Vaporization device with interchangeable modular vapor delivery systems

Abstract

A system for vaporizing consumable materials features a pod and a power system. The pod includes a heating element and storage for consumable material. The power system is removably coupled and electrically connected to the pod. The power system is configured to (i) detect a pod type associated with the pod removably attached to the power system, (ii) supply power to the pod, and (iii) automatically adjust an amount of power supplied to the pod based on the pod type to vaporize the consumable material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO CORRESPONDING PATENT APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 032,082 filed Jan. 19, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.FIELD

[0002] Embodiment of the disclosure relate to a vaporization device adapted to support multiple, interchangeable vapor delivery systems that store consumable material in different forms for transition from a first state (e.g., solid, semi-solid or liquid state) to a second state (e.g., gaseous (vapor) state)BACKGROUND

[0003] Conventional vaporization devices, often referred to as e-cigarettes or vape pens, are electronic devices that heat a source liquid, which usually containing nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. The heating of the liquid create a vapor (aerosol) that the user inhales. These conventional vaporization devices typically consist of an elongated housing, which is sized and adapted to house a battery and a heating element integrated as a component within the housing. Upon activation of the conventional vaporization device, the heating element receives power that heats the heating element up to a temperature that converts the source liquid into a vapor for inhalation by the user.

[0004] Conventional vaporization devices with housings that maintain a battery and one or more heating elements for the battery can pose several risks. One risk involves overheating of the battery housing, which can damage the power system or at least the battery associated with the power system, thereby reducing the lifespan of the power system, the battery, and / or vaporization device. Also, overheating redirects heat to the battery housing, which may cause discomfort when using the conventional vaporization device. Additionally, another risk may involve the heated battery housing causing potential fire hazards.

[0005] Furthermore, conventional vaporization devices are typically designed for a single type of consumable material, such as nicotine-based liquids, cannabis oils, or dried flower, limiting their versatility. For example, devices optimized for liquid vaporization often lack the capability to process solid or semi-solid materials like cannabis concentrates or dried flower, requiring users to purchase multiple specialized vaporization devices to accommodate different consumption preferences. This lack of modularity restricts user convenience and increases overall usage costs.

[0006] Given that they are designed for a single type of consumable material, conventional vaporization devices often employ fixed or manually adjustable heating profiles that do not account for the distinct vaporization temperatures required for different materials. For instance, cannabis concentrates typically require lower temperatures for vaporization (e.g., 200-300° C.) compared to dried flower (e.g., 350-400° C.), yet conventional vaporization devices apply uniform heating. This has led to inefficient vaporization, material waste, or undesirable combustion. Moreover, existing vaporization devices lack intelligent detection mechanisms to automatically identify the type of consumable material or delivery system attached, forcing users to manually adjust settings, which can be error-prone and lead to suboptimal performance or safety risks.

[0007] Another limitation of conventional vaporization devices is their inadequate handling of material-specific challenges, particularly for cannabis concentrates. Concentrates, such as waxes or distillates, are viscous and prone to residue buildup, which can clog vapor pathways or contaminate the user's inhalation experience. Conventional devices rarely include features like removable storage inserts or reservoirs to manage excess material, resulting in maintenance difficulties and reduced device longevity. Similarly, flower vaporization systems often lack effective filtration to prevent particulate inhalation, posing health concerns for users.

[0008] Finally, while some vaporization devices support standard cartridge formats, such as 510-thread cartridges, these devices typically support a single material types, and thus, they do not provide automated power adjustments tailored to the cartridge's specifications. This lack of integration and automation limits the ability of conventional vaporization devices to deliver a seamless, safe, and efficient vaping experience across diverse cannabis and hemp products.

[0009] In light of the foregoing, conventional vaporization devices are currently unable to transition seamlessly or efficiently between flower, concentrate, and pre-filled vapor delivery systems by simply removing the current vapor delivery system and substituting it with another type of vapor delivery system.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

[0011] FIG. 1A is an illustrative embodiment of a vaporization device with interchangeable, modular vapor delivery system.

[0012] FIG. 1B is an illustrative logical representation of a vaporization device with one of the modular vapor delivery system of FIG. 1A.

[0013] FIG. 2A is an illustrative embodiment of a front housing segment for the power system of the vaporization device of FIG. 1A.

[0014] FIG. 2B is an illustrative embodiment of a rear housing segment for the power system of the vaporization device of FIG. 1A.

[0015] FIG. 3 is an illustrative embodiment of a first vapor delivery system that is physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0016] FIG. 4A is an illustrative embodiment of the first vapor delivery system of FIG. 3 including a mouthpiece component with a removable concentrate collection and heating element along with a concentrate storage component.

[0017] FIG. 4B is an illustrative embodiment of a first end of the concentrate collection and heating element attached as part of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4A.

[0018] FIG. 4C is an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate collection and heating element of FIG. 4B featuring the first end with an inverted ceramic tip coupled to an integrated heating component and a second end with a fastening element for coupling to the mouthpiece component.

[0019] FIG. 4D is an illustrative embodiment of a fastening element positioned in the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4B featuring a lumen aligned with a lumen extending through the concentrate collection and heating element.

[0020] FIG. 4E is an illustrative embodiment of a reservoir formed within the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4A.

[0021] FIG. 4F is an illustrative cross-sectional representation of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4E showing an orientation of the reservoir in connection with the fastening element positioned in the mouthpiece of FIG. 4E.

[0022] FIG. 4G is an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate storage component of FIG. 4A with a removable silicone chamber for storage of concentrate accessible to the inverted ceramic tip of the concentrate collection and heating element of FIG. 4A.

[0023] FIG. 4H is an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate collection and heating element of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4A being attaching to the concentrate storage component.

[0024] FIG. 4I is an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component attached to the concentrate storage component of FIG. 4H.

[0025] FIG. 5 is an illustrative logical representation of a vaporization device with the modular concentrate-to-vapor delivery system of FIG. 1A.

[0026] FIG. 6 is an illustrative embodiment of a second vapor delivery system that is physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0027] FIG. 7A is an illustrative embodiment of a mouthpiece component of the second vapor delivery system of FIG. 6.

[0028] FIG. 7B is an illustrative embodiment of a flower storage component adapted for coupling to the mouthpiece component of the second vapor delivery system of FIG. 7A.

[0029] FIG. 7C is an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 7A being attaching to the flower storage component of FIG. 7B.

[0030] FIG. 7D is an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 7A attached to the flower storage component of FIG. 7B.

[0031] FIG. 8 is an illustrative logical representation of a vaporization device with the modular flower-to-vapor delivery system of FIG. 1A.

[0032] FIG. 9 is an illustrative embodiment of a third vapor delivery system operating as a 510-thread cartridge adapter and physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0033] FIG. 10 is an illustrative embodiment of a cartridge interface for the third vapor delivery system of FIG. 9.

[0034] FIG. 11 is an illustrative embodiment of a fourth vapor delivery system physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0035] FIG. 12A is an illustrative embodiment of a perspective view of the fourth vapor delivery system of FIG. 11 operating as a pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system.

[0036] FIG. 12B is an illustrative embodiment of an interface within a housing of the power system of FIG. 11 to form a physical (magnetic) and electrical coupling with the pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system of FIG. 12A.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration a specific example in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the described invention.

[0038] It should be noted that inventive aspects described herein are directed to a vaporization device with modular vapor delivery systems that are interchangeable for physical and electrical attachment to a power system of the vaporization device. The vapor delivery systems are directed to supporting the vaporization of different types of materials maintained within different types of material storage elements for consumer inhalation. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a first vapor delivery system (concentrate-to-vapor) can be attached as part of the vaporization device, where the power system is configured to (i) detect this type of vapor delivery system and (ii) generate signaling in accordance with a power map (power signaling pattern) to adjust the supply of power (e.g., timing, amount, etc.) provided to heating element(s) associated with the first vapor delivery system. This signaling may involve the throttling (e.g., supplying and / or halting) of power signals to cause an increase / decrease in thermal temperature of the heating element(s) included within the first vapor delivery system to optimize or effectuate the transformation of the concentrate into vapor for inhalation.

[0039] Additionally, the power system may be configured to detect other types of vapor delivery systems (e.g., flower, pre-filled oil, etc.) where the power map for these types of vapor delivery systems may differ. Moreover, different power maps may be utilized for the same type of vapor delivery systems, where these systems vaporize different consumable materials (e.g., hemp, cannabis, flavored oil, etc.). The reason is that these consumable materials may need to achieve different vaporization threshold temperatures to transform the consumable material into vapor.

[0040] For example, a first concentrate may be heated by heating element(s) in accordance with a first prescribed power map to a first vaporization temperature that transforms the first concentrate into a gaseous form (vapor). However, a second concentrate or a solid material may be heated by heating element(s) in accordance with a second prescribed power map, which is different than the first prescribed power map, to achieve a second vaporization temperature that is greater than the first vaporization temperature. At the second heating threshold temperature, the heating element(s) is configured to transform the second concentrate (or solid material, e.g., flower) into a vapor. Additionally, besides supporting different vaporization temperatures needed to vaporize different source materials, when processed, the power maps are adapted to control the power system in generating power signals at different times and / or with different amplitudes to increase, decrease or retain a desired vaporization temperature to efficiently transform the source material into a vapor for consumption.

[0041] Herein, according to one embodiment of the disclosure, the measured resistance associated with the vapor delivery system, upon attachment to the power system, may be used to identify the vapor delivery system type. Also, the establishment of one or more additional electrical connection point locations on the vapor delivery systems may be used to identify the vapor delivery system type when coupled to the power system.

[0042] Hence, the vaporization device is designed to overcome a number of problems and disadvantages associated with conventional vaporization devices. For instance, unlike single-purpose conventional vaporization devices (e.g., nicotine vape pens or dedicated flower vaporizers), the below-described vaporization device supports modularity provides seamless switching between materials, such as concentrates, flower, and cartridges, reducing the need for multiple devices. Also, through resistance-based detection (e.g., a prescribed resistance range, such as 0.8-1.2 ohms for concentrates, etc.) or alternative connectors enable automated power adjustment setting in lieu of manual. This improves vaporization efficiency and reduces material waste.

[0043] As described below in detail, certain embodiments of the vaporization device feature an inverted ceramic tip, a silicone insert, and / or a flower filter (see FIGS. 4A, 4G & 7A) are configured to address specific challenges (residue, particulates) not adequately addressed by conventional vaporization devices, enhancing safety and usability. Additionally, temperature regulation through processes and components specific to the vaporization device, such as power throttling and residue management components like a mouthpiece reservoir for example, mitigate overheating and maintenance issues normally experienced by conventional vaporization devices.

