape means that the basic similarity to the described shape is clear, but the sides of the shape in question do not need to be perfectly straight, nor do the vertices need to be perfectly acute. Any description of a non-circular cross-section referred to herein assumes that both or one of the edges or vertices of the cross-sectional shape are rounded.

[0056] The cartridge contacts 124a and 124b and the receiving contacts 125a and 125b can take various forms. For example, one or both contact sets may include conductive pins, tabs, posts, receiving holes for pins or posts, and / or similar features. Some types of contacts may include springs or other features to facilitate better physical and electrical contact between the contacts on the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the contacts on the vaporizer body 110. The electrical contacts may optionally be gold-plated and / or may include other materials.

[0057] Figure 1B shows an embodiment of the vaporizer body 110 and cartridge receiving section 118, into which a vaporizer cartridge 120 can be detachably inserted. Figure 1B shows a plan view of the vaporizer device 100 showing the vaporizer cartridge 120 positioned to be inserted into the vaporizer body 110. When a user puffs on the vaporizer device 100, air can pass between the outer surface of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the inner surface of the cartridge receiving section 118 on the vaporizer body 110. The air can then be drawn into the vaporizable material insertable end 122 of the cartridge, pass through a vaporization chamber containing or housing a heating element and a wick, and be discharged through the outlet of a mouthpiece 130 for delivering an inhalable aerosol to the user. The reservoir 140 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may be formed of a material that is entirely or partially translucent so that the water level of the vaporizable material 102 inside the vaporizer cartridge 120 is visible. The mouthpiece 130 may be a detachable component of the vaporizer cartridge 120, or it may be formed integrally with other components of the vaporizer cartridge 120 (for example, it may be formed as an integral structure with the reservoir 140 and / or similar).

[0058] In addition to the above description regarding the reversibility of the electrical connection between the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 so as to allow at least two rotational directions for the vaporizer cartridge 120 within the cartridge receiving section 118, in some embodiments of the vaporizer device 100, the shape of the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least the shape of the vaporizable material insertion end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 configured to be inserted into the cartridge receiving section 118, may have at least second-order rotational symmetry. In other words, the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least the vaporizable material insertion end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120, may be 180° rotationally symmetric with respect to the axis in which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receiving section 118. In such a configuration, the circuitry of the vaporizer device 100 can support the same operation regardless of which direction of symmetry occurs in the vaporizer cartridge 120.

[0059] In some embodiments, a vaporizer device may be configured to heat a non-liquid flammable material, such as a material originating from plant leaves or other plant components, in order to extract plant-specific flavor compounds and other products as vapor. These plant materials can be chopped and mixed with various plant products, which may include tobacco, to produce a homogenized composition in which nicotine and / or nicotine compounds can be produced and delivered to the user of such a vaporizer device in the form of an aerosol. This homogenized composition may contain vaporizable liquids, such as propylene glycol and glycerol, but not limited to these, to increase the vapor density and aerosol produced when heated. Such a composition may be referred to as a vaporizable material. To avoid the production of harmful or potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs), this type of vaporizer device benefits from a heater with temperature control means. Such a vaporizer device that heats plant leaves or a homogenized composition as described above so that the temperature is maintained below the combustion level is generally referred to as a heat-not-burn (HNB) device.

[0060] One type of HNB vaporizer is relatively high-performance in that it utilizes relatively strict temperature control to prevent overheating and the associated HPHC formation. Such high performance, which typically requires electronic circuits including a microprocessor, can be challenging in HNB vaporizers due to the inherent non-uniformity of the vaporizable material being heated and, consequently, its spatially inconsistent thermal properties. Some existing solutions fail to control local temperatures within the HNB vaporizer, resulting in a higher probability of HPHC and overheated regions forming in the vaporizable material.

[0061] In some embodiments, to heat a non-liquid flammable material, the vaporizer device may include a compartment for receiving a vaporizable material insert. This compartment contains a non-liquid flammable material that can be heated by the vaporizer device to allow the user to inhale the vapor formed as a result of heating the vaporizable material insert. The vaporizable material insert may include a jacket that forms an internal chamber configured to contain one or more non-liquid vaporizable materials. Examples of non-liquid vaporizable materials may include tobacco, cannabis, and / or similar materials. In some embodiments, the jacket may contain the non-liquid vaporizable material completely or substantially.

[0062] In vaporizer devices configured for use with vaporizable material inserts or pouches, applying the same heating temperature to the vaporizable material insert during each puff can result in an aerosol with inconsistent amounts of volatiles being produced from the vaporizable material. The amount of volatiles in the aerosol delivered to the user can be measured in terms of total particulate matter (TPM), which corresponds to the total mass of volatiles, including active and inactive components, in the vaporizable material. Applying the same heating temperature to the vaporizable material insert can cause a decrease in total particulate matter (TPM) across consecutive puffs. This phenomenon may be due to the uneven consumption of the amount of volatiles present in the vaporizable material. When the vaporizable material is heated to produce an aerosol, volatiles in the non-liquid vaporizable material are consumed, which may result in a lower proportion of available volatiles near the heater.

