Vaporizing Pipe Comprising Wire Coils

Abstract

Provided is a vaporizing pipe made from wound wire coils. The vaporizing pipe comprises two halves: a pipe unit and a filter unit. The pipe unit has a bowl for holding smoking material. The filter unit contains a flame filter for providing vaporization temperatures, as known in the art. The pipe unit and filter unit attach by twisting/rotating (“attachment by nested coils”). The windings of the coils screw together in a manner similar to screw threads. The pipe unit can comprise 1, 2 or more coils. The filter unit can comprise 1, 2, 3 or more coils. Air gaps can be disposed between coils, thereby providing thermal insulation. The coils can be made of stainless steel wire for example. The wire can have a diameter of about 0.050-0.075 inches for example.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of priority from provisional patent application 61/461,052 filed on Jan. 12, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to smoking devices and vaporization devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vaporizing pipe made from inexpensive and durable wire coils.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tobacco and other herbs are typically smoked by burning and inhaling the combustion fumes and smoke. In recent years, interest has grown in the technique of vaporization in which the smoking material is carefully heated so that the desired flavor and psychoactive components are liberated, and combustion is minimized.

Vaporization provides many benefits over smoking. Vaporization produces much less toxic and carcinogenic pyrolytic products compared to smoking. Also, vaporization is smoother and more flavorful, and lacks the disagreeable burned taste produced by conventional smoking. Further, vaporization allows more efficient use of smoking materials, since desired flavor and psychoactive compounds are not destroyed by combustion.

However, vaporization is difficult to perform, since vaporization only occurs in a relatively narrow temperature range. If the temperature is too low, desired compounds are not vaporized and nothing is inhaled; if the temperature is too high, combustion will occur. For most smoking materials, vaporization is optimal in a temperature range of about 250-400 degrees Fahrenheit. The optimal temperature depends upon the compounds being vaporized.

A difficulty with vaporizing pipes is that, surprisingly, more heat can be required for vaporization compared to smoking This is because all the air drawn through a vaporizing pipe must be heated to vaporization temperature. Consequently, a vaporizing pipe may become even hotter than a conventional smoking pipe. The pipe can become too hot to hold, and can become so hot that it burns the user. For this reason it is critical for a vaporizing pipe to have effective thermal insulation.

vaporizing pipes are typically made with a wooden pipe body and wooden filter unit. The wood material provides good thermal insulating properties. However, a disadvantage of wood is that it is difficult to clean. Liquid cleaners (e.g. solvents, soap, alcohol) cannot be used. Consequently, a wooden pipe will never be completely clean after it has been used once. Also, wood can chip and crack; it is less durable than metal.

Metal vaporizing pipes can be effectively cleaned with liquid cleaners, but have high thermal conductivity. Consequently, metal pipes become excessively hot. This is particularly a problem with aluminum vaporizing pipes. Also, metal pipes machined from the highest quality materials (e.g. stainless steel, titanium) are very expensive to manufacture.

Consequently, there is a need for a novel vaporizing pipe that can be cleaned with liquid solvents, that is inexpensive and that provides good thermal insulation. It would be particularly desirable to make a vaporizing pipe with these properties out of stainless steel.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a vaporizing pipe comprising a pipe unit and a filter unit. The pipe unit comprises one or more wire coils, and the filter unit comprises one or more wire coils. The pipe unit has a bowl for received tobacco or smoking materials. The filter unit has a tubular shape (with input and output), and a flame filter disposed inside. The pipe unit and filter unit are attachable by nested coils, as explained below.

The flame filter can comprise any of the flame filter materials described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,584, which is incorporated by reference. For example, the flame filter can be made of open cell ceramic foam, such as open cell silicon carbide foam.

The vaporizing pipe can further comprise an outer pipe coil disposed around the pipe coil. The pipe coil and outer pipe coil can be attachable by nested coils. An air gap can be provided between the pipe coil and the outer pipe coil. Such an air gap provides excellent thermal insulation.

The vaporizing pipe can further include an outer filter coil disposed around the filter coil. An air gap can be provided between the filter coils, for thermal insulation.

Preferably, the coils are all approximately airtight, meaning that adjacent coil windings are in contact, or nearly in contact. Approximately airtight coils permit only insignificant air leakage.

The coils preferably are attachable by nested coils. If the coils are made with the same diameter wire, they will have the same “thread pitch” (i.e. windings per inch).

