JP7476184B2 - Cartridges for vaporizer devices - Google Patents

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62,745,745, entitled “Cartridges For Vaporizer Devices,” filed October 15, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted by law.

TECHNICAL FIELD The subject matter described herein relates to vaporizer devices that include vaporizer cartridges.

2. Background Vaporizer devices, also referred to as vaporizers, electronic vaporizer devices, or e-vaporizer devices, may be used for the emission of aerosols (e.g., gas-phase and/or condensed-phase material suspended in a stationary or moving mass of air or some other gas carrier). The aerosol contains one or more active ingredients and is delivered by inhalation of the aerosol by a user of the vaporizer device. For example, electronic nicotine emission systems (ENDS) include a type of vaporizer device that is battery-powered and can be used to simulate smoking without burning tobacco or other substances. Vaporizer devices are gaining increasing popularity for both prescription medical and drug delivery and consumption of tobacco, nicotine, and other plant-based materials. Vaporizer devices may be portable, self-contained, and/or convenient to use.

When using a vaporizer device, a user inhales an aerosol, commonly referred to as "vapor," which may be generated by a heating element that vaporizes (e.g., changes a liquid or solid to at least partially gas phase) a vaporizable material, which may be a liquid, solution, solid, paste, wax, and/or any other form suitable for use with a particular vaporizer device. The vaporizable material used in a vaporizer device may be provided in a cartridge (e.g., a separable portion of the vaporizer device that contains the vaporizable material), which includes an outlet (e.g., a mouthpiece) through which the user inhales the aerosol.

To inhale the inhalable aerosol generated by the vaporizer device, a user may activate the vaporizer device, in certain examples, by puffing, pressing a button, and/or by some other approach. As used herein, a puff may be described as a user inhaling such that air is drawn into the vaporizer device and mixed with the vaporized vaporizable material to generate the inhalable aerosol.

Approaches by which a vaporizer device generates an inhalable aerosol from a vaporizable material include heating the vaporizable material in a vaporization chamber (e.g., a heater chamber) and converting the vaporizable material to a gas (or vapor) phase. The vaporization chamber can be a region or volume within the vaporizer device within which a heat source (e.g., a conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat source) heats the vaporizable material, generating a vapor for inhalation of the vaporizable material by a user of the vaporizer device.

The vaporizer device may be controlled by one or more controllers, electronic circuitry (e.g., sensors, heating elements), etc. in the vaporizer device. The vaporizer device may also communicate wirelessly with an external controller (e.g., a computing device such as a smartphone).

In some embodiments, the vaporizable material may be drawn from the reservoir into the vaporization chamber via a wicking element (e.g., a wick). The drawing of the vaporizable material into the vaporization chamber may be due at least in part to capillary action provided by the wick as it draws the vaporizable material along the wick in the direction of the vaporization chamber. However, as the vaporizable material is drawn from the reservoir, the pressure in the reservoir decreases, which creates a vacuum that acts against the capillary action. This may reduce the effectiveness of the wick to draw the vaporizable material into the vaporization chamber, which may reduce the effectiveness of the vaporizer device to vaporize a desired amount of vaporizable material, such as when a user puffs on the vaporizer device. Furthermore, the vacuum created in the reservoir may ultimately result in not all of the vaporizable material being drawn into the vaporization chamber, which may waste the vaporizable material. Thus, there is a need for improved vaporizer devices and/or vaporizer cartridges that improve or overcome these problems.

In certain aspects of the current subject matter, challenges associated with forming a headspace in a reservoir can be addressed by incorporating one or more of the features described herein or similar/equivalent approaches as would be understood by one of skill in the art. Aspects of the current subject matter relate to a vaporizer device and a cartridge for use with the vaporizer device.

In some variations, one or more of the following features may be optionally included in any feasible combination:

In one exemplary embodiment, a cartridge for a vaporizer device is provided, the cartridge having a reservoir housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a vaporizable material and a vaporization chamber in communication with the reservoir housing. The vaporization chamber includes at least one wicking element configured to draw vaporizable material from the at least one internal container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element, the at least one internal container being substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and the at least one internal container being configured to collapse when vaporizable material is drawn from the at least one internal container.

In some embodiments, collapsing the at least one internal container may substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming when vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container.

In some embodiments, the cartridge may include at least one vent through a wall of the reservoir housing, and the at least one vent may allow ambient air to flow through the at least one vent into the reservoir housing such that pressure balance is substantially maintained within the reservoir housing as vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container.

The vaporization chamber may have a variety of configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one sidewall of the reservoir housing. In other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall that is coated with or formed from a hydrophobic material. In yet other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall that may be configured to allow at least a portion of the airflow to flow through and into the vaporization chamber.

The wicking element may have a variety of configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the wicking element may be formed from one or more porous materials.

The reservoir housing may have a variety of configurations. In some embodiments, the reservoir housing may include a first reservoir chamber and a second reservoir chamber, each chamber having at least one of the at least one internal container disposed therein. In such embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be disposed between the first reservoir chamber and the second reservoir chamber.

In another exemplary embodiment, a vaporizer device is provided, the vaporizer device including a vaporizer body and a cartridge selectively attachable to and detachable from the vaporizer body. The cartridge includes a reservoir housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a vaporizable material, and a vaporization chamber in communication with the reservoir housing. The vaporization chamber includes at least one wicking element configured to draw vaporizable material from the at least one internal container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element, the at least one internal container being substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and the at least one internal container being configured to collapse when vaporizable material is drawn from the at least one internal container.

The vaporizer body can have a variety of configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporizer body can include a power source.

In some embodiments, the at least one internal container may be collapsed to substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container.

In some embodiments, the cartridge may include at least one vent through a wall of the reservoir housing, and the at least one vent may allow ambient air to flow through the at least one vent into the reservoir housing such that pressure balance is substantially maintained within the reservoir housing as vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container.

The vaporization chamber may have a variety of configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one sidewall of the reservoir housing. In other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall that is coated with or formed from a hydrophobic material. In yet other embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be defined by at least one wall that may be configured to allow at least a portion of the airflow to flow through and into the vaporization chamber.

The wicking element may have a variety of configurations. For example, in some embodiments, the wicking element may be formed from one or more porous materials.