[0063] Currently available vaporizer devices configured for use with vaporizable material inserts of non-liquid flammable materials can raise the operating temperature at predetermined intervals based on a predetermined expected puff duration. That is, in conventional vaporizer devices, a fixed adjustment to the operating temperature may be applied regardless of the duration of each puff or the amount of time between consecutive puffs. Therefore, if the user puffs for varying durations and / or at varying time intervals, the vaporizer device may either overconsume or underconsume the volatile material, resulting in degraded device performance, inconsistent delivery of total particulate matter (TPM), and / or degraded device performance despite tobacco volatile material still being available in the vaporizable material.

[0064] The consistency of the amount of volatiles present in the aerosol generated by the vaporizer can be achieved by adjusting the operating temperature or heating temperature of the vaporizer. As a result, a flattened total particulate matter (TPM) profile can be obtained, in which a minimal rise and fall in total particulate matter is observed across consecutive puffs. Instead, according to the flattened TPM profile, the total particulate matter associated with each consecutive puff is substantially the same. This indicates that the amount of volatiles delivered to the user is consistent. The flattened TPM profile can be dynamically achieved, for example, based on the puff interval (e.g., a first time quantity between consecutive puffs) and the puff duration (e.g., a second time quantity corresponding to the length of each individual puff). Shorter puff durations may result in less temperature rise and potentially longer puff sessions. Therefore, if the duration of a puff is shorter than expected (e.g., less than the threshold), or if the interval between the current puff and the previous puff is longer than expected (e.g., greater than the threshold), the vaporizer device may be configured to reduce the degree of subsequent temperature rise.

[0065] Figure 2 shows an example of a vaporizer device 200 configured for use with a vaporizable material insert 220 containing a non-liquid flammable material such as tobacco, cannabis, and / or similar. Referring to the block diagram in Figure 2, the vaporizer device 200 may include a power supply 212 (which may be a rechargeable battery, for example) and a control device 204 (which may be a logic-executing processor, circuit, etc.). The control device 204 is used to control the heat supply to a heating element for converting the vaporizable material from a condensed form (such as a solid, liquid, solution, suspension, or part of at least partially untreated plant material, etc.) to a gas phase. The control device 204 may be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs). After the vaporizable material has been converted to a gas phase, at least a portion of the vaporizable material in this gas phase may aggregate to form particulate matter that is at least partially and locally in equilibrium with the gas phase as part of an aerosol. This particulate matter may constitute part or all of the inhalable dose provided by the vaporizer 200 during a single puff or inhalation by the user on the vaporizer 200.

[0066] The heating element may include one or more of the following: conduction heaters, radiant heaters, and / or convection heaters. One type of heating element is a resistive heating element, which is formed from a material (such as a metal or alloy (e.g., nickel-chromium alloy), or a nonmetal) configured to dissipate power in the form of heat as an electric current passes through one or more resistive segments of the heating element. In some embodiments of the subject, the atomizer 241 may include a heating element 245. This heating element 245 may include a resistive coil and / or other types of heating elements 245 configured to supply heat to the vaporizable material inside the vaporizable material insert 220. The heating element 245 may be wrapped around the vaporizable material insert 220, located inside the vaporizable material insert 220, integrated into the bulk shape of the vaporizable material insert 220, pressed against the vaporizable material insert 220 to make thermal contact with it, or otherwise positioned relative to the vaporizable material insert 220. The heating element 245 supplies sufficient heat to vaporize the vaporizable material for subsequent inhalation by the user in the form of a gas phase and / or condensed phase (e.g., aerosol particles or droplets). Other heating element and / or atomizer assembly structures are also possible.

[0067] The atomizer 241 in the vaporizer device 200 may be configured to produce inhalable doses of vaporizable material in gaseous and / or aerosol phases via heating of the vaporizable material. The vaporizable material may be a solid-phase material (such as wax or similar) or a plant material (e.g., tobacco leaves and / or parts of tobacco leaves). In such a vaporizer device, the resistance heating element may be part of the wall of the oven or the wall of another heating chamber into which the vaporizable material is introduced. Alternatively, it may be incorporated into such a wall or be in thermal contact with such a wall. Alternatively, the resistance heating element may be used to heat the air passing through or flowing through the vaporizable material to cause convective heating of the vaporizable material. In yet another example, the resistance heating element may be positioned in close contact with the plant material so that direct conduction heating of the plant material occurs from within the mass of the plant material, rather than solely by conduction from the oven wall inward.

[0068] The heating element 245 may be activated by automatic detection of a puff based on one or more signals generated by one or more of the sensors 213. The sensors 213 may include, for example, one or more of the following: a pressure sensor configured to detect various pressures (e.g., pressure along an airflow path, ambient pressure, absolute pressure, and / or similar); a motion sensor (e.g., an accelerometer) configured to detect the motion of the vaporizer device 200; a flow sensor configured to detect the airflow along an airflow path and activate the heating element in response; and a capacitive sensor configured to detect when a puff is imminent or occurring. The capacitive sensor may use one or more approaches to identify when a puff is occurring or imminent, such as detecting contact between the mouthpiece of the vaporizer 200 and the user's lips, detecting interaction between the user and the vaporizer 200 via one or more input devices 216 (e.g., buttons or other tactile control devices on the vaporizer 200), receiving signals from a computing device communicating with the vaporizer 200, or other suitable approaches.

