Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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OVEN ASSEMBLY FOR PERSONAL ELECTRONIC VAPORIZER
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure is directed to personal electronic vaporizers, which
may be used to
generate vapor from a number of substances, such as by using heating chambers
or oven assemblies
comprising unexposed heating elements.
BACKGROUND
Smoking devices, such as cigarette holders and pipes, are well known in the
art for
providing flavored vapor from a smokable substance to a user for smoking
pleasure. However,
such devices provide no means of controlling the heating and combustion of
tobacco and other
products. As a result, the devices tend to produce by-products which may
impart a bitter and/or
burnt taste to the mouth of a user, including combustion byproducts.
In an effort to overcome these issues, there have been numerous attempts to
provide a
device for delivering an active ingredient to a consumer through vaporization
rather than
combustion. For instance, many of the personal electronic vaporizers that are
currently on the
market heat a substance without burning it in order to release a vapor that
contains the active
ingredient(s) to be delivered to the user. In some instances, the vapor is
created by placing the
substance in contact with a metallic heating coil inside of a chamber, which
may also be made of
metal. Airflow is directed past the heated substance and exposed coil, often
through pathways
constructed of metal, resulting in the desired delivery of the vapor to the
user. However, contact
with metal may impart the vapor with undesirable flavor or vaporized metal
particles.
In addition to eliminating issues with the taste of vapor, most personal
electronic vaporizers
do not provide means for customizing the vaping experience. For example, many
personal
electronic vaporizers utilize the same heating profiles regardless of type of
substance to be
vaporized, e.g. a solid, liquid or wax. As a result, the user may not have the
option to heat the
substance to an ideal temperature that will maximize vapor generation without
combusting the
substance. Moreover, many personal electronic vaporizers fail to provide the
user with an
integrated means of filtering the vapor, and/or adjusting the flow of vapor to
the user in a desired
amount. For these and other reasons, there remains a need for a personal
electronic vaporizer that
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allows for the delivery of a good tasting vapor to a user, while providing the
user with a
customizable vaping experience. While a variety of personal electronic
vaporizers have been made
and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used
an invention as described
herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims which particularly point out and
distinctly
claim the invention, it is believed the present invention will be better
understood from the
following description of certain examples taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawing,
in which like reference numerals identify the same elements and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary personal electronic vaporizer;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary oven assembly, an exemplary oven
mount
assembly, and an exemplary battery compartment assembly;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the oven assembly and oven mount assembly
of FIG.
4;
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the oven assembly of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the oven assembly of FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the oven mount assembly of FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the oven mount assembly of FIG. 4;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the oven assembly of FIG. 4 connected with
the oven
mount assembly of FIG. 4;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the personal electronic vaporizer of FIG. 1
and a mobile
communication device;
FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an exemplary charging base of the present
invention;
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FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the lower surface of an exemplary battery
compartment
assembly;
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another exemplary oven assembly for use with
the
personal electronic vaporizer of FIG. 1;
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 16;
FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of an exemplary baffle element of the oven
assembly of
FIG. 16;
FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view of the baffle element of FIG. 18;
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary oven assembly for use
with the
personal electronic vaporizer of Fig 1;
FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary oven assembly for use
with the
personal electronic vaporizer of Fig 1; and
FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary oven assembly for use
with the
personal electronic vaporizer of Fig 1.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is
contemplated that various
embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways,
including those not
necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated
in and forming a
part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention,
and together with the
description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being
understood, however, that this
invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.
DE TAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description of certain examples of the invention should not be
used to limit
the scope of the present invention. Other examples, features, aspects,
embodiments, and
advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art
from the following
description, which is by way of illustration, one of the best modes
contemplated for carrying out
the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other
different and obvious aspects,
all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and
descriptions should be
regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
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It will be appreciated that any one or more of the teachings, expressions,
versions,
examples, etc. described herein may be combined with any one or more of the
other teachings,
expressions, versions, examples, etc. that are described herein. The following-
described teachings,
expressions, versions, examples, etc. should therefore not be viewed in
isolation relative to each
other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be combined
will be readily
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings
herein. Such modifications
and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.
The elements or features of the various embodiments are described in detail
hereinafter.
Any reference to a singular characteristic or limitation of the present
disclosure shall include the
corresponding plural characteristics or limitations, and vice versa, unless
otherwise specified or
clearly implied to the contrary by the context in which the reference is made.
The apparatuses and methods described herein may comprise, consist of, or
consist
essentially of the elements and features of the disclosure described herein,
as well as any additional
or optional components, or features described herein or otherwise useful in
relation to the
aforementioned apparatuses and methods.
The term "personal electronic vaporizer," which is used interchangeably herein
with
"PEV," means a hand held electronic device which vaporizes one or more
substances for
consumption including, but not limited to, via inhalation, by a consumer. Non-
limiting examples
of substances include solids, liquids, gels and waxes. The PEV may take any
shape to allow for
the internal components as described below to be integrated therein.
I. Personal Electronic Vaporizer
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an embodiment of a personal electronic
vaporizer is
shown and described as PEV 1. PEV 1 extends generally from a top end 3 to a
bottom end 5 and
includes a mouthpiece assembly 7, a top shell assembly 9, a container assembly
11, one or more
of an oven assembly 13, an oven mount assembly 15, and a battery compartment
assembly 17.
Each component or elements of a component may be formed or coated using a
medical grade
material, such as medical grade glass, medical grade stainless steel, or
anodized aluminum.
