Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO 2021/186281
PCT/IB2021/051824
Electronic Device for Use for Va ping Using a Glass Bottle
Cross References to Related Applications
The present application claims the benefit and priority of UK application no.
GB2003872.5, filed 17
March 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Field of Invention.
The present invention relates generally to va ping devices. More specifically,
the present invention
relates to an electronic pen apparatus and kit for vaporizing a substance in a
glass container.
Background
A vape pen is a battery-powered device made out of the following parts: a
container or reservoir
for holding a substance to be smoked; a heating element such as a coil to burn
and vaporize the
held substance for inhalation; a power unit such as a battery to power the
heating element, and in
some cases a sensor with a feedback loop for regulating the heating element
temperature. A dab
pen is an alternative type of device which is similar in design, but which is
configured specifically
for use with "dabs", lumps of a substance containing a THC or other
cannabinoid concentrate.
Bongs are a well-known solution for preventing the escape of vapors emitted
from
smoked/vaporized substances and reducing secondary smoke, conventionally used
with regular
tobacco cigarettes for burning a cannabis extract, they are generally formed
of a glass container
with an opening in the side for insertion of the cigarette/burner and a second
opening through
which the captured vapors can be inhaled by a user.
It is within this context that the present invention is provided.
Summary
The present disclosure provides an electronic vaping apparatus configured to
receive and burn or
vaporize a substance which is placed on an exterior surface platform of a
heating element
contained in a heating tip. The apparatus configured for use in vaporising or
burning substances in
combination with a glass container such as a bong or bottle, having a
convenient shape for holding
1
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/1B2021/051824
the substance within the container and an actuatable button for activating the
heating element.
Thus, also provided herein is a kit comprising the disclosed apparatus and a
glass container.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an
electrical vaping apparatus,
comprising: a handle; a power unit located within the handle; and a heated
tip, the heated tip
comprising a heating element formed of an enclosure having at least one
exterior surface
configured to receive a substance to be vaporized or burned and which is
coated in a non-stick
coating, the heating element containing a resistive wire coil and being filled
with a conductive
material.
The resistive coil is connected to the power unit via a switch such that
activating the switch causes
the resistive coil to heat to a pre-determined temperature range and conduct
the heat to the
exterior surface of the enclosure to vaporize or burn a substance resting
thereon.
In some embodiments, the switch is controlled by an actuatable button on the
exterior of the
handle.
In some embodiments, the heated tip further comprises a sensor device
configured to break the
connection between the power unit and the wire coil if the temperature of the
coil exceeds a pre-
determined threshold.
The sensor may be a heat sensor comprising a feedback loop.
Alternatively, the sensor may be a mechanical sensor in the form of a
bimetallic switch placed in
contact with the heating element and connected in series between the coil and
the power unit.
In some embodiments, the coil is made from a nickel alloy. The conductive
material may be
magnesium oxide. The non-stick coating may be Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE.
In some embodiments, the heating tip further comprises a housing for the
heating element, the
housing being formed of a temperature resistant plastic or ceramic.
Furthermore, the heating element may be press fit into an opening formed by
the housing to
make the exterior surface concave for receiving a substance to be vaporized or
burned.
In some embodiments, the power unit is a rechargeable battery and the
apparatus further
comprises a charging port and circuit for recharging the battery.
2
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/1B2021/051824
In some embodiments, the predetermined temperature range is between 190-220
degrees.
Finally, in some embodiments, the handle is detachable from the heating tip.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a kit
comprising the
electrical vaping apparatus of any of the above-described embodiments, and a
glass container
having a first opening for receiving the heating tip and a second opening for
emitting vapours.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed
description and
accompanying drawings.
FIG.1A and FIG.1B illustrate isometric views of a first example configuration
of the electronic
vaping device of the present disclosure. FIG.1A shows the device in an
exploded state and FIG.1B
shows the device in an assembled state.
FIG.2 illustrates an isometric view of the insertion of a device configured as
shown in FIG.1A and
FIG.1B into the side of a glass container during use, with a substance to be
vaporized held in the
device container.
FIG.3A and FIG.3B illustrate isometric views of the device in use, with FIG.3A
showing the device
vaporizing the substance and emitting the vapours into the glass container
through the opening
and FIG.3B showing the emitted vapours being released through a second opening
of the glass
container for inhalation by a user.
FIG.4A illustrates an isometric view of an example configuration of a heating
tip assembly
according to the present disclosure which incorporates a bi-metallic switch to
automatically
disconnect the resistive coil of the device from the power unit if the
temperature exceeds a
predetermined threshold.
FIG.4B illustrates an explanatory diagram of the working of an example of a
suitable bimetallic
switch for use in the example configuration of FIG.4A.
Common reference numerals are used throughout the figures and the detailed
description to
indicate like elements. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the
above figures are
examples and that other architectures, modes of operation, orders of
operation, and
3
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/1B2021/051824
elements/functions can be provided and implemented without departing from the
characteristics
and features of the invention, as set forth in the claims.
Detailed Description and Preferred Embodiment
The following is a detailed description of exemplary embodiments to illustrate
the principles of the
invention. The embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the
invention, but the invention
is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention encompasses
numerous
alternatives, modifications and equivalent; it is limited only by the claims.
Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order
to provide a thorough
understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced
according to the claims
without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity,
technical material that is
known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described
in detail so that the
invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular
embodiments only and is
not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term
"and/or" includes any
combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein,
the singular forms "a,"
"an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well as the
singular forms, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the
terms "comprises"
and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of
stated features,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of
one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or
groups thereof.
Disclosed is a vaping pen apparatus device for facilitating the smoking of
substances containing
extracts of cannabis, replacing the cigarette and other artisanal articles
which are conventionally
used to send the smoke from such extracts into a perforated container without
the second-hand
smoke of the conventional cigarette/burner.
Referring to FIG.1A and FIG.1B, isometric views of a first example
configuration of the electronic
vaping device 100 of the present disclosure are shown.
Specifically, FIG.1A shows the device 100 in an exploded state and FIG.1B
shows the device 100 in
an assembled state.
4
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/1B2021/051824
As can be seen, the device 100 is comprised of a handle 102 with a long thin
body, the handle 102
has an indent 104 for receiving a power unit 106 such as a rechargeable
lithium polymer battery
that powers the device. If the power unit is a rechargeable battery then the
device 100 will further
comprise a charging port such as a USB port and associated charging circuitry.
The device 100 further comprises a heating tip assembly 108 that in the
present example
configuration is detachable from the handle body 102, and which houses a
heating element 110
for burning/vaporising a substance to be vaped.
The heating element 110 is an enclosure/container that sits in the housing 112
of the heating tip
assembly and which contains a resistive coil which is connected to the power
unit via a switch (not
shown).
The switch is operated by a button 114 located on the exterior of the handle
and slightly away
from the heating tip assembly. When the button 114 is pressed the switch may
connect the
resistive coil inside the heating element to the power supply from the power
unit 106, causing the
coil to rapidly heat.
The container is filled with a conductive material such as magnesium oxide to
facilitate the
conduction of the heat form the coil to an exterior surface 116 of the heating
element 110 which
acts as a platform upon which a substance to be burned by the device can be
rested.
The surface 116 may be flat, or concave. For example, the heated element 110
may be press-fit
into an opening of the housing of the heating tip assembly causing the edges
of the surface 116 to
be raised. The surface 116 may also be coated with Teflon/PTFE or some other
non-stick coating
to prevent any residue from burned substances adhering to the surface.
The resistive coil is generally made from a nickel alloy such as nickel
chrome, and an example
thickness of the wire would be 0.35mm. Generally, a Cannabinoid substance will
burn at between
190 and 220 degrees centigrade, therefore the coil should be designed in
coordination with the
power unit and other circuit components to reach and stay at this temperature
while current
flows.
In order to withstand the heat regularly the housing of the device may be
partially formed of
temperature resistant plastics or ceramic.
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/1B2021/051824
The disclosed configuration of a long thin body and handle 102 with a button
114 which is placed
away from the tip where a substance is to be burned facilitates insertion of
the heating assembly
tip into an opening of a glass container.