[0069] The sensor 213 may be located on or coupled to the control device 204 (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board) (e.g., electrically or electronically connected, either physically or via a wireless connection). To ensure accurate measurements and maintain the durability of the vaporizer unit 200, it may be beneficial to provide a seal with sufficient elasticity to isolate the air passage from the rest of the vaporizer unit 200. This seal, which may be a gasket, can be configured to at least partially surround the sensor 213, thereby isolating the connection between the internal circuitry of the vaporizer unit 200 and the sensor 213 from the portion of the sensor 213 exposed to the air passage. In an example of a vaporizable material insert-based vaporizer, the seal may also isolate a portion of one or more electrical connections between the vaporizer body 210 and the vaporizable material insert 220. Such arrangement of seals within the vaporizer unit 200 can help mitigate potential destructive effects on vaporizer components resulting from interaction with environmental factors and / or reduce air leakage from designated air passages within the vaporizer unit 200. Unwanted air, liquid, or other fluids passing through and / or coming into contact with the circuits of the vaporizer unit 200 may cause various unwanted effects, such as alteration of pressure readings and / or result in the accumulation of unwanted materials, such as moisture or excess vaporizable material, in parts of the vaporizer unit 200, which may result in weakening of the pressure signal, degradation of the sensor 213 or other components, and / or a shortened lifespan of the vaporizer unit 200. Leakage at the seals may also result in the user inhaling air that has passed through parts of the vaporizer unit 200 that contain or are composed of materials that may be undesirable to inhale.

[0070] As discussed herein, in some embodiments of the subject matter, the vaporizer unit 200 can be configured to be connected (e.g., via a wireless or wired connection, etc.) to a computing device (or optionally two or more devices) that communicates with the vaporizer unit 200. For this purpose, the control unit 204 may include communication hardware 205. The control unit 204 may also include memory 208. The communication hardware 205 may include firmware and / or be controllable by software for performing one or more cryptographic protocols for communication with the computing device.

[0071] In some embodiments, the vaporizer body 210 includes a control device 204, a power supply 212 (e.g., a battery), one or more sensors 213, charging contacts (such as contacts for charging the power supply 212), and a vaporizable material insert receiving section 218, which is configured to receive a vaporizable material insert 220 for coupling to the vaporizer body 210 via one or more of various mounting structures. In some examples, the vaporizer cartridge includes a mouthpiece having an aerosol outlet for delivering an inhalable dose to the user. The vaporizer body 210 may include an atomizer 241 having a heating element, or alternatively, the heating element may be part of the vaporizer cartridge or the vaporizable material insert 220.

[0072] The insert base configuration for a vaporizer device 200 that generates an inhalable dose of a solid vaporizable material by heating the solid material is within the scope of this application. For example, the vaporizable material insert 220 may contain a mass of plant material that has been processed and formed to be in direct contact with a portion of one or more resistive heating elements.

[0073] In an embodiment of the vaporizer device 200 in which the power supply 212 is part of the vaporizer body 210 and the heating element is located in a vaporizer cartridge or vaporizable material insert 220 and is configured to be coupled to the vaporizer body 210, the vaporizer device 200 may include a control device 204 (e.g., a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, or similar), an electrical connection feature (e.g., means for completing the circuit) for completing a single circuit including the power supply 212 and the heating element (e.g., a heating element inside the atomizer 241). The circuit completed by these electrical connections can enable the supply of current to the heating element and can also be used for additional functions such as resistance measurement of the heating element for use in determining and / or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on the temperature coefficient of the resistivity of the heating element.

[0074] In some embodiments, the vaporizer device 200 may be configured to receive a vaporizable material insert 220 containing a solid vaporizable material that, when heated, forms an inhalable aerosol. For example, the vaporizable material insert 220 may include any one or more of the features and / or functions described herein with respect to the vaporizer cartridge. The vaporizer device 200 may include a heating system configured to heat the vaporizable material insert 220 and generate an inhalable aerosol. For example, the heating system may include a heating element, at least one compression plate, and an air passage. As will be described in more detail below, the heating system may be configured to receive the vaporizable material insert 220, compress the vaporizable material insert 220 onto at least one heating element, and distribute the inhalable aerosol into one or more air passages for user inhalation.

[0075] Various embodiments of such a heating system for a vaporizer device 200, which offer numerous advantages including uniform heat distribution across the vaporizable material of the vaporizable material insert 220, are described herein. This makes it possible to improve the generation of inhalable aerosols, reduce the energy consumption required to generate inhalable aerosols (e.g., by lowering the average temperature), and enable more efficient and effective consumption of the vaporizable material.

[0076] As described above, in some embodiments, the vaporizer device 200 is configured to heat a non-liquid flammable material such as tobacco. For example, the vaporizer body 210 may include a vaporizable material insert receiving section 218 that receives at least one vaporizable material insert 220. The at least one vaporizable material insert 220 is heated by the vaporizer body 210, thereby generating inhalable vapor formed as a result of heating the vaporizable material insert 220.

