Vaporizer

Abstract

A vaporizer comprising a mouth piece the mouth piece being in fluid connection with a vaporizing section, wherein the vaporizing section comprises at least a first vaporizable substance and a heater to heat the vaporizable substance. According to the invention the vaporizer comprises a substance cartridge comprising the at least one vaporizable substance, wherein the vaporizable substance is provided as a substance section on or as a tape, and the substance section is arranged movable in a predefined transport direction in the substance cartridge.

Claims

1. A vaporizer, comprising: a mouth piece in fluid connection with a vaporizing section, the vaporizing section comprising at least a first vaporizable substance and a heater to heat the vaporizable substance; and a substance cartridge comprising the at least one vaporizable substance, wherein the vaporizable substance is provided as a substance section on or as a tape, and the substance section is movably arranged in a predefined transport direction in the substance cartridge.

2. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the vaporizable substance comprises at least two substance sections which differ from each other in at least one characteristic feature.

3. The vaporizer according to claim 2, wherein the two substance sections are arranged parallel to each other and extend in the transport direction.

4. The vaporizer according to claim 2, wherein the two substance sections are separated from each other.

5. The vaporizer according to claim 4, further comprising a selector to allow a user to select between the two substance sections.

6. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising a drive to move the substance section in the transport direction.

7. The vaporizer according to claim 1, the at least one substance section is arranged as a strip which extends in the transport direction.

8. The vaporizer according to claim 1, the heater is configured to heat small sections of the tape.

9. The vaporizer according to claim 1, the tape comprises a tobacco sheet.

10. The vaporizer according to claim 9, the tape comprises an impregnated sheet.

11. The vaporizer according to claim further comprising a flow sensor.

12. The vaporizer according to claim 1, the heater comprises at least one capacitor.

13. The vaporizer according to claim 1, the substance cartridge is replaceable.

14. A substance cartridge for a vaporizers, comprising: at least one vaporizable substance, wherein the vaporizable substance is provided as a substance section on or as a tape, and the vaporizable substance is movably arranged in a predefined transport direction in the substance cartridge, wherein the vaporizable substance comprises at least two substance sections which differ from each other in at least one characteristic feature.

15. A vaporizer, comprising: a mouth piece in fluid connection with a vaporizing section, the vaporizing section comprising at least a first vaporizable substance and a heater to heat the vaporizable substance, wherein the vaporizable substance is provided as a substance portion on or as a tape.

16. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the strip extends continuously in the transport direction.

17. The vaporizer of claim 9, wherein the tobacco sheet is a porous and/or perforated tobacco sheet.

Description

[0086] Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent by the enclosed figures: Herein show:

[0087] FIG. 1 a vaporizer according to the invention;

[0088] FIG. 2 a tape of vaping material according to the invention

[0089] FIG. 3 a guiding roller to guide the tape;

[0090] FIG. 4 another embodiment of a vaporizer according to the invention;

[0091] FIG. 5 an illustration to show the heating of the tape;

[0092] FIG. 6 another embodiment of the present invention;

[0093] FIG. 7 another embodiment of the present invention;

[0094] FIG. 8 another embodiment of the present invention comprising induction heating;

[0095] FIG. 9 another embodiment of a heater according to the invention; and

[0096] FIG. 10 another embodiment of a heater according to the invention.

[0097] FIG. 1 shows a vaporizer 1 according to the invention. This vaporizer 1 comprises a housing 30 inside which elements of the vaporizer as especially a battery 14 and a control unit 16 are arranged.

[0098] Reference numeral 2 refers to a mouthpiece of the device. Inside this mouthpiece 2 an optional filter 22 is arranged. Furthermore the mouthpiece may comprise a ventilation 24 which preferably is provided as an adjustable ventilation. Preferably this ventilation can be arranged in the filter area.

[0099] Reference sign V denotes a vaporizing section inside which are vaporization of vaporizable matter takes place. Reference numeral 8 denotes a heater which serves to heat the vaporizable substance. The vaporizable substance is provided in a cartridge which may be inserted in the vaporizer 1. Accordingly the vaporizer 1 and especially the housing 30 of the vaporizer 1 may comprise a recess into which the cartridge is to be inserted.

[0100] The cartridge 10 comprises two bobbins 32, 34, which serve to carry the vaporizable substance 12 which is provided as a tape. The vaporizable substance can be unwinded from bobbin 32 and (after use) be winded onto bobbin 34. Reference numerals 36 and 38 refer to guide rollers, which serve to guide the tape 12 in the region of the heater 8. These guide rollers are preferably also arranged inside the cartridge.

[0101] The reference numerals 42 and 44 refer to switches, by which the user can chose, which section of the tape is to be heated and such by which the user can select the sort of vaper the vaporizer is to create. Reference numeral 15 refers to a port of the vaporizer, especially a charging port to charge the device and/or the battery. This port is especially a Micro USB port.

[0102] FIG. 2 shows a vaporizable substance 12 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. This vaporizable substance is transported in a transport direction T. The vaporizable substance 12 is provided as a tape having a first substance section 12a and a second substance section 12b. These two sections are provided parallel to each other and extend both in the transport direction. FIG. 2 is a plane view of the tape, and therefore the first and second substance sections 12a, 12b are arranged in a width direction of the tape. However, these two sections can be arranged in a thickness direction of the tape in order to form a layered structure so that one of the layers will be brought into contact with the heater and the other layer will be not.