Mouthpiece assembly 7 defines a mouthpiece channel 29 surrounded by a material
such as
glass, ceramics, polycarbonate, or silicone. Mouthpiece assembly 7 includes a
shaft 34 extending
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outwardly away from and continuing the channel 29 therethrough. Shaft 34
transitions into a
shoulder 47 and a boss 49, with channel 29 extending therethrough. As shown in
FIG. 3, channel
29 is a non-linear channel with multiple loop-backs and 180 degree turns as
channel 29 extends
from mouth area 33 to boss 49 and facilitates fluid communication between
mouth area 33 and
boss 49. The fluid communication may encompass a fluid such as air. As such,
the turning and
looping back of channel 29 creates a bubbler area 30 whereby a user may add
water or other
substances into channel 29 to fill bubbler area 30 and accordingly force any
air or fluid passing
through PEV 1 to pass through the substance in bubbler area 30. For example, a
user may fill
bubbler area 30 with an amount of tap water 32. As the user then draws fluid
through PEV 1, the
fluid passes through the tap water 32 in bubbler area 30 whereby heavier
particles and water-
soluble molecules are trapped in the tap water 32, thus preventing these
particles from entering the
user's airways. The user may turn the mouthpiece assembly 7 upside down to
empty the tap water
32 from the bubbler area 30.
Top shell assembly 9 extends from a top end 39 to a bottom end 41 and includes
a display
screen 19 and a button 21. Display screen 19 may be configured to be situated
behind a mirrored
or otherwise one way transparent outer surface 23 of top shell assembly 9,
whereby the display
screen 19 projects through the outer surface 23 when energized and
illuminated, and does not
project through the outer surface 23 when the display is not illuminated.
Display screen 19 may
be a liquid crystal display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, or any
other mechanism for
displaying visual information. Top shell assembly 9 further includes an
annular lip 43 and a
corresponding annular shoulder 44 proximate second end 41 for use in securing
top shell assembly
9 to battery compartment assembly 17.
Top shell assembly 9 further includes a ring 31 proximate the top end 39. Ring
31 defines
a primary intake opening 35 and a secondary intake opening 37 and is rotatable
in the direction of
Arrow A and Arrow B. Primary intake opening 35 may be rotated with respect to
a corresponding
underlying opening to adjust the size of the overall fluid pathway leading
into the PEV
1. Similarly, secondary air intake opening 37 may be rotated with respect to a
corresponding
underlying opening to fine tune the size of the overall fluid pathway leading
into the PEV 1. By
rotating ring 31, the user can adjust the size of the openings for passing
fluid into PEV 1 and
ultimately affect the flow rate of fluid into the PEV 1. In another embodiment
of PEV 1, ring 31
may be embodied by a ring 31A, disposed proximate the second end 41 of top
shell assembly 9.
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Ring 31A operates similarly to ring 31, with a primary intake opening 35A and
one or more
secondary intake openings 37A. Ring 31A may be manually rotated by the user to
open the intake
openings in accordance with the preference of the user.
Container assembly 11 includes a hollow body 51 and a corresponding lid 53 for
enclosing
the hollow body 51. The container assembly 11 is shaped to define a recess 55
which generally
corresponds to another portion of the PEV 1 such that the recess 55 mates with
the other portion
to be snuggly disposed thereon.
Battery compartment assembly 17 includes a battery 26 disposed proximate an
outer wall
25. Outer wall 25 defines a series of dimples 27 or holes for aesthetic
purposes. Alternatively
outer wall 25 may define vent holes (not shown), configured to expel excess
heat generated through
use of the battery 26 or may utilize vent holes to allow sound to exit the PEV
1. Battery
compartment assembly 17 further includes an annular lip 57 and a corresponding
annular shoulder
59 sized and oriented to mate with annular lip 43 and annular shoulder 44 of
top shell assembly 9
to selectively fittingly engage top shell assembly 9 with battery compartment
assembly 17. Battery
compartment assembly 17 further includes a pair of electrodes 61 configured to
electronically
couple with the positive and negative poles of the battery 26. The pair of
electrodes 61 are shown
in FIGS. 2 and 3 as electrode 61A and electrode 61B. The battery compartment
assembly 17 may
also include a latch 63 sized and oriented to mate with a corresponding latch
(not shown) proximate
the second end 41 of the top shell assembly 9 and slidingly engaged therewith
to selectively hold
top shell assembly 9 to battery compartment assembly 17 and ensure proper
orientation.
Battery 26 is preferably a rechargeable battery, such as those that are
currently used in
electronic vaporizers (e.g., nickel cadmium batteries, lithium ion batteries,
lithium ion polymer
batteries, etc.). The battery may be recharged via an electrical wall outlet,
a car charger, charging
base, and/or a USB on a suitable power source (e.g., a computerized device).
As shown in FIGS. 3-7, oven assembly 13 is sized to be removably received in a
heater
receptacle 95. As such, oven assembly 13 includes a generally cylindrical
profile extending from
a top end 67 to a bottom end 69. A pair of electrodes 71 extend outwardly at
bottom end 69, with
one electrode having a positive pole, shown as electrode 71A, and one
electrode having a negative
pole, shown as electrode 71B. Electrodes 71 transfer electric power from oven
mount assembly
15 to a heating plate 73 configured to heat up and increase in temperature in
accordance with the
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amount of electric power supplied from oven mount assembly 15. Heating plate
73 may include
an integrated heating coil (not shown) disposed therein or a thermal film (not
shown), a transparent
film conductor (not shown), or any other mechanism for converting electrical
power from battery
26 into heat.
A preheating area 74 (FIG. 3) may be disposed under and around heating plate
73.
Preheating area is configured to be placed in the path of the air traveling
through PEV 1 to the
oven assembly 13, such as the air is preheated before traveling to oven
assembly 13. The
preheating area 74 increases the speed with which the PEV 1 may heat the air
surrounding the
medium in oven assembly 13, which in turn shortens the time the user has to
wait to receive the
vapors from the properly heated medium in oven assembly 13. The preheating
area 74 may be
configured to create a convection type of environment, whereby the air is
circulated past heating
elements to continuously warm and heat the air before the air is drawn into
the oven assembly 13.