Preferably, the coils are made of stainless steel wire. The wire can have a diameter of about 0.040-0.125″ or 0.050-0.080″ for example.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a vaporizing pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2a-2e show each of the 5 coils present in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the pipe unit and filter unit attached. Also shown is a closeup inset illustrating “attachment by nested coils”.

FIG. 4 shows a closeup of the pipe unit of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the pipe unit in which the outer pipe coil has spaces between windings. The outer pipe coil is not airtight in this embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the pipe unit comprises a single coil. In this embodiment, the outer pipe coil is omitted.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the flame filter retaining coil is omitted.

FIGS. 8a-8c show a simple embodiment comprising only two coils. The pipe unit and the filter unit each comprise a single wire coil.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which an outer filter coil 30 has been added to the embodiment of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which the inner filter coil is the female part and the pipe coil is the male part.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which the pipe coil and outer filter coil are portions of the same coil.

FIG. 12 shows how to use the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a vaporizing pipe with improved manufacturability and performance and lower cost.

The present vaporizing pipe comprises a pipe unit and a filter unit. The pipe unit and filter unit each comprise at least one wound wire coil. The wire coils are wound so that they are approximately airtight (i.e. there is at most a small gap between some adjacent coils). Consequently, the wire coils are functionally equivalent to solid-walled tubes. The wire coils are attachable by nested coils. Attachment by nested coils is a natural consequence of making the coils with the same diameter wire because coils made with identical wire have the same “thread pitch”. Also, additional outer wire coils can be provided on both the pipe unit and filter unit. The inner and outer coils can be designed to create air gaps, thereby providing excellent thermal insulation. The present vaporizing pipe can be made of stainless steel at low cost and can be cleaned with liquid cleaners.

DEFINITIONS

Approximately air tight: Allowing a practically insignificant amount of air leakage between coil windings. For example, a gap between windings will be approximately air tight if a gap between most windings is less than about 0.005″, or more preferably less than 0.002″ or 0.001″.

Metal wire: An elongated material with consistent cross sectional shape. Cross sectional wire shape will typically be round, but can also be square, rectangular, elliptical, triangular, hexagonal or any other shape. All drawings show embodiments with round wire, but the present claims are not so limited.

FIG. 1 shows in cross section a vaporizing pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vaporizing pipe has two halves: a pipe unit 20 and a filter unit 22. The pipe unit comprises two coils: an inner pipe coil 24, and an outer pipe coil 26. The filter unit 22 comprises 3 coils: an inner filter coil 28, an outer filter coil 30, and a filter retaining coil 32. All the coils are illustrated as a series of small circles, indicating the series of metal wire windings comprising the coils.

The filter unit 22 has an input 34 and an output 36. The input and output are in fluid communication. The filter unit 22 has a tubular shape.

A flame filter 38 (e.g. comprising ceramic foam, FeCrAl alloy foam or open cell silicon carbide foam) is disposed inside the filter unit 22, between the input 34 and output 36. Other suitable materials for use as the flame filter 38 are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,584, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The pipe unit 20 comprises a bowl 40 where tobacco or other smoking material (not shown) is disposed. The pipe unit 20 has an inhalation end 42, from which a user inhales vapor. A screen (not shown) made of wire cloth may be disposed in the bowl 40, as known in the art.

The pipe unit 20 comprises an air gap 25 between the inner pipe coil 24 and outer pipe coil 26. The air gap provides thermal insulation, which prevents the exterior surface of the pipe unit 20 from becoming hot during use.

Also, the filter unit 22 has air gaps 27a 27b between the inner and outer filter coils 28 30, and the filter retaining coil 32. These air gaps 27a 27b also provide thermal insulation, which prevents the exterior surface of the filter unit from becoming hot during use.

It is noted that the air gaps 25 27a 27b are optional in the invention. Substantial thermal insulation is provided even if attached coils have no air gap between them.

An outer diameter OD of the vaporizing pipe can be about 0.25-1.5 inches for example.

FIGS. 2a-2e show in cross section the coils in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

The inner filter coil 28 has an optional constriction 31 on one end for retaining the flame filter 38. Optionally, the constriction 31 can be replaced with a retaining ring (not shown).

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the flame filter 38 is held in place between the constriction 31 and the flame filter retaining coil 32.

FIG. 3 shows the pipe unit 20 and the filter unit 22. The two halves have male and female mating parts that attach by twisting/rotating the pipe unit and the filter unit. The halves are attached by twisting/rotating around the axis of rotation shown 44. In the specific embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the filter unit has a female mating portion, and the pipe unit has a male mating portion. Optionally, this relationship can be reversed.