[0044] Also, unlike conventional vaporization devices, one embodiment of the vaporization device allows for 510-thread cartridges to be coupled to a removable, modular vapor delivery system, which is separate from its power system. Hence, even with the use of 510-thread cartridges, the vaporization device is configured to automatically detect connectivity to this legacy material supply component and adjust the vaporization device to operate at a prescribed heating pattern for fluids contained within the 510-thread cartridge, where the heating pattern may be universal for any 510-thread cartridge or tailored specifically to the type of material being vaporized so that different 510-thread cartridges may be associated with different prescribed heating patterns given different vaporization temperatures for different fluidic material.A. Terminology

[0045] In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe aspects of the invention. For example, the term “component” may be representative of a physical structure such as a mechanical structure or hardware or may be representative of a logical structure such as firmware and / or software that is configured to perform one or more functions. As hardware, a “component” may include circuitry having data processing or storage functionality. Examples of such circuitry may include, but are not limited or restricted to, one or more hardware processors (e.g., a microprocessor with one or more processor cores, a digital signal processor, a programmable gate array, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit “ASIC,” etc.), a semiconductor memory or other type of non-transitory storage medium, or combinatorial elements.

[0046] Alternatively, in certain situations, a “component” may be software, such as executable code in the form of an executable application, a graphical user interface (GUI), an Application Programming Interface (API), a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an applet, a servlet, a routine, source code, object code, a shared library / dynamic library, or one or more instructions. The software may be stored in any type of non-transitory storage medium or transitory storage medium (e.g., electrical, optical, acoustical, or other forms of propagated signals such as carrier waves, infrared signals, or digital signals). Examples of the non-transitory storage medium may include, but are not limited or restricted to, a programmable circuit; semiconductor memory; non-persistent storage such as volatile memory (e.g., any type of random access memory “RAM”); or persistent storage such as non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory “ROM,” power-backed RAM, flash memory, phase-change memory, etc.), a solid-state drive, hard disk drive, an optical disc drive, or a portable memory device.

[0047] Similarly, the term “system” may be representative of a physical device, which may include circuitry with data processing, data storage, power transmission, and / or heating functionality to determine and perform a prescribed heating pattern on material to be vaporized. Examples of such circuitry may include, but are not limited or restricted to one or more interconnects (e.g., electrical wires, cables, optical fiber, or other transmission medium), heating elements, hardware processor, a memory, or the like. Examples of a heating element may include one or more heat coils arranged to vaporize material positioned within a chamber or in contact with a tip of the concentrate vaporization element.

[0048] In certain instances, the terms “compare,” comparing,”“comparison,” or other tenses thereof generally mean determining if a match (e.g., identical or a prescribed level of correlation) is achieved between information under analysis.

[0049] The character set “(s)” identifies one or more items. For example, the term “component(s)” constitutes one or more components as the term “button(s)” constitutes one or more buttons.

[0050] Lastly, the terms “or” and “and / or” as used herein are to be interpreted as inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B, or C” or “A, B, and / or C” mean “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C.” An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps, or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.B. General Architecture

[0051] Referring to FIG. 1A, an illustrative embodiment of a vaporization device 100 with interchangeable, modular vapor delivery systems 110, 120, 130 and / or 140 is shown. Herein, the vaporization device 100 features a power system 150 contained within an elongated housing 160. The power system 150 is configured to control the supply of power to one of the vapor delivery systems 110, 120, 130 or 140 selectively attached to the power system 150, where different amounts of power (e.g., current and voltage level) may be needed by different vapor delivery systems. The difference power levels may be needed as different consumable materials (e.g., cannabis concentrate, hemp concentrate, cannabis-based oils, hemp-based oils, cannabis flower, etc.) have different vaporization temperatures to transition the material within the vapor delivery system from a first state of matter (e.g., solid or liquid) to a second state of matter (e.g., gaseous (vapor)).

[0052] For instance, as an illustrative example, one or more heating elements (e.g., heat coil mounted within a ceramic tip of a concentrate vaporization element of FIGS. 3-4A) maintained in the first (concentrate-to-vapor) delivery system 110 requires a lesser amount of power to at least partially transform a consumable material (e.g., cannabis or hemp concentrate) from a first state of matter (e.g., concentrate) to a second state of matter (e.g., gaseous (vapor)) than the amount of power needed by a heating element (e.g., ceramic heat chamber of FIG. 6) maintained in the second (flower-to-vapor) delivery system 120 to at least partially transform a consumable material (e.g., cannabis or hemp flower) from a solid state of matter to a gaseous (vapor) state. Hence, the selected supply of power is based on the particular vapor delivery system coupled to the power system 150 as each type of vapor delivery system may be assigned with a different, prescribed heating pattern (e.g., amount of power supplied and the timing / frequency of the supplied power) to attempt to optimize vapor delivery.

[0053] Referring still to FIG. 1A, each of the vapor delivery system 110, 120, 130 and / or 140 include a common, electrical interface 170-173, which features a plurality of electrical contacts complementary to an electrical interface (not shown) associated with the power system 150 incorporated within the housing 160. Based on a measured resistance associated with a particular vapor delivery system 110, 120, 130 and / or 140 attached to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100 and / or detection of electrical connectivity with alternative connection point (described below), the power system 150 can detect the delivery system type electrically coupled to the power system 150. As shown in FIG. 1B, the power system 150 includes a processor 152 and non-transitory storage medium (e.g., memory) 154 to software for detection of the vapor delivery system type and / or selection of a power map stored therein.

[0054] Thereafter, in response to activation of the vaporization device 100 (e.g., one or more depressions of an activation button 190), components associated with the power system 150 are configured to (i) select the power map associated with the detected vapor delivery system and (ii) perform operations in accordance with that power map and the measured temperature of the structure inclusive of the consumable material intended to be vaporized. The structure may include a heat chamber, region, tip of a concentrate vaporization element, and the power map (e.g., schema on supplying prescribed power signaling) may vary (throttle) in power level, time and / or frequency based on the attached vapor delivery system and the measured temperature of the structure maintaining the consumable material.

[0055] Referring now to FIG. 1B, an illustrative logical representation of vaporization device 100 of FIG. 1A with a (modular) vapor delivery system 110. 120. 130 or 140 (generally “vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140”) of FIG. 1A is shown. As an illustrative example, the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 may include a mouthpiece component 112 and an intermediary component 114, where the intermediary component 114 (hereinafter, “material storage component” for vapor delivery systems 110 / 120) includes components to store the consumable material 118 (e.g., concentrate, oil, flower, etc.) and components (e.g., circuits, etc.) that enable the transfer of power to a heating element 116. As shown, the heating element 116 may be positioned within a region of the material storage component 114 occupied by at least a portion of the consumable material, where the heating element 116 is thermally coupled to one or more components within the region (e.g., heating chamber) adapted to hold or contain the consumable material 118. The heating element 116 is electrically coupled to the power system 150 in which the power system 150 supplies power to the heating element 116 to cause vaporization of a consumable material such as (i) a concentrate (e.g., cannabis dabs) acquired using the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 from a source physically removed from the vaporization device 100, (ii) a solution (e.g., oil, etc.) within a pre-filled storage component or 510-threaded container being part of the vapor delivery system, (iii) hemp or cannabis flower, or the like.

[0056] The power system 150 includes the processor 152 and memory 154 as described above, along with a temperature sensing component 180, a power throttling control component 182, an information screen 184, and / or button setting control component(s) 186. Herein, the temperature sensing component 180 is configured to measure the temperature of the heating element 116 and / or the region, where the measurement may be performed in an automated or manual manner and provide real-time feedback. Thereafter, the temperature sensing component 180 is configured to operate with the power throttling control component 182 to effectuate temperature adjustments based on actual measured temperatures for compliance with a power map associated with the first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 for transforming the consumable material (e.g., concentrate) into a vapor for extraction from the mouthpiece component 112.

[0057] The power throttling control component 182 is configured to control and / or regulate the temperature of the heating elements for vaporization of a consumable material (e.g., concentrate) based on the monitored temperature determined by the temperature sensing component 180. In particular, the power throttling control component 182 may be configured to regulate the heating temperatures applied by the heating element 116 to vaporize consumable materials (e.g., concentrate) at optimal temperatures without overheating (or excessive heating of) an exterior surface of the material storage component 114 and / or the housing 160.

[0058] Herein, as shown in FIG. 1B, the housing 160 of the power system 150 includes the information screen 184 to display specific information associated with the attached, first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 to the user. The information screen 184 displays information including temperature, power level, and / or delivery system type. The power system 150 regulates heating of the consumable materials at predetermined temperatures based on the delivery system type. In one embodiment, the information screen 184 operates as a touch screen to allow a user to scroll through the delivery system specific information, where selection of a particular setting or settings is detected by the button setting control component(s) 186 to adjust and / or control modifications to the power map (e.g., warmup pre-heat functionality, heating functionality, etc.) configured for the detected first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 and / or a charging pattern for the vaporization device 100 including the first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140.

[0059] For example, temperature regulation in vaporizing the consumable material may be controlled by the power system 150, which may include warmup pre-heat functions at temperatures and durations based at least in part on detection of the vapor delivery system type. The detection of the vapor delivery system type allows for selection of predetermined setting parameters for the vaporization device 100, such as heating functions to attain targeted thermal ranges at prescribed durations. The achievement of each thermal milestone may be displayed on the information screen 184 to identify the activation process stage and when the vaporization device 100 is ready to use.

[0060] The components associated with the power system 150 may include a memory device and a processor to store data and identify a vapor delivery system type attached to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100. The recharging process in differing embodiments may include wireless energy transfer. A power source, including alternating current (AC) and / or direct current (DC) voltage sources. may be used to recharge the power system 150 via a recharging port 185, such as a battery along with power circuitry of one embodiment.

[0061] Referring now to FIG. 2A, an illustrative embodiment of a front housing segment 200 for the housing 160 containing the power system 150 of FIG. 1A is shown. The front housing segment 200 features the information screen 184 and an interface port 210, which may be configured for recharging one or more components forming the power system 150 (e.g., recharging port 185 for battery with other power circuitry) or for data transfer from / to the power system 150. The information screen 184 is adapted to display information associated with the attached vapor delivery system.

[0062] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 2B, an illustrative embodiment of a rear housing segment 230 for the housing 160 of FIG. 2A is shown. Herein, an open end 240 of the housing 160, which is opposite from the interface port 210, is sized to receive an end portion of a vapor delivery system such as a proximal end of the material storage component 114 of the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 of FIG. 1A. Once the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 is electrically coupled to the power system 150, upon selection of the activation button(s) 190, the vapor delivery system begins heating to vaporize a portion of the consumable material.C. First Vapor Delivery System-Concentrate

[0063] Referring now to FIG. 3, an illustrative embodiment of the first vapor delivery system 110, which is electrically coupled to the power system 150 and physically coupled to the housing 160 of the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100, is shown. According to this embodiment, the first vapor delivery system 110 features a mouthpiece component 312 and a material storage component 314.

