Instant portable convection vaporizer

Abstract

To provide an on-demand portable convection vaporizer that provides efficient transfer of heated air and rapid delivery of a vaporizable material to a user.SOLUTION: In a vaporizer, a heater 502 is configured to permit very rapid (e.g., within a few seconds) heating of air drawn through an oven chamber 501 to a predetermined or selectable vaporizing temperature to vaporize a material (e.g., a loose leaf-form plant material) that is held in the oven chamber. The vaporizer provides efficient transfer of heated air and rapid delivery of a vaporizable material to a user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5E

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 351,272, filed on June 16, 2016, entitled "Electronic Vaporizer Devices", and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 441,090, filed on December 30, 2016, entitled "On-Demand Portable Convection Vaporizers", the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties as part of this specification.

Background Art

[0002] Vaporizers, including electronic vaporizers or electronic vaporization devices, enable the delivery of vapor containing one or more active ingredients by inhalation. Electronic vaporization devices are increasingly popular for both prescription use in medical drug delivery and the consumption of other plant-based smokable substances such as tobacco and cannabis, including solid substances (e.g., loose-leaf), solid / liquid substances (e.g., suspensions, liquid coating substances), wax extracts, and filled pods (cartridges, packaged containers, etc.) of such substances. In particular, electronic vaporization devices can be portable, self-contained, and convenient to use. Generally, such devices are controlled by one or more switches, buttons, etc. (control devices) on the vaporizer, but recently, several devices capable of wireless communication with an external controller (e.g., a smartphone) have become available.

[0003] Vaporization by heat can be carried out by other means, including convection, conduction, radiation, and / or various combinations thereof. Vaporizers that primarily heat by convection (so-called thermal convection vaporizers) have been described, but they typically heat up slowly and are therefore less convenient than other vaporizers, such as conduction or primarily conduction vaporizers. In particular, it has been difficult to provide a portable / handheld thermal convection vaporizer that is sufficiently "on-demand" to provide immediate or near-immediate (e.g., within a few seconds) vaporization of a vaporizable substance when inhaled into the vaporizer. Currently available thermal convection portable vaporizers do not offer such immediate heating and vaporization. In general, thermal convection portable vaporizers require a certain amount of heating time for the device to properly vaporize the substance of interest, and this time can often be long enough to be inconvenient for the user, and it may also take even longer to cool down.

[0004] For example, the aforementioned convection-type portable vaporizers require some form of physical selection input from the user to turn on or make the device usable. This has generally been done via some form of mechanical switch or push button, and once the device is turned on, it takes some time (tens of seconds or several minutes) for the device to reach the proper vaporization temperature before the user can substantially use the device and vigorously inhale vapor. With such convection-type portable vaporizers, some of the active ingredients of the vaporizable substance may escape into the surrounding environment (and thus not be enjoyed by the user) due to, for example, relatively long periods of heating and cooling when not in use at high temperatures, and the internal characteristics of the vaporizer. In addition, such convection-type vaporizers may not be able to precisely control the temperature of the air in contact with the substance. This lack of air temperature control, coupled with changes in airflow caused by the user, can lead to significant variations in the quality and quantity of vapor produced. In particular, many so-called instantaneous or "instantaneous heating" vaporizers suffer from this problem, where the heating element can heat up very rapidly, but the airflow may not be heated properly and / or uniformly. This can be at least in part due to the large heat mass surrounding the heater and the wasted energy dissipated within the device rather than circulating air. As a result, the user may have to "puff" repeatedly or wait for a long time before the device can produce a sufficient amount of high-quality steam to the user's satisfaction. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an immediate, portable thermal convection vaporizer that provides efficient transport of heated air and rapid delivery of vaporizable material to the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vaporizer according to a particular embodiment of the present invention comprises a vaporizer body having an outer housing; a heater located within the vaporizer body, the heater having at least one opening through which air passes and is heated; an oven chamber containing a vaporizable substance which is heated by the air heated by the heater and held inside such a configuration that the vaporizable substance is at least partially vaporized into the heated air; a controller coupled to the heater and configured to heat the heater to a certain temperature; and a mouthpiece configured to deliver the heated air and the vaporized substance.

[0007] A vaporizer according to a particular embodiment of the present invention comprises: a vaporizer body having an outer housing and an internal structural housing housed within the outer housing and defining a cavity; an air inlet extending through a portion of the outer housing into the cavity of the internal structural housing, through which air enters the cavity; a heater suspended within the cavity of the internal structural housing, the heater having one or more openings through which air passes, the heater and the multiple openings generating turbulence in the air when air passes over the heater for heating; an oven chamber located within the cavity of the internal structural housing, containing a vaporizable substance configured to be heated by air heated by the heater and vaporized in the heated air; a controller coupled to the heater and configured to heat the heater to a predetermined temperature when an airflow to the heater is detected; and a mouthpiece configured to deliver heated air and vaporized substance.

[0008] A method according to a particular embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: detecting suction in the mouthpiece of a vaporizer; supplying energy to the heater of the vaporizer; monitoring the air temperature of the heated air from the heater; limiting the oven temperature of the oven chamber of the vaporizer by changing the energy supplied to the heater; and adjusting the heater temperature of the heater so as to control the heater temperature in response to a change in the resistance of the heater.

[0009] A vaporizer according to a particular embodiment of the present invention comprises a vaporizer body having an outer housing; a heater located within the vaporizer body, the heater configured to disturb the airflow within the heater's region and heat the airflow within the heater's region; an oven chamber fluidly connected to the heater and containing a vaporizable substance configured to be heated by the air heated by the heater and vaporized in the heated air; and a mouthpiece configured to deliver the heated air and the vaporized substance.

[0010] Details of one or more modifications of the subject matter described herein are described in the accompanying drawings and in the following “Modes for Carrying Out the Invention.” Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein should be apparent from the “Modes for Carrying Out the Invention” and the drawings, and from the claims. Certain features of the subject matter of this disclosure are described for illustrative purposes with respect to vaporizers, but it will be readily apparent that such features are not intended to be limiting. The claims following this disclosure are intended to define the scope of the subject matter to be protected.

[0011] The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and constituting part thereof illustrate specific embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with “Modes for Carrying Out the Invention,” help to illustrate some of the principles relating to the disclosed embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A shows the external features of an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B shows the external features of an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1C] Figure 1C shows the external features of an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1D]Figure 1D shows the external features of an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded view showing the features of an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the characteristics of an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] Figure 4A shows various features of the exemplary vaporizer shown in Figure 3. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B shows various features of the exemplary vaporizer shown in Figure 3. [Figure 4C] Figure 4C shows various features of the exemplary vaporizer shown in Figure 3. [Figure 4D] Figure 4D shows various features of the exemplary vaporizer shown in Figure 3. [Figure 4E] Figure 4E shows various features of the exemplary vaporizer shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A shows various features of an additional exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B shows various features of an additional exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5C] Figure 5C shows various features of an additional exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5D] Figure 5D shows various features of an additional exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5E] Figure 5E shows various features of an additional exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the features of a controller that can be adapted to adjust the temperature of a vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the characteristics of a control circuit for adjusting the temperature of a vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a graph showing the temperature profile of air in the vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a graph showing an enlarged portion of the graph of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the features of an exemplary heater for use with an exemplary vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a process flowchart explaining the features of a method of regulating and adjusting the air temperature applied to the vaporizable substance in the vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] In practice, the same reference numerals indicate similar structures, features or elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention include methods and devices related to the vaporization of one or more substances for inhalation by a user. The term "vaporizer" is generally used in the following description to refer to a vaporization device. Examples of vaporizers according to embodiments of the present invention include electronic vaporizers, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and the like. Generally, such vaporizers are often portable, often hand-held devices that heat a vaporizable substance to supply an inhalable amount of the substance.