As shown in FIG. 5 oven assembly 13 further includes a porous ceramic tray 75
in an
abutting relationship with heating plate 73 such that ceramic tray 75 absorb
the heat generated by
heating plate 73 and changes temperature generally in accordance with heating
plate 73. Oven
assembly 13 further includes a plenum ring 77 proximate ceramic tray 75 and
defining an aperture
78 therethrough. Oven assembly 13 further includes an oven base 79 having a
plurality of air holes
81 defined thereby for allowing the air to travel through in the direction of
Arrows D. Oven base
79 is topped by a cylindrical shroud 83. As shown in FIG. 5, plenum ring 77 is
configured to allow
fluid to pass in through aperture 78 in the direction of Arrow C and
thereafter pass through air
holes 81 of oven base 79 in the direction of Arrows D. Oven assembly 13 may
further include a
porous glass filter or frit element (not shown) oriented such that the air may
travel through the frit
relatively slowly, reducing the flow rate of the air as the air travels
through a pathway of PEV 1,
to allow more time for the air to heat up and retain heat. The frit in turn
acts to increase a dwell
time for heat transfer along the pathway.
In some version of oven assembly 13, the frit or glass filter may be disposed
within ceramic
tray 75, within aperture 78 and/or air holes 81, or layered between or
adjacent to any of the various
elements within oven assembly 13. For example, a frit layer may be disposed
between plenum
ring 77 and oven base 79 to slow the air passing through oven assembly 13 and
allow a longer
exposure to heating plate 73.
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Oven assembly 13 may include zero, one, or two identification prongs. In the
illustrated
embodiment, oven assembly 13 includes a first identification prong 85 and a
second identification
prong 87. Identification prongs signal the intended heating profile of the
particular oven assembly
13. As will be described in greater detail below, the identified heating
profile is used by other
components of PEV 1 to heat the oven assembly in accordance with specified
criteria. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the heating profile includes a goal
temperature, wherein the
PEV 1 heats the oven assembly 13 to the goal temperature specified by the
heating
profile. Inasmuch as both the first identification prong 85 and the second
identification prong 87
may be present or absent in a particular oven assembly 13, the PEV 1 may use
this presence or
absence of these two components, or any combination thereof, as a signifier of
a particular profile
associated with the particular oven assembly 13. For example, the PEV 1 may be
configured such
that the presence of first identification prong 85 coupled with the absence of
the second
identification prong 87 indicates to the PEV 1 that a first heating profile is
associated with the
underlying oven assembly. If the first heating profile includes a goal
temperature or goal
temperature range of 345 to 355 degrees Fahrenheit, the PEV 1 will act to heat
the medium in the
oven assembly 13 to between 345 and 355 degrees. The temperature of the medium
is determined
through one or more sensors configured to sense or derive the temperature of
the medium.
As discussed in greater detail below, PEV 1 may include temperature sensors.
For
example, infrared sensors, thermocouple style sensors, and/or thermistor style
sensors for precise
temperature sensing of the temperature. One major deficiency of in the prior
art relates to
temperature control. PEV's in the prior art simply measure a mechanical
element of the PEV, such
as the heating coil or a particular plate or surface, and thereafter base the
actuation or termination
of the heating on those measured temperatures. However, the temperature of a
particular PEV
element and the temperature of the underlying medium may vary wildly. Thus,
the PEV may
actuate or terminate heating in an inefficient manner, with respect to the
requirements of the
medium for proper and efficient vapor generation. PEV 1 includes multiple
sensors and logic
circuitry configured to determine or derive the temperature of the medium
itself and actuates or
terminates the heating based on whether the temperature of the medium is
within the goal range.
This results in a greater experience for the user through the increased
efficiency of heating and
vaporizing the medium.
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Different smokable substances or mediums may be best suited for different
heating
profiles. For example, a solid substance may be best suited for a first
heating profile, while a liquid
substance may be best suited for a second heating profile. Still further, a
wax substance may
require a third heating profile. As such, the user may select a particular
oven assembly 13 based
on intended substance and the heating profile associated with the selected
oven assembly 13. For
example, if a user wishes to vaporize solid tobacco in PEV 1, the user will
select the oven assembly
13 configured for use with solid substances and load the selected oven
assembly 13 into PEV
1. Thereafter, based on the arrangement of the first identification prong 85
and the second
identification prong 87, the PEV 1 will recognize the particular heating
profile associated with the
selected oven assembly 13 and will heat the oven assembly 13 in the manner
best suited for a solid
sub stance.
Correlating the presence or absence of identification prongs is a non-limiting
example of a
mechanism for signaling different heating profiles in the present invention.
Oven assemblies 13
may include alternative mechanisms for signaling a heating profile. For
example, in certain
configurations of PEV 1, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tags or other
similar
identification methods may be used or incorporated into the signaling of
different heating profiles.
As shown in FIGS. 5, 8, and 9, oven mount assembly 15 includes three main
components:
a cap 89, a circuit board assembly 91, and a backing plate 93. Cap 89 defines
multiple recesses
and apertures for accessing elements on circuit board assembly 91 through cap
89. Cap 89 includes
a heater receptacle 95 that defines a channel 97 therein for receiving a
selected oven assembly 13.
Cap 89 includes a pair of electrode through holes 99 configured to allow a
corresponding electrode
71 of an oven assembly 13 to pass through cap 89 and into elements of the
circuit board assembly
91 (FIG. 11). Similarly, cap 89 includes a pair of identification prong
through holes 101
configured to allow first identification prong 85 and second identification
prong 87 to pass through
cap 89 and into elements of the circuit board assembly 91. As such, cap 89 is
primarily configured
to receive a selected oven assembly 13 into heater receptacle 95 and align the
electrodes 61 and
identification prongs 85 and 87 with underlying elements of circuit board
assembly 91.
As shown in FIG. 9, circuit board assembly 91 includes various electronic
components,
logic, and support structure to enable battery 26 to interface with oven
assembly 13 as desired. As
such, circuit board assembly 91 includes a microprocessor 103 coupled with a
circuit board 105.
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A pair of receiving terminals 107 are disposed on the circuit board 105
proximate a bracket 106,
configured to receive electrodes 61 extending from the battery 26 and
electronically couple the
battery 26 to the circuit board 105 to energize the circuit board assembly 91.