[0077] In some embodiments, the heating system of the vaporizer device 200 includes a vaporization chamber or vaporizable material insert receiving section 218, which includes a heating element configured to heat the vaporizable material insert 220. The heating system may further include at least one compression plate configured to compress the vaporizable material insert 220 onto the heating element. An air passage may extend through a vaporization section included around the vaporizable material insert 220.

[0078] In some embodiments, the vaporizable material insert 220 may include a vapor-impermeable (such as cigarette paper) barrier configured to protect the heater from vapor deposits, thus eliminating the need for cleaning the heater after use. Various embodiments of the heating system and the vaporizable material insert 220 are described in more detail below.

[0079] Figures 3A to 3C show various examples of vaporizable material inserts 220, which may include at least one perforation or vent 330 along the jacket of the vaporizable material insert 220. For example, Figures 3B and 3C show different airflow configurations, each including at least one vent 330 of different densities along the top surface of the jacket of the vaporizable material insert 220. The number of at least one vent 330 may be varied, and / or the vaporizable material insert 220 may not include perforations on the top surface of the jacket, or on the bottom surface and / or one or more sides, as shown in Figure 3A.

[0080] In some embodiments, the heating system of the vaporizer device 200 may include a cylindrical heating element. The cylindrical heating element may be configured to efficiently and effectively heat a vaporizable material insert 220 having a cylindrical shape. In other embodiments, the heating element may have a slight angle with respect to the heater surface and / or the cylindrical body. This angle may increase the contact between the heating element surface and the vaporizable material insert 220 when the vaporizable material insert 220 is inserted onto the heating element, thereby improving the performance of the vaporizer device 200. Other shapes and configurations of heating elements are also within the scope of this disclosure.

[0081] Figure 4A shows a graph illustrating an example of a temperature profile that matches the implementation configuration of this subject. As shown in Figure 4A, the temperature profile consists of a starting temperature represented by T1 (e.g., the first target temperature of the first puff P1), a constant temperature stage temperature represented by T2 (e.g., the second target temperature), a final temperature represented by T3 (e.g., the third target temperature), and P N A fixed shape can be represented by four variables including the Nth puff, which is represented by P. N It should be understood that this can be any number of puffs following the second puff P2. Furthermore, the second puff and the Nth puff P N This can extend over a period of constant temperature stages, with the second puff P2 marking the start of the constant temperature stage, and the Nth puff PN This marks the end of the constant temperature stage. During this constant temperature stage, the temperature of the vaporizer device 200 (e.g., heating element 245) can be maintained at a second temperature T2.

[0082] To achieve a flat total particulate matter (TPM) profile, and consequently to achieve consistent delivery of volatiles from the vaporizable material to the user, the variables T1, T2, T3, and P N These can be adjusted sequentially and to some extent independently. For example, the vaporizer device 200 may be configured to operate according to the example temperature profile shown in Figure 4A in order to achieve consistent delivery of volatiles from the vaporizable material contained in the vaporizable material insert 220. By adjusting the temperature of the heating element 245 according to the temperature profile shown in Figure 4A, it can be ensured that the total particulate matter delivered by each puff is within a predetermined total particulate matter (TPM) range. For example, the temperature of the heating element 245 may be adjusted according to the temperature profile shown in Figure 4A in order to ensure that the total particulate matter (e.g., the mass of volatiles) delivered by each successive puff remains between 3.5 milligrams and 5 milligrams (or another predetermined TPM range).

[0083] Figure 4B shows a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for determining the values ​​of variables T1, T2, T3, and N to achieve a flat total particulate matter (TPM) profile. As shown in Figure 4B, the value of the first target temperature T1 can be determined by performing one or more tests using the vaporizer unit 200 operating at various values ​​of the first target temperature T1, and adjusting the value of the first target temperature T1 based on the total particulate matter (TPM) measured for each test. For example, if the test indicates that the total particulate matter is below a first threshold (e.g., 3.5 milligrams or another value), the value of the first target temperature T1 can be increased, and if the test indicates that the total particulate matter is above a second threshold (e.g., 5 milligrams or another value), the value of the first target temperature T1 can be decreased. A predetermined total particulate matter (TPM) range can be defined by the first threshold (e.g., 3.5 milligrams or another value) and the second threshold (e.g., 5 milligrams or another value). The vaporizer unit 200 may be configured to operate according to a temperature profile (e.g., including temperatures T1, T2, and T3) that ensures the total particulate matter (e.g., mass of volatiles) delivered by each successive puff remains within a predetermined total particulate matter (TPM) range. Thus, if the total particulate matter is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, the value of the first target temperature T1 can be reduced, and / or if the first target temperature T1 is not achieved during the first puff P1, the power limit can be increased. Additional tests can be performed using the vaporizer unit 200 operating at the adjusted first target temperature T1, and the first target temperature T1 may be further adjusted, as shown in Figure 4A. The final value of the first target temperature T1 may correspond to a value where the total particulate matter is greater than a first threshold but less than a second threshold, and the first target temperature is achieved during the first puff P1.