[0015] A vaporizer according to a particular embodiment of the present invention is a hand-held device that operates mainly by convection to provide efficient transfer of heated air and rapid delivery of the vaporizable substance to the user.

[0016] A vaporizer according to a particular embodiment of the present invention is configured to allow very rapid heating (e.g., within 3 seconds, within 2 seconds, within 1 second, etc.) of air drawn through an oven chamber in order to heat the vaporizable material (e.g., plant material in the form of chopped leaves) in the oven chamber to a target vaporization temperature. The oven chamber can be thermally conductive (to allow further heating and vaporization of the material in the oven) or thermally insulating (to prevent heat from being transferred to the oven, and as a result, heat is transferred only to the vaporizable material). The oven chamber is located opposite the proximal mouthpiece, Vaporizer It may be located at the distal end. Alternatively, the oven chamber may be positioned adjacent to or in close proximity to the mouthpiece, for example, Vaporizer Under the mouthpiece part or Vaporizer It may be positioned adjacent to the mouthpiece portion.

[0017] The oven chamber is connected via one or more contacts. Vaporizer (for example, connected to the frame or skeleton of the vaporizer) With distal end Nearby It can be connected, but from the oven chamber Vaporizer To suppress heat transfer to other parts, part or most of the oven chamber may be surrounded by a gap (or other insulating means, e.g., insulating material). The oven chamber may have a lid. The oven chamber can be manufactured as a deep-drawn oven and may have, for example, a certain depth, a certain width, and a certain breadth, where the depth of the oven chamber (the distance from the inside of the lid to the bottom, e.g., the screen) is, for example, the oven Chamber The vertical width can be 0.3 to 2 times the vertical width, and the horizontal width can be 0.1 to 1 time the vertical width. Generally, an oven chamber is housed in an oven chamber. VaporizerThe oven chamber may be sized for its intended use and / or based on manufacturing considerations. The oven chamber may have solid walls, perforated walls, basket weave structures, or any other configuration of solid and open areas, or a combination thereof, configured to rationally accommodate the substance to be vaporized. The oven chamber may be configured to accept a further internal container (not shown) that can contain a vaporizable liquid or wax, etc.

[0018] A heater (e.g., a resistance heating element) may be placed in an air path and configured to rapidly heat the air passing around and / or through the heater. The heater may include one or more openings, passages, channels, slots, slits, etc., through which air passes through and / or around the heater, and one or more of such air passages may have irregular, jagged, fractal, protruding edges, etc., which, together with and / or separately from the configuration of the heater, increase turbulence passing through or around the heater and increase heat transfer to the air as the air passes through or around the heater. In one embodiment, the heater may be an elongated tube extending along a long axis, the tube having one or more notched regions along its entire length to generate turbulence in the air traversing and / or passing along the long axis of the tube. In some modifications, the heater may comprise one or more thin or sheet-like materials having multiple slots, slits, or notched areas through which air passes, and these sheets may be folded, crumpled, or layered, or in some modifications, the sheets may be flat. In other modifications, the heater may be a coil or string-like resistive material, which may have surface variations, irregularities, vanes, etc. to increase the surface area, thereby improving heat transfer to the air flowing around the heater.

[0019] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the heater may be controlled by a heater control circuit including four terminal inputs, where a first pair of inputs may correspond to heater power leads / inputs, and a second pair Nori Code line / input Heater power Lead wire / It is often shifted from the input (and in some variations, the heater power lead wires / input The system may be configured to detect the voltage drop across the heating element (positioned between the terminals). The 4-terminal measurement control can be used to determine the temperature of a resistance heater with relatively fine resolution (e.g., within ±5°C, ±4°C, ±3°C, ±2°C, etc.). Alternatively, a 2-terminal temperature sensing system can be used, in which case the same lead wires used to supply the heater power current can be supplied with a smaller current, and the voltage drop across the lead wires can be measured, thereby allowing the heater temperature to be measured at a time different from when the heater current is supplied.

[0020] In addition, temperature sensors (e.g., thermocouples, infrared sensors, etc.) can be placed in the airflow path downstream of the heater (e.g., between the heater and the oven chamber, inside the oven chamber, etc.) to detect the temperature of the air flowing into, through, or around the oven chamber, which vaporizes the material inside the oven chamber. In any of the modifications described herein, the temperature control circuit can receive input from the heater (e.g., resistance measured by two- or four-terminal measurement, and therefore the temperature of the heater) and can also receive input from downstream airflow temperature sensors (e.g., one or more thermistors at the inlet for the heated airflow into the oven chamber). The temperature control circuit may be configured to deliver increased power (current) to the heater at a first frequency / duty cycle as soon as it detects negative pressure caused by the user inhaling into the mouthpiece. This increased power can raise the heater temperature almost immediately (e.g., above 500°C), but can be limited by the control circuit to remain below a safety limit (e.g., 700°C) or within a useful temperature range. The control circuit can further monitor the temperature of the heated air that has passed over the heater before entering the oven chamber (e.g., via one or more thermistors), and as part of the control loop, it can limit the temperature of the oven chamber (e.g., by changing the power supplied to the heater and / or the frequency / duty cycle of the power supplied to the heater). Thus, the vaporization temperature, corresponding to the temperature of the air added to vaporize the substance in the oven chamber, can be maintained at a desired target temperature or within a desired or useful temperature range.

[0021] The target temperature may be predetermined (e.g., pre-set on the device) and / or selected or modified by the user. The target temperature may be a single temperature, multiple temperatures including a temperature profile (e.g., multiple temperatures over time), or an acceptable temperature range. The user may input an absolute temperature (e.g., Celsius or Fahrenheit) or change a given temperature (up or down).

[0022] Generally, according to some embodiments of the present invention Vaporizer These may be configured for use with chopped leaves, or with liquids, waxes, or other vaporizable substances. Vaporizer In any case, they connect wirelessly to one or more devices, including a device controlled by the user. Vaporizer It can be configured to change the operation of, for example, as described herein. Vaporizer It may wirelessly communicate with a user interface that enables medication control (dose monitoring, dose setting, dose limiting, user tracking, etc.), location information (e.g., location of other users, location of retailers / sales locations, location where vapor was inhaled, etc.), vaporizer customization (e.g., vaporizer naming, vaporizer lock / password protection, parental controls, vaporizer association with user groups, vaporizer registration, etc.), and participation in social activities with other users (games, groups, etc.).

[0023] According to embodiments of the present invention Vaporizer This may include a stacked arrangement of the circuit board, battery, and other components. The oven chamber, despite being relatively large compared to the overall size of the vaporizer, can have a relatively small thermal mass and therefore can be rapidly heated (e.g., within 1 second) to the vaporization temperature of the substance (e.g., 100°C to 300°C for tobacco). Thus, oven The relative size / ratio of the chambers is different from other Vaporizer It can become larger compared to [another example]. Vaporizer The overall structure can be made thin and small. VaporizerIt can heat up rapidly (within 1 second) due to vaporization, and the energy loss due to heat mass around the convective heating path can be kept relatively low, so a quick puff (or Vaporizer When activated by lip detection, the user (or alternatively, the user who turns it on (e.g., by selecting or pressing a button)) can obtain a sufficient amount of vapor almost instantly by simply puffing for 3-4 seconds, effectively replicating the effects of traditional burning cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc., and increasing user satisfaction.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the vaporizer may have a large, or even unlimited, number of customizable temperature settings, the number of sessions per charge and the number of times the user revs per charge, as well as Vaporizer The charging time will depend on the size of the battery used.

