U.S. patent application number 14/845387 was filed with the patent office on 2017-03-09 for vaporizer liquid dispenser.
This patent application is currently assigned to AVAIL VAPOR LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Avail Vapor LLC. Invention is credited to Daniel Donovan Harlan Phillips, Yongjie Xu.
Application Number | 20170064994 14/845387 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58189148 |
Filed Date | 2017-03-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170064994 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Xu; Yongjie ; et
al. |
March 9, 2017 |
VAPORIZER LIQUID DISPENSER
Abstract
A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser is a liquid bottle
having first and second chambers therein. The first chamber
contains a liquid comprising a first, flavorized vaporizing liquid.
The second chamber contains a second, nicotine-containing
vaporizing liquid therein. The first and second chambers are
adjacent to each other. A user may operate the liquid bottle
between a first position where there is a liquid seal between the
chambers and a second, open position that includes an opening
between the chambers, thereby allowing the liquid to flow between
them.
Inventors: |
Xu; Yongjie; (Goochland,
VA) ; Phillips; Daniel Donovan Harlan; (Midlothian,
VA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Avail Vapor LLC |
Chester |
VA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
AVAIL VAPOR LLC
Chesterfield
VA
|
Family ID: |
58189148 |
Appl. No.: |
14/845387 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/08 20130101;
A24F 47/002 20130101; B65D 47/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A24F 47/00 20060101
A24F047/00; B65D 47/06 20060101 B65D047/06; B65D 25/08 20060101
B65D025/08 |
Claims
1. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser comprising: a
vaporizer liquid bottle having separate first and second chambers
therein; a door between the two chambers, wherein the door is
biased to a closed position but is operable by a user between open
and closed positions with the closed position having a liquid seal
between the two chambers and the open position having an opening
between the two chambers and allowing liquid flow between the two
chambers; wherein the first chamber contains a liquid comprising a
flavored vaporizing liquid and the second chamber contains a
nicotine-containing liquid having a predetermined concentration of
nicotine therein; and further wherein the first chamber is adjacent
to and in liquid communication with a reclosable dispensing spout
of the vaporizer liquid bottle; and further wherein the
predetermined concentration of nicotine in the second chamber is
greater than a concentration of nicotine, if any, in the flavored
vaporizing liquid in the first chamber.
2. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
1, wherein the vaporizer liquid bottle comprises a plurality of
second chambers, each second chamber containing a liquid having a
predetermined nicotine concentration therein that is greater than
the concentration of nicotine, if any, in the flavored vaporizing
liquid in the first chamber.
3. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
1, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises a concentration
of nicotine.
4. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
1, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises substantially
no nicotine.
5. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
2, wherein the mixture of flavored vaporizing liquid and nicotine
liquid in the vaporizer liquid bottle, depending on whether any or
how many doors are open between the first and second chambers,
ranges in nicotine content from about 0 to 5% nicotine.
6. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser comprising: a
vaporizer liquid bottle having separate first and second chambers
therein; a door between the two chambers, wherein the door is
biased to a closed position but is operable by a user between open
and closed positions with the closed position having a liquid seal
between the two chambers and the open position having an opening
between the two chambers and allowing liquid flow between the two
chambers; wherein the first chamber contains a first liquid
comprising a flavored vaporizing liquid and the second chamber
contains a second liquid having a predetermined and different
concentration of flavoring therein; and further wherein the first
chamber is adjacent to and in liquid communication with a
reclosable dispensing spout of the vaporizer liquid bottle; and
further wherein the predetermined concentration of flavor in the
second chamber is greater than a concentration of flavor in the
first liquid in the first chamber.
7. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
6, wherein the vaporizer liquid bottle comprises a plurality of
second chambers, each second chamber containing a liquid having a
predetermined flavoring concentration therein that is greater than
the concentration of flavoring in the first liquid in the first
chamber.
8. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
6, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises a concentration
of nicotine.
9. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
6, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises substantially
no nicotine.
10. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
6, wherein the first and second liquids have different
concentrations of the same flavor.
11. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
6, wherein the first and second liquids have different
concentrations of different flavors.
12. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser comprising: a
vaporizer liquid bottle having separate first and second chambers
therein; a valve between the two chambers, wherein the valve is
biased to a closed position but is operable by a user between open
and closed positions with the closed position having a liquid seal
between the two chambers and the open position having an opening
between the two chambers and allowing liquid flow between the two
chambers; wherein the first chamber contains a liquid comprising a
flavored vaporizing liquid and the second chamber contains a
nicotine-containing liquid having a predetermined concentration of
nicotine therein; and further wherein the first chamber is adjacent
to and in liquid communication with a reclosable dispensing spout
of the vaporizer liquid bottle; and further wherein the
predetermined concentration of nicotine in the second chamber is
greater than a concentration of nicotine, if any, in the flavored
vaporizing liquid in the first chamber.
13. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
12, wherein the vaporizer liquid bottle comprises a plurality of
second chambers, each second chamber containing a liquid having a
predetermined nicotine concentration therein that is greater than
the concentration of nicotine, in any, in the flavored vaporizing
liquid in the first chamber.
14. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
12, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises a
concentration of nicotine.
15. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
12, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises substantially
no nicotine.
16. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
12, wherein the mixture of flavored vaporizing liquid and nicotine
liquid in the vaporizer liquid bottle, depending on whether any or
how much nicotine liquid is mixed with the flavored liquid, ranges
in nicotine content from about 0 to 5% nicotine.
17. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser comprising: a
vaporizer liquid bottle having first and second chambers therein;
wherein the first chamber contains a liquid comprising a first,
flavorized vaporizing liquid and the second chamber contains a
second, nicotine-containing vaporizing liquid therein having a
predetermined concentration of nicotine therein; and further
wherein the first chamber is adjacent to and in liquid
communication with a reclosable dispensing spout of the vaporizer
liquid bottle; and further wherein the predetermined concentration
of nicotine in the second vaporizing liquid is greater than the
concentration of nicotine, if any, in the flavored vaporizing
liquid in the first chamber; and further wherein the first and
second chambers are operable by a user between a first position
where there is a liquid seal between the chambers and a second,
open position that includes an opening between the two chambers and
allowing liquid flow between them.
18. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
17, wherein the flavored vaporizing liquid comprises a
concentration of nicotine.
19. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
17, wherein the first and second liquids have different
concentrations of the same flavor.
20. A customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser as described in claim
17, wherein the first and second liquids have different
concentrations of the different flavors.
Description
[0001] The field of the invention is electronic vapor delivery
devices and, specifically, the dispensers that are used to refill
flavored liquid in the vapor delivery devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Electronic vapor forming devices are becoming more and more
widely used by persons who puff the flavored vapor. Also known in
one example as electronic cigarettes, these electronic vapor
devices deliver to a user and allow a user to inhale a flavored
vapor that is similar in some ways to a smoking experience. The
user draws air through the electronic cigarette or electronic vapor
device similar to a smoker drawing a puff of smoke from a
cigarette. The electronic vapor device is actuated to form a vapor
by heating a flavored vaporizer liquid.
[0003] A limiting factor in the use of electronic cigarettes or
other vaporizer liquid devices is the amount of liquid that the
device can hold. The more vaporizer liquid that can be stored in
the device, then the more vapor can be formed over time during the
use of the device. Disposable vaporizers such as e-cigarettes are
engineered and loaded for a limited number of puffs by a user.
However, there are other vaporizer devices that may be reloaded
with vaporizer liquids so that the device can be reused without the
limitation of an otherwise limited amount of vaporizer liquid being
available. In these devices, a vaporizer liquid dispenser bottle
may be carried by a user. When the device gets low on liquid, then
the user can simply refill the device with the liquid from the
dispenser bottle.
[0004] As the use of the vaporizers becomes larger, so also does
the demand for different flavors of vaporizer liquids. These
vaporizer liquids already include numerous different available
flavors. Also, depending on the specific preference of a user with
respect to the amount of nicotine that they prefer in a puff,
different concentrations of nicotine are also available in the
different flavors in the liquid refill dispensers. As a result,
vapor retailers can carry a large number of different liquid refill
dispensers to meet the flavor and nicotine demand and preferences
of the user customers.