The reservoir housing may have a variety of configurations. In some embodiments, the reservoir housing may include a first reservoir chamber and a second reservoir chamber, each chamber having at least one internal container disposed therein. In such embodiments, the vaporization chamber may be disposed between the first reservoir chamber and the second reservoir chamber.

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

The following drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the specification, serve to explain some of the principles related to the disclosed embodiments.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the vaporizer device. FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of a vaporizer device showing the vaporizer cartridge separated from the vaporizer device body. FIG. 1C is a top view of the vaporizer device shown in FIG. 1B, showing the vaporizer cartridge coupled to the vaporizer device body. FIG. 1D is a perspective view of the vaporizer device shown in FIG. FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the vaporizer cartridge shown in FIG. FIG. 1C is another perspective view of the vaporizer cartridge shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another embodiment of a vaporizer cartridge.

For convenience, like reference numbers refer to like structures, features, or components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the current subject matter include methods, devices, articles of manufacture, and systems related to the vaporization of one or more materials to be inhaled by a user. Example embodiments include vaporizer devices and systems including vaporizer devices. The term "vaporizer device" as used in the following description and claims refers to either a self-contained device, a device including two or more separable parts (e.g., a vaporizer body including a battery and other hardware, and a cartridge including a vaporizable material), and/or the like. A "vaporizer system" as used herein may include one or more components such as a vaporizer device. Examples of vaporizer devices consistent with embodiments of the current subject matter include electronic vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and/or the like. In general, such vaporizer devices are handheld devices that heat a vaporizable material (such as by convection, conduction, radiation, and/or some combination thereof) to provide an inhalable dose of the material.

The vaporizable material used in the vaporizer device may be provided in a cartridge (e.g., a portion of the vaporizer device that contains the vaporizable material in a reservoir or other container), which may be refillable when empty or may be disposable so that a new cartridge containing the same or different type of additional vaporizable material may be used. The vaporizer device may be a cartridge-based vaporizer device, a cartridge-less vaporizer device, or a versatile vaporizer device that may be used with or without a cartridge. For example, the vaporizer device may include a heating chamber (e.g., a furnace or other area where the material is heated by a heating element) configured to directly receive the vaporizable material therein, and/or a reservoir for containing the vaporizable material, etc.

In some embodiments, the vaporizer device may be configured for use with a liquid vaporizable material (e.g., a carrier solution in which active and/or inactive ingredients are suspended or held in solution, or a liquid form of the vaporizable material itself). The liquid vaporizable material may be capable of being completely vaporized. Alternatively, at least a portion of the liquid vaporizable material may remain after all of the material suitable for inhalation has been vaporized.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 1A, the vaporizer device 100 may include a power source 112 (e.g., a battery, which may be a storage battery) and a controller 104 (e.g., a processor, circuitry, etc. capable of executing logic). The controller 104 controls the transfer of heat to the vaporizer 141 to convert the vaporizable material 102 from a condensed form (such as a liquid, solution, suspension, at least partially unprocessed portions of plant material, etc.) to a gas phase. The controller 104 may be part of one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) consistent with certain embodiments of the current subject matter.

After the vaporizable material 102 is converted to the gas phase, at least a portion of the vaporizable material 102 in the gas phase may condense to form particulate matter that is at least partially in local equilibrium with the gas phase. This particulate matter becomes part of the aerosol that may form part or all of the inhalable dose delivered by the vaporizer device 100 while the user puffs or inhales on the vaporizer device 100. It should be noted that the interaction between the gas and condensed phases in the aerosol generated by the vaporizer device 100 may be complex and dynamic due to factors such as the ambient temperature, relative humidity, chemistry, flow conditions in the airflow path (both inside the vaporizer device and in the airway of a human or another animal), and/or mixing of the vaporizable material 102 in the gas or aerosol phase with other airflows that may affect one or more physical parameters of the aerosol. In some vaporizer devices, particularly those configured to emit volatile vaporizable materials, the inhalable dose may be present primarily in the gas phase (e.g., formation of condensed phase particles may be very limited).

The atomizer 141 in the vaporizer device 100 may be configured to vaporize the vaporizable material 102. The vaporizable material 102 may be a liquid. Examples of the vaporizable material 102 include a pure liquid, a suspension, a solution, a mixture, and/or the like. The atomizer 141 may include a wicking element (i.e., a wick) configured to transfer a quantity of the vaporizable material 102 to a portion of the atomizer 141 that includes a heating element (not shown in FIG. 1A).

For example, the wicking element may be configured to draw the vaporizable material 102 from a reservoir 140 configured to contain the vaporizable material 102, which may be vaporized by heat emitted from the heating element. Optionally, the wicking element may also allow air to flow into the reservoir 140 to replace the removed vaporizable material 102. In some embodiments of the current subject matter, the vaporizable material 102 may be drawn into the wick by capillary action for vaporization by the heating element, and air may return through the wick to the reservoir 140 to at least partially equalize the pressure in the reservoir 140. Other methods that may return air to the reservoir 140 to equalize the pressure are within the scope of the current subject matter.

As used herein, the term "wick" or "wicking element" includes any material that can cause fluid movement via capillary pressure.

The heating element may include one or more of a conductive heater, a radiative heater, and/or a convective heater. One type of heating element is a resistive heating element, which may include a material (such as a metal or alloy, e.g., a nickel-chromium alloy, or a non-metallic resistor) configured to dissipate power and create heat when an electric current is passed through one or more resistive sites of the heating element. In some embodiments of the current subject matter, the vaporizer 141 may include a heating element, including a resistive coil or other heating element, wrapped around the wicking element, disposed within the wicking element, integrated into the bulk shape of the wicking element, pressed into thermal contact with the wicking element, or otherwise positioned to transfer heat to the wicking element, to vaporize the vaporizable material 102 drawn from the reservoir 140 by the wicking element for subsequent inhalation by the user in a gaseous and/or condensed phase (e.g., aerosol particles or droplets). Alternative wicking element, heating element, and/or vaporizer assembly configurations are also possible.

