IP Library Granted Patent US 8,757,147
Granted Patent B2
US 8,757,147 · App. 12/780,875 · Granted Jun 24, 2014

Personal vaporizing inhaler with internal light source

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,757,147
App. No.
12/780,875
Granted
Jun 24, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.

Claims (20)

1. A personal vaporizing unit, comprising:

a light source internal to an opaque cylindrical housing that approximates a smoking article; and,

a hollow cylindrical light tube disposed inside said opaque cylindrical housing, the light tube having a proximal end and a distal end, a wall of the light tube to receive, at the proximal end of the light tube, light emitted by said light source at a location internal to said opaque cylindrical housing, the wall of the light tube to conduct said light emitted by said light source to the distal end of the light tube and thereby an end of said opaque cylindrical housing where said light is visible outside of said opaque cylindrical housing via said wall of said light tube.

2. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a cartridge disposed in said end and in said light tube, said cartridge having an end that diffuses said light.

3. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said light source is selectively turned on to indicate a state of said personal vaporizing unit.

4. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 3 , further comprising:

a second light source, said second light source having a different color than said light source.

5. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 3 , wherein said state is an active state.

6. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 3 , wherein said state is associated with a charge level of a battery.

7. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 3 , wherein said state is associated with an end of life condition of said personal vaporizing unit.

8. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said light source is selectively turned on to indicate a fluid level associated with said personal vaporizing unit.

9. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said cylindrical light tube illuminates an opening in said opaque cylindrical housing.

10. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 1 , wherein said cylindrical light tube emits light through a non-opaque part of said opaque cylindrical housing.

11. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein said non-opaque part of said opaque cylindrical housing comprises an illuminated character.

12. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein said non-opaque part of said opaque cylindrical housing comprises an illuminated symbol.

13. A personal vaporizing unit, comprising:

a light source internal to an opaque cylindrical housing that approximates a smoking article, the light source not visible through said opaque cylindrical housing; and,

a hollow cylindrical light tube disposed inside said opaque cylindrical housing, the light tube having a proximal end and a distal end, a wall of the light tube to receive, at a first end of the light tube, light emitted by said light source where said light emitted by said light source is not visible through said opaque cylindrical housing and the wall of the light tube to conduct said light emitted by said light source from the first end of said light tube to a second end of said light tube, whereby said light emitted by said light source and conducted by said wall of said light tube is visible outside of said opaque cylindrical housing via an end of said wall of said light tube.

14. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 13 , wherein the wall of the light tube comprises a translucent acrylic plastic.

Assignments (11)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE U.S. PATENT NO. 9,259,020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038004 FRAME 0633. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 28, 2017
From: R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
To: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 042370/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2016
From: R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
To: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 038004/0633 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2014
From: MINUSA HOLDINGS LLC
To: R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
Reel/Frame 033489/0166 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2014
From: TERRY, NATHAN ANDREW; MINSKOFF, NOAH MARK; BREEDE, MICHAEL EDWARD; DUFFIN, LAWRENCE
To: MINUSA HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 033128/0053 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2014
From: BREEDE, MICHAEL EDWARD
To: TERRY, NATHAN ANDREW
Reel/Frame 033108/0628 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2014
From: BREEDE, MICHAEL EDWARD
To: MINUSA HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 033094/0176 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2014
From: TERRY, NATHAN ANDREW
To: MINUSA HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 033126/0371 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2014
From: DUFFIN, LAWRENCE H., III
To: MINSKOFF, NOAH M.
Reel/Frame 032237/0776 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2014
From: MINSKOFF, NOAH MARK
To: BREEDE, MICHAEL EDWARD
Reel/Frame 032091/0847 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 6, 2013
From: TERRY, NATHAN ANDREW
To: BREEDE, MICHAEL EDWARD
Reel/Frame 030620/0949 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2013
From: MINSKOFF, NOAH MARK
To: DUFFIN, LAWRENCE
Reel/Frame 029784/0785 →