IP Library Granted Patent US 12,285,046
Granted Patent B2
US 12,285,046 · App. 17/485,622 · Granted Apr 29, 2025

Cartridges for vaporizer devices

Inventors: Val Valentine (San Francisco, CA); Qingcheng Zeng (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc.
A24F40/42A24F40/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,285,046
App. No.
17/485,622
Granted
Apr 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Cartridges for vaporizer devices are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a cartridge can include a reservoir housing that includes a reservoir chamber configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material, and an atomizer in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber. The atomizer includes a substrate having an array of ordered pores configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the reservoir chamber at a predetermined rate, and at least one heating material configured to selectively heat the at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to generate a vaporized material. Vaporizer devices are also provided.

Claims (38)

1. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:

a reservoir housing including a reservoir chamber configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material; and

an atomizer in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber, the atomizer comprising:

a substrate having an array of ordered pores, the ordered pores being configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the reservoir chamber at a predetermined rate, and

at least one heating material configured to selectively heat the at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to generate a vaporized material,

wherein surfaces of each of the ordered pores are plated with the at least one heating material.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is in the form of a honeycomb structure.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating material is formed from a metal alloy.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the substrate extends from a first surface to a second surface that is opposite the first surface, and wherein at least the first surface is positioned within the reservoir chamber and a layer of the at least one heating material is disposed on the second surface.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the atomizer further includes at least one thermally insulating material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate.

7. The cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the at least one thermally insulating material comprises silicon dioxide.

8. The cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the at least one thermally insulating material is in the form of a tubular member having a lumen defined therein, and wherein the substrate resides within the lumen.

9. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein each pore has a diameter from about 1 nm to 1000 nm.

10. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein each pore has a length that extends from a first end to a second end, and wherein the length is between about 0 microns and 10 microns.

11. A vaporizer device, comprising:

a vaporizer body; and

a cartridge that is selectively coupled to and removable from the vaporizer body, the cartridge including:

a reservoir housing including a reservoir chamber configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material; and

an atomizer in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber, the atomizer comprising:

a substrate having an array of ordered pores, the ordered pores being configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the reservoir chamber at a predetermined rate, and

at least one heating material configured to selectively heat the at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to generate a vaporized material,

wherein surfaces of each of the ordered pores are plated with the at least one heating material.

12. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the substrate is in the form of a honeycomb structure.

13. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane.

14. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one heating material is formed from a metal alloy.

15. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the substrate extends from a first surface to a second surface that is opposite the first surface, and wherein at least the first surface is positioned within the reservoir chamber and a layer of the at least one heating material is disposed on the second surface.

16. The vaporizer device of claim 11 , wherein the atomizer further includes at least one thermally insulating material disposed on at least a portion of the substrate.

17. The vaporizer device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one thermally insulating material comprises silicon dioxide.

18. The vaporizer device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one thermally insulating material is in the form of a tubular member having a lumen defined therein, and wherein the substrate resides within the lumen.

19. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:

a reservoir housing including a reservoir chamber configured to selectively hold a vaporizable material; and

an atomizer in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber, the atomizer comprising:

a substrate having an array of ordered pores, the ordered pores being configured to draw a predetermined volume of vaporizable material from the reservoir chamber at a predetermined rate, and

at least one heating material configured to selectively heat the at least a portion of the vaporizable material drawn into the substrate to generate a vaporized material,

wherein the substrate extends from a first surface to a second surface that is opposite the first surface, and at least the first surface is positioned within the reservoir chamber; and

wherein each of the ordered pores comprises a first end and a second end, and each of the ordered pores extends along a depth of the substrate such that the first end is at the first surface of the substrate and the second end is at the second surface of the substrate.

20. The cartridge of claim 19 , wherein the first end of each of the ordered pores is in direct contact with the vaporizable material in the reservoir chamber.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2025
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: JLI NATIONAL SETTLEMENT TRUST
Reel/Frame 071830/0819 →
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 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 3, 2022
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061282/0887 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2022
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 061578/0865 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2022
From: JUUL LABS, INC.
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 060376/0271 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2022
From: VALENTINE, VAL; ZENG, QINGCHENG
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058530/0613 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2022
From: VALENTINE, VAL; ZENG, QINGCHENG
To: JUUL LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058530/0655 →