Additionally or alternatively, certain vaporizer devices may be configured to generate an inhalable amount of vaporizable material 102 in the gas and/or aerosol phase by heating the vaporizable material 102. The vaporizable material 102 may be a solid phase material (such as wax or the like) or a plant material (e.g., tobacco leaves and/or portions of tobacco leaves). In such vaporizer devices, the resistive heating element may be part of, or otherwise be incorporated into or in thermal contact with, the wall of the oven or other heating chamber within which the vaporizable material 102 is housed. Alternatively, one or more resistive heating elements may be used to heat air passing through or through the vaporizable material 102 to cause convective heating of the vaporizable material 102. In yet another example, one or more resistive heating elements may be positioned in intimate contact with the plant material, such that direct heat transfer of the plant material occurs from the inside of the mass of plant material, as opposed to only conduction inward from the oven walls.

The heating element may be actuated in response to a user's puff (i.e., blowing, inhaling, etc.) on the mouthpiece 130 of the vaporizer device 100, causing air to flow from the air inlet along an air flow path through the atomizer 141 (i.e., the wicking element and the heating element). Optionally, air may flow from the air inlet through one or more condensation areas or chambers to the air outlet of the mouthpiece 130. Incoming air flowing along the air flow path flows over or through the atomizer 141, where the vaporizable material 102 in the gas phase is entrained in the air. The heating element may be actuated via a controller 104, which may optionally be part of the vaporizer body 110 as described herein, and which passes electrical current from a power source 112 to a circuit that includes a resistive heating element that is optionally part of the vaporizer cartridge 120 as described herein. As described herein, the entrained gas-phase vaporizable material 102 may condense as it passes through the remaining section of the air flow path, thereby allowing an inhalable amount of vaporizable material 102 in aerosol form to be released from the air outlet (e.g., mouthpiece 130) for inhalation by the user.

Activation of the heating element may be initiated by automatic detection of a puff based on one or more signals generated by one or more sensors 113. The sensors 113 and the signals generated by the sensors 113 may include one or more of a pressure sensor or a sensor positioned to detect pressure along the air flow path relative to ambient pressure (or optionally measure changes in absolute pressure), a motion sensor or sensor in the vaporizer device 100 (e.g., an accelerometer), a flow sensor or sensor in the vaporizer device 100, a capacitive lip sensor in the vaporizer device 100, one or more input devices 116 (e.g., a button or other tactile control in the vaporizer device 100), receiving a signal from a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device 100, and/or via another approach to determining that a puff has occurred or is about to occur.

As described herein, a vaporizer device 100 consistent with embodiments of the current subject matter may be configured to connect (e.g., wirelessly or via a wired connection) to a computing device (or, optionally, two or more devices) that communicates with the vaporizer device 100. To this end, the controller 104 may also include communications hardware 105. The controller 104 may also include memory 108. The communications hardware 105 may include firmware and/or may be controlled by software to implement one or more cryptographic protocols for communications.

The computing device may be a component of a vaporizer system including the vaporizer device 100 and may include its own communications hardware that can establish a wireless communication channel with the communications hardware 105 of the vaporizer device 100. For example, a computing device used as part of a vaporizer system may include a general-purpose computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, any other portable device such as a smartwatch, etc.) that executes software to generate a user interface to enable user interaction with the vaporizer device 100. In another embodiment of the current subject matter, such a device used as part of a vaporizer system may be a dedicated hardware component. The dedicated hardware component may be, for example, a remote control device or other wireless or wired device that has one or more physical or soft interface controls (i.e., configurable on a screen or other display device and selectable via user interaction with a touch-sensitive screen or any other input device such as a mouse, pointer, trackball, cursor buttons, etc.). The vaporizer device 100 may also have one or more outputs 117 or devices for providing information to a user. For example, the output 117 may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to provide feedback to a user based on the operating state and/or mode of the vaporizer device 100.

In an example where a computing device provides signals regarding the actuation of the resistive heating element, or in another example where a computing device interfaces with the vaporizer device 100 to perform various control or other functions, the computing device executes one or more sets of computer instructions to provide a user interface and underlying data processing. In one example, when a user interaction with one or more user interface elements is detected by the computing device, the computing device sends a signal to the vaporizer device 100, which activates the heating element to reach an operating temperature for generating an inhalable amount of vapor/aerosol. Other functions of the vaporizer device 100 may be controlled by interaction between the user and a user interface of a computing device in communication with the vaporizer device 100.

The temperature of the resistive heating element of the vaporizer device 100 may depend on a number of factors, including the amount of power delivered to the resistive heating element and/or the duty cycle at which power is delivered, conductive heat transfer to other parts of the electronic vaporizer device 100 and/or the environment, latent heat loss due to vaporization of the vaporizable material 102 from the wicking element and/or across the vaporizer 141, and convective heat loss due to airflow (i.e., air movement across the heating element or vaporizer 141 as the user inhales on the vaporizer device 100). As described herein, to ensure activation of the heating element or to heat the heating element to a desired temperature, the vaporizer device 100 may, in some embodiments of the current subject matter, use a signal from a sensor 113 (e.g., a pressure sensor) to determine when the user is inhaling. The sensor 113 may be disposed in the air flow path and/or connected (e.g., via a passageway or another path) to an air flow path having an inlet for air to enter the vaporizer device 100 and an outlet where the resulting vapor and/or aerosol is inhaled by a user, such that the sensor 113 recognizes changes (e.g., pressure changes) as air passes through the vaporizer device 100 from the air inlet to the air outlet. In some embodiments of the current subject matter, the heating element may be activated in response to a user's puff, such as by automatic detection of a puff, or by the sensor 113 detecting a change in the air flow path (such as a pressure change).