[0025] Referring to Figures 1A to 1D, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Vaporizer The external features of 100 are shown. As shown in the figure, the vaporizer 100 may have an elongated or substantially rectangular shape in which the lengths of two opposing ends are shorter than the lengths of two opposing sides. However, variations in size and shape of the exemplary vaporizer according to embodiments of the present invention are possible. For example, the vaporizer 100 may have an essentially square, tubular, spherical, faceted, oval, or other shape, or a combination thereof. As shown in Figure 1B, the vaporizer according to embodiments of the present invention may be small and sized to fit easily in the user's hand. The vaporizer 100 has an outer housing 114, a mouthpiece 122 at the top (or proximal) end 120, and a lid 110 at the bottom (or distal) end 130. As shown in Figure 1D, an intake port 160 is provided on the outer housing 114 and extends through it. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) charging port 170 is also provided and extends through the outer housing 114.

[0026] Figure 2 shows an exploded view, VaporizerSome of the features of the 100 are shown. Inside the outer housing 114 are structural housing components 212. One or more side air channels 215 (one is shown in Figure 2) may be formed on one or more sides of the structural housing components 212. According to some embodiments of the present invention , structure The structural housing component 212 may be made of ceramic material, other insulating material, or other material (such as metal) that is insulated from the heater. The battery 240 and the printed circuit board (PCB) 216 are stacked and housed within the structural housing component 212. Part of the oven chamber 201 with the surrounding housing 213 is also a vaporizer 100 The end 130 is housed within the structural housing component 212. The electrical lead wire 205 is surrounding area It is shown extending from inside the housing 213. The lid 110 covers the open portion of the oven chamber 201. The mouthpiece 122 is a vaporizer. 100 It is located at end 120.

[0027] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view, Vaporizer The following describes some features of the vaporizer 300. As shown in Figure 3, the vaporizer 300 includes an internal oven chamber 301 with a surrounding oven housing 313, located near (e.g., nearly adjacent to or adjacent to) the bottom end 330. The lid 310 is fitted to the outer housing 314 at the bottom end 330, or otherwise attached. The mouthpiece 322 is fitted to the outer housing 314 at the top end 320, or otherwise attached. Inside the outer housing 314 are structural housing components 312. One or more internal side slots or channels 309 are formed between the outer wall of the structural housing component 312 and the inner wall of the outer housing 314 and extend along their length. The internal side channels 309 extend from the oven chamber 301 to the mouthpiece 322 and provide a cooling path for the vaporizable material to be inhaled by the user.

[0028] The heater 302 is a plate plating heater capable of rapid heating, driven by the melting point of the dielectric, capable of high watt density (e.g., about 60 W / in²), and can have a high operating temperature limit (about 700°C).

[0029] Figures 4A to 4E are illustrative examples of Figure 3. Vaporizer 300 The various features are shown. Figure 4A shows, in cross-sectional view, the features of the oven chamber 301 and heater 302 according to some embodiments of the present invention, and Figures 4B and 4C show the airflow through these oven chamber 301 and heater 302. As shown, heated air flows upward from the heater 302 through the oven chamber 301 containing the vaporizable material and back over the edge of the oven chamber 301. Power leads 305 are shown connected to the heater 302.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figure 4A, the heat conduction path passes through the flange of the oven chamber 301, and the oven chamber 301 may have a plurality of perforated bottoms (e.g., screen 315). The openings passing through the bottom may be arranged in a pattern that uniformly distributes heated air, for example, having a density pattern of holes that is greater in the external region than in the internal region, or having other variations for equal or nearly equal heat distribution. Chamber To recover all the heat from the 301, the intake path is the oven Chamber The heater 302 may circulate around the outside of 301. The heater 302 may be mechanically trapped between the two bottoms of the deep-drawn part (e.g., a deep-drawn SS oven to which another deep-drawn part is welded). The heater 302 may be welded and / or brazed to the oven chamber 301, or optionally mechanically trapped. In some embodiments of the present invention, the heater 302 may include a “thick-film heater” that is fixed only at the coldest point.

[0031] Figures 4A to 4E also show some additional features of the oven chamber 301, as well as the outer housing 314, structural housing components 312, and lid 310. Vaporizer The surrounding area of ​​300 is shown. Also shown are two spring-loaded power leads 305 and an intake port 360.

[0032] Referring to Figures 4B and 4C, the screen 315 can be installed within the oven chamber 301 to prevent vaporizable material from coming into contact with the flat plating heater 302. The heater 302 can be positioned approximately 1 mm below the screen 315 (e.g., 0.5 mm to 5 mm, 0.5 mm to 3 mm, etc.). The screen 315 and the heater 302 may be constrained by peripheral welds or other means. Figures 4B and 4C show, Intake port 360 Heater 302 This shows the air path to the heater. 302 It circulates from below through the interior upwards, and then into the oven chamber above. 301 It circulates inward.

[0033] The heater 302 can be a low-mass composite structure. Figure 4D shows an enlarged view of an exemplary heater structure, and Figure 4E shows the air passage. The substrate 450 of the heater 302 can be, for example, 0.003-inch 430 stainless steel. Each face of the heater substrate 450 can be covered with a thin layer of glass dielectric 452 of about 0.002 to 0.003 inches. The bottom layer of the heater 302 is a resistive heating element 454 which may be made of a silver-palladium alloy with a thickness of about 0.001 inches. A thin layer of glass dielectric (not shown) may also be deposited on the resistive element to reduce damage due to oxidation. These glass and resistive layers can be applied as a paste using, for example, a screen printing process.

[0034] In one embodiment, the heater 302 may comprise a stainless steel (SS) substrate having a glass dielectric layer and screen-printed resistance wires with a total thickness of approximately 0.010 inches.

[0035] In the operation of the vaporizer 300 shown in Figures 3 to 4E, the user removes the lid 310 and places the substance to be vaporized into the oven chamber. 301Load it into the lid 310 and return the mouthpiece to its original position. 322 It is located Vaporizer 300 oven Chamber 301 On the opposite side Vaporizer You can take a puff starting from 300. The user has a mouthpiece. 322 When air is drawn in, the surrounding air is drawn into the outer housing 314. Intake port 360 through Vaporizer Entering into the oven chamber 301 and other internal components, the structure structurally supports them. Construction Woosing Components Passing through 312 (for example, the skeleton), Power lead wires The 305 enters the oven chamber 301 via the notch 332 for 305, creating a pressure drop within the apparatus that can be measured by a pressure sensor (not shown). When this pressure drop is detected, the heater 302 Power lead wires 305 Spring-loaded part 335 Power is supplied to the heater 302 by passing an electric current through it, rapidly raising the temperature of the resistive elements of the heater 302. Air drawn into the oven chamber 301 is drawn in from below the heater 302, through the central hole 337 of the heater 302, and through the non-perforated areas of the screen 315. 302 It is heated when it is turned over above. The rest of the screen 315 is perforated so that hot air can easily pass through the material inside the oven chamber 301 before it exits the top of the oven chamber 301 and flows down the side channels 309 of the frame (skeleton) to the user. A hole in the center of the heater 302 crosses the bottom of the heater 302. 337 (or any number of other holes) ) This includes an airflow to the oven chamber 301 that passes through, then through its upper surface, and then over the screen 315, Vaporizer 300 The increased air turbulence generated by the structure enables efficient heat transfer from the heater 302 to the air and to the vaporizable substance, increasing efficiency and vaporization time.

