LOADING TUBE

Abstract

A loading tube has Japanese cotton placed within a polymer tube. The tube has a hollow, cylindrical form with a tip and an opposite tail. The Japanese cotton advances through the tube exiting at the tip and withdrawing from the tail. The tube has a sidewall with a thickness and an inner diameter suitable for containing Japanese cotton and then advancing it into an atomizer. The outer diameter of the tube cooperates with an aperture in the coil of the atomizer. The tip and the tail have a rim with a square cut. The tube has its size that relates its length to its inner diameter, and to its thickness within a range. The tube utilizes polypropylene for its construction. Alternative fibrous material may be substituted for Japanese cotton.

Claims

1. A device for loading fibrous material, comprising: a tube, generally hollow, elongated and round; said tube having a sidewall, a tip, and an opposite tail, said tip being spaced ahead of said tail, said tip is adapted to insert for loading; said sidewall having a thickness imparting rigidity to said device; and, wherein said device is adapted to admit a fibrous material into said tail and then to eject the fibrous material from said tip.

2. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 1, further comprising: said tube having a length and an outer diameter; said tip having a rim and said tail having a rim, each of said rims occupying a plane perpendicular to the length of said tube, each of said rims is having a width defined by said thickness of said sidewall.

3. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 2 further comprising: said tube having an inner wall generally concentric with said sidewall, said inner wall being spaced inwardly by said thickness.

4. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 3 wherein said inner wall has a coefficient of friction from about 0.1 to about 0.3.

5. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 3 further comprising: each of said rims having an outer edge and an inner edge spaced inwardly from said outer edge, said inner edge extending from said inner wall.

6. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 5, further comprising: each of said rims being square wherein said outer edge and said inner edge of each of said rims occupy a common plane perpendicular to said length.

7. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 2 wherein said length has a ratio to said thickness of about 60 to about 180.

8. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 2 wherein said length has a ratio to said outer diameter of about 8 to about 25.

9. The device for loading fibrous material of claim 8 wherein said device includes a fibrous material and said fibrous material is Japanese cotton.

10. A loading tube, comprising: a sidewall rotated about a common centerline at a fixed distance thus forming a hollow, elongated, round cylinder; said cylinder having a tip and an opposite tail, said tip being spaced ahead of said tail, said tip is adapted to insert first for loading; said sidewall having a thickness imparting rigidity to said device; and, wherein said cylinder admits a fibrous material into said tail and then ejects the fibrous material from said tip.

11. The loading tube of claim 10 further comprising: said cylinder having a length and an outer diameter; said tip having a rim and said tail having a rim, each of said rims occupying a plane perpendicular to the length of said cylinder, each of said rims having a width defined by said thickness of said sidewall.

12. The loading tube of claim 11 further comprising: said cylinder having an inner wall generally concentric with said sidewall and inwardly spaced by said thickness of said sidewall.

13. The loading tube of claim 12 wherein said inner wall has a coefficient of friction from about 0.1 to about 0.3.

14. The loading tube of claim 12 wherein each of said rims has an outer edge and an inner edge spaced inwardly from said outer edge, said inner edge extending from said inner wall.

15. The loading tube of claim 14 further comprising: each of said rims being square wherein said outer edge and said inner edge of each of said rims occupy a common plane perpendicular to said length.

16. The loading tube of claim 11 wherein said length has a ratio to said thickness of about 40 to about 180.

17. The loading tube of claim 11 wherein said length has a ratio to said outer diameter of about 4 to about 25.

18. The loading tube of claim 17 wherein said fibrous material is Japanese cotton and said length has a ratio to said thickness of about 60 to about 180.

19. A loading tube, comprising: a tube, generally hollow, elongated and round, having a length and an is outer diameter; said tube having a sidewall, a tip, an opposite tail, and an inner wall generally concentric with said sidewall, said inner wall being spaced inwardly by said thickness, said tip being spaced ahead of said tail, said tip is adapted to insert first into a coil of an atomizer; said sidewall having a thickness imparting rigidity to said device; said tube said tip having a rim and said tail having a rim, each of said rims occupying a plane perpendicular to the length of said tube, each of said rims having a width defined by said thickness of said sidewall, an outer edge, and an inner edge spaced inwardly from said outer edge, said inner edge extending from said inner wall; each of said rims being square wherein said outer edge and said inner edge of each of said rims occupy a common plane perpendicular to said length; wherein said inner wall has a coefficient of friction from about 0.1 to about 0.3; wherein said length has a ratio to said thickness of about 40 to about 600 and said length has a ratio to said outer diameter of about 4 to about 12; and, wherein said device admits a fibrous material into said tail and then ejects the fibrous material from said tip.

20. The loading tube of claim 19 wherein said fibrous material is Japanese cotton and said tube is polypropylene; and, wherein said inner wall has a profile roughness factor from about 300×10.sup.−6 to about 80×10.sup.−6 and porosity less than 10% by area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In referring to the drawings,

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention proximate an atomizer;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a top view of the invention inserted into an atomizer;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention inserted into an atomizer;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a side view of the invention with wick partially inserted;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a side view of the invention with wick fully extended;

[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention;

[0032] FIG. 8 is an end view of the invention;

[0033] FIG. 9 is an end view of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 10 is a side view of the invention; and,

[0035] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the invention.

[0036] The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0037] The present invention overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a loading tube for inserting wick into an atomizer. The invention allows a user, or a vaper, to insert the wick with a minimum of training and skill.

[0038] Turning to FIG. 1, the loading tube of the present invention appears as at 1 outwardly from an atomizer A. The invention's tube 2 has a portion of wick 3 extending rearwardly. The wick began in strip form with a length of 4 centimeters, “cm.” The strip of the wick has sizes of 7.5 millimeters, “mm,” 9.5 mm, 13 mm, 16 mm, and 18 mm that correspond to tube outer diameters of 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, and 4.5 mm respectively. The atomizer has a face F that presents outwardly to a vaper about to insert the invention for re-wicking of the atomizer. Generally oriented above the atomizer and perpendicular to the face, the atomizer has a coil C. The coil has an elongate form of a material suitable for electrical induction heating. The atomizer contains the electrical circuitry, battery, and controls for operation, not shown. The coil has a generally round aperture B upon one end that leads inwardly into it for introduction of e-liquid therein. The coil's aperture B receives the invention 1 during usage by a vaper. The aperture has a generally round shape sized to admit the tube 2 in an axial manner. The tube fits snugly into the aperture but yet permits withdrawal of the tube leaving wick 3 behind in the coil that draws and receives e-liquid into it during usage.

[0039] More particularly shown from a top view in FIG. 2, the atomizer A has the coil C with its aperture B that receives the invention 2 and then admits the wick 3 into it. Opposite the aperture B, the coil C has an exit D. The invention 1 enters the aperture B here shown to the left. The Applicant though foresees the coil and the atomizer having various shapes and configurations. The tube 2 enters the aperture B, extends into the coil C, and reaches to the exit D. The tube has its length that permits a vaper to position into the aperture and then push it into the coil and pull off the tube at the exit D. After removing the tube from the coil, the vaper triggers the coil to heat through electrical induction.

[0040] With the invention positioned proximate the coil C, FIG. 3 shows the atomizer in a side view. The tube 2 nears the coil and allows a vaper to advance the wick towards into coil C here shown extending upwardly from the atomizer upon two legs. Having positioned the wick into the coil, the vaper carefully withdraws the tube 2 through the exit D from the coil while leaving the wick 3 behind in the coil. The vaper then wets the wick from an e-liquid source, such as a vial, a jar, or a tube (not shown). With the wick wet to the vaper's taste, the vaper then triggers the coil to heat and vaporize the e-liquid for inhalation.

[0041] Turning to the invention 1 alone, FIG. 4 shows the invention from the side. The tube 2 has a generally elongated hollow form with a tip 10 and an opposite tail 11. The wick 3 extends outwardly from the tail 11 while no wick extends from the tip, here shown to the right. The wick has a generally fibrous form suitable for drawing e-liquid by capillary action from its source and into the wick. In the preferred embodiment, the wick is Japanese cotton of the species Gossypium herbaceum. In an alternate embodiment, the wick is of braided cotton or flat braided cotton. In an alternate embodiment, the wick also includes a strand of fine wire. In an alternate embodiment, the wick has a treatment of mordanting that maintains its liquid capillary action during combustion of the wick at the coil C. Mordanting includes the application of salt and of borax in solution form to the wick.

[0042] A vaper positions the tube 2, as shown in FIG. 4, with the tip 10 forward and towards the atomizer during usage as previously described. The wick extends outwardly from the tail and the atomizer as shown to the left.

[0043] With the tube placed into the aperture as previously described, the vaper advances the wick 3 into the tube 2 as shown in FIG. 5. The wick extends outwardly from the tip 10 as a round, extensible lead 4 that approaches a coil C during usage. Opposite the lead, the wick 3 narrows and gathers as it approaches the tail 11. The wick advances as a vaper twists, pushes, or otherwise manipulates the wick to enter the tube 2. The vaper then inserts the tip 10 first into the aperture B of the coil C. And, the vaper slowly withdraws the tube 2 from the coil as the lead 4 enters further into the atomizer.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows the invention 1 with the tube 2 nearly removed from the wick 3 and its lead 4 nearly fully extended to the right. The lead may extend its length for multiples of its diameter. Here, the tip 10 has the lead of the wick while the tail 11 has an absence of wick 3. The vaper removes the tube 2 carefully from the wick 3 using his fingers but not touching the wick and not imparting any skin oils or other contaminants to the wick.

[0045] Turning to the tube itself, FIG. 7 shows a side perspective view of the tube 2 with the tip 10 towards the right. Because a vaper uses manual effort to extend the lead, the wick must slide readily from the tube and the tube must slide readily out of an atomizer. The Applicants have selected a tube having a coefficient of friction between about 0.1 to about 0.3 with the wick and with various metals suitable for an atomizer. In the preferred embodiment, the tube is polypropylene such as from Goodfellow, Inc. of Coraopolis, Pa. The tube 2 has a hollow cylindrical form made of a sidewall 12 that has a thickness 13, later shown in FIG. 11. The tube also has an outer diameter and an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter. At the tip 10, the thickness defines a rim 14. The rim occupies a plane generally perpendicular to the sidewall 12. Inwardly from the rim 14 at the tip 10, the tube has an inner wall 15 and the wick passes along the inner wall as it travels through the tube during usage.

[0046] Turning the tube 2, FIG. 8 shows an end view with the tail 11 in the foreground. The tail includes a rim 14 here shown as flat and parallel to the plane of this figure. The rim has a width similar to that of the thickness 13 of the sidewall. The rim extends from the inner wall 15 outwardly to the sidewall, that is, the exterior of the sidewall. The rim begins at an inner edge 16 where the inner wall terminates and extends to an outer edge 17 where the sidewall terminates. The inner edge defines an opening 22 into which the fibrous material 3 or Japanese cotton inserts. Typically, the inner edge and the outer edge occupy the same plane, that of the rim.

[0047] Opposite FIG. 8, FIG. 9 describes another end view with the tip 10 in the foreground. The tip also has a rim 14 also flat and in the plane of this figure. The rim has its width defined by that of the thickness 13 of the sidewall. The rim extends from the inner wall 15 outwardly to the sidewall, that is, the exterior of the sidewall. The rim begins at an inner edge 16 where the inner wall terminates and extends to an outer edge 17 where the sidewall terminates. Here, the inner edge defines another opening 22 from which the fibrous material 3 or Japanese cotton ejects as a lead as previously shown. Typically, the inner edge and the outer edge occupy the same plane, that of the rim.

[0048] Turning the tube once more, FIG. 10 shows a top view of the tube 2. Because the tube is symmetric and round, this view also shows the sides and bottom of the tube. The tube has its form from the sidewall 12 wrapped into a cylinder though here appearing as a rectangle. The sidewall extends from the tail 11 to the tip 10. As mentioned above, the tip inserts into an aperture of an atomizer while the tail passes upon the wick during withdrawal of the tube by a vaper.

[0049] Looking more closely at the tube 2, FIG. 11 displays the tube in a sectional view with the sidewall 12 shown in two mutually parallel and spaced apart rectangles as at 12a. Each rectangle shown has the inner wall 15 here shown as two mutually parallel and spaced apart surfaces interiorly from the sidewall 12. Each rectangle, of the sidewall, has the tail 11 to the left of this figure and the tip 10 to the right of this figure. Each rectangle has an end at the tip, generally square, that forms the rim 14. A square edge has the inner edge 16 and the outer edge 17 at each rim 14 generally in the same plane. Then each rectangle has an opposite end at the tail, generally square as well that also forms the rim 14. Each rectangle has a length, as at 18, also the length of the entire tube. Each rectangle has its thickness 13 generally extending from the inner wall outwardly to the sidewall and forming the tube as previously shown. The spacing of the two rectangles as shown defines an inner diameter of the tube, as at 20 and the inner diameter plus two thicknesses 13 defines an outer diameter of the tube, as at 21. The length 18 has a ratio to the outer diameter 21 of from about 4 to about 25. Then the length 18 has a ratio to the thickness 13 of from about 40 to about 180.

[0050] The tube has an outer diameter of about 3 mm, an inner diameter of about 2.7 mm, and a length from about 15 mm to about 50 mm. The Applicants foresee a preferred length of about 16 mm to about 50 mm with a desired length of 17.5 mm.

[0051] Meanwhile, the inner wall 15 adjoins the wick 3 inserted into the tube 2 for usage by a vapor. The inner wall has a low profile roughness factor, R.sub.a, so that the wick inserts readily into the tube and later the tube readily removes from the wick. The profile roughness factor represents the smoothness of the inner wall. More particularly, the profile roughness factor results from the arithmetic average of absolute values of surface height of the inner wall from a mean height. The profile roughness factor presents a generally smooth inner wall and ranges from about 300×10.sup.−6 to about 80×10.sup.−6. The smoothness of the inner wall has a contributing factor from the porosity of its material, preferably polypropylene. The porosity becomes important following extrusion of the tube during its manufacturing. Less porosity leads to a smooth inner wall. Less porosity here generally has less than 5 pores per centimeter, a pore size less than 50 microns, and porosity less than 10% by area.

[0052] From the aforementioned description, a loading tube has been described. The loading tube is uniquely capable of containing Japanese cotton within it, then ejecting the Japanese cotton into a lead from its tip, and then slipping off the Japanese cotton through its tail. The loading tube deploys the Japanese cotton into the aperture of an atomizer with minimum vaper effort and skill. Further, the loading tube may also have variations in length, wall thickness, diameter, end condition, and other related features compatible with the structure and purpose of the invention as shown and described. The loading tube and its various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, vinyl, polymers, such as nylon, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, ferrous and non-ferrous metal foils, their alloys, and composites.

[0053] Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments have been described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

[0054] Various operations have been described as multiple discrete operations, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation.

[0055] Moreover, in the specification and the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” “third” and the like—when they appear—are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

[0056] The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0057] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.