IP Library Granted Patent US 11,383,050
Granted Patent B2
US 11,383,050 · App. 16/591,311 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Vaporizer with a pH sensor

Inventors: Nathan Andrew Terry (Lowman, ID); Noah Mark Minskoff (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
A61M15/0001A24F40/44A24F40/46A24F40/485A61M11/041A61M11/042A61M15/0025A61M15/0035A61M15/06A24F40/10A61M2016/0018A61M2205/0205A61M2205/0233A61M2205/13A61M2205/3592A61M2205/3653A61M2205/3693A61M2205/505A61M2205/52A61M2205/59A61M2205/80A61M2205/8206A61M2230/005A61M2230/65
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 11,383,050
App. No.
16/591,311
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
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. A pH sensor detects a pH value of the substance to be vaporized for preventing use of an improper substance. When the pH value is confirmed, 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.

Claims (44)

1. A personal vaporizer comprising:

a cartridge with a substance to be vaporized;

a wick in contact with the substance to be vaporized from the cartridge;

a pH sensor configured to determine a pH level of the substance in the cartridge; and

a heating element configured to heat the substance in the wick for vaporization, wherein power to the heating element is controlled based on the pH level.

2. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor connected to the heating element and configured to modulate a vapor strength, a vapor density, a vapor volume, a vapor temperature, a vapor flavor, or a combination thereof of the vaporized substance.

3. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein initiation of an activation cycle is prevented when the determined pH level of the substance fails to satisfy a defined pH criterion.

4. The personal vaporizer of claim 3 , wherein a pH level for substances that are not authentic or not proprietary fail to satisfy the defined pH criterion, and the defined pH criterion is stored as a profile that comprises one or both of a pH value or a pH range for each of at least one substance that is authentic or proprietary.

5. The personal vaporizer of claim 3 , wherein the defined pH criterion comprises one of a pH value or a pH range.

6. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 , further comprising:

an air inlet for outside air transfer;

a mouthpiece for the air flow after the vaporization; and

an atomizer housing supporting the wick with the heating element and forming an air gap for the vaporization, wherein the atomizer housing further comprises an air hole for air flow.

7. The personal vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the pH sensor is further configured for detecting a presence of the cartridge in the personal vaporizer.

8. A personal vaporizing unit comprising:

a battery;

a storage for a liquid to be vaporized;

an atomizer configured to vaporize the liquid; and

a sensor configured to determine a pH level of the liquid, wherein performance of the atomizer is controlled based on the determined pH level.

9. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 8 further comprising a microprocessor connected to the atomizer and configured to modulate a vapor strength, a vapor density, a vapor volume, a vapor temperature, a vapor flavor, or a combination thereof of the vaporized liquid.

10. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 8 , wherein the atomizer is activated when the determined pH level of the liquid satisfies a defined pH criterion.

11. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein the performance of the personal vaporizing unit is modified during an activation cycle based on the determined pH level.

12. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein the defined pH criterion includes liquids that are authentic or proprietary.

13. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 12 , wherein activation of the atomizer is prevented when the determined pH level does not satisfy the defined pH criterion, because the liquid has expired, degraded, or been altered.

14. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 12 , wherein the defined pH criterion is stored as a profile that comprises pH criterions for each of the liquids that are authentic or proprietary.

15. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 14 , wherein operation of the atomizer is modified based on the profile, such that different types of the liquid are vaporized differently by the atomizer.

16. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 10 , wherein the defined pH criterion comprises one of a pH value or a pH range.

17. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises a flow through cell, a micro-sensor, a non-invasive sensor, a sensor spot, an electrochemical sensor, a catalytic sensor, a calorimetric sensor, or an optode sensor.

18. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 8 , wherein the atomizer comprises:

a heating element that heats the liquid for the vaporization; and

a wick for transporting the liquid to the heating element.

19. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 18 , wherein an operating temperature range of the heating element is modified during an activation cycle by modulating a power flow to the heating element based on the determined pH level.

20. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 8 , wherein a formulation of the substance is identified and conveyed based on the determined pH level.

21. The personal vaporizing unit of claim 20 , wherein performance of the atomizer is optimized based on the formulation.

22. A vaporizer assembly comprising:

a cartridge storing a substance to be atomized;

an atomizer assembly configured to be activated to atomize the substance; and

a sensor assembly comprising one or more sensors operatively coupled with the cartridge and the atomizer assembly, and configured to detect one or more conditions of the substance and to control operation of the atomizer assembly based on the one or more conditions;

wherein the one or more sensors comprises a pH sensor and the one or more conditions comprises a pH value of the substance.

23. The vaporizer assembly of claim 22 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to detect the pH value of the substance, and configured to compare the detected pH value of the substance to a predetermined pH range.

24. The vaporizer assembly of claim 23 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to prevent the activation of the atomizer assembly based on the comparison of the detected pH value and the predetermined pH range.

25. The vaporizer assembly of claim 23 , wherein the atomizer assembly comprises a heating element configured to atomize the substance stored in the cartridge by heating the substance upon the activation.

26. The vaporizer assembly of claim 25 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to optimize an operating temperature range of the heating element during an activation cycle by modulating a power flow to the heating element based at least in part on the comparison of the detected pH value and the predetermined pH range.

27. The vaporizer assembly of claim 26 further comprising a microprocessor connected to the heating element and configured to modulate a vapor strength, a vapor density, a vapor volume, a vapor temperature, a vapor flavor, or a combination thereof the atomized substance.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2022
From: MINSKOFF, NOAH MARK; TERRY, NATHAN ANDREW
To: R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
Reel/Frame 059831/0954 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2022
From: R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
To: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059832/0070 →
Continuity (20)
Continuation 16277732 · Feb 15, 2019
Continuation 16010932 · Jun 18, 2018
Continuation In Part 14716204 · May 19, 2015
Continuation In Part 14701046 · Apr 30, 2015
Continuation In Part 14285605 · May 22, 2014
Continuation In Part 14279174 · May 15, 2014
Continuation In Part 14275494 · May 12, 2014
Continuation In Part 13698020 · Nov 14, 2012
Continuation In Part 12780873 · May 15, 2010
Continuation In Part 12780873 · May 15, 2010
Continuation 12780876 · May 15, 2010
Continuation 12780877 · May 15, 2010
Continuation In Part 12780871 · May 15, 2010
Continuation In Part 12780874 · May 15, 2010
Continuation In Part 12780875 · May 15, 2010
Continuation 12780875 · May 15, 2010
Continuation In Part 12780872 · May 15, 2010
Provisional Application 61987005 · May 1, 2014
Provisional Application 62000101 · May 19, 2014
Related Publication 20200038603A1 · Feb 6, 2020