Also shown in FIG. 3 is a closeup cross-sectional view of the area of attachment, illustrating how the coil windings align to fit together. The coil windings fit together like male and female screw threads. This type of attachment is referred to in the present specification as “attachment by nested coils”.

Inner and outer pipe coils 24 26 are attached by nested coils.

Inner and outer filter unit coils 28 30 and flame filter retaining coil 32 are all attached by nested coils.

In FIG. 3 the coils are made of wire with a circular cross section (round wire). Other wire shapes can also be used, and one skilled in the art will recognize that many different wire shapes can facilitate attachment by nested coils. For example, the wire can have square, hexagonal, elliptical, triangular or any other cross sectional shapes.

Also, it is noted that wire comprising attached coils can have dissimilar shapes. For example, a wire coil made of round wire can be attached by nested coils to a wire coil made of square wire. In this case, the attached should have the same thread pitch (turns per linear inch).

The wire coils are preferably all made of the same diameter wire. This assures that the “thread pitch” of the coils is identical. Attachment by nested coils requires that the turns per linear inch should be the same or similar for attached coils.

The wire diameter can be in the range of about 0.035-0.125 inches. Coils made from wire smaller than about 0.035″ tend to be too soft and flimsy; coils made from wire larger than 0.125″ tend to be too heavy, expensive and large. The optimal wire diameter when stainless steel is used will typically be in the range of about 0.055-0.080″. However the appended claims are not limited to these wire diameter ranges. The optimal wire diameter will depend on many factors, such as the length and diameter of the vaporizing pipe, the wire material, and the wire temper. Suitable materials for the wire coils include stainless steels, steel, titanium, FeCrAl alloys, nickel superalloys, Nickel-titanium alloys, nickel-chromium alloys and the like.

FIG. 4 shows a closeup cross sectional view of the pipe unit 20. The inner and outer pipe coils 24 26 have a relatively long section 47 where the coils 24 26 are attached by nested coils. This tends to provide a very stable and rigid attachment, while still providing significant thermal insulation. The outer pipe coil 26 has a constriction 48 that improves the mechanical connection between the inner and outer pipe coils 24 26. The constriction 48 is also apparent in FIG. 2a.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment in which the outer pipe coil 26 has a variable diameter. The outer coil 26 has large and small diameter loops, alternating in patterns. Consequently, spaces 50 are present between adjacent windings and the air gap 25 is open to ambient air. One advantage to this design is that the small diameter loops provide good mechanical connection to the inner coil over the entire length of the pipe unit 20. Also, spaces 50 allow air to circulate against the inner pipe coil 24, thereby cooling it faster. The inner pipe coil 24 is approximately airtight.

It is noted that the outer filter coil 30 can also have a variable diameter with spaces (not shown).

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the pipe unit 20 does not have an outer pipe coil 26. Only the inner pipe coil 24 is present. The inner coil 24 attaches by nested coils to the outer filter coil 30. The outer pipe coil 26 is optional in the invention. This embodiment may be less preferred because the inner pipe coil 24 becomes hot with use.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the filter unit 22 does not have a flame filter retaining coil 32. In this embodiment, the inner filter coil 28 has increased length. Preferably, the inner filter coil 28 is long enough to contact a constriction 52 near the input 34. An optional retaining ring 54 can be provided for securely holding the flame filter 38 in place. Also, it is noted that the outer pipe coil 26 can be omitted, in which case the present vaporizing pipe will have only 3 wire coils (inner pipe coil 24, outer filter coil 30, and inner filter coil 28).

FIGS. 8a-8c show two views (separated and attached) of a simple embodiment of the present invention comprising only two coils. The pipe unit 20 comprises only the pipe coil 24; the filter unit 22 comprises only the filter coil 28. The pipe unit 20 and filter unit 22 attach by nested coils. The pipe unit 20 is the female, and the filter unit 22 is the male (this can be reversed).

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment comprising the embodiment of FIG. 8 with the addition of the outer filter coil 30. The air gap 27 is provided between the inner and outer filter coils 28 30. The inner filter coil 28 is attached by nested coils to the pipe coil 24. The outer filter coil 30 may optionally attach by nested coils to the pipe coil 24.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which the inner filter coil 28 attaches by nested coils to the pipe coil 24. The inner filter coil 28 is female, and the pipe coil 24 is male. Also, the outer filter coil 30 is attached by nested coils to the inner filter coil, providing an air gap 27. An optional retaining ring 60 is provided to retain the flame filter 38.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which the inner pipe coil 24 and outer filter coil 30 are portions of a single coil. An air gap 27 is provided between the inner and outer filter coils 28 30. This embodiment is within the scope of the appended claims.

