Vaping system
A vaping system includes: (a) a disposable vaping device that includes the following non user-replaceable items: (i) a heating element; (ii) a rechargeable battery, and (iii) a liquid reservoir that provides liquid to the heating element; and (b) an automatic liquid filling device, including (i) a first aperture or port configured to receive a liquid bottle or container containing atomisable liquid; (ii) a second aperture or port configured to receive the vaping device; (iii) an electronic liquid level sensing sub-system; (iv) a liquid filling sub-system configured to pump liquid from the liquid bottle or container to the liquid reservoir in the vaping device and (v) a battery charging sub-system.
1 . A vaping device including a heating element, a power source, a pulse width modulated (PWM) system to deliver power from the power source to the heating element, and a microcontroller or chip configured with an inner closed loop temperature control algorithm configured to regulate a duty cycle of the PWM system to reach a setpoint temperature;
and in which the microcontroller or chip is also configured with a second, outer closed loop power control algorithm with a power setpoint, and is configured to measure or infer power delivered to the heating element, and to automatically modify the setpoint temperature used by the inner control loop depending on the variation of the measured or inferred power from the power setpoint;
and in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that the measured or inferred power is an average power calculated by using the instantaneous V and I generated by a system microcontroller unit (MCU) for one or more timeslots during which power is delivered.
2 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that if the measured or inferred power is below the power setpoint, then the microcontroller or chip automatically increases the temperature setpoint used by the inner control loop.
3 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that if the measured or inferred power is above the power setpoint, then the microcontroller or chip automatically decreases the temperature setpoint used by the inner control loop.
4 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to increase the duty cycle of the PWM when the temperature setpoint is increased, and to decrease the duty cycle when the temperature setpoint is decreased.
5 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to measure or infer the average power in a puff or other parameter, and if the measured or inferred power average is below the power setpoint, then the microcontroller or chip is configured to automatically increase the temperature setpoint used by the inner control loop, for the next puff or other parameter.
6 . The vaping device of claim 5 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that, during the next puff or other parameter, the closed loop temperature control algorithm operates to increase the duty cycle of the PWM and the microcontroller or chip again measures or infers the average power in this next puff or other parameter and if the average power is still below the power setpoint, then the microcontroller or chip increases the temperature setpoint for the following puff or other parameter; and if the average power is now above the power setpoint, then the microcontroller or chip decreases the temperature setpoint and decreases the duty cycle of the PWM for the following puff or other parameter.
7 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to measure or infer the average power in a puff or other parameter, and if the average power is above the power setpoint, then the microcontroller or chip is configured to automatically decrease the temperature setpoint used by the inner control loop, for the following puff.
8 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that the power is an instantaneous power (V×I) a number of times for a defined period, such as for an entire single puff, or some other parameter, e.g. a part of a puff, a 16 ms cycle, or a set number of 16 ms cycles.
9 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that the power setpoint is an average power per puff or other parameter, such as a part of a puff, a 16 ms cycle, or a set number of 16 ms cycles.
10 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured so that if the actual average power used is less over a single puff, or other parameter, by an amount, referred to as the power ‘error’, then the microcontroller or chip is configured to increase the temperature setpoint, in the inner temperature control loop, by a pre-set factor, K p and the size of this K p factor is found through testing and experimentation and is dependent on the specific design of heating element.
11 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to limit the temperature setpoint to a range of about 200° C. to 280° C., wherein the higher limit prevents burning and the lower limit ensures that liquid is vapourised.
12 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured with further control loops, each with a different type of setpoint.
13 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to vary a thermal profile, namely the temperature setpoint and/or power setpoint.
14 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile over the course of a single puff or inhalation.
15 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile over the course of a session of puffs or inhalations.
16 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile to optimise any one or more of the following: flavour; dose; intensity; vapour density; plume size; safety; reduction in carbonyls in inhaled vapour; reduction in metals in inhaled vapour; reduction in burning taste; consistency in nicotine delivery; improved taste; and/or longevity of improved taste taking into account predefined user preferences and/or liquid supplier preferences.
17 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile depending on the specific liquid used, taking into account one or more of the following: flavour, whether salt-based, PG/VG proportions, to deliver an optimal user experience.
18 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile, when vaping cannabis oils, to be optimised for the specific blend of terpenes and their different activation temperatures.
19 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile to maintain substantially uniform vapor output and/or consistent delivery of nicotine, or other substances across successive puffs during a vaping session.
20 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile by lowering the temperature setpoint and/or power setpoint over the course of a session to ensure that there is no over-heating and instead a consistent level of intensity is enjoyed over the course of the entire session.
21 . The vaping device of claim 13 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to alter the thermal profile over the duration of a multi-week cessation program by reducing the intensity of nicotine, CBD, THC, or other relevant parameter in predetermined increments over successive puffs or sessions to ease the transition away from dependency.
22 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to enable a user to select the level of vapour output.
23 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to automatically implement different vapour output profiles.
24 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the heating element is one of the following: a resistance based heating element with a known or measurable temperature coefficient of resistivity; a resistance based heating coil, mesh or layer; a resistance based heating coil, mesh or layer contacting a porous substance, such as a ceramic or foam; a resistance based heating flat plate or cylindrical mesh; a resistance based heating flat, stainless steel plate made of 316L stainless steel.
25 . The vaping device of claim 1 which is one of the following: is a non-re-fillable, non-re-chargeable vaping device; a re-chargeable vaping device; a re-fillable and re-chargeable vaping device; an automatically re-fillable vaping device; a pod-based vaping device, where the pod is supplied to the end-user pre-filled with liquid.
26 . The vaping device of claim 1 which includes a pressure drop sensor or a MEMs type pressure sensor.
27 . The vaping device of claim 1 in which the microcontroller or chip is configured to deliver one or more of the following: no burning; generation of no carbonyls and no aldehydes; generation of no metals; consistent vapour production per puff; the lifetime of the heating element is extended from just a few hundred puffs to a useable life of at least 2000 puffs.