Similarly, a pair of
receiving terminals 109 are disposed on the circuit board 105, configured to
receive electrodes 71
extending from oven assembly 13 and electronically couple the oven assembly 13
with the circuit
board assembly 91. Circuit board assembly 91 further includes an
identification terminal 111 and
an identification terminal 113, whereby identification terminal 111 is
configured to receive first
identification prong 85 therein and identification terminal 113 is configured
to receive second
identification prong 87 therein. As such, circuit board assembly 91 may poll
identification
terminal 111 and identification terminal 113 to determine whether the
particular selected oven
assembly 13 includes one or both of the first identification prong 85 and the
second identification
prong 87, or whether the selected oven assembly 13 does not include either
prong. As discussed
above, the circuit board assembly 91 can derive the particular heating profile
for the selected oven
assembly 13 based on the presence or absence of one or both of the first
identification prong 85
and the second identification prong 87.
Circuit board assembly 91 further includes a temperature sensor 115 extending
from circuit
board 105 and oriented to be proximate the oven assembly 13 when an oven
assembly 13 is
disposed in heater receptacle 95. Temperature sensor 115 is illustrative of
one embodiment of the
present invention, as circuit board assembly 91 may further include multiple
infrared sensors (not
shown), thermocouple style sensors (not shown), and thermistors style sensors
(not shown) for
precise sensing or derivation of the temperature of the medium for use in
control of the heat
directed at the smoking substance or medium. Circuit board assembly 91 further
includes a jumper
socket 116 configured to receive corresponding electrical wiring (not shown)
from display screen
19 and button 21 and electronically and logically couple display screen 19,
button 21, and
microprocessor 103 such that microprocessor 103 may actuate display screen 19
in accordance
with the logic stored therein and in accordance with actuation of the button
21 by the user. While
circuit board assembly 91 is shown as a feature of oven mount assembly 15, in
other embodiments
of the present invention, circuit board assembly 91 or a similar element
thereof, may be disposed
in other assemblies or components of PEV 1. For example, in an embodiment of
the invention, a
circuit board assembly may be disposed in the top shell assembly 9.
Alternatively, PEV 1 may
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include a master controller and slave controller disposed anywhere in the PEV
1 and in
communication through various wiring and logic circuitry.
Backing plate 93 is sized and configured to brace circuit board assembly 91
and hold circuit
board assembly 91 firmly between cap 89 and backing plate 93. As such, backing
plate 93 includes
a plurality of fastener receivers 117 for receiving a corresponding series of
fasteners 119 therein,
whereby fasteners 119 are configured to pin and hold the circuit board
assembly 91 to backing
plate 93. Backing plate 93 defines a pair of apertures 121 aligned and sized
to allow electrodes 61
from battery 26 to pass through backing plate 93 and into receiving terminals
107 of circuit board
assembly 91.
As shown in FIG. 12, PEV 1 may include a wireless module 121 electronically
coupled
with microprocessor 103 through corresponding wiring (not shown). Wireless
module 121 is
configured to wirelessly electronically couple with a corresponding wireless
communication
module 122 of a mobile communication device 123. The mobile communication
device 122
includes logic and circuitry to connect wireless communication module 122 with
an interface
application 125 having a graphical user interface (not shown). The interface
application 125 may
be configured to respond to input from the user and transmit these user
commands from mobile
communication device 122 to PEV 1. In turn, PEV 1 is configured to receive
these user commands
via the wireless module 121 and provide these commands to microprocessor 103.
Microprocessor
103 interprets these user commands and actuates the various components and
elements of PEV 1
accordingly. Microprocessor 103 is further configured to collect various
metrics, data points, and
related information and provide this data to mobile communication device 123
for display to the
user through interface application 125.
PEV 1 may further include a speaker 127 electronically coupled with
microprocessor 103
through corresponding wiring (not shown). Speaker 127 is configured to receive
information and
data from microprocessor 103 and transmit sound waves in accordance with the
received
information. For example, microprocessor 103 may provide musical data to
speaker 127, whereby
speaker 127 transmits this musical data as sound waves to the user through PEV
1. Speaker 127
may ultimately be controlled by a user through any combination of display
screen 19, button 21,
and interface application 125 on mobile communication device 123. While
speaker 127 is depicted
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in FIG. 12 as disposed in the top portion of PEV 1, in other versions of PEV
1, speaker 127 may
be disposed in the bottom portion of PEV 1.
PEV 1 may further include a pathway 129 surrounded entirely by a material 131
and
extending from inside the oven assembly 13 out through the mouthpiece channel
29 of the
mouthpiece assembly 7. As shown in FIG. 13 and starting inside the oven
assembly 13, tray 75,
ring 77, oven base 79, and cylindrical shroud 83 are all formed of the
material 131. Further, shaft
34 defining bubbler area 30 and mouth area 33 are also formed of the material
131. As such, as
the medium is heated in oven assembly 13, the medium itself and the vapors
emitted therefrom is
entirely surrounded by the material 131 as the vapors travel along pathway
129. In an embodiment
of the invention, the material is inert, chemically stable, and
thermodynamically stable. This
ensures the vapors are untainted by the material as the vapors travel along
pathway 129. Further,
by heating oven assembly 13 through heating plate 73, situated outside of
pathway 129, the vapors
are untainted by electrical components of PEV 1, such as heating coils or
other undesirable
elements that may alter the vapors or the medium in undesirable ways. In an
embodiment of the
invention, the material 131 is a relatively pure glass material, a ceramic
glass material, a relatively
pure ceramic material, or a polycarbonate material. The term "relatively pure"
signifies the
material may include some common slight impurities or colorants.
In operation, a user may grasp PEV 1 and rotate top shell assembly 9 and
battery
compartment assembly 17 axially to disengage latch 63 and release the two
components. This
release exposes container assembly 11 to the user, which may be detached from
around heater
receptacle 95 of oven mount assembly 15. The user thereafter opens lid 53 of
compartment
assembly 17 to expose the medium stored in hollow body 51. Depending on the
medium, the user
thereafter selects the appropriate oven assembly 13. For example, if the
medium is a solid, the
user may select a corresponding oven assembly 13 configured to properly and
efficiently heat a
solid medium using a particular heating profile associated with the selected
oven assembly 13.
Alternatively, if the medium is a liquid or a wax, another more appropriate
oven assembly 13 may
be selected.