[0036] To minimize energy loss from the heater 302, the oven Chamber 301The wall may be extremely low in mass (less than 0.25 mm) and may be insulated. As shown in Figure 4A, the oven chamber 301 and the structural housing Components A small gap 304 may exist between 312 and the outer housing 314, which acts as insulation and helps prevent heat sink (transfer) from the heater 302 to the outer housing 314. In this way, much of the energy in the form of heat from the heater 302 is Vaporizer The vapor is transferred not to the main body of 300, but to the substance to be vaporized, or to the oven chamber 301 itself, which also aids vaporization (by conductive heating).

[0037] In the examples in Figures 3-4E, thermocouples are not shown, but one or more thermocouples may be suspended in or above the central hole 337 of the heater 302, or somewhere inside the oven chamber 301. This may provide closed-loop control of the air temperature. Although not required, thermocouples allow for faster steam generation because the heater 302 can be operated initially at a higher temperature and then lowered once the thermocouple indicates the desired vaporization air temperature.

[0038] The vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention has two terminals (for example, electric power A resistive heating element (e.g., heater 302) may be provided, which is powered by the current passing through the lead wire 305). A precision resistance measurement circuit can be used to determine the state when the device is not heated and when it is heated. heater 302 By tracking the resistance, the temperature of the heater 302 can be controlled based on the change in the resistance of the material in the heater.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, Vaporizer 300 It has an "on" / active mode, but ideally, the heater 302 It is ignited only by triggering a pressure / flow sensor, by capacitive lip detection, or by the user pressing a button for use.

[0040] Figures 5A to 5E illustrate, through various diagrams, another exemplary embodiment of some parts of the present invention. Vaporizer It shows 500 features. Figures 5A and 5B are Vaporizer Figures 1-4 show a cross-sectional view of the 500 from the front. E Vaporizer implementation type shown In a state The heating appliances and ovens shown Chamber The following are shown heating and oven assemblies that can be replaced by the following according to embodiments of the present invention. Vaporizer The 500 is configured as an immediate thermal convection vaporizer. Figure 5C shows an example. Notched tube This shows the heater 502. Figure 5D is Vaporizer Figure 5E shows a top perspective view of the 500 and details of the oven chamber 501. Vaporizer This shows the airflow passing through 500.

[0041] Vaporizer 500 can hold vaporizable substances. Having a surrounding oven housing 513 An oven chamber 501 is provided, in which the material may be packed into the oven chamber 501 or inserted in other ways. The oven chamber (or oven) 501 may be formed by a progressive molding process. Vaporizable material (including vaporizable material in the form of chopped leaves) can be stored in the oven chamber 501 for vaporization. Vaporizer The 500 may also include an oven lid 510 that can cover, enclose, and / or seal the loading side of the oven chamber 501. oven The lid 510 may be mounted over an accessible portion of the oven chamber 501 by various mechanisms, including friction fitting, magnetic mounting, mechanical mounting, or any combination thereof. Vaporizer 500 may also be positioned directly or substantially adjacent to the oven chamber 501 (for example, below Figures 5A and 5B), Vaporizer The notched tube heater 502 (e.g., heating assembly, thermal convection heating assembly) includes a heating element which may be located in an open chamber or cavity 507 within an elongated, flat body 500. The notched tube heater 502 may be made of a tube made of a type of resistant metal alloy that is notched or slotted by a process such as laser etching. Notched region555 This can provide higher electrical resistance than the rest of the tube so that air (e.g., inhaled by the user) passes through the slot in relatively large turbulence before coming into contact with the vaporizable material. The notched tube heater 502 is held within the air path and, to minimize heat transfer, is constructed with a small number of contacts, or by insulating or thermally insulating couplings, insulating linings, etc. Vaporizer 500 cavity 507 It may be combined with

[0042] During operation, the oven lid 510 is removed and the desired vaporizable substance is loaded into the oven chamber 501. Vaporizer A vaporizable substance can be loaded into the 500. Then the user can place the oven lid. 510 Return it to its original position, and the mouthpiece (for example, mouthpiece 122 shown in Figure 2) is placed in the oven. Chamber 501 On the opposite side Vaporizer A puff can be taken starting from 500. When the user inhales into the mouthpiece, ambient air may be drawn in through the shell or other extruded parts (including aluminum extruded parts). Vaporizer 500 (Figure 1) Intake port 160 and Figure 4A Intake port Same type as 360 Intake port (through) Outer housing 514 Entering the cavity 507, the current enters the cavity 507, passing through the support housing (e.g., support fixtures or skeleton) 512 within the outer housing 514 (which may provide structural support for the notched tube heater 502 and the oven chamber / heater housing 517), and creating a pressure drop that can be detected by the pressure sensor 508. When this pressure drop is detected, the notched tube heater 502 is powered by passing an electric current through the power lead wires 505. Notched tube Notched or slotted area of ​​heater 502 555 The temperature can rise rapidly. The air drawn into cavity 507 Notched tube Tube of heater 502 structureAs the air flows in and passes through the tube extension and the notched region 555, its temperature may rise. Notched tube As the air passes through the notched region 555 of the heater 502, it begins to flow upwards over the thermocouple sensor 503 suspended near the screen 515 at the bottom of the oven chamber 501. The screen 515 allows the hot air to exit the top of the oven. support The side slots 509 formed by the housing 512 (e.g., support frame or skeleton) are perforated to allow hot air to easily pass through the material in the oven chamber 501 before flowing down to the mouthpiece at the opposite end for inhalation by the user.

[0043] To minimize energy loss from the notched tube heater 502, Notched tube The heater 502 and oven chamber 501 may be housed in a low thermal conductivity material such as zirconia. The walls of the oven chamber / heater housing 517 may be relatively thin to reduce the amount of thermal mass associated with the material. As can be seen from Figure 5A, the oven chamber 501 and Oven chamber / heater Between the housing 517 and the other, there is a small gap 504 which can act as an insulator (or may contain an insulating material). Oven chamber / heater This helps prevent heat from being transferred into the housing 517. In this way, most of the energy in the form of heat is absorbed. Vaporizer The vaporized substance passes through the 500 body (for example, the outer housing 514), rather than through the main body itself.

[0044] Notched tube Heater 502 is, Notched tube Two heaters 502 are attached Power lead wires It may be a resistive heating element that is heated by the current flowing between 505. Notched tube The heater 502 can be a hollow, elongated tube (having any suitable cross-sectional shape, including circular, elliptical, rectangular, square, etc.), and the tube may be straight, curved, or bent (including folding itself back), and may include one or more notches or openings on the side of the elongated tube into which air can be drawn. Notched tube The tube of the heater 502 draws in air through a slit or opening by drawing air in through the mouthpiece, heats the air, and Notched tube To generate turbulence passing through heater 502, Vaporizer 500 It is positioned almost across the air path, which allows heated air to be mixed in to prevent localized hot / cold spots.

[0045] Vaporizer 500 is also based on the change in resistance of the element from room temperature to vaporization temperature. Notched tube To control the temperature of heater 502, when not heating and / or when heating Notched tube A precision resistance measuring circuit may be provided for tracking the resistance of the heater 502. This measuring circuit is provided when a test current (e.g., a small but known constant current) is applied through the test lead wire 506, for example test Using lead wire 506, Notched tube For example, across the region of the heater 502 Notched tube heater 502 Notched area 555 This can be a multi-terminal (e.g., 4-terminal) detection system that detects voltage drops across a certain range. The given test current is supplied via the power lead wire 505. Notched tube The heating current used to heat the heater 502 to a high temperature may be different from the heating current used when taking measurements during heating. Notched tube It may also be supplied to the heater 502.