SUMMARY
[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
overcome the foregoing drawbacks and provide a simple, liquid
dispenser that has a customizable concentration of flavorings
and/or nicotine.
[0006] In one example, a customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser
includes a vaporizer liquid bottle having separate first and second
chambers therein. A door is positioned between the two chambers,
wherein the door is biased to a closed position but is operable by
a user between open and closed positions with the closed position
having a liquid seal between the two chambers and the open position
having an opening between the two chambers and allowing liquid flow
between the two chambers. The first chamber contains a liquid
comprising a flavored vaporizing liquid. The second chamber
contains a nicotine-containing liquid having a predetermined
concentration of nicotine therein. The first chamber is adjacent to
and in liquid communication with a reclosable dispensing spout of
the vaporizer liquid bottle. The predetermined concentration of
nicotine in the second chamber is a greater than a concentration of
nicotine, if any, in the flavored vaporizing liquid in the first
chamber. In another example, the vaporizer liquid bottle may
include a plurality of second chambers. Each second chamber
contains a liquid having a predetermined liquid concentration
therein that is greater than the concentration of nicotine, if any,
in the flavored vaporizing liquid in the first chamber. The
flavored vaporizing liquid may comprise a concentration of
nicotine, or alternatively, may comprise substantially no nicotine.
The mixture of flavored vaporizing liquid and nicotine liquid in
the vaporizer liquid bottle may range in nicotine content from
about zero to five percent nicotine.
[0007] The second chamber may contain a different flavoring or a
more concentrated flavoring as compared with the flavored liquid in
the first chamber. The first and second liquids may be different
concentrations of the same flavor, or alternatively, different
concentrations of different flavors.
[0008] In another example, there is a valve between the first and
second chambers described herein.
[0009] In another example, a customizable vaporizer liquid
dispenser includes a vaporizer liquid bottle having first and
second chambers therein. The first chamber contains a liquid
comprising a first, flavorized vaporizing liquid, and the second
chamber contains a second, nicotine-containing vaporizing liquid
therein having a predetermined concentration of nicotine therein.
The first chamber is adjacent to and in liquid communication with a
reclosable dispensing spout of the vaporizer liquid bottle. The
predetermined concentration of nicotine in the second vaporizing
liquid is greater than the concentration of nicotine, if any, in
the flavored vaporizing liquid in the first chamber. The first and
second chambers are operable by a user between a first position
where there is a liquid seal between the chambers and a second,
open position that includes an opening between the two chambers and
allowing liquid flow between them.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a customizable vaporizer
liquid dispenser as described herein.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the dispenser shown
in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another example of a
customizable vaporizer liquid dispenser.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a third example of a customizable vaporizer liquid
dispenser.
[0014] FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective and top cross-sectional views
respectively of a still further example of a customizable vaporizer
liquid dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The dispenser described herein has multiple chambers within
it. The first chamber is the largest volume chamber, typically, and
it contains flavored liquid for use in a vaporizer. The dispenser
further includes one or more second chambers that also contain a
second liquid for use in a vaporizer. The second liquid, third or
fourth liquid or more depending on the number of chambers, is
available to a user in order to selectively mix that second liquid
with the liquid in the first chamber. The second liquid may include
predetermined amounts of nicotine. This amount of nicotine may be
about zero to five percent nicotine, or alternatively about one to
five percent. Alternatively, the second liquid may include
different flavorings or amounts of flavoring to use in modifying
the flavoring and/or amount of nicotine for use in a vaporizer.
[0016] The vaporizer liquid dispenser discussed herein is described
with reference to examples of a dispenser in the attached Figures.
Of course there are other shapes of the dispenser that are
possible. Also, the dispenser may be shown for example in multiple
sizes that contain multiple, alternative volumes of liquid
contained therein.
[0017] FIGS. 1 and 2 display a dispenser 10 that includes a top
portion 12 having a first chamber 14 therein. The dispenser 10
includes a top neck portion 16 that may have different types of
ends or spouts (not shown) for dispensing or dropping or spraying
the liquid out from the dispenser 10. The dispenser 10 also
includes a bottom portion 20 that is rotatably connected to the top
portion 12. Contained inside the cavity of the first chamber 14,
there is a second chamber 22 that contains liquid 25 therein. The
second chamber 22 includes a top stem 29 with a valve 27. That top
stem 29 is in open fluid communication with the second chamber 22
so that the fluid 25 therein may flow out through the valve 27 when
actuated.
