Cartridge-based heat not burn vaporizer
A vaporizer cartridge configured to efficiently and effectively heat a non-liquid source material that includes a vaporizable material is described. The cartridge may include a heating element including an electrically resistive material and may be configured to vaporize the vaporizable material by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material. The cartridge may include a cartridge contact in electrical communication with the electrically resistive material. The cartridge contact may be configured to couple to a vaporizer contact positioned proximate to a cartridge coupling feature to allow electrical power to pass from the vaporizer device through the electrically resistive material. The electrical power may cause heating of the electrically resistive material and the vaporizable material to result in generation of an aerosol for inhalation by a user. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.
1. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:
a chamber configured to contain a non-liquid vaporizable material;
a heating element comprising an electrically resistive material and configured to vaporize the vaporizable material by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material, wherein at least a portion of the heating element defines a part of the chamber and/or is contained within the chamber;
a cartridge contact in electrical communication with the electrically resistive material, the cartridge contact configured to couple to a vaporizer contact positioned proximate to a cartridge coupling feature to allow electrical power to pass from the vaporizer device through the electrically resistive material, the electrical power causing heating of the electrically resistive material and the vaporizable material to result in generation of an aerosol for inhalation by a user;
wherein the heating element includes a flexible printed circuit including the electrically resistive material traced on a flexible material, and wherein the traced electrically resistive material forms a plurality of series heaters.
2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises the cartridge contact.
3. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a non-electrically conductive area.
4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of series heaters are positioned in parallel.
5. The cartridge of claim 1 , further including a housing comprising a non-electrically conductive material and containing at least a part of the chamber.
6. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the electrically resistive material extends along a length of the flexible material.
7. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizable material includes nicotine.
8. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of series heaters are positioned in a horizontal orientation.
9. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising:
coupling a cartridge contact of a vaporizer cartridge to a vaporizer contact of a vaporizer device body to provide an electrically conductive pathway between a power source of the vaporizer device body and a heating element of the vaporizer cartridge, the electrically conductive pathway allowing the power source to cause heating of an electrically resistive material of the heating element and a vaporizable material contained in a chamber of the vaporizer cartridge; and
heating the heating element to vaporize the vaporizable material and form an aerosol for inhalation, wherein the heating element defines at least a part of the chamber and/or is contained within the chamber of the vaporizer cartridge;
wherein the heating element includes a flexible printed circuit including the electrically resistive material traced on a flexible material, and wherein the traced electrically resistive material forms a plurality of series heaters.
10. A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:
a chamber configured to contain a non-liquid vaporizable material;
a heating element comprising an electrically resistive material and configured to vaporize the vaporizable material by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material, wherein at least a portion of the heating element defines a part of the chamber and/or is contained within the chamber;
a cartridge contact in electrical communication with the electrically resistive material, the cartridge contact configured to couple to a vaporizer contact positioned proximate to a cartridge coupling feature to allow electrical power to pass from the vaporizer device through the electrically resistive material, the electrical power causing heating of the electrically resistive material and the vaporizable material to result in generation of an aerosol for inhalation by a user;
wherein the heating element comprises a sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material and wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material comprises a first area having a first density of perforations and a second area having a second density of perforations that is greater than the first density of perforations.
11. The cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material comprises at least one of a flexible material, a deformable material, and a rigid material.
12. The cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material further includes at least one extension extending away from at least one of a top surface of the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material and a bottom surface of the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material.
13. The cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material further comprises a third area with a non-conductive material backing.
14. The cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material comprises a treated electrically conductive foil.
15. A system for a generating an inhalable aerosol comprising:
a cartridge comprising:
a chamber configured to contain a non-liquid vaporizable material;
a heating element comprising an electrically resistive material and configured to vaporize the vaporizable material by delivery of heat to the vaporizable material, wherein at least a portion of the heating element defines a part of the chamber and/or is contained within the chamber; and
a cartridge contact in electrical communication with the electrically resistive material, the cartridge contact configured to couple to a vaporizer contact positioned proximate to a cartridge coupling feature to allow electrical power to pass from a vaporizer device through the electrically resistive material, the electrical power causing heating of the electrically resistive material and the vaporizable material to result in generation of an aerosol for inhalation by a user;
wherein the heating element includes a flexible printed circuit including the electrically resistive material traced on a flexible material, and wherein the traced electrically resistive material forms a plurality of series heaters; and
a device body comprising:
a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; and
the vaporizer contact configured to mate with the cartridge contact when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle to provide an electrically conductive pathway between a power source in the device body and the heating element of the cartridge.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the heating element comprises the cartridge contact.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the heating element comprises a sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material comprises at least one of a flexible material, a deformable material, and a rigid material.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material includes at least one perforation.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material further includes at least one extension extending away from at least one of a top surface of the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material and a bottom surface of the sheet of thermally conductive, electrically resistive material.