[0064] The material storage component 314 features heating circuitry, which may include one or more heating elements 300 (hereinafter, “heating element(s)”) coupled to power circuitry including a pair of electrical contacts 310 adapted to receive power from the power system 150 encased within a separate component (e.g., housing 160). The heating element(s) 300 may be integrated as part of a concentrate vaporization element 320, namely an elongated member 322 that includes a first end 324 removably coupled to the mouthpiece component 312 and a second end 326 (e.g., porous crystal) insertable into the material storage component 314 for vaporization of concentrate applied to the second end 326 of the elongated member 322. The concentrate vaporization element 320 is adapted to allow the user to place the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 into a concentrate, which may include, but is not limited or restricted to a crumble, wax, budder, rosin, distillates or other solid, semi-solid or liquidous material. These concentrates may constitute a cannabis concentrate, hemp concentrate, or the like.

[0065] After application of the concentrate as described above, the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 may be inserted into a cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314. In the cavity region 330, after activation of the vaporization device 100, the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 is heated by the heating element(s) 300 to a temperature that transforms the concentrate from a solid or liquidous state into a gaseous state (vapor). The resultant vapor flows from the cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314 to the mouthpiece component 312 through a lumen formed in the elongated member 322 and a vapor outlet (see FIG. 6) formed in the mouthpiece component 312, where the cavity region 330 and the lumen provide an airflow pathway for the vapor between the material storage component 314 and the mouthpiece component 312.

[0066] Referring now to FIG. 4A, an illustrative embodiment of the first vapor delivery system 110 of FIG. 3, including the mouthpiece component 312 and the material storage component 314 interconnected by the removable concentrate vaporization element 320 is shown. As generally described above, the concentrate vaporization element 320 includes the elongated member 322 having the first end 324 and the second end 326. The first end 324 includes a fastening element 410 while the second end 326 features an inverted tip 420. The inverted tip 420 includes one or more integrated heating elements 425, such as a heating coil or other component, which is configured to cause a surface temperature of the inverted tip 420 to increase when the vaporization device 100 is activated. Upon receiving a vaporization threshold, the concentrate in contact with the inverted tip 420 will change its state of matter, such as from a solid or semi-solid state into a gaseous (vapor) state for this embodiment.

[0067] Herein, for this embodiment, the inverted tip 420 is made of a material, such as ceramic for example, which allows for thermal transfer from the heating element(s) 425 to an exterior surface of the inverted tip 420. The inverted tip 420 may be made of other materials that support high thermal conductivity and heat resistance such as graphite, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) such as Teflon®, stainless steel, or the like. The first end 324 includes the fastening element 410 configured for coupling to a complementary fastening element 430 within the mouthpiece component 312. For instance, the fastening element 410 may feature a threaded construction that is complementary with (and threaded into) the complementary fastening element 430.

[0068] The mouthpiece component 312 contains power circuitry with a plurality of contacts 445 accessible along a proximal portion of the mouthpiece component 312. The contacts 445 provide electrical connectivity to the power circuitry 435 within the material storage component 314 (see FIG. 4H) and are adapted to transfer power via the power circuitry 435 from the power system 150 to the heating element(s) 425 integrated within the inverted tip 420 of the concentrate vaporization element 320.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 4B, an illustrative embodiment of the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 partially forming the concentrate vaporization element 320 is shown. Herein, the concentrate vaporization element 320 is attached to the mouthpiece component 312. The second end 326 includes the inverted tip 420, which features an opening 440 for a lumen 442 extending through the elongated member 322 including the inverted tip 420. The lumen 442 allows for vapor, namely a gaseous byproduct caused by the heating of the concentrate placed on the inverted tip 420, to propagate into the mouthpiece component 312 in response to an inhaling event by the user.

[0070] An interface 450 of the mouthpiece component 312, which is arranged for coupling to the material storage component 314, includes the plurality of contacts 445. These contacts 445 may include one or more electrical contacts 446 along with one or more structural contacts 447 (e.g., magnetic contacts) for coupling to a complimentary magnetic contact formed on an interface of the material storage component 314. The electrical contacts 446 includes a spring-loaded protrusion that recesses into the mouthpiece component 312 when a complementary electrical connector deployed within the material storage component 314 is in physical and electrical contact with the electrical contacts 446. The complementary electrical connector (not shown) is adapted to receive power from the power system 150.

[0071] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4C, an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate vaporization element 320 of FIG. 4B is shown, which features the elongated member 322 that includes the first end 324 with the fastening element 410 and the second end 326 with the inverted tip 420. The heating element(s) 425 may be integrated within the inverted tip 420 so that, when the vaporization device 100 is activated, the heating element(s) 425 heats up thereby heating an external surface of the inverted tip 420 to effectuate vaporization of the concentrate placed thereon.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 4D, an illustrative embodiment of the complementary fastening element 430 positioned within the mouthpiece component 312 of FIG. 4B is shown, where the fastening element 430 features a lumen 455 positioned to align with the lumen 442 extending through the elongated member 322. Herein, the fastening element 430 may constitute a threaded fastener that is sized and adapted to receive the fastening element 410 (e.g., the threaded first end 324) of the elongated member 322. The fastening element 430 allows for the concentrate vaporization element 320 of FIG. 4C to be removed and replaced as needed or cleaned. This allows for easier and more cost effective component replacement for the vaporization device 100 without replacement of the mouthpiece component 312 and / or the first vapor delivery system 110.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 4E, an illustrative embodiment of a reservoir 460 formed within the mouthpiece component 312 of FIG. 4A is shown. The reservoir 460 extends laterally from a terminating end 457 of the lumen 455. The reservoir 460 is adapted to operate as a retention basin for maintaining small portions of concentrate that propagated through the lumen 442 of the concentrate vaporization element 320 and the lumen 455 of the fastening element 430. The reservoir 460 is structured to prevent or at least mitigate the propagation of portions of the concentrate from released through the vapor outlet within the mouthpiece component 312 and into a mouth of the user during an inhaling event by the user.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 4F, a cross-sectional representation of the mouthpiece component 312 is shown. The reservoir 460 is situated at the terminating end 457 of the lumen 455 to retain portion(s) of concentrate that was not fully transitioned as vapor. The reservoir 460 may be cleaned using a Q-tip or other rod-like cleaning instrument in order to remove the concentrate and keep the reservoir clean and reusable for other concentrates.

[0075] Referring now to FIG. 4G, an illustrative embodiment of the material storage component 314 of FIG. 4A with a removable silicone insert 470 is shown. The silicone insert 470 is provided for storage and pooling of concentrate gathered by the inverted tip 420 of the concentrate vaporization element 320 of FIG. 4F. Herein, for this embodiment of the disclosure, the silicone insert 470 includes a frustum segment 472 and a planar segment 474. The frustum segment 472 is adapted as an inverted cone to store a prescribed amount of concentrate that was gathered using the inverted tip 420 and remains within the frustum segment 472 during the heating process. The planar segment 474 is arranged to rest on an upper ledge 475 of the material storage component 314. The planar segment 474 features a plurality of apertures 478 to allow for access to one or more electrical contacts 490 and / or magnetic contacts 492. Herein, the silicone insert 470 may be removed for cleaning and / or for replacement as the concentrate is a sticky material that may require replacement of the silicone insert 470 when using different types of concentrates.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 4H, an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate vaporization element 320 attached to the mouthpiece component 312 is shown, where the concentrate vaporization element 320 may be attached to the material storage component 314. Herein, the second end 326 of the elongated member 322, namely the inverted tip 420 with the integrated heating element(s) 425, is inserted into the cavity region 330 formed within the material storage component 314. The cavity region 330 is sized to receive the silicone insert 470 as an optional feature; however, the inverted tip 420 could be placed within the cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314 without the silicone insert 470.

[0077] When the concentrate vaporization element 320 is positioned within the cavity region 330 formed within the material storage component 314 and the mouthpiece component 312, where the material storage component 314 is aligned so that the electrical and / or mechanical connection points between the material storage component 314 and the mouthpiece component 312 are aligned and in physical contact with each other. As a result, the power system 150 provides power to the material storage component 314, and such power is further relayed (routed) to power circuitry within the mouthpiece component 312, which supplies power to the integrated heating element(s) 425 within the concentrate vaporization element 320. The integrated heating element(s) 425 heats the inverted tip 420 to a temperature to cause the transformation of concentrate coated on the inverted tip 420 to a gaseous state. This connection is shown in FIG. 4I in which the mouthpiece component 312 is attached to the material storage component 314 and are aligned therewith.

[0078] Referring now to FIG. 5, an illustrative logical representation of the vaporization device 100 with the first vapor delivery system 110 operating as a modular concentrate-to-vapor delivery system is shown. Herein, the first vapor delivery system 110 features the mouthpiece component 312 and the material storage component 314, where the concentrate vaporization element 320 includes the inverted tip 420 with integrated heating element(s) 425 inserted into the cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314. When the vaporization device 100 is activated, the heating element(s) 425 are adapted to receive power from the power system 150 in which the incoming power causes the heating element(s) 425 to increase in temperature. The thermal increase experienced by the heating element(s) 425 causes an external surface of the inverted tip 420 to increase in temperature, which causes concentrate 500 placed on the inverted tip 420 to transform from a solid, semi-solid or liquidous state to a vaporous state.

[0079] As further shown in FIG. 5, the power system 150 features at least the temperature sensing component 180, the power throttling control component 182, and / or the information screen 184. Herein, the temperature sensing component 180 is configured to continuously measure the temperature of the heating element(s) 425 when the vaporization device 100 is in operation. The power throttling control component 182 is configured to effectuate temperature adjustments based on the measured temperatures in accordance with one or more power maps directed to perform warmup pre-heat functionality, heating functionality, and / or charging functionality. Also, the power throttling control component 182 is configured to efficiently transform the concentrate into a gaseous form for emission from the mouthpiece component 312.

[0080] The power system 150 may further include the information screen 184 to display specific information associated with the first vapor delivery system 110 to the user. The information screen 184 is configured to display information including temperature, power level, and delivery system type. The power system 150 regulates heating consumable materials at predetermined temperatures based on the delivery system type, functionality, charging functionality, etc.) configured for the detected vapor delivery system. The power system 150 may include a battery, and thus, a recharging port 510 may be situated as part of the power system 150 for charging and recharging of the battery within the power system 150.D. Second Vapor Delivery System-Flower

[0081] Referring now to FIG. 6, an illustrative embodiment of the second vapor delivery system 120, which is physically and electrically coupled to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100 of FIG. 1A, is shown. Herein, the second vapor delivery system 120 includes a mouthpiece component 610 and a material storage component 650. The mouthpiece component 610 features a lumen 620 extending from a distal end 612 to a proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610. The distal end 612 of the mouthpiece component 610 features a vapor outlet 630, which is situated at a first end of the lumen 620. The proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610 features a flange 635 positioned at an opening 636 of the lumen 620. The flange 635 is sized for securely coupling to an opening of a heating chamber 660 that is positioned within the material storage component 650.