After the oven assembly 13 is selected, the user inserts the medium into the
cylindrical
shroud such that the medium rests on oven base 79. As illustrated in FIG. 4,
the user thereafter
inserts the selected oven assembly 13 into channel 97 of heater receptacle 95
of oven mount
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assembly 15 in the direction of Arrow D. The oven assembly 13 is inserted into
heater receptacle
95 in a particular orientation, whereby each electrode 71A and 71B is passed
through electrode
through holes 99 of cap 89 and is received in corresponding receiving
terminals 109 of circuit
board assembly 91. Similarly, if the selected oven assembly 13 includes a
first identification prong
85, the first identification prong 85 is passed through one of the
identification prong through holes
101 and is received in corresponding receiving terminal 111 of circuit board
assembly 91. If the
selected oven assembly 13 includes second identification prong 87, the second
identification prong
87 is passed through one of the identification prong through holes 101 and is
received in
corresponding receiving terminal 113 of circuit board assembly 91.
Once the selected oven assembly 13 is loaded with the medium and inserted into
the oven
mount assembly 15, the user then aligns top shell assembly 9 with battery
compartment assembly
17 and axially twists the two elements to engage latch 63 to firmly hold top
shell assembly 9 to
battery compartment assembly 17. If desired, the user may then remove the
mouthpiece assembly
7 and fill bubbler area 30 with liquid, such as water, for filtering the
vapors of the medium.
Once the mouthpiece assembly 7 is coupled with the top shell assembly 9 and
the selected
oven assembly 13 is disposed in the oven mount assembly 15, the PEV 1 is
actuated to heat the
medium in the oven assembly 13. The heating may be actuated by the user
through manual
manipulation of button 21 or through manipulation of interface application 125
on mobile
communication device 123 and feedback may be provided to the user through
display screen 19.
In response to a heating request by the user, the microprocessor 103 polls
identification
terminal 111 and identification terminal 113 to determine the particular
configuration, through
resistance or a combination of the presence or absence of the first
identification prong 85 and the
second identification prong 87 of the selected oven assembly 13. In one
example, the presence or
absence of the identification prongs correlates to a two digit binary number
such as 00, 01, 10, or
11 stored in a lookup table in the microprocessor 103. The microprocessor 103
thereafter retrieves
the particular heating profile associated with the configuration of the
identification prongs and
initiates heating of the heating plate 73 in accordance with the retrieved
heating profile. The
heating of heating plate 73 is performed by energizing heating plate 73
through a current supplied
by battery 26 and tailored to the heating profile.
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Next, the medium is heated in the oven assembly 13 through heating of the
heating plate
73. The user thereafter orally engages mouth area 33 of mouthpiece assembly 7
and applies
negative pressure on the mouthpiece assembly 7 to draw air through PEV 1. The
negative pressure
at mouthpiece assembly 7 draws air from primary intake opening 35 and
secondary intake
openings 37 through oven assembly 13 and around the heated medium. The vapors
from the heated
medium are drawn up through pathway 129, through bubbler area 30, and into
mouthpiece channel
29, where the vapors are inhaled or otherwise utilized by the user. The user
may selectively rotate
ring 31 on top shell assembly 9 to expose or cover primary intake opening 35
and/or secondary
intake openings 37 and customize the pressure and air flow through the PEV 1.
The vapors from
the heated medium travel along pathway 129, which is entirely surrounded by
material 131
configured to not taint or chemically disrupt the vapors.
The entire experience may be enhanced by actuating PEV 1 to play music or
other audible
sounds through speaker 127.
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a charging base 135 may be provided to recharge
battery
26. Charging base 135 includes a power cord (not shown) configured to draw
power from a wall
outlet or other similar power source. Charging base 135 further includes a
recess 137, wherein a
positive charging pole 139 and a negative charging pole 141 reside. As shown
on FIG. 15, the
bottom surface of battery compartment assembly 17 may include a charging area
143
complementarily shaped to mate with recess 137. Charging area 143 includes a
positive charging
pole 147 configured to mate with positive charging pole 139 and a negative
charging pole 145
configured to mate with negative charging pole 141. The mating of the poles
completes a charging
circuit between battery 26 and charging base 135 and acts to recharge battery
26. Charging base
135 may be configured to provide over five amps of charging to the battery 26.
In one embodiment
of the charging base 135, the battery 26 is charged using a twenty amp circuit
to allow for quick
charging of battery 26, which may be less than ten minutes. While charging
base 135 is shown
and described herein, any other mechanism for recharging battery 26 is
contemplated, such as a
USB style power cord or a standard power cord plugged directly into the body
of battery
compartment assembly 17.
Wax Oven Assembly
Many wax vaporizing devices on the market use a bare wire heated to high
temperatures
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to vaporizer wax. Bare wire wax vaporizers rapidly deplete the wax due to the
high heat. One of
the drawbacks to this approach is the typically short intervals between
applications of the wax.
Users are required to frequently stop vaping and replenish the wax supply.
Further, the materials
within the wax being vaporized do not require this relatively high heat. High
heat provides a less
desirable vaporizing experience for the user and can result in combustion.
FIGS. 16-19 depict an exemplary oven assembly for use with a wax substance,
referred to
hereinafter as a wax oven 201. Wax oven 201 generally includes a base 202, an
outer wall 215
extending from base 202, a chamber 204 defined by outer wall 215 and base 202,
a heating element
213 disposed in chamber 204, a baffle element 217 disposed in chamber 204, a
wax chamber 225
defined by baffle element 217, and at least one convection hole 221 defined by
baffle element 217.
More particularly, wax oven 201 generally extends from a top end 203 to a
bottom end 205
and includes a heating assembly 207 and a wax pocket assembly 209. Wax oven
201 is configured
to heat a wax substance through convection and free of a bare wire
construction to minimize
combustion of the material to be vaporized.
Heating assembly 207 includes various components directed to providing
convection oven
style heating to the contents of wax oven 201 and therefore provide a
different taste profile when
compared to bare wire wax vaporizers. Heating assembly 207 includes
identification prongs 211
for electronically coupling with PEV 1 and receiving power therethrough.
