CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial Number 62/433,012, filed December 12, 2016 and U.S. Provisional

Application Serial Number 62/51 1,047, filed May 25, 2017, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to vaporizers, and more particularly to a cartridge for a vaporizer.

2. Background Information

[0003] Vaporizers have recently emerged as a new product for providing nicotine and other products through a smokeless inhalation process. There are many embodiments of vaporizers including the electronic cigarette. Most implementations consist of a power supply (typically a battery) and an atomizing device. In reusable electronic cigarettes the two items are separated into a battery and a cartomizer, to allow the disposal and replacement of the nicotine containing fluid cartomizer while preserving the more costly battery and associated circuitry (microcontroller, switch, indicating LED, etc.) In disposable electronic cigarettes the two items are combined to integrate the functions into one unit that is disposed of after either the battery energy or the nicotine containing E-liquid is exhausted.

[0004] The E-liquid that is used to produce vapor in electronic cigarettes is generally a solution of one or more of propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG) and/or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) mixed with

concentrated flavors, and optionally, a variable percentage of a liquid nicotine concentrate. This liquid may be termed an "E-liquid" and is often sold in a bottle or in disposable cartridges or cartomizers. Many different flavors of such E- liquids are sold, including flavors that resemble the taste of regular tobacco, menthol, vanilla, coffee, cola and various fruits. Various nicotine concentrations are also available, and nicotine-free E-Liquids are common.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0005] In one aspect, a refillable cartridge for a vaporizer is disclosed. The refillable cartridge may include a body housing a reservoir for storing a vaporizing product. The refillable cartridge may further include a lower ceramic pad with a through hole providing access to the reservoir. The refillable cartridge may further include a lid slidably fastened to the upper end of the body. The refillable cartridge may further include an upper ceramic pad positioned at a lower end of the lid. The upper ceramic pad may seal the through hole when the lid is slid to a first position and uncover the through hole when the lid is slid to a second position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. I illustrates a perspective view of a cartridge for a vaporizer;

[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the cartridge of Fig. I with a lid closed;

[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the cartridge of Fig. I with the lid opened;

[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the cartridge of Fig. I with the lid opened and a nozzle inserted to fill the cartridge with vaporizable material;

[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view of the cartridge of Fig. I with the lid closed, showing internal construction;

[001 1] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross sectional view of the cartridge of Fig. I with the lid opened, showing internal construction; and

[0012] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of the cartridge of Fig. I with the lid opened and the nozzle inserted to fill the cartridge with vaporizable material, showing internal construction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate some embodiments of the disclosure for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use these embodiments. As such, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely illustrative in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner. It should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and in certain instances details may have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments, such as details of fabrication and assembly. In the accompanying drawings, like numerals represent like components.

[0014] FIG. I illustrates a perspective view of a cartridge 10 for a vaporizer. Cartridge I 0 includes a body 12 and a lid 14. Lid 14 includes a mouthpiece 16 having a passageway 18 for the passage of inhalable vapor. A vaporizable material, such as E-Liquid, can be or is stored within body 12. The outer surface of body 12 is sized and shaped complementary to a vaporizer. For example, the vaporizer may have a cavity sized and shaped to receive body 12. In some embodiments, cartridge 10 may have an atomizer assembly including an atomizer within the body 12. When electrical power is supplied to the atomizer, it heats E-Liquid turning it into vapor. In other embodiments, the atomizer may be separate from cartridge 10, such that cartridge 10 delivers the E-liquid to a separate atomizer, which then heats the E-Liquid for vaporization. Once vaporized, the E-Liquid vapor mixes with air supplied from an air source (for example, from external environment) and them nair-vapor mixture passes out passageway 18 in mouthpiece 16.

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of cartridge 10 for a vaporizer and FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of cartridge I 0 with lid 14 being opened. Lid 14 is secured to body 12 in a sliding arrangement such that lid 14 may be moved between the position shown in FIG. 2 and the position shown in FIG. 3. Lid 14 is secured to body 12 using techniques known to those of skill in the art, such as interfacing grooves and rails. Lid 14 may lock at each of the positions shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. With lid 14 in the position shown in FIG. 3, an inlet to a reservoir within body 12 is exposed, allowing the reservoir to be filled with vaporizable material. In some embodiments, cartridge 10 may have an interlock so that it may only be filled when it is not coupled with the vaporizer, in other embodiments it may only be filled when cartridge 10 is coupled with the vaporizer, and in still other embodiments, the cartridge may be filled when either coupled or not coupled to the vaporizer.

[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of cartridge I 0 with a nozzle 20 being inserted into inlet 22 that is exposed when lid 14 is slid open. In certain embodiments, the lid slides in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudiunal axis of the cartridge. With nozzle 20 inserted into the inlet 22 (see FIG. 6), the reservoir may be filled with vaporizable material.