[0018] The exploded view of the container 10 is shown in FIG. 2.
The top portion 12 of the dispenser is shown 12 the second chamber
22 fits within an opening 17 in the bottom of the top portion 12. A
second chamber cap 35 secures the second chamber 22 within the
cavity of the first chamber 14. Underneath the second chamber cap
35 is a screw rod 40 and screw cap 45. This screw cap 45 and screw
rod 40 are connected to the bottom portion 20 so that when that
bottom portion is rotated by a user, the screw rod rises or falls,
depending on the rotation, and pushes the plunger 24 upwardly,
thereby forcing any liquid in the second chamber 22 out of the
valve 27.
[0019] In operation, a user turns the bottom portion 20 in a
predetermined clockwise (or alternatively counterclockwise)
direction to move a plunger upwardly from the bottom of the second
chamber 22. This increases the pressure in the second chamber 22
and forces the second liquid 25 up through the stem 29 and out the
valve 27 into the inside of the first chamber 14. In this way, the
user can force as much or as little of the second liquid 25 into
the first chamber 14 where there is the first liquid 15.
[0020] FIG. 3 is an example of another type of liquid dispenser
that contains a customizable mixture therein. The dispenser 100
includes the first chamber 110 having a first liquid 112 therein.
The top neck portion 114 is attached to any suitable opening for
the dispenser bottle 100. A second chamber 120 contains a second
liquid 122 and is positioned inside and within the space of the
first chamber 110. There is a valve 125 at the top of the second
chamber 120. A plunger 130 having a seal ring 132 mounted around it
is positioned within the second chamber 122. A user may push the
tab 135 up along a slot 140 in the container 100. This moves the
plunger 130 upwardly and forces the liquid 122 through the valve
125 into the larger first chamber 110. In this example, the
dispenser 100 includes written indicia 150 that indicate various
concentrations of nicotine that is contained in the second liquid
122. This way, a user may move the tab 135 up as far as they care
to to inject a predetermined amount of nicotine into the larger
first chamber 110.
[0021] FIG. 4 is an example of yet another type of liquid dispenser
that contains a customizable mixture therein. The dispenser 160
includes the first chamber 161 having a first liquid 162 therein.
The top neck portion 164 is attached to any suitable opening for
the dispenser bottle 160. A second chamber 172 contains a plurality
of capsules 174 that contain a second liquid. The second chamber
172 is porous so that the first liquid 162 is able to flow around
the capsules 174. The second chamber 172 also includes a screw 176
that is in contact with the bottom of the capsules 174. By turning
the bottom portion 170 in a rotational direction, the screw 176 is
threaded to press up against and bear against the capsules 174. In
operation, the screw 176 will burst one or more of the capsules 174
that contain the second liquid therein. Each of the capsules 174
contains a predetermined amount of nicotine and/or flavoring
concentrate in order to increase the amount of nicotine or
flavoring in the first liquid 162 when it is released from the
capsules 174. This way, a user may twist the bottom portion 170 as
much as desired to burst and release the liquid from however many
capsules 174 as desired. In this way, the user can customize the
amount of nicotine and/or flavoring that is found in the first
liquid 162.
[0022] FIGS. 5 and 6 are an example of a still further type of
liquid dispenser that contains a customizable mixture therein. The
dispenser 180 includes the first chamber 181 having a first liquid
182 therein. The top neck portion 184 is attached to any suitable
opening for the dispenser bottle 180. Capsules 192 contain a second
liquid and are fixed onto the inside of the first chamber 181 on
the floor 184 of that chamber. Each of the capsules 192 contains a
concentrated amount of nicotine and/or flavoring. Mounted in the
floor 184 is a blade 194. A bottom portion 190 is rotatable around
the bottle. By rotating the bottom portion 190, the user likewise
rotates the blade 194 that is attached to the bottom portion. This
way, a user can press the blade 194 into one or more of the
capsules 192 in order to burst that capsule and release the
concentrated liquid into the mixture inside the first chamber 181.