Identification prongs
211 may be configured to provide identification information to PEV 1 and may
be associated with
a particular heating profile, whereby PEV 1 recognizes wax oven 201 through
the electrical
resistance, number of identification prongs 211, orientation, placement of
identification prongs
211, or any other feature that may provide identification information
regarding wax oven 201.
Once a heating profile is identified, PEV 1 heats wax oven 201 in accordance
with the heating
profile associated with wax oven 201.
Heating assembly 207 also includes heating element 213 electrically coupled
with battery
26 of PEV 1 through identification prongs 211. Heating element 213 is
configured to provide
convection style heating to the wax pocket assembly 209 and any wax substances
disposed therein.
Wax pocket assembly 209 includes a cylindrical shroud as an outer layer,
referred to
hereinafter as outer wall 215. Outer wall 215 surrounds baffle element 217
(FIGS. 18 and 19) and
facilitates directing air heated by heating element 213 through and around
baffle element 217.
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Baffle element 217 defines a lower opening 219 for receiving heated air. Lower
opening 219 is in
fluid communication with a plurality of convection holes 221 defined by baffle
element 217 and
disposed around the perimeter thereof.
A chamber element 223 extends into lower opening 219 in a generally
cylindrical shape
and defines wax chamber 225 therein. Wax chamber 225 extends from a top
opening 227 to a
bottom surface 229. In some embodiments, the depth of wax chamber 225 is
between one and
thirteen millimeters. Top opening 227 is surrounded by an upper surface 231.
Upper surface 231
may be in the form of a bowl or depression or may be angled towards top
opening 227 to direct
the wax substance towards wax chamber 225. To load upper surface 231 with a
wax substance,
the user may scrape or otherwise deposit the wax substance directly from the
container of wax
substance. Further, a tooth 233 extends upwardly from upper surface 231 and is
configured to
allow a user to scrape the wax substance out of a container and onto upper
surface 231 for loading
wax oven 201 with the wax substance.
In some embodiments, baffle element 217 is formed from a ceramic material with
beneficial heat conducting characteristics. Baffle element 217 is configured
and disposed within
outer wall 215 to facilitate the flow of air through lower opening 219,
through convection holes
221, around chamber element 223 and wax chamber 225, and out top end 203 of
wax oven 201.
As shown in FIG. 17, a wax substance 235 may be scraped by tooth 233 to
deposit wax
substance 235 onto upper surface 231. As heated air is introduced around wax
substance 235, the
viscosity of wax substance 235 is decreased and wax substance 235 begins to
travel in the direction
of Arrows AA, BB, and finally CC, whereby wax substance 235 pools and sits on
bottom surface
229 of wax chamber 225. Wax chamber 225 is generally vertically oriented and
provides a deep
chamber for holding wax substance 235 therein, even while the user is handling
PEV 1 and holding
PEV 1 at various angles. Wax chamber 225 thus reduces spilling of wax
substance 235 inside wax
oven 201 while PEV 1 is handled at various positions.
As the user draws an amount of air through PEV 1, the air is heated by heating
element
213 and directed around chamber element 223 in a convection style heating
method. Wax
substance 235 is heated, vaporized, and entrained in the stream of air flowing
past wax oven 201
and to the user.
A method of using wax oven 201 is provided and discussed herein. The method
starts with
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a user scraping wax substance 235 out of a container and onto upper surface
231 directly from the
container of wax substance 235 or via the use of tooth 233 to scrape wax
substance 235 out of the
container. In some embodiments of wax oven 201, the loading of wax substance
235 onto upper
surface 231 may be accomplished while wax oven 201 resides in PEV 1. In other
embodiments,
the user removes wax oven 201 to load wax substance 235 and thereafter places
wax oven 201
back into PEV 1 and thereafter actuates PEV 1.
Battery 26 of PEV 1 provides power through identification prongs 11 in
accordance with
the heating profile of wax oven 201, and as indicated by one or more
characteristics of
identification prongs 211, such as electrical resistance, number of prongs
211, or placement of
identification prongs 211. For example, wax oven 201 may include three prongs,
which identifies
to PEV 1 that wax oven 201 should be heated to 300 degrees. Another wax oven
(not shown) may
include two prongs 211, which signifies to PEV 1 that the wax oven should be
heated to 200
degrees. The other wax oven may be formed from a different material with
different heat
requirements, or may be intended to heat a different style of substance, such
as a liquid, rather than
wax substance 235.
Once heating element 213 is actuated, heated air flows through lower opening
219, around
chamber element 223, and through convection holes 221. This heated air also
travels across upper
surface 231 and tooth 233, heating wax substance 235 and decreasing the
viscosity thereof. Once
wax substance 235 is less viscous, wax substance 235 travels from upper
surface 231 down into
wax chamber 225. Once inside wax chamber 225, wax substance 235 is heated
through the
convection air traveling around chamber element 223. Inasmuch as wax chamber
225 is a deep,
generally vertical chamber, a user may physically tip or angle PEV 1 without
spilling wax
substance 235 out of wax chamber 225.
Due to the convection style heating of wax substance 235 and the absence of a
bare wire
heater, a more efficient heating of wax substance 235 is achieved due to the
lower temperatures
required to vaporize the desired wax substances 235 when compared to direct
combustion methods
via more precise heat transfer. Thus, wax oven 201 minimizes loss to the
surrounding oven
environment and extends the vaping time between subsequent wax additions.
III. Convection Oven Assembly
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FIG. 20 depicts an exemplary oven assembly 301 suitable for incorporation with
PEV
1. Oven assembly 301 generally includes an oven holder 304, an outer wall 303
extending from
the oven holder 304, a chamber 302 defined by outer wall 303 and oven holder
304, a heating disk
311 disposed in chamber 302; an oven cup 309 disposed in chamber 302, a
chamber 310 defined
by oven cup 309, and at least one filter opening 319 defined by oven cup 309.
More particularly, as shown in FIG. 20, oven assembly 301 comprises outer wall
303
extending from oven holder 304 and surrounding oven cup 309. Outer wall 303 is
spaced from
oven cup 309 to form an air channel 305 between outer wall 303 and oven cup
309. Outer wall
303 can be made from stainless steel, glass, ceramic, or any other suitable
medical grade material.