Thus, referring to FIG.2, an isometric view is shown of the insertion of the
device 100 into a side
opening 202 of a glass container 200 during use, with a substance 300 to be
burned/vaporized
placed on the surface 116.
The container 200 may be as illustrated a simple glass bottle with an opening
202 for receiving the
tip of the device 100 in a side wall and another re-sealable opening for
releasing any captured
vapours, i.e. the normal bottle opening 204.
In other examples the container 200 could be a bong apparatus specifically
designed to function in
combination with the disclosed device, and the container 200 and device may be
provided
together as a kit.
Referring to FIG.3A and FIG.3B, isometric views are shown of the device 100 in
use in combination
with a glass bottle 200.
Specifically, FIG.3A shows the device 100 vaporizing the substance 300 and
emitting the vapours
into the glass container 200 through the opening 202, and FIG.3B shows the
emitted vapours
being released through a second opening 204 of the glass container for
inhalation by a user.
The resistive coil is connected to the power unit via a switch such that
activating the switch causes
the resistive coil to heat to a pre-determined temperature range and conduct
the heat to the
exterior surface of the enclosure to vaporize or burn a substance resting
thereon.
An optional safety feature which may be included with the device design is the
inclusion of a
sensor or trigger for automatically breaking the circuit, specifically the
connection between the
power unit and the resistive coil, if it is detected that the temperature of
the resistive coil has
exceeded a predetermined threshold.
In some examples an electronic heat sensor may carry out this function,
consisting of the sensor
itself which is in contact with the coil or a conductive element connected to
the coil, and a
feedback loop which allow the sensor to determine that a threshold temperature
has been
exceeded and break the circuit.
6
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/1B2021/051824
Alternatively, a "mechanical sensor" may be used such as a bi-metallic switch
configured to break
the connection when a predetermined threshold temperature is reached.
Such switches consist of a double-sided metallic strip consisting of two
metals with different strips
of metal with different expansion vs temperature profiles, for example brass
and steel, such that
when heated, the brass expands more than the steel and the strip curves with
the brass on the
outside.
If the strip is cooled, it curves with the steel on outside and can be used in
thermostat, as a switch
or in metal thermometers.
Referring to FIG.4A, an isometric view is shown of an example configuration of
a heating tip
assembly 108 in an exploded state which incorporates a bi-metallic switch 400
below the
enclosure of the heating element 110 and which is connected in series between
the coil and the
power unit 106 to automatically disconnect the resistive coil 118 of the
device from the power
unit if the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Also shown in the exploded state of the assembly 108 is that the housing 112
also contains heat-
resistant plastic/ceramic insulation elements 120 for holding the heating
element 110.
Referring to FIG.4B an enlarged view of a suitable bi-metallic switch 400 is
shown in two
situations.
In situation 1, the strip 402, which is formed of two strips of metals having
different expansion v
temperature profiles, is shown bridging the gap between two wires 404 and has
not exceeded the
threshold temperature so is flat. One end of the strip 402 is freely moveable
and when flat such as
in situation 1, connects two pads 406 to form a contact point.
In situation 2, the threshold temperature for the strip 402 has been exceeded,
causing the metal
on the underside with a lower expansion v temperature profile to expand,
bending the entire strip
402 upwards and breaking contact point 406 to break the circuit.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms) used herein
have the same
meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to
which this invention
belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in
commonly used
dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent
with their meaning in
7
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
WO 2021/186281
PCT/IB2021/051824
the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be
interpreted in an
idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The disclosed embodiments are illustrative, not restrictive. While specific
configurations of the
electronic vaping apparatus and kit have been described in a specific manner
referring to the
illustrated embodiments, it is understood that the present invention can be
applied to a wide
variety of solutions which fit within the scope and spirit of the claims.
There are many alternative
ways of implementing the invention.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described
are merely
illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference
herein to details of the
illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims,
which themselves recite
those features regarded as essential to the invention.
8
CA 03171825 2022- 9- 15