The sensor 113 may be disposed on or coupled to the controller 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board assembly or other type of circuit board) (i.e., electrical or electronic, either by physical or wireless connection). To ensure accurate measurements and to maintain the durability of the vaporizer device 100, it may be beneficial to provide a seal 127 that is sufficiently resilient to isolate the air flow path from other parts of the vaporizer device 100. The seal 127 may be a packing and may be configured to at least partially surround the sensor 113. The seal 127 isolates the sensor 113's connection to the internal circuitry of the vaporizer device 100 from the sensor 113's portion exposed to the air flow path. In one example of a cartridge-type vaporizer device, the seal 127 may also isolate one or more electrical connections between the vaporizer body 110 and the vaporizer cartridge 120. Such placement of the seal 127 in the vaporizer device 100 may be useful to mitigate potentially destructive effects on the vaporizer components due to interaction with environmental factors such as water in the vapor or liquid phase and other fluids such as the vaporizable material 102, and/or to reduce air leakage from a given air flow path within the vaporizer device 100. Unwanted air, liquid or other fluids passing through and/or contacting the circuit components of the vaporizer device 100 may cause various undesirable effects such as changes in the pressure reading and/or may result in the accumulation of undesirable materials such as moisture, excess vaporizable material 102, etc. at multiple locations in the vaporizer device 100, which may result in a reduced pressure signal, degradation of the sensor 113 or other components, and/or a reduced lifespan of the vaporizer device 100. Leaks at the seal 127 may also result in the user inhaling air that has passed through portions of the vaporizer device 100 that contain or are composed of materials that may be undesirable to inhale.

In some embodiments, the vaporizer body 110 includes a controller 104, a power source 112 (e.g., a battery), one or more sensors 113, charging contacts (e.g., charging contacts for charging the power source 112), a seal 127, and a cartridge receiver 118. The cartridge receiver 118 is configured to receive a vaporizer cartridge 120 that couples to the vaporizer body 110 via one or more various attachment structures. In some examples, the vaporizer cartridge 120 includes a reservoir 140 that contains the vaporizable material 102 and a mouthpiece 130 having an aerosol outlet for delivering an inhalable dose to a user. The vaporizer cartridge 120 may include an atomizer 141 having a wicking element and a heating element. Alternatively, one or both of the wicking element and the heating element may be part of the vaporizer body 110. In embodiments in which any portion of the atomizer 141 (i.e., the heating element and/or the wicking element) is part of the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer device 100 may be configured to deliver vaporizable material 102 from a reservoir 140 in the vaporizer cartridge 120 to the portion of the atomizer 141 contained in the vaporizer body 110.

In an embodiment in which the power source 112 is part of the vaporizer body 110 and the heating element is disposed within and configured to couple to the vaporizer cartridge 120, the vaporizer device 100 may include electrical connection features (e.g., a means for completing a circuit) that include a controller 104 (e.g., a printed circuit board, a microcontroller, etc.), the power source 112, and a heating element (e.g., a heating element in the atomizer 141). These features may include one or more contacts (referred to herein as cartridge contacts 124a and 124b) located on the bottom surface of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and at least two contacts (referred to herein as receiver contacts 125a and 125b) located near the base of the cartridge receiver 118 of the vaporizer device 100. When the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted and mated with the cartridge receiver 118, electrical connections are made between the cartridge contacts 124a, 124b and the receiver contacts 125a, 125b. These electrical connections complete a circuit that may allow current to flow through the heating element and may be used for additional functions, such as measuring the resistance of the heating element for use in determining and/or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on the temperature coefficient of the heating element's resistivity.

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

For example, the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least the insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120, may be symmetrical about a 180° rotation about the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 118. In such a configuration, the electrical circuitry of the vaporizer device 100 may maintain similar operation regardless of which orientation of symmetry the vaporizer cartridge 120 is oriented.

In one example of an attachment structure for coupling the vaporizer cartridge 120 to the vaporizer body 110, the vaporizer body 110 includes one or more detents (e.g., recesses, protrusions, etc.) that protrude inwardly from an inner surface of the cartridge receiver 118, additional material (such as metal, plastic, etc.) formed to include a portion that protrudes into the interior of the cartridge receiver 118, and/or the like. One or more outer surfaces of the vaporizer cartridge 120 may include corresponding recesses (not shown in FIG. 1A ) that can mate and/or otherwise mate with such detents or protrusions when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receiver 118 of the vaporizer body 110. When the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110 are coupled (e.g., by inserting the vaporizer cartridge 120 into the cartridge receiver 118 of the vaporizer body 110), detents or protrusions of the vaporizer body 110 may fit into and/or be otherwise retained in recesses in the vaporizer cartridge 120 to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in the assembled position. Such an assembly may provide sufficient support to hold the vaporizer cartridge 120 in a position that ensures good contact between the cartridge contacts 124a, 124b and the receiver contacts 125a, 125b, while allowing the vaporizer cartridge 120 to break away from the vaporizer body 110 when a user applies a reasonable amount of force to pull the vaporizer cartridge 120 out of the cartridge receiver 118.

In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridge 120, or at least the insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 configured for insertion into the cartridge receiver 118, may have a non-circular cross-section transverse to the axis along which the vaporizer cartridge 120 is inserted into the cartridge receiver 118. For example, the non-circular cross-section may be generally rectangular, generally elliptical (i.e., generally oval), non-rectangular (i.e., shaped like a parallelogram) having two sets of parallel or generally parallel opposing sides, or other shapes having at least second order rotational symmetry. In this specification, generally shaped indicates that the sides of the shape in question need not be perfectly straight and the apexes need not be perfectly sharp. Rounding of the edges and/or apexes of the cross-sectional shape is contemplated in the description of any non-circular cross-section described herein.

The cartridge contacts 124a, 124b and receiver contacts 125a, 125b may take a variety of forms. For example, one or both sets of contacts may include conductive pins, tabs, posts, holes that receive pins or posts, etc. Some types of contacts may include springs or other features to promote better physical and electrical contact between the contacts of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and the vaporizer body 110. Optionally, the electrical contacts may be gold plated and/or include another material.

1B-1D show an embodiment of a vaporizer body 110 having a cartridge receptacle 118 into which a vaporizer cartridge 120 can be removably inserted. FIGS. 1B and 1C show top views of the vaporizer device 100 with the vaporizer cartridge 120 depicted positioned for insertion into the vaporizer body 110 and inserted into the vaporizer body 110, respectively. FIG. 1D shows the reservoir 140 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 formed in whole or in part from a translucent material such that the level of the vaporizable material 102 can be viewed along the vaporizer cartridge 120 through a window 132 (e.g., a translucent material). The vaporizer cartridge 120 can be configured such that the window 132 remains visible when insertably received in the vaporizer cartridge receptacle 118 of the vaporizer body 110. For example, in one exemplary configuration, when the vaporizer cartridge 120 is coupled to the cartridge receiver 118, the window 132 can be disposed between the lower edge of the mouthpiece 130 and the upper edge of the vaporizer body 110.