[0084] Referring again to Figure 4B, we see the second target temperature T2 and the Nth puff P. NThe value of T2 can be determined by performing one or more tests using the vaporizer device 200 operating at various values ​​of the second target temperature T2, and adjusting the value of the second target temperature T2 based on the total particulate matter (TPM) measured for each test. For example, if the test shows that the total particulate matter is less than the first threshold (e.g., 3.5 milligrams or another value), the value of the second target temperature T2 can be increased, and if the test shows that the total particulate matter is greater than the second threshold (e.g., 5 milligrams or another value), the value of the second target temperature T2 can be decreased. If the total particulate matter is greater than the first threshold but less than the second threshold, the value of the second target temperature T2 can be increased as long as the total particulate matter (TPM) of the fifth puff (or another puff) is not greater than the first threshold (e.g., 3.5 milligrams or another value). Additional tests can be performed using the vaporizer unit 200 operating at a tuned second target temperature T2, and the second target temperature T2 may be further tuned, as shown in Figure 4A. The final value of the second target temperature T2 may correspond to a value where the total particulate matter is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold, and the total particulate matter associated with the fifth puff (or another puff) is greater than the first threshold. Furthermore, the Nth puff P N The value N may correspond to a puff in which the total particulate matter falls below a first threshold (e.g., 3.5 milligrams or another value).

[0085] FIG. 4B also shows a process for determining the value of the third target temperature T3, which may include performing one or more tests using the vaporizer device 200 operating at various different values of the third target temperature T3, and adjusting the value of the third target temperature T3 based on the value of the total particulate matter (TPM) measured for each test. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, if the test indicates that the total particulate matter of the (N - 15)th puff is less than a first threshold value (e.g., 3.5 milligrams or another value), the value of the third target temperature T3 can be increased, and if the test indicates that the total particulate matter of the (N - 15)th puff is greater than a second threshold value (e.g., 5 milligrams or another value), the value of the third target temperature T3 can be decreased. The final value of the third target temperature T3 may correspond to a value such that the total particulate matter of the (N - 15)th puff is less than the second threshold value.

[0086] FIG. 4C shows a generalized version of the process for determining the values of the first target temperature T1, the second target temperature T2, and the third target temperature T3. It should be understood that the example of the temperature profile shown in FIG. 4A can be determined experimentally using a puff machine, for example, in a laboratory setting. The resulting temperature profile and / or the corresponding equation can be loaded into a vaporizer device such as the vaporizer device 200. The vaporizer device can be configured to track one or more parameters such as puff duration, puff interval, and total number of puffs to maintain a consistent delivery of total particulate matter (TPM) during each successive puff. It should be understood that in some cases, the total particulate matter (TPM) delivered to the user may not be measured by the vaporizer device itself. Instead, consistency in the delivery of total particulate matter can be achieved by operating the vaporizer device according to a temperature profile associated with a flat total particulate matter profile. For example, the control device 204 of the vaporizer device 200 causes the heating element 245 to be at the first target temperature T1 during the first puff P1, at the second target temperature T2 from the second puff P2 to the Nth puff P N up to, and at the second target temperature T2 for the Nth puff P NThe output voltage of power supply 212 can be adjusted and / or the duty cycle when power from power supply 212 is supplied to heating element 245 can be adjusted so that the third target temperature T3 is reached. As described above, the values ​​of T1, T2, T3, and N related to a consistent total particulate matter (TPM) can be determined experimentally, for example, outside the vaporizer unit 200.

[0087] In some implementations of this subject, the temperature profile applied to the vaporizer 200 is selectable and / or modifiable based on the ambient pressure around the vaporizer 200. The boiling point of the vaporizable material may change due to changes in ambient pressure caused, for example, by changes in altitude and / or similar factors. Therefore, the vaporizer 200 can be configured to measure ambient pressure. Furthermore, the vaporizer 200 can select one of several temperature profiles based on at least the ambient pressure. Each of these temperature profiles is optimized to deliver a consistent amount of volatile matter (e.g., total particulate matter (TPM)) from the vaporizable material at the corresponding ambient pressure. Alternatively and / or additionally, the vaporizer 200 can modify the temperature profile applied to the vaporizer 200 when heating the vaporizable material based on ambient pressure. For example, the vaporizer unit 200 can increase (or decrease) the temperature specified by the temperature profile applied to the vaporizer unit 200 so that the heating element 245 operates at an optimal temperature for delivering a consistent amount of volatile matter (e.g., total particulate matter (TPM)) from the vaporizable material at the current ambient pressure.