FIG. 12 shows the present vaporizing pipe in operation. In operation, tobacco or other smoking material 64 is disposed in the bowl 40. A user inhales vapor 66 from the inhalation end 42, which pulls lighter flame exhaust 68 and cold, ambient air 70 into the input 34. The lighter flame exhaust 68 and ambient air 70 enter the flame filter 38, where they are mixed and combined. The exhaust 68 and air 70 combine to form an intermediate-temperature air stream 72. The air stream 72 is at vaporization temperature (e.g. 250-400 Fahrenheit), which of course heats the tobacco 64 to vaporization temperature. The temperature is manually controlled by adjusting flame application and inhalation speed. The air gaps 25 27a 27b provide thermal insulation and prevent the exterior surfaces of the outer coils 26 30 from becoming excessively hot.

The above embodiments may be altered in many ways without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A vaporizing pipe, comprising:

1) a pipe unit comprising an inner pipe coil, wherein the pipe unit has a bowl end, and an inhalation end for emitting vapor;

2) a filter unit comprising an outer filter coil, and an inner filter coil, wherein: a) the inner and outer filter coils are attachable by nested coils, b) the filter unit is attachable by nested coils to the bowl end of the pipe unit, c) the filter unit is tubular, with an input and an output that are fluidically connected,

3) a flame filter disposed inside the filter unit, between the input and output.

2. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 further comprising an outer pipe coil attached by nested coils to the inner pipe coil.

3. The vaporizing pipe of claim 2 further comprising an air gap between the inner pipe coil and outer pipe coil.

4. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 further comprising a flame filter retaining coil disposed at least partially inside the inner filter coil.

5. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 wherein the coils have a wire diameter in the range of about 0.045-0.085 inches.

6. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 further comprising an air gap disposed between the inner filter coil and outer filter coil.

7. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 wherein the inner pipe coil, and at least one coil in the filter unit are approximately airtight.

8. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 wherein the coils have zero gap between windings, or a gap between windings of at most 0.005″.

9. The vaporizing pipe of claim 1 wherein one coil of the pipe unit and the outer filter coil comprise a single coil.

10. A vaporizing pipe, comprising:

1) a pipe unit comprising an inner pipe coil, wherein the pipe unit has a bowl end, and an inhalation end for emitting vapors;

2) a filter unit comprising an inner filter coil, wherein: b) the filter unit is attachable by nested coils to the bowl end of the pipe unit, c) the filter unit is tubular, with an input and an output that are fluidically connected,

3) a flame filter disposed inside the filter unit, between the input and output.

11. The vaporizing pipe of claim 10 further comprising an outer pipe coil attached by nested coils to the inner pipe coil.

12. The vaporizing pipe of claim 11, further comprising an air gap between the inner pipe coil and outer pipe coil.

13. The vaporizing pipe of claim 10 further comprising an outer filter coil attached by nested coils to the inner filter coil.

14. The vaporizing pipe of claim 13 further comprising an air gap between the inner filter coil and outer filter coil.

15. The vaporizing pipe of claim 10 wherein the inner pipe coil and the outer filter coil are approximately airtight.

16. The vaporizing pipe of claim 10 wherein the inner pipe coil, and at least one coil in the filter unit are approximately airtight.

17. The vaporizing pipe of claim 10 wherein the coils have zero gap between windings, or a gap between windings of at most 0.005″.

18. A vaporizing pipe, comprising:

1) a pipe unit comprising an inner pipe coil and an outer pipe coil attached by nested coils, wherein the pipe unit has a bowl end and an inhalation end for emitting vapor;

2) a filter unit comprising an outer filter coil, and an inner filter coil, wherein: a) the inner and outer filter coils are attached by nested coils, b) the filter unit is attachable by nested coils to the bowl end of the pipe unit, c) the filter unit is tubular, with an input and an output that are fluidically connected,

3) a flame filter disposed inside the filter unit, between the input and output.

19. The vaporizing pipe of claim 18 further comprising an air gap between the inner pipe coil and outer pipe coil.

20. The vaporizing pipe of claim 18 further comprising an air gap between the inner filter coil and outer filter coil.