1E shows an example of an air flow passage 134 formed while a user puffs the vaporizer device 100. The air flow passage 134 may direct air to a vaporization chamber 150 (see FIG. 1F) contained within the wick housing. In the vaporization chamber 150, the air mixes with the inhalable aerosol and is delivered to the user via the mouthpiece 130. The mouthpiece 130 may also be part of the vaporizer cartridge 120. For example, when a user puffs the vaporizer device 100, air may flow between an exterior surface of the vaporizer cartridge 120 (e.g., window 132 shown in FIG. 1D) and an interior surface of the cartridge receiver 118 of the vaporizer body 110. The air is then drawn into the insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120, through the vaporization chamber 150, which may include or consist of a heating element and a wick, and exhausted through the outlet 136 of the mouthpiece 130 to deliver the inhalable aerosol to the user.

1E, this configuration allows air to flow down into the cartridge receptacle 118 near the insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 and then back into the cartridge body toward the vaporization chamber 150 after passing near the insertable end 122 of the vaporizer cartridge 120 (e.g., the end opposite the end containing the mouthpiece 130). The air flow passage 134 then passes through the interior of the vaporizer cartridge 120, for example, via one or more tubes or internal passages (such as the cannula 128 shown in FIG. 1F), and through one or more outlets (such as the outlet 136) formed in the mouthpiece 130. The mouthpiece 130 may be a separable component of the vaporizer cartridge 120 or may be integrally formed with another component of the vaporizer cartridge 120 (e.g., may be formed as a unitary structure with the reservoir 140 and/or the like).

FIG. 1F illustrates additional features that may be included in a vaporizer cartridge 120 consistent with embodiments of the current subject matter. For example, the vaporizer cartridge 120 may include a plurality of cartridge contacts (e.g., cartridge contacts 124a, 124b) disposed at the insertable end 122. Optionally, each of the cartridge contacts 124a, 124b may be part of a single metal piece forming a conductive structure (e.g., conductive structure 126) connected to one of the two ends of the resistive heating element. Optionally, the conductive structure may form opposing sides of the heating chamber and may act as a heat shield and/or heat sink to reduce heat transfer to the exterior wall of the vaporizer cartridge 120. FIG. 1F also illustrates a cannula 128 in the vaporizer cartridge 120. The cannula 128 defines a section of the air flow passage 134 between the heating chamber and the mouthpiece formed between the conductive structure 126.

As mentioned above, as the vaporizable material 102 is drawn from the reservoir, a vacuum may form in the reservoir 140. The vacuum in the reservoir 140 may reduce or impede the capillary action provided by the wick. This may draw vaporizable material into the vaporization chamber 150 reducing the wick efficiency, which may reduce the effectiveness of the vaporizer device 100 in vaporizing a desired amount of vaporizable material 102, such as when a user puffs on the vaporizer device 100. Furthermore, the vacuum formed in the reservoir 140 may eventually result in an inability to draw all of the vaporizable material 102 into the vaporization chamber 150, which results in wasted vaporizable material. Various features and devices that improve or overcome these problems are described below. For example, various features are described herein for inhibiting the formation of a vacuum in the reservoir housing as vaporizable material is drawn from the reservoir housing into the vaporization chamber of the vaporizer device. Avoiding the formation of a vacuum may provide advantages and improvements over existing approaches and may provide additional benefits as described herein. As used herein, "reservoir housing" is used synonymously with "reservoir."

The vaporizer cartridge described herein uses at least one wicking element (e.g., a wick) to allow vaporizable material to be drawn from a reservoir housing of a vaporizer while reducing the headspace acting against the capillary action of the wicking element. In general, the vaporizer cartridge includes a reservoir housing having at least one internal container. The internal container is configured to hold the vaporizable material. As described in more detail below, the at least one internal container is configured to collapse or deform when the vaporizable material is drawn into the at least one wick material, thereby maintaining a substantially constant pressure within the at least one internal container. That is, as the at least one wicking element draws the vaporizable material from the at least one internal container, the volume of the at least one internal container is reduced, thereby substantially preventing the formation of a headspace vacuum. Thus, the at least one wicking element may more effectively draw the vaporizable material from the reservoir housing, resulting in increased impregnation. The greater the amount of impregnation of the at least one wicking element, the more efficient the vaporizer device may be at vaporizing a desired amount of vaporizable material. Additionally, the at least one internal container is sealed to the at least one wicking element, thereby preventing undesirable leakage of the vaporizable material. This seal promotes dispensing of the vaporizable material substantially only through the at least one wicking element.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary vaporizer cartridge 200 that may be selectively coupleable and detachable to a vaporizer body, such as the vaporizer body 110 illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D. More specifically, the vaporizer cartridge 200 includes an internal container 202 that is configured to collapse and result in a reduced volume as vaporizable material 206 is drawn from the internal container 202, e.g., upon and/or after a user puffs a mouthpiece 230 coupled to the vaporizer cartridge 200.

As shown, the vaporizer cartridge 200 includes a reservoir housing 204 and a vaporization chamber 208 with a wicking element 210 extending therebetween. The volume of the reservoir housing 204 is defined by reservoir walls 204a, 204b, 204c, and 204d. The reservoir housing 204 includes an internal container 202 that holds a vaporizable material 206.

The reservoir housing 204 may be formed from a more rigid material and/or may be of a more rigid structural form than the internal container 202. Thus, the reservoir housing 204 may also protect the internal container 202 from damage. For example, the reservoir housing 204 and the internal container 202 may act as two lines of defense against unwanted leakage of the vaporizable material 206 into the environment and/or into other parts of the vaporizer cartridge 200, such as the area of the mouthpiece 230 where the user places their lips.

While the reservoir housing 204 and the internal container 202 can have a variety of shapes and configurations, as shown in FIG. 2, the reservoir housing 204 and the internal container 202 can each be substantially rectangular. In another embodiment, the internal container 202 can be a different shape than the reservoir housing 204. Additionally, the initial volume of the internal container 202 can be substantially equal to the internal volume of the reservoir housing 204. Thus, the size and shape of the internal container 202, and thus the amount of vaporizable material 206 disposed within the internal container 202, depends, at least in part, on the size and shape of the reservoir housing 204.