[0082] The material storage component 650 includes the heating chamber 660 and power circuitry 670 that is thermally connected to the heating chamber 660. The power circuitry 670 is electrically coupled to the power system 150 to receive power when the vaporization device 100 is in operation and the mouthpiece component 610 is physically coupled to the material storage component 650 to encapsulate the heating chamber 660. More specifically, an opening 662 of the heating chamber 660 is recessed below a distal end 652 of the housing 655 of the material storage component 650 to provide additional lateral support when the mouthpiece component 610 is securely coupled to the material storage component 650.

[0083] The power circuitry 670 is thermally connected to the heating chamber 660 to heat the chamber environment to a prescribed vaporization temperature and in accordance with a prescribed power map to vaporize flower material placed within the heating chamber 660.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 7A, an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component 610 of the second vapor delivery system 120 of FIG. 6 is shown. The mouthpiece component 610 features the lumen 620 extending from the vapor outlet 630 located at the distal end 612 to the flange 635 located at the proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610. Herein, the distal end 612 of the mouthpiece component 610 features a vapor outlet 630, which is situated at a first end of the lumen 620. The proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610 features the flange 635 extending from the opening 636 of the lumen 620 with a filter 637 positioned at an entry of the lumen 620. The flange 635 is sized for securely coupling to an opening of the heating chamber 660 positioned within the material storage component 650.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 7B, an illustrative embodiment of an interior of the material storage component 650 adapted for coupling to the mouthpiece component 610 of the second vapor delivery system of FIG. 7A is shown. The interior of the material storage component 650 features the heating chamber 660, which may be made of a material that supports heat transfer from the power circuitry 670. The opening 662 of the heating chamber 660 is recessed below the distal end 652 of the material storage component housing 655 to provide lateral support for the mouthpiece component 610 when securely coupled to the material storage component 650.

[0086] Magnetic contacts 657 are positioned at the distal end 652 of the housing 655 for connectivity with magnetic contacts 658 situated in the mouthpiece component 610. A bottom surface of the heating chamber 660 includes a plurality of air apertures to allow for airflow when elevating the temperature of the heating chamber 660 to a prescribed vaporization temperature.

[0087] As shown in FIGS. 7C-7D, illustrative embodiments of the mouthpiece component 610 of FIG. 7A in the process of attachment and at attachment with the material storage component 650 of FIG. 7B is shown. Herein, the flange 635 at a proximal end of the lumen 620 engages with the opening 662 of the heating chamber 660 as flower material fills the heating chamber 660. The flange 635 is sized to seal the heating chamber 660 so, as power is supplied to the power circuitry 670 and the flower material is heated to produce vapor, the vapor escapes through the lumen 620 towards the vapor outlet 630 located by the distal end 612 of the mouthpiece component 610.

[0088] Referring now to FIG. 8, an illustrative logical representation of the vaporization device 100 with the modular, second vapor delivery system 120 of FIG. 1A is shown. Herein, the second vapor delivery system 120 is used to consume vapor produced from flower 800 (dried cannabis, hemp, herbs, etc.) and received through the filter 637 located within the mouthpiece component 610. The dried herbs are heated in the heating chamber 660 by surrounding heating element(s) 820, which are part of the power circuitry 670 of FIGS. 6-7D and powered through an electrical connection from the power system 150. Targeted temperatures are reached by the second vapor delivery system 120 to consume vapor from the desired materials.

[0089] As shown, the second vapor delivery system 120 includes the mouthpiece component610 with a built-in or add-on filter 637 including layers for preventing flower particles from entering the user's mouth. The heating chamber 660 within the material storage component 650 is surrounded by heating wire and insulation forming the heating element 820, where the power system 150 is configured with the temperature sensing component 180 and the power throttling control component 182 to automatically throttle the supply of power to the second vapor delivery system 120 when the flower reaches appropriate temperatures. After detecting the vapor delivery system type as being a second vapor (flower-to-vapor) delivery system, the power throttling control component 182 operates in accordance with a power map select to transform flower material to vapor, where the power map may include a warm-up heating cycle. Stated differently, the temperature sensing component 180 and the power throttling control component 182, operating in accordance with a prescribed power map for the vapor delivery system type, regulates the power to the heating elements 820 to vaporize the flower material at reduced temperatures to prevent overheating of the housing 160 / 655 of the vaporization device.E. Third Vapor Delivery System-510-Thread Cartridge Connectivity Referring now to FIG. 9, an illustrative embodiment of the third vapor delivery system 130, operating as a 510-thread cartridge adapter that is physically and electrically coupled to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100 of FIG. 1A, is shown. According to this embodiment, the third vapor delivery system 130 features a housing 910 having a proximal portion 915 and a distal portion 920.

[0090] Herein, the distal portion 920 includes a threaded fastener 930, namely a 510-threaded fastener, which is adapted to receive the 510-thread cartridge 900 when installed as shown in FIG. 10. In particular, the threaded fastener 930 deploys a 510-thread, which is a standard threading size in the vaping industry. This ensures compatibility with a wide range of cartridges. The female orientation for the threaded fastener 930 provides compatibility with a male threaded fastener 905 associated with the 510-thread cartridge 900.

[0091] The proximal portion 915 of the housing 160 is configured with a power connection interface 912, which includes a plurality of electrical contacts 914 being part of a power circuitry 916 encapsulated within the 510-thread cartridge 900. The electrical contacts 914 are positioned for coupling to the power system 150 when connected to the housing 160 of the power system 150. The power circuitry 916 is arranged for coupling to an atomizer coil 935 of the 510-thread cartridge 900 when the cartridge 900 is connected to extend from the threaded fastener 930.

[0092] Upon activation of the power system 150, power is supplied to the electrical contacts 914, where the power is directed through the power circuitry 916 to the atomizer coil 935 of the 510-thread cartridge 900. As the atomizer coil 935 is heated, material (e.g., cannabis oil, nicotine-based oil, etc.) within the cartridge 900 is vaporized, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece component 610 being part of the 510-thread cartridge 900.F. Fourth Vapor Delivery System-Pre-Filled Cartridges

[0093] Referring now to FIG. 11, an illustrative embodiment of the fourth vapor delivery system 140, which is physically and electrically coupled to the power system 150 to form a vaporization device, is shown. Herein, the fourth vapor delivery system 140 operates as a pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system that includes a mouthpiece 1100 and material storage component 1110 as a monolithic component. The material storage component 1110 includes one or more components of the power circuitry (e.g., atomizer coil 1120) integrated within housing 1115 of the material storage component 1110.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 12A, an illustrative embodiment of a perspective view of the fourth vapor delivery system 140 of FIG. 11 is shown. The material storage component 1110 features the power circuitry, which includes a power interface 1200 featuring a plurality of electrical contacts 1210 to establish electrical connectivity between the atomizer coil 1120 and the power system 150 when the fourth vapor delivery system 140 is attached thereto.

[0095] The material storage component 1110 further includes material 1220 such as cannabis or hemp-based oil solution. Upon activation of the power system 150, power is supplied to the electrical contacts 1210, where the power is directed through the power circuitry connected to the electrical contacts 1210 to the atomizer coil 1120. As the atomizer coil 1120 is heated, the oil-based solution 1220 within the material storage component 1110 is vaporized, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece 1100 which has an air pathway established to a chamber within the material storage component 1110 that collects vapor as the oil-based solution is heated to create vapor therefrom.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 12B, an illustrative embodiment of a power interface 1230 within a housing 1240 of the power system 150 of FIG. 11 is shown. Herein, the physical (magnetic) contacts(s) 1250 and electrical contact(s) 1260 with the pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system of FIG. 12A. One or more alternative connectors 1270 may be added to the power interface 1230 to detect the vapor delivery system type because, in situations where the vapor delivery systems are changed frequently, the thermal condition at the power interface 1230 may cause erroneous resistance determinations. Hence, the alternative connector(s) 1270, operating as a fail-safe, mechanical vapor delivery system detection mechanism, may be needed.

[0097] The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed. The above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0037]In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration a specific example in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the described invention.

[0038]It should be noted that inventive aspects described herein are directed to a vaporization device with modular vapor delivery systems that are interchangeable for physical and electrical attachment to a power system of the vaporization device. The vapor delivery systems are directed to supporting the vaporization of different types of materials maintained within different types of material storage elements for consumer inhalation. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a first vapor delivery system (concentrate-to-vapor) can be attached as part of the vaporization device, where the power system is configured to (i) ...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO CORRESPONDING PATENT APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 032,082 filed Jan. 19, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.FIELD

[0002] Embodiment of the disclosure relate to a vaporization device adapted to support multiple, interchangeable vapor delivery systems that store consumable material in different forms for transition from a first state (e.g., solid, semi-solid or liquid state) to a second state (e.g., gaseous (vapor) state)BACKGROUND

[0003] Conventional vaporization devices, often referred to as e-cigarettes or vape pens, are electronic devices that heat a source liquid, which usually containing nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. The heating of the liquid create a vapor (aerosol) that the user inhales. These conventional vaporization devices typically consist of an elongated housing, which is sized and adapted to house a battery and a heating element integrated as a component within the housing. Upon activation of the conventional vaporization device, the heating element receives power that heats the heating element up to a temperature that converts the source liquid into a vapor for inhalation by the user.

[0004] Conventional vaporization devices with housings that maintain a battery and one or more heating elements for the battery can pose several risks. One risk involves overheating of the battery housing, which can damage the power system or at least the battery associated with the power system, thereby reducing the lifespan of the power system, the battery, and / or vaporization device. Also, overheating redirects heat to the battery housing, which may cause discomfort when using the conventional vaporization device. Additionally, another risk may involve the heated battery housing causing potential fire hazards.

[0005] Furthermore, conventional vaporization devices are typically designed for a single type of consumable material, such as nicotine-based liquids, cannabis oils, or dried flower, limiting their versatility. For example, devices optimized for liquid vaporization often lack the capability to process solid or semi-solid materials like cannabis concentrates or dried flower, requiring users to purchase multiple specialized vaporization devices to accommodate different consumption preferences. This lack of modularity restricts user convenience and increases overall usage costs.

[0006] Given that they are designed for a single type of consumable material, conventional vaporization devices often employ fixed or manually adjustable heating profiles that do not account for the distinct vaporization temperatures required for different materials. For instance, cannabis concentrates typically require lower temperatures for vaporization (e.g., 200-300° C.) compared to dried flower (e.g., 350-400° C.), yet conventional vaporization devices apply uniform heating. This has led to inefficient vaporization, material waste, or undesirable combustion. Moreover, existing vaporization devices lack intelligent detection mechanisms to automatically identify the type of consumable material or delivery system attached, forcing users to manually adjust settings, which can be error-prone and lead to suboptimal performance or safety risks.

[0007] Another limitation of conventional vaporization devices is their inadequate handling of material-specific challenges, particularly for cannabis concentrates. Concentrates, such as waxes or distillates, are viscous and prone to residue buildup, which can clog vapor pathways or contaminate the user's inhalation experience. Conventional devices rarely include features like removable storage inserts or reservoirs to manage excess material, resulting in maintenance difficulties and reduced device longevity. Similarly, flower vaporization systems often lack effective filtration to prevent particulate inhalation, posing health concerns for users.