[0046] Exemplary Vaporizer In the 500, the measurement circuit may be configured to provide four-terminal resistance measurement, which in certain cases may provide more accurate resistance measurement than a two-terminal resistance sensing circuit. The four-terminal measurement circuit can avoid resistance changes that power leads undergo due to thermal conduction (when power leads are welded to the heater tube) and electrical heating due to high currents. In some configurations, the two-terminal resistance sensing circuit may not accurately compensate for resistance changes in the power leads, resulting in distorted results for the calculated temperature.

[0047] Figure 6 shows the features of a controller that can be adapted to adjust the temperature of the vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Block diagram 600 shows a resistance heater (for example, Notched tube The resistance of the heater 502) can be measured and an analog signal can be supplied to the microcontroller 610. (For example, control) Includes circuit 620. thermocouple The device temperature, which can be input from sensor 503 to the microcontroller 610, and inputs from sensors (e.g., pressure sensor 508, button, or other sensors) are used by the microcontroller 610. Notched tube When the heater 502 should be activated, for example, when the user Vaporizer 500 It can be determined when the device is inhaling or when it is scheduled to be set to a higher temperature (e.g., standby temperature). In Figure 6, an example is shown in Figure 7. The signal from the measurement circuit 620 goes directly to the microcontroller 610.

[0048] Figure 6 shows an example of an embodiment of the present invention, where the power supply, which may be part of the vaporizer 500, Notched tube This provides the delivery of electrical energy to the heater 502. In addition, an additional input may be a desired temperature input 630, which is determined and entered by the user and used by the microcontroller 610 as described below. The desired temperature input may be predetermined and entered into the microcontroller 610, rather than being entered by the user.

[0049] Figure 7 shows the temperature adjustment of the vaporizer according to an embodiment of the present invention. measurement This shows the features of circuit 620.

[0050] To accurately control the temperature of a resistive element during heating, a relatively accurate resolution of the resistance measurement can be useful. Based on the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the metal alloy used in the heating element, a change of just a few milliohms (mΩ) can represent a change of more than 100°C. To achieve high-resolution measurement of such temperature changes, a scalable resistance measurement circuit (e.g., a four-terminal resistance measurement circuit) can be used. Figure 7 shows an example of a circuit diagram of a resistance measurement circuit configured as a four-terminal resistance measurement circuit. As shown in Figure 7, a power supply 720 is provided. During operation, the circuit allows a small current from the current source U2 706 to pass through the heating element 702 (which is connected to the circuit separately by terminals HI+ and HI- via power leads 505 in Figure 5A to allow a larger heating current to flow). Metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor ( MOSFET ) Q10 704 can be enabled, where (as shown in Figures 5A and 5B) test The voltage drop across the heating element can be detected via the leads HV+ 708 and HV- 708' (via lead 506). This small voltage drop (tens of millivolts) is detected by a first-stage amplifier circuit (U12A) 710, which can be configured as a differential amplifier with unit gain. High resolution for resistance measurement is achieved by scaling the second-stage amplifier circuit (U12B) 712. A selectable scaling factor 714 allows for specific combinations of MOSFETs Q5-Q9 (micro controllerThe input to the second-stage amplifier can be selectively switched (under the control of 610) to be set as a non-inverting amplifier with fixed gain, allowing for a higher resolution measurement of the heater's resistance. By scaling the second stage of the amplification circuit rather than the first, it is ensured that the closed-loop gain of the differential amplifier is little to no affected by the scaling resistors R10~R14. This is desirable because it is preferable for the differential stage to remain symmetrical in order to accurately measure the differential voltage on the heating element. The circuit also has the ability to measure the thermoelectric effect, or Seebeck effect, that occurs when two dissimilar metals are at different temperatures. This allows the vaporizer to compensate for the Seebeck effect. For example, the output voltage of the second-stage amplifier can be sampled and converted to a binary representation using the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) of the microcontroller, and these readings can be converted to resistances using a lookup table. The lookup table may be determined theoretically (e.g., from circuit analysis) and may also be corrected with measurements taken for the Seebeck effect, along with some fixed offset resulting from component tolerances.

[0051] Vaporizers according to some embodiments of the present invention can regulate and adjust the temperature of the air added to the vaporizable substance. In any of the modifications described herein, the vaporizer may be configured to allow the user to select a different air temperature (desired temperature input 630) to vaporize the substance of interest (for example, by a button or other control input on the device, or wirelessly, via a user interface on a remote device such as a smartphone communicating with the vaporizer). The vaporizer control circuit (for example, block diagram 600 in Figure 6) may include one or more controllers for adjusting the overall temperature selection.

[0052] especially, Micro The controller 610 uses the first controller circuit (control law) Notched tube heaterThe temperature of the 502 (resistance heater) can be adjusted to control and rapidly heat the resistance heater, and its temperature can be estimated based on the TCR of the resistance heater. The second controller circuit (control law) controls one or more thermocouples in the airflow path (e.g., downstream of the resistance heater and / or between the resistance heater and the oven chamber) based on a user-selected or predetermined vaporization temperature (e.g., 200°C to 500°C). sensor The resistance heater, which can be detected by 503, may be further adjusted. These two controller circuits can work together to adjust the heating temperature or the rate of heating increase by modulating the duty cycle of the energy supplied to the heater.

[0053] For example, a proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID controller) is, Notched tube heater The thermocouple sensor 503 above 502 may be monitored and implemented on a microcontroller 610, which is used as a feedback mechanism for the air temperature controller. Alternatively, a separate second PID controller may be used with the TCR of the metal alloy (of the resistance heater). Notched tube heater Adjust the temperature of the 502 to ensure it does not exceed the safe operating point. Notched tube heater 502 The target resistance setpoint can be determined. These two PID controllers can be operated simultaneously, for example at 128Hz, and control logic can be used to determine which PID controller output (air temperature or heater temperature) to use at any given point. The outputs of both PID controllers are input to power MOSFET 701 (e.g., Q2 in the schematic of Figure 7). Pulse width modulation ( PWM ) The signal duty cycle allows for alternating single outputs at a time to control the transistor. The user starting a break can be determined from a sensor such as a pressure sensor (see, for example, 508 in Figure 5A) (or from a button pressed by the user), and the user starting a break can be detected. VaporizerIf detected, the TCR sensing heater temperature PID controller may be activated first. This ensures that the temperature of the heating element rises rapidly to its maximum operating temperature in order to heat the incoming air as quickly as possible. As mentioned above, thermocouple sensor The temperature of 503 is monitored, and if it exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output of the air temperature PID controller is applied. For example, if the user sets the vaporization temperature to 350°C, Vaporizer When air intake begins (the pressure sensor threshold is removed to initiate a breath), the microcontroller starts pulse-driving the power MOSFET using the duty cycle from the heater temperature PID controller to adjust the temperature of the heating element to the maximum allowable value of 700°C. Once the incoming air is heated, the air temperature PID controller controls the heater current supplied when the detected air temperature exceeds a set threshold (e.g., corresponding to a temperature of 300°C). The heating element is then controlled via the air temperature PID controller to adjust the air temperature to 350°C, while the heater temperature PID controller ensures that the temperature of the heating element does not exceed the 700°C cutoff. If the airflow is insufficient to allow the heating element to reach its maximum allowable safe operating temperature, the system can alternate between the two PID controllers. In other words, if the airflow is too high, the heater may not reach its maximum temperature.