Generally, as described above, the internal container 202 is configured to collapse as the vaporizable material 206 is drawn from the internal container 202 and into the wicking element 210. As a result, the volume of the internal container 202 decreases as the volume of the vaporizable material 206 decreases. This decrease in the volume of the internal container 202 may substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming within the internal container 202. This allows the vaporizable material 206 to be effectively drawn from the reservoir housing 204 into the vaporization chamber 208 by capillary action of the wicking element 210 each time the user puffs on the mouthpiece 230.

As shown, the internal container 202 is substantially sealed to the wicking element 210 at the interface 212. As a result, flow of the vaporizable material 206 from the internal container 202 occurs primarily, if not entirely, through the wicking element 210, thereby enhancing the leak-tightness between the internal container 202 and the wicking element 210. That is, substantially sealing the internal container 202 to the wicking element 210 may help prevent leakage of the vaporizable material to the environment and/or other portions of the vaporizer cartridge, such as the area of the mouthpiece 230 where the user places their lips. Any suitable method may be used to seal the internal container 202 to the wicking element 210, such as by heat sealing, for example.

The internal container 202 may have a variety of configurations. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the internal container 202 has a pouch structure. The internal container 202 may be formed from a flexible material. Any flexible material may be used that can reduce in size (reduce the volume within the reservoir housing 204) when the vaporizable material 206 is withdrawn from the internal container 202. For example, the flexible material may be an elastic material that expands to an elongated state when the vaporizable material 206 is placed therein and returns to a deflated state when the vaporizable material 206 is withdrawn. Non-limiting examples of suitable flexible materials include elastomers and the like. The flexible material may be a single layer or a multi-layer structure. The flexible material may also be impermeable to air, thereby inhibiting air in the reservoir housing 204 from flowing into the internal container 202 to replace the withdrawn vaporizable material 206. Alternatively or additionally, the flexible material may be coated with an impermeable coating. Other suitable configurations of the inner container 202 are also contemplated herein.

During use, as the volume of the internal container 202 decreases, a negative pressure may form within the reservoir housing 204. This negative pressure may exert a pulling force on the internal container 202. This pulling force may pull the internal container 202 in an outward direction against the wicking element 210, thereby inhibiting the ability of the internal container 202 to collapse. To remove or reduce this negative pressure, the pressure within the reservoir housing 204 may be increased when the internal container 202 collapses. For example, the vaporizer cartridge 200 may include at least one vent 214. The vent 214 is configured to selectively allow air to flow from the environment into the reservoir housing 204, thereby substantially maintaining the internal pressure of the reservoir housing 204 (e.g., an internal pressure substantially equal to the ambient pressure). The at least one vent 214 may be a passive valve or an active valve.

The at least one vent 214 may have a variety of configurations. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the at least one vent 214 may include one or more holes that penetrate a sidewall of the reservoir housing 204 and selectively allow air to flow into (or out of) the reservoir housing 204. For example, the one or more holes may allow air to flow into the reservoir housing 204 to increase the pressure therein. This increase in pressure effectively eliminates any vacuum that may be created within the reservoir housing 204 itself as the volume of the internal container 202 decreases. That is, during use, as the vaporizable material 206 is withdrawn from the internal container 202, the incoming air flows through the one or more holes into the reservoir housing 204, thereby balancing the pressure within the reservoir housing 204 itself. Additionally, this incoming air may also help deflate the internal container 202.

The one or more holes may have any size suitable for allowing an effective amount of air to enter the reservoir housing 204. That is, the one or more holes are sized so as not to substantially restrict airflow. For example, in some embodiments, the size of the one or more holes may affect the rate at which air enters, which corresponds to the absorption rate of the wicking element 210. Furthermore, while the size of the one or more holes may be the same in certain embodiments, the size of the one or more holes may be different in other embodiments.

The at least one vent 214 may be positioned at various locations along the reservoir housing 204 to achieve pressure balance. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the at least one vent 214 is positioned proximate the top end 203 of the reservoir housing 204. Thus, the effective location of the at least one vent 214 may depend, at least in part, on the location of the wicking element 210 relative to the vent 214 and the direction of gravity-induced flow of the vaporizable material within the inner container 202.

While the vaporization chamber 208 may have a variety of configurations, as shown in FIG. 2, the vaporization chamber 208 is defined by two opposing side walls 208a, 208b and a bottom wall 208c extending therebetween. One of the side walls 208a, 208b is the side wall 204b of the reservoir housing 204. Thus, in this illustrated embodiment, the vaporization chamber 208 extends flush with the reservoir housing 204. As shown, an air passage 216 extends through the vaporization chamber 208. The air passage 216 is configured to direct the airflow 218 and aerosol through the vaporization chamber 208 and into the mouthpiece 230 where it is inhaled by the user.

When the user puffs the mouthpiece 230, the airflow 218 enters the vaporization chamber 208 through the bottom wall 208c. Thus, the bottom wall 208c is configured to allow the airflow to easily pass through the bottom wall 208c and enter the vaporization chamber 208. While the bottom wall 208c can have a variety of configurations, as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom wall 208c is perforated. The perforations can be of any size suitable for allowing air to pass through the bottom wall 208c. In certain embodiments, the perforations are of a size that can prevent the vaporizable material 206 or aerosol from passing through the bottom wall 208c, thereby preventing undesired leakage to other parts of the device. The bottom wall 208c can include any suitable number of perforations, and thus the number of perforations is not limited to the number shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively or additionally, the bottom wall 208c can be formed of an air permeable material. Thus, the bottom wall 208c serves as an air inlet for the vaporization chamber 208.

The bottom wall 208c may also be configured to prevent airflow 218 and/or aerosols within the vaporization chamber 208 from passing through the vaporization chamber 208. That is, the bottom wall 208c may be configured as a check valve, and therefore only permit airflow 218 through into the vaporization chamber 208. In some embodiments, any of the remaining walls of the vaporization chamber 208 may be perforated and/or formed from an air permeable material to permit air to flow into (or out of) the vaporization chamber 208 as desired.

