E-LIQUID DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PERSONAL VAPORIZERS
FIG1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art personal vaporizer
With reference to FIG1, a typical personal vaporizer 10 comprises a cylindrical casing 20 having a distal end 21 and a proximal end 22. At its proximal end 22, the casing 20 is formed into a mouthpiece 24 having a passage 26 providing fluid communication between the atmosphere and an exit chamber 27 inside the casing 20. The casing 20 also has one or more air holes 28 to allow air to flow from the atmosphere into a vaporization chamber 30 inside the casing 20 when a relative vacuum is applied at the mouthpiece passage 26 (e.g., by inhalation of a device user). The air drawn in through the air hole(s) 28 passes through a filter 70 which divides the vaporization chamber 30 and the exit chamber 27. In all of the embodiments disclosed herein, including the prior art vaporizer 10 of FIG1, the various heating elements-particularly those that may be come in direct contact with the vaporizable liquid-may be replaced with elements formed from graphite/carbon fibers. The advantage of elements formed from such fibers is that they will not react or decompose at the high temperatures needed to vaporize the vaporizable liquids used in the vaporizers of the invention. This is particularly significant in personal vaporizers, because it presents little or no chance of contributing undesirable constituents (e.g., heavy metals) to the vaporization products of the device, either through interfacial thermal reaction or chemical leaching to the e-liquid or the vapor.
cross-sectional view
24
mouthpiece
28
holes
30
chamber
80
is preferably about
22
proximal end
1
invention. Clause
20
casing
40
reservoir
90
control unit
27
exit chamber
10
vaporizer
50
fluid transport structure
26
passage
21
filed June distal end
70
filter
60
heating element
['1. A personal vaporizer comprising: an annular main body defining a main body interior; a vaporization chamber within the main body interior; a vaporization heating element disposed within the vaporization chamber, the vaporization heating element having a vaporization heating surface; an air flow passage from one or more air intake openings in the case wall to the vaporization chamber; a vaporization mixture flow passage extending from the vaporization chamber to an exit port; a liquid reservoir configured for storage of a vaporizable liquid and having a reservoir exit port; a liquid transport arrangement for transporting vaporizable liquid from the liquid reservoir to the vaporization chamber, the liquid transport arrangement comprising a first liquid flow duct extending from the reservoir exit port, and a piezoelectric pump operatively connected to the first liquid flow duct for drawing the vaporizable liquid from the reservoir, through the liquid flow duct, and into the vaporization chamber through a nozzle positioned adjacent or in contact with the vaporization heating element so that liquid exiting the nozzle is heated by the vaporization heating surface.']