[0008] Finally, while some vaporization devices support standard cartridge formats, such as 510-thread cartridges, these devices typically support a single material types, and thus, they do not provide automated power adjustments tailored to the cartridge's specifications. This lack of integration and automation limits the ability of conventional vaporization devices to deliver a seamless, safe, and efficient vaping experience across diverse cannabis and hemp products.

[0009] In light of the foregoing, conventional vaporization devices are currently unable to transition seamlessly or efficiently between flower, concentrate, and pre-filled vapor delivery systems by simply removing the current vapor delivery system and substituting it with another type of vapor delivery system.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

[0011] FIG. 1A is an illustrative embodiment of a vaporization device with interchangeable, modular vapor delivery system.

[0012] FIG. 1B is an illustrative logical representation of a vaporization device with one of the modular vapor delivery system of FIG. 1A.

[0013] FIG. 2A is an illustrative embodiment of a front housing segment for the power system of the vaporization device of FIG. 1A.

[0014] FIG. 2B is an illustrative embodiment of a rear housing segment for the power system of the vaporization device of FIG. 1A.

[0015] FIG. 3 is an illustrative embodiment of a first vapor delivery system that is physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0016] FIG. 4A is an illustrative embodiment of the first vapor delivery system of FIG. 3 including a mouthpiece component with a removable concentrate collection and heating element along with a concentrate storage component.

[0017] FIG. 4B is an illustrative embodiment of a first end of the concentrate collection and heating element attached as part of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4A.

[0018] FIG. 4C is an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate collection and heating element of FIG. 4B featuring the first end with an inverted ceramic tip coupled to an integrated heating component and a second end with a fastening element for coupling to the mouthpiece component.

[0019] FIG. 4D is an illustrative embodiment of a fastening element positioned in the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4B featuring a lumen aligned with a lumen extending through the concentrate collection and heating element.

[0020] FIG. 4E is an illustrative embodiment of a reservoir formed within the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4A.

[0021] FIG. 4F is an illustrative cross-sectional representation of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4E showing an orientation of the reservoir in connection with the fastening element positioned in the mouthpiece of FIG. 4E.

[0022] FIG. 4G is an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate storage component of FIG. 4A with a removable silicone chamber for storage of concentrate accessible to the inverted ceramic tip of the concentrate collection and heating element of FIG. 4A.

[0023] FIG. 4H is an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate collection and heating element of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 4A being attaching to the concentrate storage component.

[0024] FIG. 4I is an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component attached to the concentrate storage component of FIG. 4H.

[0025] FIG. 5 is an illustrative logical representation of a vaporization device with the modular concentrate-to-vapor delivery system of FIG. 1A.

[0026] FIG. 6 is an illustrative embodiment of a second vapor delivery system that is physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0027] FIG. 7A is an illustrative embodiment of a mouthpiece component of the second vapor delivery system of FIG. 6.

[0028] FIG. 7B is an illustrative embodiment of a flower storage component adapted for coupling to the mouthpiece component of the second vapor delivery system of FIG. 7A.

[0029] FIG. 7C is an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 7A being attaching to the flower storage component of FIG. 7B.

[0030] FIG. 7D is an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component of FIG. 7A attached to the flower storage component of FIG. 7B.

[0031] FIG. 8 is an illustrative logical representation of a vaporization device with the modular flower-to-vapor delivery system of FIG. 1A.

[0032] FIG. 9 is an illustrative embodiment of a third vapor delivery system operating as a 510-thread cartridge adapter and physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0033] FIG. 10 is an illustrative embodiment of a cartridge interface for the third vapor delivery system of FIG. 9.

[0034] FIG. 11 is an illustrative embodiment of a fourth vapor delivery system physically and electrically coupled to the power system to form a vaporization device.

[0035] FIG. 12A is an illustrative embodiment of a perspective view of the fourth vapor delivery system of FIG. 11 operating as a pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system.

[0036] FIG. 12B is an illustrative embodiment of an interface within a housing of the power system of FIG. 11 to form a physical (magnetic) and electrical coupling with the pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system of FIG. 12A.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration a specific example in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the described invention.

[0038] It should be noted that inventive aspects described herein are directed to a vaporization device with modular vapor delivery systems that are interchangeable for physical and electrical attachment to a power system of the vaporization device. The vapor delivery systems are directed to supporting the vaporization of different types of materials maintained within different types of material storage elements for consumer inhalation. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a first vapor delivery system (concentrate-to-vapor) can be attached as part of the vaporization device, where the power system is configured to (i) detect this type of vapor delivery system and (ii) generate signaling in accordance with a power map (power signaling pattern) to adjust the supply of power (e.g., timing, amount, etc.) provided to heating element(s) associated with the first vapor delivery system. This signaling may involve the throttling (e.g., supplying and / or halting) of power signals to cause an increase / decrease in thermal temperature of the heating element(s) included within the first vapor delivery system to optimize or effectuate the transformation of the concentrate into vapor for inhalation.

[0039] Additionally, the power system may be configured to detect other types of vapor delivery systems (e.g., flower, pre-filled oil, etc.) where the power map for these types of vapor delivery systems may differ. Moreover, different power maps may be utilized for the same type of vapor delivery systems, where these systems vaporize different consumable materials (e.g., hemp, cannabis, flavored oil, etc.). The reason is that these consumable materials may need to achieve different vaporization threshold temperatures to transform the consumable material into vapor.

[0040] For example, a first concentrate may be heated by heating element(s) in accordance with a first prescribed power map to a first vaporization temperature that transforms the first concentrate into a gaseous form (vapor). However, a second concentrate or a solid material may be heated by heating element(s) in accordance with a second prescribed power map, which is different than the first prescribed power map, to achieve a second vaporization temperature that is greater than the first vaporization temperature. At the second heating threshold temperature, the heating element(s) is configured to transform the second concentrate (or solid material, e.g., flower) into a vapor. Additionally, besides supporting different vaporization temperatures needed to vaporize different source materials, when processed, the power maps are adapted to control the power system in generating power signals at different times and / or with different amplitudes to increase, decrease or retain a desired vaporization temperature to efficiently transform the source material into a vapor for consumption.

[0041] Herein, according to one embodiment of the disclosure, the measured resistance associated with the vapor delivery system, upon attachment to the power system, may be used to identify the vapor delivery system type. Also, the establishment of one or more additional electrical connection point locations on the vapor delivery systems may be used to identify the vapor delivery system type when coupled to the power system.

[0042] Hence, the vaporization device is designed to overcome a number of problems and disadvantages associated with conventional vaporization devices. For instance, unlike single-purpose conventional vaporization devices (e.g., nicotine vape pens or dedicated flower vaporizers), the below-described vaporization device supports modularity provides seamless switching between materials, such as concentrates, flower, and cartridges, reducing the need for multiple devices. Also, through resistance-based detection (e.g., a prescribed resistance range, such as 0.8-1.2 ohms for concentrates, etc.) or alternative connectors enable automated power adjustment setting in lieu of manual. This improves vaporization efficiency and reduces material waste.

[0043] As described below in detail, certain embodiments of the vaporization device feature an inverted ceramic tip, a silicone insert, and / or a flower filter (see FIGS. 4A, 4G & 7A) are configured to address specific challenges (residue, particulates) not adequately addressed by conventional vaporization devices, enhancing safety and usability. Additionally, temperature regulation through processes and components specific to the vaporization device, such as power throttling and residue management components like a mouthpiece reservoir for example, mitigate overheating and maintenance issues normally experienced by conventional vaporization devices.

[0044] Also, unlike conventional vaporization devices, one embodiment of the vaporization device allows for 510-thread cartridges to be coupled to a removable, modular vapor delivery system, which is separate from its power system. Hence, even with the use of 510-thread cartridges, the vaporization device is configured to automatically detect connectivity to this legacy material supply component and adjust the vaporization device to operate at a prescribed heating pattern for fluids contained within the 510-thread cartridge, where the heating pattern may be universal for any 510-thread cartridge or tailored specifically to the type of material being vaporized so that different 510-thread cartridges may be associated with different prescribed heating patterns given different vaporization temperatures for different fluidic material.A. Terminology

[0045] In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe aspects of the invention. For example, the term “component” may be representative of a physical structure such as a mechanical structure or hardware or may be representative of a logical structure such as firmware and / or software that is configured to perform one or more functions. As hardware, a “component” may include circuitry having data processing or storage functionality. Examples of such circuitry may include, but are not limited or restricted to, one or more hardware processors (e.g., a microprocessor with one or more processor cores, a digital signal processor, a programmable gate array, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit “ASIC,” etc.), a semiconductor memory or other type of non-transitory storage medium, or combinatorial elements.

[0046] Alternatively, in certain situations, a “component” may be software, such as executable code in the form of an executable application, a graphical user interface (GUI), an Application Programming Interface (API), a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an applet, a servlet, a routine, source code, object code, a shared library / dynamic library, or one or more instructions. The software may be stored in any type of non-transitory storage medium or transitory storage medium (e.g., electrical, optical, acoustical, or other forms of propagated signals such as carrier waves, infrared signals, or digital signals). Examples of the non-transitory storage medium may include, but are not limited or restricted to, a programmable circuit; semiconductor memory; non-persistent storage such as volatile memory (e.g., any type of random access memory “RAM”); or persistent storage such as non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory “ROM,” power-backed RAM, flash memory, phase-change memory, etc.), a solid-state drive, hard disk drive, an optical disc drive, or a portable memory device.

[0047] Similarly, the term “system” may be representative of a physical device, which may include circuitry with data processing, data storage, power transmission, and / or heating functionality to determine and perform a prescribed heating pattern on material to be vaporized. Examples of such circuitry may include, but are not limited or restricted to one or more interconnects (e.g., electrical wires, cables, optical fiber, or other transmission medium), heating elements, hardware processor, a memory, or the like. Examples of a heating element may include one or more heat coils arranged to vaporize material positioned within a chamber or in contact with a tip of the concentrate vaporization element.

[0048] In certain instances, the terms “compare,” comparing,”“comparison,” or other tenses thereof generally mean determining if a match (e.g., identical or a prescribed level of correlation) is achieved between information under analysis.

[0049] The character set “(s)” identifies one or more items. For example, the term “component(s)” constitutes one or more components as the term “button(s)” constitutes one or more buttons.

[0050] Lastly, the terms “or” and “and / or” as used herein are to be interpreted as inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B, or C” or “A, B, and / or C” mean “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B, and C.” An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps, or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.B. General Architecture

[0051] Referring to FIG. 1A, an illustrative embodiment of a vaporization device 100 with interchangeable, modular vapor delivery systems 110, 120, 130 and / or 140 is shown. Herein, the vaporization device 100 features a power system 150 contained within an elongated housing 160. The power system 150 is configured to control the supply of power to one of the vapor delivery systems 110, 120, 130 or 140 selectively attached to the power system 150, where different amounts of power (e.g., current and voltage level) may be needed by different vapor delivery systems. The difference power levels may be needed as different consumable materials (e.g., cannabis concentrate, hemp concentrate, cannabis-based oils, hemp-based oils, cannabis flower, etc.) have different vaporization temperatures to transition the material within the vapor delivery system from a first state of matter (e.g., solid or liquid) to a second state of matter (e.g., gaseous (vapor)).