In some versions of oven assembly 301 outer wall 303 is not heated. In other
version of oven
assembly 301, outer wall 303 is heated. Outer wall 303 extends upwardly away
from oven holder
304 to encircle or surround oven cup 309 in a chimney-like manner. Oven holder
304 may be
formed of a polymer material that is selected to withstand the temperatures
involved in PEV 1.
For example, some versions of oven holder 304 may be formed using a
polyetheretherketone
(PEEK) type of material.
A bottom area 306 of oven cup 309 defines a plurality of air openings 307 into
the interior
of oven cup 309. Openings 307 allow heated air in air channel 305 to enter the
oven cup 309. As
shown in FIG. 20, openings 307 may be positioned on a bottom of oven cup 309
and/or on a side
of oven cup 309 as needed or desired. The number and position of air openings
307 may vary
depending on the use of PEV 1. Oven cup 309 may be made from glass, ceramic,
stainless steel,
or any other suitable medical grade material. While PEV 1 is shown and
described having certain
features, oven cup 309 may be sized and shaped to fit into other vaporizer
configurations such as
a pen-style vaporizer, a large vaporizer, or a single use device. Accordingly,
oven cup 309 may
be provided having any size and shape relative to the underlying vaporizer
structure.
Heating disk 311 is positioned within chamber 302 and between outer wall 303,
bottom
area 306, and oven holder 304. Heating disk 311 may be metal, such as
stainless steel or copper,
glass, ceramic, or any other suitable medical grade material. In some versions
of oven assembly
301, heating disk 311 is a thin heating film. In other versions, heating disk
311 is a heater encased
in a glass, ceramic, or other suitable medical grade material. Heating disk
311 is electronically
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coupled with a power source, such as battery 26 of PEV 1 through
identification prongs 316, which
extend through oven holder 304 to electronically couple with heating disk 311.
Air may be drawn through or over a frit 313, positioned between heating disk
311 and
bottom area 306 of oven cup 309. Frit 313 is porous and may be made from
glass, ceramic, or any
other suitable high temperature membrane. As shown in FIG. 20, an air plenum
315 is provided
between frit 313 and bottom area 306 of oven cup 309 to accumulate heated air
before the air
enters a plurality of chamber openings 308 defined by a lower chamber wall 312
and into chamber
310 defined by oven cup 309. It should be noted that air plenum 315 is merely
optional. In some
versions of oven assembly 301, air plenum 315 is omitted or combined with
chamber 310. In some
versions of oven assembly 310, a temperature sensor may be included in chamber
310, air plenum
315, or directed at frit 313 to control the air temperature.
In some version of oven assembly 301, chamber 310 is capped by a seal 317.
Seal 317
may be formed using a silicon material or any other material suitable for the
temperatures and
environment. Seal 317 defines filter opening 319 with a frit filter 321
disposed therein to allow
the heated air from chamber 310 to pass therethrough. A tube 323 is disposed
on seal 317, opposite
chamber 310, and generally aligned with frit filter 321 to all the heated air
to pass therethrough
and on to mouthpiece assembly 7. Some versions of tube 323 may be formed as a
bubbler for
holding a liquid 325 therein and providing an additional filtering component
to the heated air and
vaporized material.
In operation, the air within air channel 305 is heated by the heat generated
by heating disk
311 and may also be heated by outer wall 303 in those versions of oven
assembly 301 having a
heated outer wall 303. The heated air is then circulated through air plenum
315 and chamber 310.
The heated and circulated air thereby heats the walls of oven cup 309 to more
evenly and efficiently
heat the substance to be vaporized within oven cup 309. For instance, the
heated and circulated
air within air channel 305 provides a more even temperature distribution along
the walls of oven
cup 309. This may be prevent burning and/or uneven heating of the substance to
be vaporized
within oven cup 309. Frit 313 may further allow the air circulating through
air channel 305 to be
heated more efficiently as the air passes through frit 313 between heating
disk 311 and air openings
307. Air plenum 315 may allow the heated air to accumulate before entering
chamber 310 of oven
cup 309. This heated air then passes through chamber openings 308 of oven cup
309 to heat the
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substance to be vaporized in chamber 310. The heated air and vaporized
material thereafter exits
chamber 310 through filter opening 319 and frit filter 321 to enter tube 323.
Tube 323 may further
filter the heated air and vaporized substance through a bubbler configuration
or another
mechanism. Thereafter, the vaporized substance in the heated air produced by
oven assembly 301
travels to mouthpiece assembly 7 and ultimately to the user.
FIG. 21 depicts an exemplary oven assembly 401 suitable for incorporation with
PEV 1.
Oven assembly 401 is similar to oven assembly 301 in many respects, with like
elements having
like numbering. However, oven assembly 401 includes a second heating disk 403
disposed
between frit 313 and air plenum 315. Second heating disk 403 defines an
opening 405 to allow
heated air to pass through second heating disk 403 and into air plenum 315 to
further and more
evenly heat the air passing into chamber 310. Heated air travels through air
channel 305 and into
openings 307 in the direction of Arrow FF. Thereafter, the heated air enters
frit 303 and passed
through opening 405 in the direction of Arrow GG and into chamber 310 in the
direction of Arrow
HH.
While opening 405 is depicted as a single opening, some versions of oven
assembly 401
may include multiple openings 405. Some versions of second heating disk 403
may be metal, such
as stainless steel or copper, glass, ceramic, or any other suitable medical
grade material. Second
heating disk 403 may comprise a thin heating film and/or second heating disk
403 may be encased
in glass, ceramic, or any other suitable medical grade material. Second
heating disk 403 is
electronically coupled with a power source, such as a battery 26 of PEV 1 to
provide power to heat
second heating disk 403.
FIG. 22 depicts an exemplary oven assembly 501 suitable for incorporation with
PEV 1.