In some embodiments, at least one wall of the vaporization chamber 208, such as the sidewall 208b, which is also the sidewall 204b of the reservoir housing 204, may be formed from or coated with a hydrophobic material to prevent any condensation from accumulating within the vaporization chamber 208. Thus, any moisture that may be present in the aerosol and airflow 218 may be carried out through the vaporization chamber 208 when the user puffs the mouthpiece 230.

A heating element or heater may be included within the vaporization chamber 208 and may be coupled to a wicking element 210. The wicking element 210 is configured to provide capillary action to draw the vaporizable material 206 from the internal container 202 of the reservoir housing 204 into the vaporization chamber 208, where it is vaporized into an aerosol by heat generated by the heating element. The aerosol is then mixed into the airflow 218 and flows along the airflow path 216 to be inhaled by the user.

While the wicking element 210 can be positioned anywhere along the air flow path 216, as shown in FIG. 2, the wicking element 210 is positioned proximate the bottom wall 208c of the vaporization chamber 208. The wicking element 210 can be any porous material suitable for allowing the vaporizable material 206 to pass through the wicking element 210 by capillary pressure. For example, the wicking element 210 can be formed from one or more ceramic materials, such as silica. Alternatively or additionally, the wicking element 210 can be a composite of two or more materials, such as an inner material (e.g., graphite) surrounded by an outer material (e.g., a ceramic material).

In some embodiments, the wicking element 210 may be formed from a porous material that includes a conductive material. For example, the ceramic material of the wicking element 210 may be doped to include resistive properties. Such doping of the wick material (e.g., ceramic) may increase the heating rate of the wicking element 210 and thus the vaporization rate of the vaporizable material 206.

Some embodiments may include a wicking element 210 having a cross-section that varies along the length of the wicking element 210. For example, a portion of the wicking element 210 that includes a smaller cross-section compared to other portions of the wicking element 210 may create a greater resistance to energy flow, thereby allowing for more rapid evaporation and vaporization of the vaporizable material 206, such as to form an aerosol that is inhaled by a user. In some embodiments, at least one of the cross-sectional dimensions and density of the conductive material may vary along the length of the wicking element 210 to achieve different results (e.g., evaporation rate, heating rate, etc.).

In some embodiments, the vaporizer cartridge 200 includes two or more cartridge contacts, such as, for example, two cartridge contacts 232a, 232b. The two or more cartridge contacts may be configured to connect with, for example, the receiver contacts 125a, 125b to form one or more electrical connections with the vaporizer device 100. The circuit completed by these electrical connections may allow electrical current to pass through a heating element or heater coupled to the wicking element 210 in the vaporization chamber 208. As described, the wicking element 210 provides a capillary action that draws the vaporizable material 206 from the internal container 202 of the reservoir housing 204 to the vaporization chamber 208. In the vaporization chamber 208, heat generated by the heating element vaporizes the vaporizable material 206 into an aerosol. The aerosol is then mixed into the airflow 218 and flows along the airflow path 216 for inhalation by the user. The circuitry may also be used for additional functions, such as measuring the resistance of a heating element for use in determining and/or controlling the temperature of the heating element based on the temperature coefficient of the heating element's resistivity.

While embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge have been described with respect to a single internal container and a single wick, alternative embodiments of the vaporizer cartridge may employ multiple internal containers and/or multiple wicks. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the vaporizer cartridge 300 may include a wicking element 310, such as the wicking element 210 (FIG. 2), extending between two chambers 304a, 304b of a reservoir housing 304, such as the reservoir housing 204 (FIG. 2). Each of the chambers 304a, 304b includes an internal container 302a, 302b, such as the internal container 202 (FIG. 2). Additionally, as shown in FIG. 3, the vaporizer cartridge 300 includes a vaporization chamber 308, such as the vaporization chamber 208 (FIG. 2). The vaporization chamber 308 extends between the two chambers 304a, 304b of the reservoir housing 304, thereby forming a central air flow passage 316. FIG. 3 further illustrates a vaporizer cartridge 300 that includes a mouthpiece 312 and one or more cartridge contacts, such as a first cartridge contact 314a and a second cartridge contact 314b.

Terminology For purposes of explaining and defining the teachings of the present invention, unless otherwise indicated, the term "substantially" is used herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may result from any quantitative comparison, value, measurement or other representation. The term "substantially" is also used herein to represent the degree to which a quantitative representation may vary from the stated basis without causing a change in the basic functionality of the subject matter in question.

In this specification, when a feature or component is said to be "on" another feature or component, this means that it is directly on the other feature or component, or there may be intervening features and/or components. In contrast, when a feature or component is said to be "directly on" another feature or component, there are no intervening features or components. Also, when a feature or component is said to be "connected," "attached," or "coupled" to another feature or component, this means that it is directly connected, attached, or coupled to the other feature or component, or there may be intervening features or components. In contrast, when a feature or component is said to be "directly connected," "directly attached," or "directly coupled" to another feature or component, there are no intervening features or components.

Features and components described or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be applicable to other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that references to structures or features located "adjacent" to another feature may include portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and implementations only and are not intended to be limiting. For example, as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In the above description and claims, the phrases "at least one" or "one or more" may be followed by a conjunctive listing of multiple items or features. The term "and/or" may also appear in listings of two or more items or features. Such phrases are intended to mean any of the individual items or features listed, or any of the items or features listed in combination with any of the other items or features listed, unless the context in which they are used is implicitly or explicitly inconsistent. For example, the phrases "at least one of A and B," "one or more of A and B," and "A and/or B" are intended to mean "A only, B only, or A and B," respectively. Similar interpretations are intended for listings containing more than two items. For example, the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C," "one or more of A, B, and C," and "A, B, and/or C" are intended to mean "A only, B only, C only, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C," respectively. Use of the term "based on" above and in the claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on," and unrecited features or components are permissible.

Spatial terms such as "forward," "backward," "below," "lower," "lower," "upper," "upper," and the like may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one member or feature to another member or feature as illustrated. It will be understood that the spatial terms are intended to include various orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation shown. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a member described as "below" or "below" another member or feature would be oriented "above" that other member or feature. Thus, the exemplary term "below" may include both an up and down orientation. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in another orientation) and the spatial terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, terms such as "upward," "downward," "vertical," "horizontal," and the like are used herein for descriptive purposes only, unless otherwise noted.