[0088] Figures 5A–5D provide graphs illustrating exemplary results of verification tests and tests of various embodiments of the vaporizable material insert 220. Figure 5A is an exemplary graph of the variable temperature profile for the vaporizer device 200. The graph shows the operating temperature over 15 puffs. To obtain the optimal temperature profile, a baseline test (B1) was performed over 5–10 runs of the process shown in Figure 4A. The expected total particulate matter (TPM) delivered over 15 puffs was 60 milligrams, and the corresponding total particulate matter curve was expected to show an early peak and a steady decline. For baseline measurements, 5–10 runs were performed at 280 degrees Celsius with a preheating time of 3 seconds and a power limit of 30 watts. The vaporizable material insert 220 was configured to have 12 vents in its sidewall, each of which had a diameter of 1 millimeter. A bypass flow rate with a resistance temperature detector (RTD) setting of approximately 700 Pascals was used.

[0089] Once a baseline total particulate matter profile was obtained, a variable temperature test (B2) was performed to optimize the ignition temperature per puff and flatten the total particulate matter profile of baseline test B1. The goal was to achieve a total particulate matter (TPM) of more than 3.5 milligrams per puff with a total energy consumption of less than 1300 joules. Operations were performed using a variable temperature per run with a preheating time of 3 seconds and a power limit of 30 watts. Aerosol aeration from the vaporizable material insert 220 was investigated. It was expected that a greater number of vents would result in better aerosol aeration. Five runs were performed for each of two different vent configurations using the optimized heating profile obtained in variable temperature test B2. An injection flow rate with a resistance temperature detector (RTD) setting of approximately 700 Pascals was used.

[0090] Figure 5B shows the results of the baseline test, tests using various vent configurations, and tests using variable temperature. In the second puff P2, the observed total particulate matter (TPM) ranged from 5 milligrams to 9 milligrams. In the second puff P2, the highest total particulate matter was observed for the baseline configuration (e.g., approximately 9 milligrams), followed by the configuration with zero vents (e.g., approximately 8.5 milligrams), the configuration with 82 vents (e.g., approximately 8 milligrams), the configuration with 42 vents (e.g., approximately 8 milligrams), and the variable temperature configuration (e.g., approximately 5 milligrams). As can be seen from Figure 5B, the variable temperature configuration is associated with the most consistent total particulate matter, with the smallest variation between approximately 4 milligrams and approximately 5 milligrams.

[0091] Referring to the graph in Figure 5B, baseline measurements included eight iterations performed at 280 degrees Celsius using a vaporizable material insert 220 with 12 vents, each with a diameter of 1 mm. Measurements for configurations with zero vents, 42 vents, and 84 vents each included seven iterations, respectively, performed using the baseline temperature profile. Variable temperature measurements included five iterations performed with the optimal temperature profile selected from previous tests.

[0092] Figure 5C is a graph of the total particulate matter profile for another configuration of the vaporizable material insert 220. The configuration tested and graphed in Figure 5C is a brick-like mass or block of compressed vaporizable material having a square form factor and an outer jacket. The brick-like mass of compressed vaporizable material is placed on a mesh positioned and held between tensioners. The brick-like mass of compressed vaporizable material is seated on the mesh and surrounded by air. Five configurations C1–C5 were tested. Configuration C1 was tested at operating temperatures of 280°C and 300°C, and at the highest operating temperature. Configurations C2–C5 were tested at an operating temperature of 300°C.

[0093] Figure 5D is a graph of the TPM profile for yet another configuration of the vaporizable material insert 220. The configuration tested and graphed in Figure 5D is a cylindrical jacket configured to house a cylindrical filter, the cylindrical filter located proximal to the user and adjacent to the bed of vaporizable material, and the vaporizable material located distal to the user and adjacent to the filter. The bed and filter portions of the cylindrical jacket have a heating coil wound around the outer diameter of the jacket, the heating coil being secured to the jacket by a copper busbar with copper straps and screws. The filter can be immersed in a liquid vaporizable material suspended in a solution containing propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PG VG). This vaporizable material insert configuration was tested for 1 minute ("same day") after adding PG VG to the filter and for 1 day ("overnight") after adding PG VG to the filter. Furthermore, the tests were conducted using IQOS tobacco and Phil's American Blend tobacco, and both tests were performed for several minutes after PG VG was added to the filter ("IQOS" and "Phil" respectively).

[0094] Further investigations were conducted regarding the preferred mechanical preload of the vaporizable material insert 220. It was anticipated that a larger mechanical preload would result in better thermal contact between the heating element and the vaporizable material insert 220, and consequently, a greater total particulate matter, but that energy consumption would be higher than that for smaller mechanical preloads. Five runs were performed for each of two different preload settings, 10 Newtons and 30 Newtons, which were made possible by the choice of spring. The optimized heating profile obtained in variable temperature test B2 was also used for this investigation. An injection flow rate with a resistance temperature detector (RTD) setting of approximately 700 Pascals was used. As can be seen from these tests and results, the most consistent delivery of total particulate matter at the lowest operating temperature was achieved by using adaptive temperature profiling. By varying the heating level per puff based on the duration of the last puff, the vaporizer system can ensure consistent delivery of total particulate matter with each puff, operate at lower temperatures, and thereby reduce the user's potential exposure to HPHCs.