Oven assembly 501 is similar to oven assembly 301 in many respects, with like
elements having
like numbering. However, oven assembly 501 does not include a heating disk
element such as
heating disk 311 or second heating disk 403. In some versions of oven assembly
501, outer wall
303 is heated and thus acts to heat the air traveling through air channel 305
and through openings
307. Rather than heating disk 311 and air plenum 315, oven assembly 501 is
free of a heating disk
and provides air plenum 503 disposed below a frit 505. Frit 505 is immediately
adjacent lower
chamber wall 312 and thus acts as a filter or first material for heating air
to enter chamber 310. As
shown in FIG. 22, heated air travels through air channel 305 in the direction
of Arrow II and into
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frit 505. The air passes through frit 505 and into chamber openings 308 to
enter into chamber 310,
as shown by Arrow JJ. A temperature sensor 507 may be disposed in air plenum
503 to determine
the temperature of the heated air immediately prior to entering frit 505.
Temperature sensor 314
may be omitted in some version of oven assembly 501 or may be used in
conjunction with
temperature sensor 507 to provide additional information to microprocessor
103.
IV. Exemplary Combinations
The following examples relate to various non-exhaustive ways in which the
teachings
herein may be combined or applied. It should be understood that the following
examples are not
intended to restrict the coverage of any claims that may be presented at any
time in this application
or in subsequent filings of this application. No disclaimer is intended. The
following examples
are being provided for nothing more than merely illustrative purposes. It is
contemplated that the
various teachings herein may be arranged and applied in numerous other ways.
It is also
contemplated that some variations may omit certain features referred to in the
below examples.
Therefore, none of the aspects or features referred to below should be deemed
critical unless
otherwise explicitly indicated as such at a later date by the inventors or by
a successor in interest
to the inventors. If any claims are presented in this application or in
subsequent filings related to
this application that include additional features beyond those referred to
below, those additional
features shall not be presumed to have been added for any reason relating to
patentability.
Example 1
An oven assembly configured for use with a personal electronic vaporizer, the
oven
assembly comprising a base, an outer wall extending from the base, a first
chamber defined by the
outer wall and the base, an oven element disposed in the first chamber, a
second chamber defined
by the oven element, and at least one opening defined by the oven element.
Example 2
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising a
heating element disposed in the first chamber.
Example 3
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
heating
element is disposed between the base and the oven element.
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Example 4
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising at
least one identification prong electrically coupled with the heating element.
Example 5
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
identification prong extends from the heating element through the base.
Example 6
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising a
heating profile, wherein an electrical resistance of the at least one
identification prong is associated
with the heating profile.
Example 7
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising a
frit, wherein the frit is disposed between the heating element and the second
chamber.
Example 8
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising an
air plenum defined at least in part by the oven element, wherein the air
plenum is disposed between
the frit and the second chamber.
Example 9
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
oven
element includes a wall, wherein the wall defines at least one chamber
opening, wherein the at
least one chamber opening extends between the air plenum and the second
chamber.
Example 10
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
heating
element is a first heating element and further comprising a second heating
element, wherein the
second heating element is disposed between the frit and the air plenum.
Example 11
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The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising a
temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed in one of the
first chamber and the
second chamber.
Example 12
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
base
comprises polyetheretherketone.
Example 13
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
oven
element includes a tooth.
Example 14
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
oven
element includes an upper surface, wherein the upper surface is sloped toward
the second chamber.
Example 15
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
oven
element is removable from the first chamber.
Example 16
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
oven
element includes a seal, wherein the seal defines a filter opening, and
wherein a filter is disposed
in the filter opening.
Example 17
An oven assembly sized to be received in an oven receiving area defined by a
vaporizer,
the oven assembly comprising a base, a chamber defined by the base, a heating
element disposed
in the chamber, wherein the heating element is configured to be electrically
coupled with a
vaporizer when the oven assembly is disposed in an oven receiving area of the
vaporizer, wherein
the heating element is configured to heat air within the chamber, and an oven
element disposed in
the chamber, wherein the oven element is configured to pass the heated air
therethrough.
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Example 18
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, wherein the
chamber
comprises a first chamber and further comprising a second chamber defined by
the oven element.
Example 19
The oven assembly of any of the previous or subsequent Examples, further
comprising an
outer wall extending from the base; and an air flow pathway defined at least
in part by the outer
wall and the oven element, wherein the air flow pathway is configured to
direct air past the heating
element to heat the air.
Example 20
A vaporizer system configured to vaporize a substance, the vaporizer system
comprising
(a) a vaporizer comprising, a housing, a battery disposed in the housing, and
an oven receiving
area defined by the vaporizer; and (b) an oven assembly configured to be
received in the oven
receiving area, the oven assembly comprising, a base, an outer wall extending
from the base, a
first chamber defined by the outer wall and the base, an oven element disposed
in the first chamber,
a second chamber defined by the oven element, and at least one opening defined
by the oven
element.
V. Miscellaneous
It should be understood that any of the examples described herein may include
various
other features in addition to or in lieu of those described above. By way of
example only, any of
the examples described herein may also include one or more of the various
features disclosed in
any of the various references that are incorporated by reference herein.
It should be understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions,
embodiments,
examples, etc. described herein may be combined with any one or more of the
other teachings,
expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. that are described herein. The above-
described
teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. should therefore not be
viewed in isolation
relative to each other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein
may be combined will
be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the
teachings herein. Such
modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of
the claims.
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It should be appreciated that any patent, publication, or other disclosure
material, in whole
or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is
incorporated herein only to the
extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing
definitions, statements, or other
disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent
necessary, the disclosure
as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material
incorporated herein by reference.
Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference
herein, but which
conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material
set forth herein will
only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that
incorporated material and
the existing disclosure material.
Having shown and described various versions of the present invention, further
adaptations
of the methods and systems described herein may be accomplished by appropriate
modifications
by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the
present invention. Several
of such potential modifications have been mentioned, and others will be
apparent to those skilled
in the art. For instance, the examples, versions, geometrics, materials,
dimensions, ratios, steps,
and the like discussed above are illustrative and are not required.
Accordingly, the scope of the
present invention should be considered in terms of the following claims and is
understood not to
be limited to the details of structure and operation shown and described in
the specification and
drawings.