[0103] Reference numeral 12c refers to a parting section which separates the two substance sections 12a and 12b from each other. Also this parting section 12c serves to prevent the two substance sections 12a, 12b interfering which each other.

[0104] Also the heater 8 can comprise two heating sections (not shown) which can be controlled separately and which serve to heat exclusively one or the other of the two substance sections.

[0105] FIG. 3 shows an example of a guide roller 50 according to the invention. As can be seen, this guide roller comprises a body 52 and two (disc like) edges 52a and 52b, between which the tape (not shown) can be guided. Therefore, the material will be kept in track. Preferably, the tobacco strip or the tape is homogeneous in structure to ensure that the path stays true. It is furthermore possible to use a different material for the roller to reach a better heat efficiency. Therefore, the heat loss can be limited.

[0106] It would also be conceivable that the roller has a shape which deviates from a circular shape, for example a polygonal shape. This would be comparatively easy to realize.

[0107] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the tape 13 is soaked with a soaker device 60. Here it is possible that the tape is guided through this soaker to be soaked with material to be vaporized. The heater 8 heats the tape with the material and a puff P of vapor can be made.

[0108] In this case, a liquid application can be made through a center pipe in the roller. Therefore, for example a technology like in case of a ball pen could be used which touches and applies the medium to be vaporized.

[0109] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this case, a carrier 54 with through holes can be provided, which allow a better application of steam. For better orientation, FIG. 8 also here refers to the heater. In principle the heating element could also be for example a solid plate such as a solid metal plate. In this case however an air flow would be prevented. Therefore, in one embodiment a “perforated” heating element is suggested, as for example a mesh. With such a perforated heating element an airflow is improved and the vape can be picked up into the desired airstream more efficiently.

[0110] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention. Here, the tape is guided in a closed loop. The application of the substance can be made with an applicator 62, which touches the tape between rollers 55. Moreover, the rollers 50 comprise spring elements 51, which improve the tension of the tape when it's guided along the heater 8.

[0111] It is noted however, that spring guides 50 can also be used in other embodiments of the invention. Therefore, this spring tension can be used also for one-time use with a pre-impregnation.

[0112] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the invention. Here, perforating rollers 84 are provided, which can be used to make perforations in the tape 12. The rollers may comprise small, for example needle-like protrusions. In another embodiment, the heater can be provided having openings 82, through which the evaporated material can pass. In other words, the heater 8 has here a grill design to ensure precise heating steps while ensuring the proper air flow.

[0113] In a special embodiment, a double grill can be provided for increased heating from bottom to top. In other words, the heater here comprises a plurality of fingers between which a gaseous medium can pass. Also it is possible to guide the tape around this heater device and such create a kind of back wall with the guide so that the material increases the heat of the flavor in the heating area.

[0114] In a preferred embodiment, the heating device can be pressed against the tobacco material to even improve the heating efficiency. For the different rollers, for example a simple plastic pin could be used. However, it would also be possible that a pin together with a ball bearing or a cylinder bearing is used. In this way, the friction could be reduced.

[0115] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a heating device. In this case, an induction heating device is used. The heater comprises an induction coil 94, which serves to heat a metal 92. The tape 12 is guided between the induction device 94 and the material 92 to be heated.

[0116] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the tape 12 is guided along the heater 8. A pressure device could be used to pressure the tape 12 against the heater 8.

[0117] The heater can here be formed as a “mesh-like” heater. Upon contact the air flows through the “mesh-like” heater 8, takes up vaping substances from the tape 12 and becomes the inhalable vape.

[0118] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of a heater. In this embodiment, a plurality of flow holes is provided in the heater block to ensure an air flow. In a preferred embodiment the holes have a circular shape. Preferably a diameter of the holes is between 0.1 mm and 5.0 mm, preferably between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm, and more preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. For density, the area ratio of holes ranges, irrespective of the pattern, between 5% and 90%, preferably between 20% and 70%, and more preferably between 30% and 50%. For square or rectangular mesh-like heater, the same ratios apply to meet the same area per hole ranges. Especially, in the case of square mesh, a hole diameter ranging from 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm corresponds to an area per hole ranging from 0.1 mm.sup.2 to 20 mm.sup.2, and hence a length of one side ranging from 0.1 mm to 4.4 mm.

[0119] In a preferred embodiment a pressure drop of the heater is higher than 20 mmWC (mm water column), preferably higher than 50 mmWC, preferably higher than 75 mmWC. In another preferred embodiment the pressure drop of the heater is lower than 200 mmWC, preferably lower than 125 mmWC, preferably lower than 100 mmWC.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0120] 1 vaporizer

[0121] 2 mouthpiece

[0122] 8 heater

[0123] 10 cartridge

[0124] 12 vaporizable substance

[0125] 12a, 12b sections of vaporizable substance

[0126] 12c parting section

[0127] 14 battery

[0128] 15 port

[0129] 22 filter

[0130] 24 ventilation

[0131] 30 housing

[0132] 32 bobbin

[0133] 34 bobbin

[0134] 36, 38 guide rolls

[0135] 42, 44 switch

[0136] 50 guide roller

[0137] 51 spring element

[0138] 52 basis body of the guide roller 50

[0139] 52a, 52b edges of the guide roller 50

[0140] 54 carrier

[0141] 55 rollers

[0142] 58 holes

[0143] 60 soaking device

[0144] 62 applicator

[0145] 82 opening

[0146] 92 material to be heated by induction

[0147] 94 induction coil

[0148] V vaporizing section

[0149] T transport direction

[0150] P puff