[0095] Terminology Where a feature or element is referred herein as being "on top of" another feature or element, that feature or element may be directly in contact with the other feature or element, or there may be intervening features and / or elements. In contrast, where a feature or element is referred to as being "directly in contact with" another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements. Also, where a feature or element is referred to as being "connected," "attached," or "joined" to another feature or element, it will be understood that that feature or element may be directly connected to, attached to, or joined to the other feature or element, or there may be intervening features or elements. In contrast, where a feature or element is referred to as being "directly connected," "directly attached," or "directly joined" to another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements.

[0096] Although one embodiment is described or illustrated, the features and elements described or illustrated in this way can be applied to other embodiments. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any reference to a structure or feature positioned "adjacent" to another feature may have overlapping portions with or beneath the adjacent feature.

[0097] The terminology used herein is intended solely to describe, and not to limit, specific embodiments and implementations. For example, the singular indefinite and definite articles used herein are intended to include their plural forms unless otherwise explicitly indicated by the context.

[0098] In the above description and claims, phrases such as “at least one of ~” or “one or more of ~” may appear following a list of multiple elements or features connected by a conjunction. The term “and / or” may also appear within a list of two or more elements or features. Unless implicitly or explicitly negated by the context in which the phrase is used, such phrases are intended to mean 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” are intended to mean “A only, B only, or A and B together,” respectively. The same interpretation is intended for lists containing three or more items. For example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, and / or C” are intended to mean “A only, B only, C only, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together.” The use of the term “based on” in the foregoing and in the claims is intended to mean “at least partially based on” so that features or elements not listed are also acceptable.

[0099] Spatially relative terms such as “forward,” “backward,” “down,” “below,” “underside,” “up,” “top,” and similar terms may be used herein to facilitate descriptions of the relationship between one element or feature shown in the drawings and another. It will be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to encompass various orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation shown in the drawings. For example, if the device in the drawing were inverted, an element described as “below” or “below” another element or feature would be oriented “above” that other element or feature. Thus, the exemplary term “down” can encompass both up and down directions. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatially relative descriptions used herein may be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, “upstream,” “downstream,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and similar terms are used herein for descriptive purposes only, unless otherwise specifically indicated.

[0100] In this specification, the terms “first” and “second” may be used to describe various features / elements (including steps), but these features / elements should not be limited by these terms unless otherwise indicated by the context. These terms may also be used to distinguish one feature / element from another. Thus, without deviating from the teachings provided herein, the first feature / element discussed below may be referred to as the second feature / element, and similarly, the second feature / element discussed below may be referred to as the first feature / element.

[0101] All numbers used in the specification and claims, including those used in the examples, should be interpreted as being preceded by the terms “about” or “approximately,” even if such terms are not explicitly stated, unless otherwise expressly designated. When describing a degree and / or location, the terms “about” or “approximately” may be used to indicate that the stated value and / or location is within a reasonable expected range of such values ​​and / or locations. For example, a number may have values ​​such as ±0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), ±1% of the stated value (or range of values), ±2% of the stated value (or range of values), ±5% of the stated value (or range of values), ±10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any number given herein should also be understood to include values ​​near or approximate to that value, unless otherwise indicated by the context. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, “about 10” is also disclosed. Any numerical ranges mentioned herein are intended to include all subranges contained therein. Furthermore, where a value is disclosed, it will be understood, in a manner appropriate to those skilled in the art, that "less than or equal to" the value, "greater than or equal to" the value, and the possible ranges between those values ​​are also disclosed. For example, if the value "X" is disclosed, then "less than or equal to X" and "greater than or equal to X" (for example, X is a single numerical value) are also disclosed. Also, throughout this application, data is provided in many different forms, and it will be understood that this data represents endpoints and starting points, and extends to ranges for any combination of these data points. For example, if a particular data point "10" and another data point "15" are disclosed, it will be understood that greater than 10 and 15, 10 and 15 or greater, less than 10 and 15, 10 and 15 or less, and equal to 10 and 15 are also considered disclosed, as are the ranges between 10 and 15. It will also be understood that the respective units between two specific units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

[0102] While various exemplary embodiments have been described above, any number of modifications can be made to these embodiments without departing from the teachings herein. For example, the order in which the various method steps described are performed may be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments, one or more method steps may be omitted entirely. Optional features of various embodiments of the apparatus and system may be included in some embodiments and not in others. Therefore, the foregoing description is provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0103] One or more embodiments or features of the subject matter described herein can be realized in the form of digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments or features may include implementations in the form of one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be dedicated or general-purpose, coupled to send and receive data and instructions to and from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computing system may include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally located remotely from each other and typically interact via a communication network. The client-server relationship arises based on computer programs running on individual computers that have a client-server relationship with each other.