[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view of cartridge I 0 showing an internal construction of an exemplary embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, body 12 is generally a hollow cylindrical shape. Other shapes are possible such as a hollow elongated cuboid or a hollow elliptical cylinder. A wall 21 defines an outer surface 24 of body 12 and an inner cavity 26. Inner cavity 26 is open at a top end 28 and a bottom end 30 to allow for receiving of

components. The inner cavity 26 may be partitioned into separate spaces by one or more webs 32. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, inner cavity 26 is partitioned into a reservoir 34 and an air channel 36.

[0018] An atomizer assembly 38 is disposed in bottom end 30 of cavity 26 and may be held in place through a press fit, adhesive, threaded connection, or other fastening means. For example, atomizer assembly 38 may have an external thread that is complementary to an internal thread at the bottom end 30 of cavity 26. Atomizer assembly 38 may be a standard atomizer as known by one of ordinary skill in the art. Atomizer assembly 38 receives product from reservoir 34 and heats the vaporizable material until it vaporizes. The vapor is mixed with a flow of air and passes to mouthpiece 16 through air channel 36.

[0019] At top end 28, a cap 40 is secured within cavity 26. Cap 40 is attached to body 12 through conventional means such as a press fit, adhesive, threads, etc. Cap 40 includes a lower ceramic pad 42 disposed at an outer surface of the cap 40. Lower ceramic pad 42 has a through-hole 44 passing from an external surface of the pad to the reservoir 34. In the configuration shown in FIG. 5, lower ceramic pad 42 is covered by lid 14, sealing the through- hole so that no product may escape through lower ceramic pad.

[0020] Lid 14 has a corresponding upper ceramic pad 46 for sealing the through-hole of the lower ceramic pad 42. In the configuration of FIG 5, upper ceramic pad 46 contacts lower ceramic pad 42, sealing the through-hole to prevent leakage of the product. Additionally, in the configuration of FIG. 5, an outlet 19 of mouthpiece 16 aligns with passageway 36, allowing air to flow from the passageway to the mouthpiece 16.

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 5 with lid 14 being slid to a second configuration. In this second configuration, upper ceramic pad 46 has been moved laterally such that it is no longer covering through-hole 44, allowing access to reservoir 34 through through-hole 44. In some embodiments, upper ceramic pad 46 may cover passageway 36 when in the second configuration.

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 5 in the second

configuration, but with nozzle 20 being inserted into through-hole 44.

Vaporizable material, such as E-liquid, may be delivered by nozzle 20 into reservoir 34. After a desired quantity of product is delivered to the reservoir, nozzle 20 is removed from the through-hole and lid 14 is slid laterally, back to the configuration of FIG. 5. The upper ceramic pad 46 and the lower ceramic pad 42 are placed against one another, inhibiting the product from flowing out of the reservoir through the through-hole. The ceramic pads are durable to abrasion allowing them to be slid back and forth without losing their ability to seal. Because product is typically more viscous than water or many other fluids, it does not leak past the interface of the ceramic pads.

[0023] Some embodiments of the present invention include methods of filling or refilling a refillable cartridge of the present invention as described hereinthroughout. For example, certain methods comprise providing a refillable cartridge according to the present invention, laterally sliding the lid from the lid's first position to the second position; and providing through the through hole the vaporizable material to the reservoir. In other embodiments, the methods further comprise laterally sliding the lid from the second position to the first position after providing the vaporizable material to the reservoir.

[0024] Certain other embodiments of the present invention are directed to kits comprising the refillable cartridge according to the present invention along with instructions for filling or refilling the reservoir. In some embodiments, the kits further comprise a nozzle for supplying vaporizable material to the reservoir. In some other embodiments, the kits further comprise a vaporizable material, typically within a container for holding the particular vaporizable material. In yet other embodiments, the kits comprise the refillable cartridge according to the present invention, instructions for filling or refilling the reservoir, a nozzle for supplying vaporizable material to the reservoir and a vaporizable material, typically within a container for holding the particular vaporizable material.

In some embodiments, the upper ceramic pad 46 and the lower ceramic pad 42 are biased towards one another. This bias may be provided by tracks configured to guide lid 14 as it slides across to the top of the body to close. In some embodiments, the cartridge may have an interlock so that it may only be filled when it is not in the vaporizer, or that it may only be filled when it is in the vaporizer.

[0025] The descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Various modifications of the disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the concepts described herein. The disclosures of each patent, patent application and publication cited or described in this document are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties.

[0026] The foregoing description of possible implementations consistent with the present disclosure does not represent a comprehensive list of all such implementations or all variations of the implementations described. The description of some implementation should not be construed as an intent to exclude other implementations. For example, artisans will understand how to implement the disclosure in many other ways, using equivalents and alternatives that do not depart from the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, unless indicated to the contrary in the preceding description, none of the components described in the implementations are essential to the disclosure. It is thus intended that the embodiments disclosed in the specification be considered as illustrative, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

[0027] The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may also be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein and that does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention.