Electronic Vaporizer
Patent No. US12115303 (titled "Electronic Vaporizer") was filed by Njoy Llc on Aug 2, 2023.
What is this patent about?
’303 is related to the field of electronic vaporizers, specifically focusing on the design and construction of cartridges used within these devices. The background involves the increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes as alternatives to traditional tobacco products, driven by factors like rising taxes. These devices typically consist of a battery, a heating element, and a mouthpiece containing a nicotine solution, which is vaporized upon user inhalation.
The underlying idea behind ’303 is to create an improved cartridge design for electronic vaporizers that efficiently vaporizes a liquid solution for inhalation. This involves a specific arrangement of components within the cartridge, including a housing with a solution reservoir, an airflow passageway, a resistive heating element , and a wicking material. The key is the direct exposure of the heating element to the airflow, maximizing vaporization efficiency.
The claims of ’303 focus on a cartridge designed for mechanical and electrical connection to an electronic vaporizer's power source. The cartridge features a housing with a solution reservoir, a central airflow passageway, and a resistive heating element positioned perpendicularly to the housing's axis. The claims emphasize the airflow passing directly over the heating element and the use of a wicking material to deliver the liquid solution to the heating element for vaporization.
In practice, the cartridge operates by drawing liquid solution from the reservoir to the heating element via the wicking material. When the user inhales, air flows through the cartridge, directly contacting the heated element. This direct contact ensures efficient vaporization of the solution, which is then carried by the airflow to the user. The cartridge is designed for easy connection to a power source, enabling the heating element to receive electrical power and generate heat.
This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by optimizing the airflow path and heating element placement for enhanced vaporization. The perpendicular arrangement of the heating element relative to the airflow passageway ensures maximum exposure and efficient heat transfer. The use of a wicking material provides a consistent supply of liquid solution to the heating element, preventing dry hits and ensuring a smooth vaporization process. The design also allows for a compact and easily replaceable cartridge, improving the user experience.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2000s when ’303 was filed, electronic vaporizers were at a time when battery technology was commonly relied upon to provide power to a heating element for vaporizing a solution, when system architectures typically included a battery, heating element, and a mouthpiece containing the solution, and when hardware or software constraints made precise temperature control and efficient vaporization non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims 1-9 were rejected in a non-final office action. The rejections were based on 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for failing to comply with the enablement requirement and pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) as being anticipated by prior art. The drawings were also objected to. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 7 claims, with claim 1 being independent. Independent claim 1 focuses on a cartridge for an electronic vaporizer, detailing its mechanical and electrical coupling to a power source, housing structure, airflow, heating element, and wicking material. Dependent claims 2-7 build upon claim 1, adding specific details and features to the cartridge.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Date
Description
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US12115303
- Application Number
- US18229623
- Filing Date
- Aug 2, 2023
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jul 27, 2030
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents