Vaporizing Device With Integrated Handle

Abstract

A vaporizing device includes a heating adapter connector, a mouthpiece, a housing, and a handle. The housing is disposed between the heating adapter connector and the mouthpiece. The handle is attached to the housing and extends away from the housing. The handle provides dedicated hand support for ease of operation. An airflow path extends from an inlet of the heating adapter connector, through the housing, and out of a mouthpiece outlet of the mouthpiece. No airflow path between the inlet and outlet extends through the handle. In one example, the mouthpiece includes a percolator causing airflow to change direction at least once. During operation, a user grasps the vaporizing device using the handle and attaches a heating tip to the heating adapter connector. Next, the user activates the heating tip, vaporizes smoking material, and inhales smoke/vapor through the heating adapter connector, through the housing, and out of the mouthpiece.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to smoking instruments, and more specifically to the operation of smoking devices.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

As an alternative to cigarettes, an electronic cigarette “e-cigarette” is mainly used to simulate the feeling of smoking without affecting health. The existing electronic cigarette includes two parts, a smoking device and an atomizer. The smoking device includes a battery that supplies power. The atomizer includes a heating element and smoking material, such as smoking or vaping oil, solid, or other homogeneous mixture. When the atomizer is installed in the smoking device, a mechanical or pneumatic switch at one end of the smoking device can be activated to complete an electrical circuit between the heating element and the battery. The smoking material is atomized by the heating element and discharged from another end of the atomizer, thereby allowing a user to inhale smoke. The smoking material that is contained in the atomizer determines the quality and taste of the smoke.

SUMMARY

A vaporizing device includes a heating adapter connector, a mouthpiece, a housing, and a handle. The housing is disposed between the heating adapter connector and the mouthpiece. The handle is attached to the housing and extends away from the housing. The handle provides dedicated hand support for ease of operation. An airflow path extends from an inlet of the heating adapter connector, through the housing, and out of a mouthpiece outlet of the mouthpiece. No airflow path between the inlet and outlet extends through the handle.

In one embodiment, the mouthpiece includes a percolator causing airflow to change direction at least once. During operation, a user grasps the vaporizing device using the handle and attaches a heating tip to the heating adapter connector. Next, the user activates the heating tip, vaporizes smoking material, and inhales smoke/vapor through the heating adapter connector, through the housing, and out of the mouthpiece.

Further details, embodiments, and methods are described in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, where like numerals indicate like components, illustrate embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle in use.

FIG. 2 is a side view diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view wireframe diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 6 is a side view cross-section diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 7 is a front view diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 8 is a front view wireframe diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 9 is a rear view wireframe diagram of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

FIG. 10 is an axial cross-section diagram of a heating adapter from below.

FIG. 11 is an axial cross-section diagram of a heating adapter from above.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the method 100 of manufacturing of a vaporizing device with integrated handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view diagram of a vaporizing device 10 in accordance with one embodiment. The vaporizing device 10 comprises a heating adapter connector 11, a mouthpiece 12, a housing 13, and a handle 14. The handle 14 provides dedicated hand support for ease of operation.

The vaporizing device 10 is also referred to as an “electric nectar collector”, a “dab straw”, a “honey straw”, or other industry terms. For additional information on the structure and function of vaporizing device 10, including how to manufacture and operate, see Chinese Publication CN219745180U, the entire subject matter of the foregoing document is hereby incorporated by reference.

The heating adapter connector 11 has an inlet 32 and is configured to receive a heating element 33. The heating element 33 is also referred to as a “heating tip” and is acquired by a provider of the vaporizing device 10 or from another entity. For additional information on the structure and function of heating tip 33, including how to manufacture and operate, see Chinese Publication CN220143838U, the entire subject matter of the foregoing document is hereby incorporated by reference.

After the heating tip 33 is connected to the heating adapter connector 11, the vaporizing device 10 causes the heating tip 33 to heat up. A user 40 applies the heating tip 33 to smoking material causing the smoking material 35 to vaporize. The vapors and smoke are inhaled by the user 40 through an airflow path 34 that extends from the heating adapter connector 11, through housing 13, through the mouthpiece 12, and out of the mouthpiece outlet 17.

Mouthpiece 12 further comprises a percolator 29 and a mouthpiece outlet 17. The housing 13 is disposed between the heating adapter connector 11 and the mouthpiece 12. The handle 14 is attached to the housing 13 and extends away from the housing 13. An airflow path 34 extends from an inlet 32 of the heating adapter connector 11, through the housing 13, and out of a mouthpiece outlet 17 of the mouthpiece 12. No airflow path between the inlet 32 and mouthpiece outlet 17 extends through the handle 14. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece 12 includes no percolator or other alternative structures that provide a percolating function.

The airflow path 34 does not extend through any part of the handle 14. As such, the handle 14 is a dedicated hand support. No prior providers of such devices had recognized the benefits or commercial feasibility of having a dedicated support structure such as the handle 14. In this embodiment, the handle 14 provides a robust control interface that provides control of operating characteristics, such as temperature, and indicates operating characteristic values to the user. In other embodiments, the handle 14 includes minimal control hardware. In still other embodiments, the handle 14 includes no control hardware and the user 40 manually heats the heating tip 33 with a torch.

FIG. 2 is a side view diagram of vaporizing device 10. Vaporizing device 10 further comprises a power switch 20, a battery 19, and a charging port 28. The power switch 20 may also be referred to as an “on/off switch” in other implementations. Charging port 28 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) type-A port, a USB type-C port, a micro-USB port, a lightning port, or any suitable charging interface that receives power to charge the battery 19. The battery 19 utilizes any suitable battery chemistry, such as a lithium ion battery.

In this embodiment, vaporizing device 10 further comprises a control input 21 that controls an operating characteristic, and a display 23 that indicates an operating characteristic value. These operating characteristics comprise temperature, duration, battery life, authentication parameters, and other operating parameters. The operating characteristic controlled by control input 21 need not be the same operating characteristic indicated by display 23.

A freestanding feature 58 is created by the flat base of handle 14 and a non-slip pad 57. This allows vaporizing device 10 to stand upright when placed on a ground surface, despite the curved shape of housing 48. The non-slip pad 57 is any suitable surface, layer, coating, or material that reduces slippage between the handle 14 and another surface. In other embodiments, the vaporizing device 10 includes no non-slip pad or other alternative structures that provide freestanding or non-slip function.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view diagram of vaporizing device 10. In this embodiment, housing 13 further comprises a personalized removable plate 104. Personalized removable plate 104 allows the operator of vaporizing device 10 to personalize their vaporizing device 10, as well as access the interior of housing 13.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vaporizing device 10.

FIG. 5 is a side exploded view diagram of the vaporizing device 10. Housing 13 further comprises a smoke path lid 59. Smoke path lid 59 is removable from housing 13 to allow access to the interior of housing 13. In other embodiments, the housing 13 includes no smoke path lid or other alternative structures that provide access to the interior of housing 13.

FIG. 6 is a side view cross-section of the vaporizing device 10. Heating adapter connector 11 further comprises a heating adapter positive lead 36, a heating adapter negative lead 37, and a heating adapter data lead 38. Heating adapter positive lead 36 and heating adapter negative lead 37 provide power to heating element 33. Heating adapter data lead 38 transmits and receives a data signal to and from the heating element 33. This provides the vaporizing device 10 the ability to detect information about heating element 33. This information comprises the material of the heating element 33, any operating characteristic of heating element 33, or any other parameter of heating element 33.

FIG. 7 is a front view diagram of the vaporizing device 10.

FIG. 8 is a front view wireframe diagram of the vaporizing device 10.

FIG. 9 is a rear view wireframe diagram of the vaporizing device 10.

FIG. 10 is an axial cross-section diagram of the heating adapter connector 11 from below.

FIG. 11 is an axial cross-section diagram of the heating adapter connector 11 from above.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the method 100 in accordance with at least one novel aspect. Method 100 is a method of manufacturing a smoking device having a dedicated handle. In a first step (101), a vaporizer device is formed. The vaporizer device has a heating adapter connector, a mouthpiece, a housing, and a handle. The air flows from the heating adapter connector to the mouthpiece via the housing. For example, in FIG. 1, various components of vaporizing device 10 are formed from material operable to withstand operating temperatures and are formed via injection molding, machining, 3D printing, or other combinations of additive or subtractive manufacturing techniques.

Although certain specific embodiments are described above for instructional purposes, the teachings of this patent document have general applicability and are not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A vaporizer device comprising:

a heating adapter connector having an inlet;

a mouthpiece having an mouthpiece outlet;

a housing, wherein the housing is disposed between the heating adapter connector and the mouthpiece, wherein an airflow path extends from the inlet, through the housing, through the mouthpiece, and out of the mouthpiece outlet; and

a handle, wherein the handle is attached to the housing and extends away from the airflow path.

2. The vaporizer device of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a hand contact surface, and wherein no airflow path extends between the heating adapter connector and the mouthpiece via the handle.

3. The vaporizer device of claim 1, wherein the handle extends away from the airflow path.

4. The vaporizer device of claim 1, wherein the housing has a first end and a second end, wherein the heating adapter connector is disposed at the first end of the housing, wherein the mouthpiece is disposed at the second end of the housing, and wherein the first end of the housing is opposite the second end of the housing.

5. The vaporizer device of claim 4, wherein the mouthpiece further comprises:

a percolator, wherein the airflow path extends through the percolator and changes direction at least once.

6. The vaporizer device of claim 1, wherein the heating adapter connector is configured to receive a heating element.

7. The vaporizer device of claim 6, further comprising:

a power switch; and

a battery, wherein when the power switch is enabled, the battery is discharged thereby heating the heating element.

8. The vaporizer device of claim 7, further comprising:

a charging port, wherein the charging port is used to charge the battery.

9. The vaporizer device of claim 1, further comprising:

a control input that controls an operating characteristic; and

a display that indicates an operating characteristic value.

10. A method comprising:

forming a vaporizer device having a heating adapter connector, a mouthpiece, a housing, and a handle, wherein air flows from the heating adapter connector to the mouthpiece via the housing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein no air flows from the heating adapter connector to the handle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the handle extends away from the housing.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing has a first end and a second end, wherein the heating adapter connector is disposed at the first end of the housing, and wherein the mouthpiece is disposed at the second end of the housing.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the heating adapter connector has an inlet, wherein the mouthpiece includes a mouthpiece outlet and a percolator, and wherein air flows from the inlet of the heating adapter connector, through the housing, through the percolator of the mouthpiece, and out of the mouthpiece outlet.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the percolator of the mouthpiece causes air to change direction at least once.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the heating adapter connector is configured to receive a heating tip.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the vaporizer device also includes a power switch and a battery, wherein when the power switch is enabled, the battery is discharged thereby heating the heating tip.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the vaporizer device also includes a control input and a display, wherein the control input controls an operating characteristic of the vaporizer device, and wherein the output indicates an operating characteristic value.

19. A vaporizing device comprising:

a housing that extends between a heating adapter connector and a mouthpiece; and

means for providing hand support to a user holding the vaporizing device, wherein air flows between the heating adapter connector and the mouthpiece without passing through the means.

20. The vaporizing device of claim 19, wherein the means is a handle that extends away from the housing.