[0054] The above embodiment was tested using a heating element and an airflow of 4 L / min passing through the oven, while recording data from the thermocouple during the session. As seen in Graphs 800 and 900 in Figures 8 and 9, respectively, the thermocouple reached its vaporization temperature in approximately 1 second (Figure 9 shows a more detailed plot showing the heating time from 3 to 7 seconds from Figure 8). Vaporizer The control law implemented uses resistance measurements of the heating element to ensure that the heating element never exceeds a safe operating temperature (e.g., 700°C). VaporizerThe system continuously monitors the thermocouple and adjusts the air temperature to a set value (350°C in this example). Overshoot is observed during heating, which may be intentional in order to raise the vaporizable substance to its vaporization temperature as quickly as possible. The coarse resolution of the lower data is due to the minimum sampling time of the thermocouple monitor used in the device. However, this resolution is sufficient to control the air temperature within at least ±5°C. Higher resolution control systems are also within the scope of this invention.

[0055] In some of the modifications of the immediate heat convection vaporizers described herein, the resistance heater (resistance heating element) may be formed from one or more different types of metal alloys, such as stainless steel 316, stainless steel 309, nichrome, or other resistant metal alloys. Alternatively or additionally, the housing for the resistance heating element and oven may be made from a metal or alloy, such as aluminum or stainless steel flakes. The heating element may be insulated from the housing by a sleeve or bushing made of Teflon® or a similar material.

[0056] In any of the modifications described herein, the vaporizer may be equipped with a heat exchanger that is thermally in contact with the heater, thereby achieving better efficiency. This may include a circular type of metal baffle or disc that is inserted into each side of the tube of the heating element and can be mounted near a notched area such as a notched area 555. Some of the heat conducted along the tube away from the notched area can also be conducted to these heat exchangers. As air is drawn in through the ends of the tube, these alternative heat exchangers proposed take advantage of some of the lost heat conducted along the ends of the tube and return this inherently "lost" energy to the drawn air. Another method similar to such a disc or baffle includes a raised portion of the heater tube projecting toward the center of the tube, or fins. These fins can provide another style of heat exchanger to help return heat to the air path.

[0057] According to some embodiments of the present invention, instead of incorporating the thermocouple sensor 503 into the vaporizer 500, a thermocouple may be incorporated into the vaporizer. In one example, instead of using a thermocouple to measure the air temperature, the temperature of the screen 515 can be measured. For example, if the screen 515 is insulated from the oven chamber 501, the screen 515 can be used as a thermistor. By including lead wires extending from both ends along the long axis, resistance can be measured through them. This technique allows the microcontroller 610 to calculate the average temperature of the screen 515, which should be highly correlated and may be used as an alternative to measuring the air temperature. In another example, if the screen 515 remains electrically connected to the oven chamber 501, a single lead wire of a dissimilar material can be drawn from the screen 515 to create a temporary thermocouple. By measuring the voltage between the oven chamber / screen structure and the lead wire of the dissimilar material, the temperature at the junction between the two materials can be calculated by the microcontroller 610. Alternatively, an infrared sensor inside or near the oven chamber can similarly measure the temperature of the air vaporizing the material. Alternatively, the downstream air temperature sensor can be completely removed, and an algorithm can be used to predict the downstream air temperature as a function of heater temperature, flow rate, and / or time.

[0058] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the oven chamber and mouthpiece of the vaporizer do not need to be located at opposite ends of the vaporizer. For example, the mouthpiece may be adjacent to or nearly adjacent to the oven chamber. In such a configuration, one or more air paths through which steam passes from the oven chamber connected to the mouthpiece can be configured so that the steam can cool sufficiently before being supplied to the user through the mouthpiece. For example, a turbulent path for the airflow after the oven chamber can be provided to allow sufficient cooling. Such a turbulent path may include a zigzag path, a path with various bumps and / or protrusions, or other configurations or methods to allow relatively rapid heat exchange from the heated steam.

[0059] Figure 10 shows another modification of the heater element 1000, where the heater is a flat plate heater with a thin, meandering design made from, for example, a resistant metal alloy. This design can replace the heater 302 shown in Figures 3-4E. In this design, the flat heating element can be placed directly in the air path below the oven chamber. Instead of the air path passing through the tube and changing direction to exit the tube from the notched region, as described above with reference to Figures 5A and 5B, in Figure 10 the air path can be more direct. The air is, Serpentine heater The heater enters the apparatus from below element 1000 and before entering the oven chamber. element It may pass through slot 1005 of 1000. As shown in Figure 5A, thermocouple sensor heater Element 1000 It may be installed between the oven chamber and the vaporizable material to measure and control the air temperature before contact or otherwise heating. In some modifications, the heater (resistive heating element) may be a thin-film resistive heating element arranged in a coiled, bent, or otherwise 3D structure, having an appropriate number (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 5, etc.) of channels, slits, slots, etc., to allow air to flow over the resistive heater for rapid heating. In any of these modifications, heater element 1000 may be held within an air path and coupled to an internal chamber of the device by a few contacts 1010 to minimize heat transfer, or a heater element 1000 may be connected by a heat-insulating and / or insulating bond. In any of these modifications, channels, slits, or other surface areas of the heater may have fractal, serrated, finned, or other features to further enhance heat transfer to the air.

[0060] Referring to Figure 11, process flowchart 1100 illustrates the features of the method, which may optionally include some or all of the following: In 1110, suction at the mouthpiece by the user of the vaporizer is detected (or alternatively, a button or other start indicator may be selected by the user). This detection may be via a pressure sensor in the airflow path of ambient air entering the vaporizer cavity. In 1120, energy is supplied to the vaporizer heater, thereby initiating a process that rapidly increases the heater to a high temperature or maximum operating temperature in order to rapidly heat the incoming ambient air. In 1130, the air temperature of the heated air from the heater is monitored. This monitoring may be by determining the temperature of the air leaving the heater via one or more thermocouple sensors between the vaporizer heater and the oven chamber. In 1140, the oven temperature of the vaporizer oven chamber is limited by changing the energy supplied to the heater. This may ensure that the heater does not exceed a predetermined threshold. At 1150, the heater temperature is adjusted to control the heater temperature in accordance with the change in the heater's resistance.

[0061] As described above, embodiments of the present invention include methods and apparatus for vaporizing a substance so that it can be inhaled by a user. Apparatuses described herein include vaporizers and systems comprising vaporizers. In particular, immediate thermal convection vaporizers (apparatuses) (devices and systems) that can be configured for user control and operation are described herein. The following description of exemplary embodiments is provided to illustrate various features that may be part of the present invention. These are not intended to limit the scope.

[0062] For example, an immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer may include an elongated body having an outer shell, a mouthpiece on the elongated body, a sensor for detecting inhalation through the mouthpiece, an oven chamber located within the elongated body, the oven chamber having side walls surrounded by gaps, a thermal convection heater located within the elongated body, the thermal convection heater having a plurality of slots and / or openings configured to allow air to pass over the thermal convection heater and generate mixed turbulence as the air passes over and / or through the thermal convection heater, and a heater control circuit configured to heat the thermal convection heater to a temperature exceeding 500°C when it detects inhalation through the mouthpiece, and further the heater control circuit limits the heater to a maximum temperature, and further the air flowing from the heater into the oven chamber is heated to a target vaporization temperature.

[0063] The immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer comprises an elongated body with an outer shell, a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongated body, a sensor for detecting suction through the mouthpiece, an oven chamber at the distal end of the elongated body, the oven chamber having more than 80% of its side walls surrounded by air gaps, and a thermal convection heater located within the elongated body, the thermal convection heater passing air over the thermal convection heater, creating a mixture of turbulent air as the air passes over and / or through the thermal convection heater. A thermal convection heater having a plurality of slots and / or openings, configured to perform the following: and a heater control circuit, the heater control circuit is configured to heat the thermal convection heater to a temperature exceeding 500°C when it detects suction through a mouthpiece, and further, the heater control circuit limits the heater to a maximum temperature, so that the air flowing from the heater into the oven chamber is heated to a target vaporization temperature exceeding 200°C within 4 seconds of detecting suction through the mouthpiece.

[0064] Any of these vaporizers can use a tubular convection heater, such as an elongated tube extending along its long axis, which has multiple notched regions along its entire length to generate turbulence in the air passing through it. For example, an immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer is described herein, comprising: an elongated body having an outer shell; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongated body; a sensor for detecting inhalation through the mouthpiece; an oven chamber at the distal end of the elongated body, wherein more than 80% of the side walls of the oven chamber are surrounded by air gaps; a thermal convection heater comprising an elongated tube extending along its long axis, the tube having multiple notched regions along its entire length to generate turbulence in the air passing through it; and a heater control circuit, which, upon detecting inhalation through the mouthpiece, is configured to heat the thermal convection heater to a temperature exceeding 500°C, further comprising an immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer, wherein the heater control circuit limits the heater to a maximum temperature, so that the air flowing from the heater into the oven chamber is heated to a target vaporization temperature exceeding 200°C.

[0065] Any of the embodiments of the present invention may include or utilize a heater control circuit equipped with a four-terminal measuring circuit. For example, an immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer may include an elongated body having an outer shell, a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongated body, a sensor for detecting inhalation through the mouthpiece, an oven chamber at the distal end of the elongated body, the oven chamber having side walls surrounded by gaps, a thermal convection heater having multiple slots and / or openings along its entire length to generate turbulence in the air passing through it, and a heater control circuit, the heater control circuit comprising a four-terminal measuring circuit having four lead wires coupled to the thermal convection heater, two of which are configured to detect a voltage drop across the region of the heating element, and further configured, when it detects inhalation from the mouthpiece, to heat the thermal convection heater to a temperature above 500°C and limit the heater to a maximum temperature, and the air flowing from the thermal convection heater into the oven chamber is heated to a target vaporization temperature.

[0066] Therefore, generally, if the device comprises a four-terminal measuring circuit with four lead wires coupled to a thermal convection heater, two of the lead wires are configured to detect the voltage drop across the region of the heating element, and these lead wires may be between the two outer lead wires. The two outer lead wires can supply power to the thermal convection heater. For example, the first and second lead wires of the four lead wires of the heater control circuit may be configured to supply power to heat the thermal convection heater. The two lead wires configured to detect the voltage drop can be spaced apart from the power supply lead wires so that the temperature rise due to the supplied high level of power does not affect the resistance / conductivity of the voltage sensing lead wires.

[0067] Any of the vaporizers according to the embodiments of the present invention may be equipped with a temperature sensor between the thermal convection heater and the inside of the oven chamber, the temperature sensor providing an air temperature input to the heater control circuit.

[0068] Generally, a heater control circuit can be configured to control the energy supplied to a convection heater based on the temperature of the convection heater and the temperature of the air between the convection heater and the oven chamber.

[0069] In any of these devices, the mouthpiece may be located at the proximal end of the elongated body, and the oven chamber may be located within the distal end of the elongated body.

[0070] The apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention may be configured to heat air immediately or nearly immediately to vaporize a substance in an oven chamber. For example, the air flowing from the heater into the oven chamber may be heated to a target vaporization temperature of over 200°C within 4 seconds (e.g., within 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second, etc.) of detecting inhalation through the mouthpiece.

[0071] The side walls of the chamber (for example, the side walls perpendicular to the bottom of the oven chamber) may be surrounded by gaps such that at least 50% of them are surrounded by gaps (for example, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 95%).

[0072] A method for operating any of the devices described herein may include a method for vaporizing a substance. For example, a method for operating an immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer may include features such as: detecting an inductance in the mouthpiece of the vaporizer; supplying energy to the conductive heater of the vaporizer; adjusting the energy supplied to the conductive heater based on a four-terminal measurement including a first pair of inputs corresponding to a first pair of lead wires connected to the conductive heater and a second pair of inputs corresponding to a second pair of lead wires connected to the conductive heater, wherein the second pair of lead wires is offset from the first pair of lead wires; and vaporizing a vaporizable substance in the oven chamber of the vaporizer.

[0073] The step of supplying energy to the conductive heater of the vaporizer may include raising the temperature above 200 degrees within about 1 second, and / or supplying energy from a first pair of lead wires. A second pair of lead wires may be placed between the first pair of lead wires.

[0074] Any of these methods may also include a step of determining the temperature of the conductive heater from a four-terminal measurement.

[0075] The step of adjusting the energy supplied to the conductive heater based on four-terminal measurements may include adjusting the frequency and / or duty cycle of the energy supplied to the conductive heater.

[0076] Any of these methods may also include the step of adjusting the energy supplied to the conductive heater based on the temperature of the air between the vaporizer's convection heater and the oven chamber, and / or the step of sensing the temperature of the air between the vaporizer's convection heater and the oven chamber.

[0077] Any of these methods may also include a step of limiting the energy supplied to the conductive heater so that the temperature of the conductive heater does not exceed a maximum threshold (e.g., 500°C, 550°C, 600°C, 650°C, 700°C, 750°C, etc.).

[0078] For example, a method for operating an immediate handheld thermal convection vaporizer may include: detecting suction at the vaporizer mouthpiece; supplying energy to the vaporizer's conductive heater from a first pair of lead wires to raise the temperature above 200 degrees within approximately one second; adjusting the energy supplied to the conductive heater based on a four-terminal measurement including a first pair of inputs corresponding to the first pair of lead wires and a second pair of inputs corresponding to a second pair of lead wires connected to the conductive heater, wherein the second pair of lead wires is positioned between the first pair of lead wires; adjusting the energy supplied to the conductive heater based on the temperature of the air between the vaporizer's thermal convection heater and the oven chamber; and vaporizing a vaporizable substance in the vaporizer's oven chamber.

[0079] In this specification, if a feature or element is described as being "on" another feature or element, it may be directly on the other feature or element, or there may be further intermediate features and / or elements. In contrast, if a feature or element is described as being "directly on" another feature or element, there are no intermediate features or elements. If a feature or element is described as being "connected," "attached," or "coupled" to another feature or element, it should be understood that it may be directly connected, attached, or coupled to the other feature or element, or there may be other intermediate features or elements. In contrast, if a feature or element is described as being "directly connected," "directly attached," or "directly coupled" to another feature or element, there are no intermediate features or elements.

[0080] Even if a feature or element is described or illustrated in one embodiment, that feature or element may be applicable to other embodiments. As those skilled in the art will understand, when referring to a structure or feature that is "adjacent" to another feature or element, it may have portions that overlap or lie beneath the adjacent feature.

[0081] The terms used herein are for the sole purpose of describing specific embodiments and implementations, and are not intended to be limiting. For example, as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” as used herein, identify the presence of the described features, steps, actions, elements, and / or components, but are not intended to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, actions, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the terms “and / or” include any combination of one or more of the listed related items, and may be abbreviated as “ / .”

