IP Library Granted Patent US 11,751,605
Granted Patent B2
US 11,751,605 · App. 16/864,007 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Securely attaching cartridges for vaporizer devices

Inventors: Adam Bowen (San Mateo, CA); Steven Christensen (Burlingame, CA); Christopher Nicholas HibmaCronan (Oakland, CA); James Monsees (San Francisco, CA); Joshua Morenstein (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc.
A24F40/42A24B15/167A61K31/465A61M11/042A61M11/06A61M15/06B65D25/54H05B1/0227H05B1/0244A24F40/10A61M2205/3653A61M2205/8206H05B2203/021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,751,605
App. No.
16/864,007
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods to generate an inhalable vapor in an electronic vaporization device. Described herein are cartridges including a vaporizable material that may be securely connected to a rechargeable base unit.

Claims (48)

1. An electronic vaporization device including cartridge receptacle, the cartridge receptacle comprising:

an opening for receiving a portion of a cartridge, the opening having a cross-section and the portion of the cartridge comprising a portion of fluid storage compartment;

a base opposite the opening, the base including a bottom surface, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact;

a first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first pair of interior walls; and

a second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface, each wall of the second pair of interior walls including a detent extending therefrom, each detent configured to cooperate with a recess in a wall of the fluid storage compartment of the cartridge to securely retain the portion of a cartridge within the cartridge receptacle.

2. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the cross-section is a rectangular cross-section.

3. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the detent is integrally formed in each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

4. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the detent is a spring-loaded member extending from each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

5. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the detent is a pin extending from each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

6. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the detent is a ridge extending from each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

7. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the detent is between 2.5 mm and 4 mm from the bottom surface of the cartridge receptacle.

8. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the opening is between 4.5-5.5 mm wide and 13-14 mm long.

9. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a top forming a notch at the opening.

10. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a first average height, wherein the second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a second height, wherein the second average height is greater than the first average height.

11. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a first width, wherein the second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a second width, wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

12. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of parallel interior walls is non-rectangular, wherein each pair of the second pair of interior walls is rectangular.

13. The electronic vaporization device of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls is configured to form a portion of an airflow path when the portion of a cartridge is received in the cartridge receptacle, the airflow path configured to provide air to the cartridge.

14. An electronic vaporization device, the electronic vaporization device comprising:

a cartridge receptacle comprising:

an opening for receiving a portion of a cartridge, the opening having a cross-section and the portion of the cartridge comprising a portion of fluid storage compartment;

a base opposite the opening, the base including a bottom surface, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact;

a first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first pair of interior walls; and

a second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface, each wall of the second pair of interior walls including a detent extending therefrom, each detent configured to cooperate with a recess in the cartridge to securely retain the portion of a cartridge within the cartridge receptacle; and

a cartridge comprising a recess in a wall of the fluid storage compartment configured to cooperate with each detent of the cartridge receptacle.

15. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the cross-section is a rectangular cross-section.

16. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the detent is integrally formed in each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

17. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the detent is a spring-loaded member extending from each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

18. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the detent is a pin extending from each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

19. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the detent is a ridge extending from each wall of the second pair of interior walls.

20. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the detent is between 2.5 mm and 4 mm from the bottom surface of the cartridge receptacle.

21. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the cross-section of the opening is between 4.5-5.5 mm wide and 13-14 mm long.

22. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a top forming a notch at the opening.

23. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a first average height, wherein the second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a second height, wherein the second average height is greater than the first average height.

24. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a first width, wherein the second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface have a second width, wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

25. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein each of the first pair of parallel interior walls is non-rectangular, wherein each pair of the second pair of interior walls is rectangular.

26. The electronic vaporization device of claim 14 , wherein the first pair of parallel interior walls is configured to form a portion of an airflow path when the portion of a cartridge is received in the cartridge receptacle, the airflow path configured to provide air to the cartridge.

27. A cartridge configured to be received in a cartridge receptacle comprising an opening for receiving a portion of the cartridge, the opening having a cross-section and the portion of the cartridge comprising a portion of fluid storage compartment, a base opposite the opening, the base including a bottom surface, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact, a first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first pair of interior walls, and a second pair of interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface, each wall of the second pair of interior walls including a detent extending therefrom, each detent configured to cooperate with a recess in a wall of the fluid storage compartment of the cartridge to securely retain the portion of a cartridge within the receptacle, the cartridge comprising:

the fluid storage compartment; and

recesses configured to cooperate with the detent of each wall of the second pair of interior walls of the cartridge receptacle.

28. An electronic vaporization device, the electronic vaporization device comprising:

a vaporizer device body including a cartridge receptacle comprising:

an opening for receiving a portion of a cartridge, the opening having a rectangular cross-section and the portion of the cartridge comprising a portion of fluid storage compartment;

a base opposite the opening, the base including a bottom surface, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact, the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are disposed in a plane parallel to the rectangular cross-section of the opening;

a first pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface and having a first width; and

a second pair of parallel interior walls extending from the opening to the bottom surface and having a second width, each wall of the second pair of parallel interior walls including a detent extending therefrom, each detent configured to cooperate with a recess in a wall of the fluid storage compartment of the cartridge to securely retain the portion of a cartridge within the cartridge receptacle, wherein the first width is greater than the second width; and

a cartridge comprising:

a fluid storage compartment containing a vaporizable material comprising a nicotine salt solution, and

recesses configured to cooperate with the detent of each wall of the second pair of parallel interior walls of the cartridge receptacle.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2024
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: ENVENIO INC.; JUUL LABS, INC.; VMR PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 069185/0228 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2023
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: JLI NATIONAL SETTLEMENT TRUST
Reel/Frame 065800/0421 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2023
From: JUUL LABS, INC.; VMR PRODUCTS LLC; ENVENIO INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 064252/0225 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNEE ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 062114 FRAME: 0196. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 23, 2022
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: JLI NATIONAL SETTLEMENT TRUST
Reel/Frame 062214/0142 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2022
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: JLI NATIONAL SETTLEMENT TRUST
Reel/Frame 062114/0195 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2022
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061588/0176 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2022
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 061578/0865 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060446/0261 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2022
From: HIBMACRONAN, CHRISTOPHER NICHOLAS; MORENSTEIN, JOSHUA
To: MORENSTEIN CRONAN, LLC
Reel/Frame 059717/0560 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2022
From: MORENSTEIN CRONAN, LLC
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059717/0533 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 14, 2022
From: PAX LABS, INC.
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059716/0203 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2022
From: CHRISTENSEN, STEVEN; BOWEN, ADAM; MONSEES, JAMES
To: PAX LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059605/0510 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053535/0433 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2020
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 053418/0664 →