[0052] For instance, as an illustrative example, one or more heating elements (e.g., heat coil mounted within a ceramic tip of a concentrate vaporization element of FIGS. 3-4A) maintained in the first (concentrate-to-vapor) delivery system 110 requires a lesser amount of power to at least partially transform a consumable material (e.g., cannabis or hemp concentrate) from a first state of matter (e.g., concentrate) to a second state of matter (e.g., gaseous (vapor)) than the amount of power needed by a heating element (e.g., ceramic heat chamber of FIG. 6) maintained in the second (flower-to-vapor) delivery system 120 to at least partially transform a consumable material (e.g., cannabis or hemp flower) from a solid state of matter to a gaseous (vapor) state. Hence, the selected supply of power is based on the particular vapor delivery system coupled to the power system 150 as each type of vapor delivery system may be assigned with a different, prescribed heating pattern (e.g., amount of power supplied and the timing / frequency of the supplied power) to attempt to optimize vapor delivery.

[0053] Referring still to FIG. 1A, each of the vapor delivery system 110, 120, 130 and / or 140 include a common, electrical interface 170-173, which features a plurality of electrical contacts complementary to an electrical interface (not shown) associated with the power system 150 incorporated within the housing 160. Based on a measured resistance associated with a particular vapor delivery system 110, 120, 130 and / or 140 attached to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100 and / or detection of electrical connectivity with alternative connection point (described below), the power system 150 can detect the delivery system type electrically coupled to the power system 150. As shown in FIG. 1B, the power system 150 includes a processor 152 and non-transitory storage medium (e.g., memory) 154 to software for detection of the vapor delivery system type and / or selection of a power map stored therein.

[0054] Thereafter, in response to activation of the vaporization device 100 (e.g., one or more depressions of an activation button 190), components associated with the power system 150 are configured to (i) select the power map associated with the detected vapor delivery system and (ii) perform operations in accordance with that power map and the measured temperature of the structure inclusive of the consumable material intended to be vaporized. The structure may include a heat chamber, region, tip of a concentrate vaporization element, and the power map (e.g., schema on supplying prescribed power signaling) may vary (throttle) in power level, time and / or frequency based on the attached vapor delivery system and the measured temperature of the structure maintaining the consumable material.

[0055] Referring now to FIG. 1B, an illustrative logical representation of vaporization device 100 of FIG. 1A with a (modular) vapor delivery system 110. 120. 130 or 140 (generally “vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140”) of FIG. 1A is shown. As an illustrative example, the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 may include a mouthpiece component 112 and an intermediary component 114, where the intermediary component 114 (hereinafter, “material storage component” for vapor delivery systems 110 / 120) includes components to store the consumable material 118 (e.g., concentrate, oil, flower, etc.) and components (e.g., circuits, etc.) that enable the transfer of power to a heating element 116. As shown, the heating element 116 may be positioned within a region of the material storage component 114 occupied by at least a portion of the consumable material, where the heating element 116 is thermally coupled to one or more components within the region (e.g., heating chamber) adapted to hold or contain the consumable material 118. The heating element 116 is electrically coupled to the power system 150 in which the power system 150 supplies power to the heating element 116 to cause vaporization of a consumable material such as (i) a concentrate (e.g., cannabis dabs) acquired using the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 from a source physically removed from the vaporization device 100, (ii) a solution (e.g., oil, etc.) within a pre-filled storage component or 510-threaded container being part of the vapor delivery system, (iii) hemp or cannabis flower, or the like.

[0056] The power system 150 includes the processor 152 and memory 154 as described above, along with a temperature sensing component 180, a power throttling control component 182, an information screen 184, and / or button setting control component(s) 186. Herein, the temperature sensing component 180 is configured to measure the temperature of the heating element 116 and / or the region, where the measurement may be performed in an automated or manual manner and provide real-time feedback. Thereafter, the temperature sensing component 180 is configured to operate with the power throttling control component 182 to effectuate temperature adjustments based on actual measured temperatures for compliance with a power map associated with the first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 for transforming the consumable material (e.g., concentrate) into a vapor for extraction from the mouthpiece component 112.

[0057] The power throttling control component 182 is configured to control and / or regulate the temperature of the heating elements for vaporization of a consumable material (e.g., concentrate) based on the monitored temperature determined by the temperature sensing component 180. In particular, the power throttling control component 182 may be configured to regulate the heating temperatures applied by the heating element 116 to vaporize consumable materials (e.g., concentrate) at optimal temperatures without overheating (or excessive heating of) an exterior surface of the material storage component 114 and / or the housing 160.

[0058] Herein, as shown in FIG. 1B, the housing 160 of the power system 150 includes the information screen 184 to display specific information associated with the attached, first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 to the user. The information screen 184 displays information including temperature, power level, and / or delivery system type. The power system 150 regulates heating of the consumable materials at predetermined temperatures based on the delivery system type. In one embodiment, the information screen 184 operates as a touch screen to allow a user to scroll through the delivery system specific information, where selection of a particular setting or settings is detected by the button setting control component(s) 186 to adjust and / or control modifications to the power map (e.g., warmup pre-heat functionality, heating functionality, etc.) configured for the detected first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 and / or a charging pattern for the vaporization device 100 including the first vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140.

[0059] For example, temperature regulation in vaporizing the consumable material may be controlled by the power system 150, which may include warmup pre-heat functions at temperatures and durations based at least in part on detection of the vapor delivery system type. The detection of the vapor delivery system type allows for selection of predetermined setting parameters for the vaporization device 100, such as heating functions to attain targeted thermal ranges at prescribed durations. The achievement of each thermal milestone may be displayed on the information screen 184 to identify the activation process stage and when the vaporization device 100 is ready to use.

[0060] The components associated with the power system 150 may include a memory device and a processor to store data and identify a vapor delivery system type attached to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100. The recharging process in differing embodiments may include wireless energy transfer. A power source, including alternating current (AC) and / or direct current (DC) voltage sources. may be used to recharge the power system 150 via a recharging port 185, such as a battery along with power circuitry of one embodiment.

[0061] Referring now to FIG. 2A, an illustrative embodiment of a front housing segment 200 for the housing 160 containing the power system 150 of FIG. 1A is shown. The front housing segment 200 features the information screen 184 and an interface port 210, which may be configured for recharging one or more components forming the power system 150 (e.g., recharging port 185 for battery with other power circuitry) or for data transfer from / to the power system 150. The information screen 184 is adapted to display information associated with the attached vapor delivery system.

[0062] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 2B, an illustrative embodiment of a rear housing segment 230 for the housing 160 of FIG. 2A is shown. Herein, an open end 240 of the housing 160, which is opposite from the interface port 210, is sized to receive an end portion of a vapor delivery system such as a proximal end of the material storage component 114 of the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 of FIG. 1A. Once the vapor delivery system 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 is electrically coupled to the power system 150, upon selection of the activation button(s) 190, the vapor delivery system begins heating to vaporize a portion of the consumable material.C. First Vapor Delivery System-Concentrate

[0063] Referring now to FIG. 3, an illustrative embodiment of the first vapor delivery system 110, which is electrically coupled to the power system 150 and physically coupled to the housing 160 of the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100, is shown. According to this embodiment, the first vapor delivery system 110 features a mouthpiece component 312 and a material storage component 314.

[0064] The material storage component 314 features heating circuitry, which may include one or more heating elements 300 (hereinafter, “heating element(s)”) coupled to power circuitry including a pair of electrical contacts 310 adapted to receive power from the power system 150 encased within a separate component (e.g., housing 160). The heating element(s) 300 may be integrated as part of a concentrate vaporization element 320, namely an elongated member 322 that includes a first end 324 removably coupled to the mouthpiece component 312 and a second end 326 (e.g., porous crystal) insertable into the material storage component 314 for vaporization of concentrate applied to the second end 326 of the elongated member 322. The concentrate vaporization element 320 is adapted to allow the user to place the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 into a concentrate, which may include, but is not limited or restricted to a crumble, wax, budder, rosin, distillates or other solid, semi-solid or liquidous material. These concentrates may constitute a cannabis concentrate, hemp concentrate, or the like.

[0065] After application of the concentrate as described above, the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 may be inserted into a cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314. In the cavity region 330, after activation of the vaporization device 100, the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 is heated by the heating element(s) 300 to a temperature that transforms the concentrate from a solid or liquidous state into a gaseous state (vapor). The resultant vapor flows from the cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314 to the mouthpiece component 312 through a lumen formed in the elongated member 322 and a vapor outlet (see FIG. 6) formed in the mouthpiece component 312, where the cavity region 330 and the lumen provide an airflow pathway for the vapor between the material storage component 314 and the mouthpiece component 312.

[0066] Referring now to FIG. 4A, an illustrative embodiment of the first vapor delivery system 110 of FIG. 3, including the mouthpiece component 312 and the material storage component 314 interconnected by the removable concentrate vaporization element 320 is shown. As generally described above, the concentrate vaporization element 320 includes the elongated member 322 having the first end 324 and the second end 326. The first end 324 includes a fastening element 410 while the second end 326 features an inverted tip 420. The inverted tip 420 includes one or more integrated heating elements 425, such as a heating coil or other component, which is configured to cause a surface temperature of the inverted tip 420 to increase when the vaporization device 100 is activated. Upon receiving a vaporization threshold, the concentrate in contact with the inverted tip 420 will change its state of matter, such as from a solid or semi-solid state into a gaseous (vapor) state for this embodiment.

[0067] Herein, for this embodiment, the inverted tip 420 is made of a material, such as ceramic for example, which allows for thermal transfer from the heating element(s) 425 to an exterior surface of the inverted tip 420. The inverted tip 420 may be made of other materials that support high thermal conductivity and heat resistance such as graphite, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) such as Teflon®, stainless steel, or the like. The first end 324 includes the fastening element 410 configured for coupling to a complementary fastening element 430 within the mouthpiece component 312. For instance, the fastening element 410 may feature a threaded construction that is complementary with (and threaded into) the complementary fastening element 430.

[0068] The mouthpiece component 312 contains power circuitry with a plurality of contacts 445 accessible along a proximal portion of the mouthpiece component 312. The contacts 445 provide electrical connectivity to the power circuitry 435 within the material storage component 314 (see FIG. 4H) and are adapted to transfer power via the power circuitry 435 from the power system 150 to the heating element(s) 425 integrated within the inverted tip 420 of the concentrate vaporization element 320.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 4B, an illustrative embodiment of the second end 326 of the elongated member 322 partially forming the concentrate vaporization element 320 is shown. Herein, the concentrate vaporization element 320 is attached to the mouthpiece component 312. The second end 326 includes the inverted tip 420, which features an opening 440 for a lumen 442 extending through the elongated member 322 including the inverted tip 420. The lumen 442 allows for vapor, namely a gaseous byproduct caused by the heating of the concentrate placed on the inverted tip 420, to propagate into the mouthpiece component 312 in response to an inhaling event by the user.