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

As used herein and in the claims, including when used in the examples, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers may be read as if they were preceded by the term "about" or "approximately" even if the term is not explicitly stated. The phrase "approximately" or "approximately" may be used when describing a magnitude and/or location to indicate that the described value and/or location is within a reasonable expected range of values and/or locations. For example, a numerical value may have a value of +/-0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/-1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/-2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/-5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/-10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical value described herein should be understood to include approximately or nearly such value unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, if a value of "10" is disclosed, then "approximately 10" is also disclosed. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all subranges contained therein. It is also understood that when a value is disclosed as being "less than or equal to" or "greater than or equal to" that value, the possible ranges between those values are also disclosed, as would be well understood by one of skill in the art. For example, when a value "X" is disclosed, both "less than or equal to X" and "greater than or equal to X" are also disclosed (e.g., where X is a numerical value). It is also understood that throughout this application, data is provided in a number of different formats, and that this data represents endpoints and starting points, and ranges for any combination of the data points. For example, when a specific data point "10" and a specific data point "15" are disclosed, it is understood that 10 to 15, as well as greater than 10, greater than 15, greater than 10, greater than 15, greater than or equal to 10, greater than or equal to 15, less than 10, less than 15, less than or equal to 10, less than or equal to 15, and between 10 and 15 are contemplated and disclosed. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units is also disclosed. For example, when 10 and 15 are disclosed, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

Although various exemplary embodiments have been described above, several optional modifications may be made to the various embodiments without departing from the teachings herein. For example, the order of performing the described method steps may frequently be changed in alternative embodiments, and one or more method steps may be omitted altogether in other alternative embodiments. Optional features of the various apparatus and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not included in other embodiments. Thus, the foregoing description is provided primarily for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuits, specially designed application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate array (FPGA) computer hardware, firmware, software, and/or combinations thereof. Various of these aspects or features may include execution of one or more computer programs executable and/or interpretable in a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be of special or general purpose, leading to receipt of data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmission of data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computer system may include clients and servers. The clients and servers are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communications network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

These computer programs, sometimes referred to as programs, software, software applications, application components, or code, contain machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural, object-oriented, functional, logical, and/or assembly/machine languages. As used herein, the term "machine-readable medium" refers to any program product, apparatus, and/or device used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, memories, and programmable logic devices (PLDs), including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium may store such machine instructions non-transiently, such as, for example, a non-transient solid-state memory or a magnetic hard drive or any equivalent storage medium. Alternatively or additionally, a machine-readable medium may also store such machine instructions temporarily, such as, for example, a processor cache or another random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

The examples and figures contained herein are illustrative, not limiting, of specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. As described, it may be derived that alternative embodiments may be used, and structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made therefrom without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Such embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention may be referred to herein individually or collectively under the term "invention" for convenience only, without any intention of limiting the scope of the present application to any single invention or inventive concept when in fact more than one is disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiment illustrated. The present disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of the various embodiments. Combinations of the embodiments with other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the description. The use of the term "based on" in the present specification and claims is intended to mean "based at least in part on," with unrecited features or components being permissible.

The subject matter described herein may be embodied in systems, devices, methods, and/or articles depending on the desired configuration. The embodiments described in the description above do not represent all embodiments consistent with the subject matter described herein. Instead, they are merely some examples consistent with aspects related to the subject matter described. Although some variations have been described herein, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, other features and/or variations may be provided in addition to the features and/or variations described herein. For example, the embodiments described herein may be directed to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and/or combinations and subcombinations of some other features disclosed herein. Additionally, the logic flows depicted in the accompanying drawings and/or described herein do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (17)

1. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:
a reservoir housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a vaporizable material; and a vaporization chamber in communication with the reservoir housing, the vaporization chamber including at least one wicking element configured to draw the vaporizable material from the at least one internal container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element;
the at least one internal container is substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and the at least one internal container is configured to collapse when the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container ;
A cartridge for a vaporizer device, wherein the cartridge further comprises at least one vent extending through a wall of the reservoir housing, the at least one vent allowing ambient air to flow through the at least one vent into the reservoir housing such that pressure balance is substantially maintained within the reservoir housing when the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container . The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the collapse of at least one of the internal containers substantially prevents a headspace vacuum from being formed when the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one of the internal containers. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one side wall of the reservoir housing. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall that is coated with or formed from a hydrophobic material. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall configured to allow at least a portion of the airflow to flow through and into the vaporization chamber. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the wicking element is formed from one or more porous materials. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the reservoir housing includes a first reservoir chamber and a second reservoir chamber, and the first reservoir chamber and the second reservoir chamber each have at least one of the at least one internal container disposed therein. The cartridge according to claim 7 , wherein the vaporization chamber is disposed between the first reservoir chamber and the second reservoir chamber. 1. A vaporizer apparatus comprising:
A vaporizer body;
a cartridge selectively attachable to and detachable from the vaporizer body, the cartridge including a reservoir housing having at least one internal container configured to hold a vaporizable material, and a vaporization chamber in communication with the reservoir housing, the vaporization chamber including at least one wicking element configured to draw the vaporizable material from the at least one internal container into the vaporization chamber for vaporization by a heating element;
the at least one internal container is substantially sealed to the at least one wicking element, and the at least one internal container is configured to collapse when the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container ;
The vaporizer device, wherein the cartridge further comprises at least one hole extending through a wall of the reservoir housing, the at least one hole allowing ambient air to flow through the at least one hole into the reservoir housing such that pressure balance is substantially maintained within the reservoir housing as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container . The device of claim 9 , wherein the vaporizer body includes a power source. 10. The device of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the internal containers is collapsible to substantially prevent a headspace vacuum from forming as the vaporizable material is withdrawn from the at least one internal container. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one side wall of the reservoir housing. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall coated with or formed from a hydrophobic material. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vaporization chamber is defined by at least one wall configured to permit at least a portion of the airflow to flow through and into the vaporization chamber. The device of claim 9 , wherein the wicking element is formed from one or more porous materials. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the reservoir housing includes a first reservoir chamber and a second reservoir chamber, each of the first reservoir chamber and the second reservoir chamber having at least one of the at least one internal container disposed therein. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the vaporization chamber is disposed between the first reservoir chamber and the second reservoir chamber.

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