[0082] In the above description and claims, phrases such as “at least one of” or “one or more of” are followed by multiple elements or features accompanied by a conjunction. The term “and / or” is also placed between two or more elements or features. Unless implicitly or explicitly negated in the context in which they are used, such phrases are intended to mean any individual of the enumerated elements or features, or any combination of any of the enumerated elements or features with any of the other enumerated elements or features. For example, “at least one of A and B,” “one or more of A and B,” and “A and / or B” are intended to mean “A alone, B alone, or A and B together,” respectively. 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 alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A and B and C together,” respectively. The use of the term “based on” in the foregoing and in the claims is intended to mean “based at least in part on,” so as to allow for features or elements not described.

[0083] In this specification, terms indicating spatial relative relationships, such as “under,” “below,” “lower,” “over,” and “upper,” may be used to facilitate the description of the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature(s) shown in the drawings. It will be understood that terms indicating spatial relative relationships are intended to include different orientations in addition to the orientation shown in the drawings of the device in use or operation. For example, an element described as “under” or “beneath” another element or feature will be positioned “over” the other element or feature when the device shown in the drawings is inverted. Thus, the exemplary term “under” may encompass both upward and downward orientations. The device may also be oriented in other orientations (rotated 90 degrees or to a different angle), and the descriptors indicating spatial relative relationships used herein will be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, unless otherwise specified, terms such as “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “vertical,” or “horizontal” are used herein solely for illustrative purposes.

[0084] In this specification, the terms “first” and “second” may be used to describe various features / elements (including steps), but unless the context indicates otherwise, these features / elements are not limited by these terms. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature / element from another. Thus, without deviation from the teachings presented herein, a first feature / element described below may be referred to as a second feature / element, and similarly, a second feature / element described below may be referred to as a first feature / element.

[0085] Where used herein and in the claims, including where used in examples, all numbers, unless expressly specified, can be construed as if they were stated, even if the term “about” or “approximately” is not explicitly placed before them. The term “about” or “approximately” can be used when describing size and / or location to indicate that the stated value and / or location falls within a reasonably expected range of values ​​and / or locations. For example, a number may have a value that is ±0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), ±1% of the stated value (or range of values), ±2% of the stated value (or range of values), ±5% of the stated value (or range of values), ±10% of the stated value (or range of values), and so on. Any number shown herein should also be understood to include its value approximately, unless the context otherwise means otherwise. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, “about 10” is also disclosed. Any range of numbers enumerated herein is intended to include all subranges contained therein. As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, when a value is disclosed, it will also be understood that "less than or equal to," "greater than or equal to the value," and possible ranges between values ​​are also disclosed. For example, if a value "X" (for example, if X is a number) is disclosed, then "less than or equal to X" and "greater than or equal to X" are also disclosed. Throughout this application, data is provided in several different formats, and it should also be understood that this data represents endpoints and starting points, and that it also represents a range over any combination of data points. For example, if a specific data point "10" and a specific data point "15" are disclosed, it should be understood that not only the range between 10 and 15, but also the range greater than 10 and greater than 15, 10 or more and 15 or more, less than 10 and less than 15, 10 or less and 15 or less, and equal to 10 and equal to 15 are disclosed. It should also be understood that each unit between two specific units is also disclosed.For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

[0086] While various exemplary embodiments have been described above, any number of modifications can be made to various embodiments without departing from the teachings herein. For example, the order in which various described method steps are performed may often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments, one or more method steps may be skipped together. Optional features of various apparatus and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not in others. Therefore, the above description is provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0087] One or more embodiments or features of the subject matter described herein can be realized in 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 one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system, comprising at least one programmable processor, which may be for special or general purposes, at least one input device, and at least one output device, coupled to a storage system for sending and receiving data and instructions. The programmable system or computing system may include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally remote from each other and typically interact via a communication network. The client-server relationship arises thanks to computer programs running on each computer that have a client-server relationship with each other.

[0088] 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 high-level procedural languages, object-oriented programming languages, functional programming languages, logic programming languages, and / or assembly / machine language. As used herein, the term “machine-readable medium” means any computer program product, apparatus, and / or device used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including, for example, a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term “machine-readable signals” means any signals used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium can store such machine instructions non-temporarily, for example, non-temporarily, solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any uniform storage medium. Alternatively or additionally, a machine-readable medium can store such machine instructions temporarily, for example, a processor cache or other random-access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0089] To enable user interaction, one or more embodiments or features of the subject matter described herein can be implemented on a computer having, for example, a display device such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or light-emitting diode (LED) monitor for displaying information to the user, a keyboard, and a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball to which the user can provide input to the computer. User interaction can also be provided using other types of devices. For example, the feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback, and input from the user may be received in any form, including but not limited to acoustic, voice, or tactile input. Other possible input devices include, but are not limited to, touchscreens or other touch-sensitive devices such as single or multi-point resistors or capacitive trackpads, speech recognition hardware and software, optical scanners, optical pointers, digital image capture devices and associated interpretation software.

[0090] The examples and drawings included herein illustrate, not limitingly, specific embodiments in which the subject matter of the invention may be carried out. As stated above, other embodiments may be used and derived therefrom so that structural and logical substitutions and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Such embodiments of the subject matter of the invention may be referred to individually or collectively in this specification by the term “invention,” merely for convenience, and without the intention of spontaneously limiting the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept, if more than one is actually disclosed. Thus, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any specific embodiments shown may be replaced by any configuration calculated to achieve the same objective. This disclosure is intended to encompass all possible adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the embodiments described above, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, should be apparent to those skilled in the art by considering the above description.

Claims

1. A vaporizer body with an outer housing, A heater located within the vaporizer body, comprising a heating element having a shape that disrupts the airflow within the heater's region and configured to heat the airflow within the heater's region, An oven chamber connected to the heater and holding a vaporizable substance, configured such that the vaporizable substance is vaporized into the heated air by heated air flowing upward from the heater through the oven chamber, A mouthpiece configured to be fluidly connected to the oven chamber and to deliver heated air and vaporized material to the user. and, Equipped with, A vaporizer having at least one opening through which air passes and is heated, and comprising one or more sheets of material folded or crumpled in such a way as to disrupt the airflow within the region of the heater.

2. It extends from the oven chamber to the mouthpiece and further comprises a channel formed within the outer housing, The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the heated air and vaporized substance are cooled as they move through the channel to the mouthpiece.

3. The vaporizer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a controller coupled to the heater and configured to heat the heater to a predetermined temperature.

4. The vaporizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an intake opening formed through a portion of the outer housing, wherein when a user inhales through the mouthpiece, the air enters the vaporizer body through the intake opening.

5. The vaporizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the walls of the oven chamber are surrounded by air gaps.

6. The outer housing further comprises structural housing components located inside the outer housing, The channel extending from the oven chamber to the mouthpiece is formed between the outer housing and the structural housing component, The vaporizer according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the heater and the oven chamber are housed within the structural housing component.

7. The vaporizer according to claim 6, further comprising a gap defined between the structural housing component and the oven chamber.

8. The vaporizer according to claim 6, wherein one or more side air channels are formed on one or more sides of the structural housing component.

9. The vaporizer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a screen configured to prevent the vaporizable substance from coming into contact with the heater, the screen being located between the oven chamber and the heater along the long axis of the vaporizer body and perforated to allow air passing through the opening of the heating element to pass through the screen.

10. The vaporizer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the heating element comprises one or more layers.

11. The vaporizer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the heating element generates heat by an electric current passing through the heating element.

12. The vaporizer body has an elongated shape including two opposing ends, The vaporizer according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the mouthpiece is located on one of the two opposing ends.

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