[0070] An interface 450 of the mouthpiece component 312, which is arranged for coupling to the material storage component 314, includes the plurality of contacts 445. These contacts 445 may include one or more electrical contacts 446 along with one or more structural contacts 447 (e.g., magnetic contacts) for coupling to a complimentary magnetic contact formed on an interface of the material storage component 314. The electrical contacts 446 includes a spring-loaded protrusion that recesses into the mouthpiece component 312 when a complementary electrical connector deployed within the material storage component 314 is in physical and electrical contact with the electrical contacts 446. The complementary electrical connector (not shown) is adapted to receive power from the power system 150.

[0071] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4C, an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate vaporization element 320 of FIG. 4B is shown, which features the elongated member 322 that includes the first end 324 with the fastening element 410 and the second end 326 with the inverted tip 420. The heating element(s) 425 may be integrated within the inverted tip 420 so that, when the vaporization device 100 is activated, the heating element(s) 425 heats up thereby heating an external surface of the inverted tip 420 to effectuate vaporization of the concentrate placed thereon.

[0072] Referring now to FIG. 4D, an illustrative embodiment of the complementary fastening element 430 positioned within the mouthpiece component 312 of FIG. 4B is shown, where the fastening element 430 features a lumen 455 positioned to align with the lumen 442 extending through the elongated member 322. Herein, the fastening element 430 may constitute a threaded fastener that is sized and adapted to receive the fastening element 410 (e.g., the threaded first end 324) of the elongated member 322. The fastening element 430 allows for the concentrate vaporization element 320 of FIG. 4C to be removed and replaced as needed or cleaned. This allows for easier and more cost effective component replacement for the vaporization device 100 without replacement of the mouthpiece component 312 and / or the first vapor delivery system 110.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 4E, an illustrative embodiment of a reservoir 460 formed within the mouthpiece component 312 of FIG. 4A is shown. The reservoir 460 extends laterally from a terminating end 457 of the lumen 455. The reservoir 460 is adapted to operate as a retention basin for maintaining small portions of concentrate that propagated through the lumen 442 of the concentrate vaporization element 320 and the lumen 455 of the fastening element 430. The reservoir 460 is structured to prevent or at least mitigate the propagation of portions of the concentrate from released through the vapor outlet within the mouthpiece component 312 and into a mouth of the user during an inhaling event by the user.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 4F, a cross-sectional representation of the mouthpiece component 312 is shown. The reservoir 460 is situated at the terminating end 457 of the lumen 455 to retain portion(s) of concentrate that was not fully transitioned as vapor. The reservoir 460 may be cleaned using a Q-tip or other rod-like cleaning instrument in order to remove the concentrate and keep the reservoir clean and reusable for other concentrates.

[0075] Referring now to FIG. 4G, an illustrative embodiment of the material storage component 314 of FIG. 4A with a removable silicone insert 470 is shown. The silicone insert 470 is provided for storage and pooling of concentrate gathered by the inverted tip 420 of the concentrate vaporization element 320 of FIG. 4F. Herein, for this embodiment of the disclosure, the silicone insert 470 includes a frustum segment 472 and a planar segment 474. The frustum segment 472 is adapted as an inverted cone to store a prescribed amount of concentrate that was gathered using the inverted tip 420 and remains within the frustum segment 472 during the heating process. The planar segment 474 is arranged to rest on an upper ledge 475 of the material storage component 314. The planar segment 474 features a plurality of apertures 478 to allow for access to one or more electrical contacts 490 and / or magnetic contacts 492. Herein, the silicone insert 470 may be removed for cleaning and / or for replacement as the concentrate is a sticky material that may require replacement of the silicone insert 470 when using different types of concentrates.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 4H, an illustrative embodiment of the concentrate vaporization element 320 attached to the mouthpiece component 312 is shown, where the concentrate vaporization element 320 may be attached to the material storage component 314. Herein, the second end 326 of the elongated member 322, namely the inverted tip 420 with the integrated heating element(s) 425, is inserted into the cavity region 330 formed within the material storage component 314. The cavity region 330 is sized to receive the silicone insert 470 as an optional feature; however, the inverted tip 420 could be placed within the cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314 without the silicone insert 470.

[0077] When the concentrate vaporization element 320 is positioned within the cavity region 330 formed within the material storage component 314 and the mouthpiece component 312, where the material storage component 314 is aligned so that the electrical and / or mechanical connection points between the material storage component 314 and the mouthpiece component 312 are aligned and in physical contact with each other. As a result, the power system 150 provides power to the material storage component 314, and such power is further relayed (routed) to power circuitry within the mouthpiece component 312, which supplies power to the integrated heating element(s) 425 within the concentrate vaporization element 320. The integrated heating element(s) 425 heats the inverted tip 420 to a temperature to cause the transformation of concentrate coated on the inverted tip 420 to a gaseous state. This connection is shown in FIG. 4I in which the mouthpiece component 312 is attached to the material storage component 314 and are aligned therewith.

[0078] Referring now to FIG. 5, an illustrative logical representation of the vaporization device 100 with the first vapor delivery system 110 operating as a modular concentrate-to-vapor delivery system is shown. Herein, the first vapor delivery system 110 features the mouthpiece component 312 and the material storage component 314, where the concentrate vaporization element 320 includes the inverted tip 420 with integrated heating element(s) 425 inserted into the cavity region 330 of the material storage component 314. When the vaporization device 100 is activated, the heating element(s) 425 are adapted to receive power from the power system 150 in which the incoming power causes the heating element(s) 425 to increase in temperature. The thermal increase experienced by the heating element(s) 425 causes an external surface of the inverted tip 420 to increase in temperature, which causes concentrate 500 placed on the inverted tip 420 to transform from a solid, semi-solid or liquidous state to a vaporous state.

[0079] As further shown in FIG. 5, the power system 150 features at least the temperature sensing component 180, the power throttling control component 182, and / or the information screen 184. Herein, the temperature sensing component 180 is configured to continuously measure the temperature of the heating element(s) 425 when the vaporization device 100 is in operation. The power throttling control component 182 is configured to effectuate temperature adjustments based on the measured temperatures in accordance with one or more power maps directed to perform warmup pre-heat functionality, heating functionality, and / or charging functionality. Also, the power throttling control component 182 is configured to efficiently transform the concentrate into a gaseous form for emission from the mouthpiece component 312.

[0080] The power system 150 may further include the information screen 184 to display specific information associated with the first vapor delivery system 110 to the user. The information screen 184 is configured to display information including temperature, power level, and delivery system type. The power system 150 regulates heating consumable materials at predetermined temperatures based on the delivery system type, functionality, charging functionality, etc.) configured for the detected vapor delivery system. The power system 150 may include a battery, and thus, a recharging port 510 may be situated as part of the power system 150 for charging and recharging of the battery within the power system 150.D. Second Vapor Delivery System-Flower

[0081] Referring now to FIG. 6, an illustrative embodiment of the second vapor delivery system 120, which is physically and electrically coupled to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100 of FIG. 1A, is shown. Herein, the second vapor delivery system 120 includes a mouthpiece component 610 and a material storage component 650. The mouthpiece component 610 features a lumen 620 extending from a distal end 612 to a proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610. The distal end 612 of the mouthpiece component 610 features a vapor outlet 630, which is situated at a first end of the lumen 620. The proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610 features a flange 635 positioned at an opening 636 of the lumen 620. The flange 635 is sized for securely coupling to an opening of a heating chamber 660 that is positioned within the material storage component 650.

[0082] The material storage component 650 includes the heating chamber 660 and power circuitry 670 that is thermally connected to the heating chamber 660. The power circuitry 670 is electrically coupled to the power system 150 to receive power when the vaporization device 100 is in operation and the mouthpiece component 610 is physically coupled to the material storage component 650 to encapsulate the heating chamber 660. More specifically, an opening 662 of the heating chamber 660 is recessed below a distal end 652 of the housing 655 of the material storage component 650 to provide additional lateral support when the mouthpiece component 610 is securely coupled to the material storage component 650.

[0083] The power circuitry 670 is thermally connected to the heating chamber 660 to heat the chamber environment to a prescribed vaporization temperature and in accordance with a prescribed power map to vaporize flower material placed within the heating chamber 660.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 7A, an illustrative embodiment of the mouthpiece component 610 of the second vapor delivery system 120 of FIG. 6 is shown. The mouthpiece component 610 features the lumen 620 extending from the vapor outlet 630 located at the distal end 612 to the flange 635 located at the proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610. Herein, the distal end 612 of the mouthpiece component 610 features a vapor outlet 630, which is situated at a first end of the lumen 620. The proximal end 614 of the mouthpiece component 610 features the flange 635 extending from the opening 636 of the lumen 620 with a filter 637 positioned at an entry of the lumen 620. The flange 635 is sized for securely coupling to an opening of the heating chamber 660 positioned within the material storage component 650.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 7B, an illustrative embodiment of an interior of the material storage component 650 adapted for coupling to the mouthpiece component 610 of the second vapor delivery system of FIG. 7A is shown. The interior of the material storage component 650 features the heating chamber 660, which may be made of a material that supports heat transfer from the power circuitry 670. The opening 662 of the heating chamber 660 is recessed below the distal end 652 of the material storage component housing 655 to provide lateral support for the mouthpiece component 610 when securely coupled to the material storage component 650.

[0086] Magnetic contacts 657 are positioned at the distal end 652 of the housing 655 for connectivity with magnetic contacts 658 situated in the mouthpiece component 610. A bottom surface of the heating chamber 660 includes a plurality of air apertures to allow for airflow when elevating the temperature of the heating chamber 660 to a prescribed vaporization temperature.

[0087] As shown in FIGS. 7C-7D, illustrative embodiments of the mouthpiece component 610 of FIG. 7A in the process of attachment and at attachment with the material storage component 650 of FIG. 7B is shown. Herein, the flange 635 at a proximal end of the lumen 620 engages with the opening 662 of the heating chamber 660 as flower material fills the heating chamber 660. The flange 635 is sized to seal the heating chamber 660 so, as power is supplied to the power circuitry 670 and the flower material is heated to produce vapor, the vapor escapes through the lumen 620 towards the vapor outlet 630 located by the distal end 612 of the mouthpiece component 610.

[0088] Referring now to FIG. 8, an illustrative logical representation of the vaporization device 100 with the modular, second vapor delivery system 120 of FIG. 1A is shown. Herein, the second vapor delivery system 120 is used to consume vapor produced from flower 800 (dried cannabis, hemp, herbs, etc.) and received through the filter 637 located within the mouthpiece component 610. The dried herbs are heated in the heating chamber 660 by surrounding heating element(s) 820, which are part of the power circuitry 670 of FIGS. 6-7D and powered through an electrical connection from the power system 150. Targeted temperatures are reached by the second vapor delivery system 120 to consume vapor from the desired materials.