[0104] These computer programs, which may also be called programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code, contain machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented in procedural high-level languages, object-oriented programming languages, functional programming languages, logic programming languages, and / or assembly language / machine language. As used herein, the term “machine-readable medium” refers to any computer program product, equipment, and / or device used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as machine-readable signals, such as magnetic disks, optical disks, memory, and programmable logic devices (PLDs). The term “machine-readable signals” refers to any signals used to supply machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium can store such machine instructions non-temporarily, such as non-temporarily stored solid-state memory or magnetic hard disk drives or any equivalent storage medium. Alternatively or additionally, a machine-readable medium can store such machine instructions temporarily, such as a processor cache or other random-access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0105] The examples and drawings included herein illustrate, not limit, specific embodiments that can carry out the subject matter. As noted, other embodiments may be utilized, and other embodiments may be derived from specific embodiments, so as to allow for structural and logical substitutions and modifications without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Such embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention may be referred to herein individually or collectively as “inventions” if two or more are actually disclosed, but this is for convenience only and is not intended to spontaneously limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any configuration intended to achieve the same objective may be used in place of the specific embodiments presented. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adapted or modified forms of various embodiments. Combinations of the embodiments described herein, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon careful examination of the above description. The use of the term “based on” herein and in the claims is intended to mean “at least partially based on” so as to allow for features or elements not listed.

[0106] The subject matter described herein can be embodied in the form of systems, apparatus, methods, and / or articles, depending on the desired configuration. The embodiments described herein do not represent all embodiments that correspond to the subject matter described herein. Rather, the embodiments described herein are merely examples that correspond to aspects related to the subject matter described herein. While several variations have been described in detail herein, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, in addition to the features and / or variations described herein, further features and / or variations can be provided. For example, the embodiments described herein may cover various combinations and components of the disclosed features and / or combinations and components of a plurality of further features disclosed herein. Furthermore, the logical flows illustrated in the accompanying drawings and / or described herein do not necessarily require a specific order or sequence presented in order to achieve the desired result. Other embodiments may also be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A heating element configured to vaporize a vaporizable material, A sensor configured to detect the duration of a first puff and the interval between the first puff and a second puff following the first puff, A control device configured to adjust the temperature of the heating element based at least on the duration of the first puff and the interval between the first puff and the second puff. A device including a device.

2. The heating element is adjusted to a first temperature during the first puff and to a second temperature during the second puff. The apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The heating element is maintained at the second temperature during the second puff and at least during the third puff following the second puff. The apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The heating element is further adjusted to a third temperature following the third puff. The apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The control device adjusts the temperature of the heating element to achieve a flat total particulate matter (TPM) profile. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The flat TPM profile corresponds to the delivery of a first TPM by the first puff and a second TPM by the second puff. The first TPM and the second TPM are within a predetermined TPM range. The apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The predetermined TPM range is between 3.5 milligrams and 5 milligrams. The apparatus according to claim 6.

8. The first TPM and the second TPM correspond to the mass of volatile matter contained in the aerosol delivered by the corresponding puff. The apparatus according to claim 6 or 7.

9. The control device adjusts the temperature of the heating element by adjusting at least the output voltage of the power supply of the device and / or the duty cycle when power from the power supply is supplied to the heating element. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The heating element is positioned adjacent to a vaporizable material receiving portion configured to receive a vaporizable material insert containing the vaporizable material, The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The vaporizable material insert includes one or more perforations, The one or more perforations are configured to allow air moving along the air passage of the apparatus to pass through the vaporizable material contained within the vaporizable material insert. The apparatus according to claim 10.

12. A step of receiving vaporizable material into a vaporizable material compartment of a vaporizer device, wherein the vaporizer device further includes an air passage and an adaptive heating system, the air passage extends along the vaporizable material compartment, and the adaptive heating system A heating element configured to heat the vaporizable material, A sensor configured to detect the duration of a first puff and the interval between the first puff and a second puff following the first puff, A control device configured to adjust the temperature of the heating element based at least on the duration of the first puff and the interval between the first puff and the second puff. Steps including, The steps include heating the vaporizable material with the heating element in order to generate an aerosol for delivery to the user, A step of adjusting the temperature of the heating element in response to the duration of the first puff and / or the interval between the first puff and the second puff deviating from a predetermined value. Methods that include...

13. The heating element is adjusted to a first temperature during the first puff and to a second temperature during the second puff. The method according to claim 12.

14. The heating element is maintained at the second temperature during the second puff and at least during the third puff following the second puff. The method according to claim 13.

15. The heating element is further adjusted to a third temperature following the third puff. The method according to claim 14.

16. The control device adjusts the temperature of the heating element to achieve a flat total particulate matter (TPM) profile. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

17. The flat TPM profile corresponds to the delivery of a first TPM by the first puff and a second TPM by the second puff. The first TPM and the second TPM are within a predetermined TPM range. The method according to claim 16.

18. The predetermined TPM range is between 3.5 milligrams and 5 milligrams. The method according to claim 17.

19. The first TPM and the second TPM include the mass of volatiles contained in the aerosol delivered by the corresponding puff. The method according to claim 17 or 18.

20. The control device adjusts the temperature of the heating element by adjusting at least the output voltage of the power supply for the vaporizer device and / or the duty cycle when power from the power supply is supplied to the heating element. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 19.

21. Before the vaporizable material insert is placed in the vaporizable material compartment, one or more holes are formed in the vaporizable material insert containing the vaporizable material. The one or more perforations are configured to allow air moving along the air passage to pass through the vaporizable material contained within the vaporizable material insert. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 20.

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