[0089] As shown, the second vapor delivery system 120 includes the mouthpiece component610 with a built-in or add-on filter 637 including layers for preventing flower particles from entering the user's mouth. The heating chamber 660 within the material storage component 650 is surrounded by heating wire and insulation forming the heating element 820, where the power system 150 is configured with the temperature sensing component 180 and the power throttling control component 182 to automatically throttle the supply of power to the second vapor delivery system 120 when the flower reaches appropriate temperatures. After detecting the vapor delivery system type as being a second vapor (flower-to-vapor) delivery system, the power throttling control component 182 operates in accordance with a power map select to transform flower material to vapor, where the power map may include a warm-up heating cycle. Stated differently, the temperature sensing component 180 and the power throttling control component 182, operating in accordance with a prescribed power map for the vapor delivery system type, regulates the power to the heating elements 820 to vaporize the flower material at reduced temperatures to prevent overheating of the housing 160 / 655 of the vaporization device.E. Third Vapor Delivery System-510-Thread Cartridge Connectivity Referring now to FIG. 9, an illustrative embodiment of the third vapor delivery system 130, operating as a 510-thread cartridge adapter that is physically and electrically coupled to the power system 150 to form the vaporization device 100 of FIG. 1A, is shown. According to this embodiment, the third vapor delivery system 130 features a housing 910 having a proximal portion 915 and a distal portion 920.

[0090] Herein, the distal portion 920 includes a threaded fastener 930, namely a 510-threaded fastener, which is adapted to receive the 510-thread cartridge 900 when installed as shown in FIG. 10. In particular, the threaded fastener 930 deploys a 510-thread, which is a standard threading size in the vaping industry. This ensures compatibility with a wide range of cartridges. The female orientation for the threaded fastener 930 provides compatibility with a male threaded fastener 905 associated with the 510-thread cartridge 900.

[0091] The proximal portion 915 of the housing 160 is configured with a power connection interface 912, which includes a plurality of electrical contacts 914 being part of a power circuitry 916 encapsulated within the 510-thread cartridge 900. The electrical contacts 914 are positioned for coupling to the power system 150 when connected to the housing 160 of the power system 150. The power circuitry 916 is arranged for coupling to an atomizer coil 935 of the 510-thread cartridge 900 when the cartridge 900 is connected to extend from the threaded fastener 930.

[0092] Upon activation of the power system 150, power is supplied to the electrical contacts 914, where the power is directed through the power circuitry 916 to the atomizer coil 935 of the 510-thread cartridge 900. As the atomizer coil 935 is heated, material (e.g., cannabis oil, nicotine-based oil, etc.) within the cartridge 900 is vaporized, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece component 610 being part of the 510-thread cartridge 900.F. Fourth Vapor Delivery System-Pre-Filled Cartridges

[0093] Referring now to FIG. 11, an illustrative embodiment of the fourth vapor delivery system 140, which is physically and electrically coupled to the power system 150 to form a vaporization device, is shown. Herein, the fourth vapor delivery system 140 operates as a pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system that includes a mouthpiece 1100 and material storage component 1110 as a monolithic component. The material storage component 1110 includes one or more components of the power circuitry (e.g., atomizer coil 1120) integrated within housing 1115 of the material storage component 1110.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 12A, an illustrative embodiment of a perspective view of the fourth vapor delivery system 140 of FIG. 11 is shown. The material storage component 1110 features the power circuitry, which includes a power interface 1200 featuring a plurality of electrical contacts 1210 to establish electrical connectivity between the atomizer coil 1120 and the power system 150 when the fourth vapor delivery system 140 is attached thereto.

[0095] The material storage component 1110 further includes material 1220 such as cannabis or hemp-based oil solution. Upon activation of the power system 150, power is supplied to the electrical contacts 1210, where the power is directed through the power circuitry connected to the electrical contacts 1210 to the atomizer coil 1120. As the atomizer coil 1120 is heated, the oil-based solution 1220 within the material storage component 1110 is vaporized, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece 1100 which has an air pathway established to a chamber within the material storage component 1110 that collects vapor as the oil-based solution is heated to create vapor therefrom.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 12B, an illustrative embodiment of a power interface 1230 within a housing 1240 of the power system 150 of FIG. 11 is shown. Herein, the physical (magnetic) contacts(s) 1250 and electrical contact(s) 1260 with the pre-filled, modular vapor delivery system of FIG. 12A. One or more alternative connectors 1270 may be added to the power interface 1230 to detect the vapor delivery system type because, in situations where the vapor delivery systems are changed frequently, the thermal condition at the power interface 1230 may cause erroneous resistance determinations. Hence, the alternative connector(s) 1270, operating as a fail-safe, mechanical vapor delivery system detection mechanism, may be needed.

[0097] The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed. The above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0037]In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration a specific example in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the described invention.

[0038]It should be noted that inventive aspects described herein are directed to a vaporization device with modular vapor delivery systems that are interchangeable for physical and electrical attachment to a power system of the vaporization device. The vapor delivery systems are directed to supporting the vaporization of different types of materials maintained within different types of material storage elements for consumer inhalation. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a first vapor delivery system (concentrate-to-vapor) can be attached as part of the vaporization device, where the power system is configured to (i) ...

Claims

1. A system for vaporizing consumable materials, comprising:a power system configured to (i) detect a type of vapor delivery system having a consumable material removably attached to the power system, (ii) supply power to a first vapor delivery system selected for attachment to the power system, and (iii) automatically adjust an amount of power supplied to the first vapor delivery system based on the type of vapor delivery system corresponding to the first vapor delivery system; anda plurality of vapor delivery systems configured to contain different consumable materials, wherein each of the plurality of vapor delivery systems is configured to be physically coupled to the power system and includes (i) material storage component configured to contain the consumable material and (ii) a mouthpiece component that is removably coupled to the material storage component and includes a lumen extending from a vapor outlet located at a distal end of the mouthpiece component to a filter positioned at an entry of the lumen and more proximate to the consumable material that the vapor outlet,wherein each vapor delivery system of the plurality of vapor delivery systems is configured to be removably coupled and electrically connected to the power system, and when coupled to the power system, the first vapor delivery system of the plurality of vapor delivery systems is configured to receive the amount of power from the power system to vaporize the consumable material contained within the first vapor delivery system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vapor delivery systems includes at least the first vapor delivery system configured to contain a first consumable material in a liquid form and a second vapor delivery system configured to contain a second consumable material different than the first consumable material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter is configured to prevent solid or liquid material associated with the consumable material from reaching a user's mouth, and the material storage component includes one or more heating elements.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first vapor delivery system further comprises:an elongated member including a first end and a second end that features one or more heating elements in contact with the consumable material when the first end is coupled to the mouthpiece component.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power system is configured to heat a chamber of the first vapor delivery system at a prescribed vaporization temperature and in accordance with a prescribed power map to vaporize the consumable material being a flower material.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vapor delivery system includes a cartridge with the consumable material and an adapter to vaporize the consumable materials, the adapter is configured to electrically connect to the power system and interposed between the cartridge and the power system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the power system includes a display screen for displaying information including a heating temperature for the consumable material, a power level applied to the heating element of the first vapor delivery system, or the first vapor delivery system being a particular type of vapor delivery system.

8. A system comprising:a vapor delivery system including (i) a heating element, (ii) a material storage component configured to contain consumable material, and (ii) a mouthpiece component that is removably coupled to the material storage component and includes a lumen extending from a vapor outlet located at a distal end of the mouthpiece component to a filter positioned at an entry of the lumen and more proximate to the consumable material that the vapor outlet; anda power system removably and electrically coupled to the vapor delivery system, the power system is configured to (i) detect a vapor delivery system type upon insertion into the power system and automatically adjusts power settings based on the detected vapor delivery system type, (ii) select a power map based on the detected vapor delivery system type, and (iii) supply power to the heating element of the vapor delivery system in accordance with the power map.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the vapor delivery system comprises a mouthpiece component and a material storage component that features a concentrate vaporization element coupled to the mouthpiece component, the concentrate vaporization element includes an elongated member having a first end removably coupled to the mouthpiece component and a second end that includes the heating element and is configured to make contact with the consumable material when the vapor delivery system is attached to the power system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second end of the elongated member is positioned to partially reside within a cavity region of the material storage component containing the consumable material being a concentrate material for heating and vaporization.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the power system comprises one or more temperature sensing components to measure a temperature of a structure including the consumable material within the vapor delivery system and one or more power throttling control components to regulate the temperature to vaporize the consumable material without overheating of an exterior of the vapor delivery system.12-20. (canceled)21. A system for vaporizing consumable materials, comprising:a vapor delivery system including (i) a heating element, (ii) a material storage component configured to contain consumable material, and (ii) a mouthpiece component that is removably coupled to the material storage component and includes a lumen extending from a vapor outlet located at a distal end of the mouthpiece component to a filter positioned at an entry of the lumen and more proximate to the consumable material that the vapor outlet; anda power system removably coupled and electrically connected to the vapor delivery system, the power system is configured to (i) detect a type of vapor delivery system removably attached to the power system, (ii) supply power to the vapor delivery system, and (iii) automatically adjust an amount of power supplied to the vapor delivery system based on the type to vaporize the consumable material.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein a first vapor delivery system of the plurality of vapor delivery systems is removably coupled to the power system and adapted to receive power from the power system, the first vapor delivery system comprises a mouthpiece component, a material storage component configured to house concentrate material, and a concentrate vaporization element including an elongated member with a first end removably coupled to the mouthpiece component and a second end.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second end of the concentrate vaporization element is arranged to contact the concentrate material when the first end of the elongated member is attached to the mouthpiece component and the first vapor delivery system is attached to the power system and one or more heating elements are positioned within the concentrate vaporization element and configured to receive power from the power system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the mouthpiece component and the material storage component include an electrical connection configured to supply power from the power system to the one or more heating elements.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the material storage component of the concentrate vaporization element further comprises a removable insert for maintaining the concentrate material for removal and cleaning.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the power system comprises power throttling control components configured to control heating of a concentrate material within a material storage component of the first vapor delivery system prior to inhalation in accordance with a power map selected based on the first vapor delivery system coupled to the power system.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the power map controls changes in power level, time, or frequency of power signaling provided to one or more heating elements positioned within a concentrate vaporization element.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the power throttling control components are configured to automatically throttle a supply of power to the concentrate vaporization element when the concentrate material reaches a prescribed temperature.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the mouthpiece component includes a reservoir that extends laterally from a terminating end of a lumen formed in the concentrate vaporization element, the reservoir is adapted to operate as a retention basin for maintaining small portions of concentrate material that propagated through the lumen to increase effectiveness for preventing a solid or liquid material from being released through a vapor outlet within the mouthpiece component.

30. The system of claim 12 further comprising one or more temperature sensing components configured to provide real-time feedback to the power system for adjusting power output to maintain optimal vaporization temperature.

Images