Inevitably there are product design issues including sealing issues
with this movable blade and capsule design. Careful gaskets and
sealing rings are necessary to maintain a reliable sealed
system.
[0023] The bottle described herein can have multiple sizes and
shapes. Those sizes/volumes of the bottle may correspond to a
predetermined number of puffs in a liquid bottle. For instance, the
approximate predetermined number of puffs may correspond to the
approximate number of puffs in a carton of cigarettes.
Alternatively, the number of puffs may be estimated to correspond
to a certain amount of time of usage by a user, for instance a
number of puffs to last a week or a month. At present, one size of
dispenser bottle is 30 ml. Alternatively, the dispenser bottle
could be about 10 to 120 ml in size. These volumes are describing
the volume in the larger first chamber in the dispenser bottle.
[0024] The material that a dispenser bottle is made from is also
variable. If it is intended that the bottle is a flexible squeeze
bottle, then the material is a soft plastic. Alternatively, the
bottle may be rigid where the liquid is simply poured out thereof.
The bottle material may be opaque. Alternatively, the bottle
material may be clear or translucent so that a user can observe the
amount of liquid in the larger first chamber in the bottle. If the
bottle is clear, then the user can also see the amount of liquid
contained in the second chamber inside the larger chamber. The
plastic material of the bottle must be relatively impermeable to
protect from evaporation of the liquid out from the bottle. The
impermeability should also prevent the ingress of oxygen or other
air components that may spoil the flavored liquid inside.
Importantly, the plastic must be able to contain the nicotine that
is stored therein to keep it from migrating or otherwise escaping
from the bottle. Suitable plastics include polyethylene,
polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyester or coextrusions or
laminates thereof.
[0025] The additive reservoir or smaller second chamber is sized to
hold an amount of concentrated liquid depending on industry
preferences and vaporizer use by a user. Typically, the second
chamber size for a 30 ml bottle is about 10 ml. The size of the
smaller second chamber may range from 1 to 10, or alternatively
about 3 to 33 percent of the volume of the larger first chamber.
The material that forms the second chamber must include significant
barrier properties to seal and store the more concentrated nicotine
therein. Preferably, the second chamber is made of a rigid material
that allows for clean compression and flow of liquid out therefrom
at the demand of the user.
[0026] The second chamber has a door or valve that seals and
secures liquid within the second chamber. The door can be a simple
door or flap that is either opened or closed. This would release
all of the reservoir liquid into the larger chamber or, when
closed, keep it sealed in the smaller second chamber. A valve,
especially a one way valve, allows for more precise extrusion of
the second liquid into the first chamber.
[0027] The actuating mechanism that is operated by a user to inject
a concentrated liquid from the second chamber into the larger first
chamber can be indexed with visual indicia to inform a user of the
volume or amount of concentrated liquid injected into the larger
chamber. For instance, a user may have a preference for an amount
of nicotine in a liquid. The user may prefer certain nicotine
amounts or concentrations. Alternatively, a user can be slowly
declining their use of nicotine and may desire to decrease the
amount of nicotine that they use over time. This user may use
different bottles that a user has previously mixed or injected with
less concentrate from bottle to bottle. The indicia or visual index
on the second chamber allows for and enables the careful control of
the amount of nicotine that is dispensed. The indicia may be the
amount of nicotine in the concentrate, or alternatively may reflect
the amount of nicotine in the resulting liquid after it is mixed
with the concentrate.
[0028] As identified earlier, the nicotine concentration in a
second chamber within the dispenser can range from about zero to
five percent. Practically speaking, this nicotine concentration can
be greater, but there must be strict safety features incorporated
in the dispenser bottle if a higher concentration of nicotine was
placed in the second chamber. There is an opportunity for abuse if
the nicotine concentration becomes too large. Accordingly, it is
believed that the high end of concentration around five percent is
appropriate for most, foreseeable retailer consumer
application.
[0029] In addition to being able to vary the amount of nicotine in
the flavored liquid of the first chamber, a user can also deploy
different concentrations of flavorings that are contained within
the second chamber.
[0030] As especially shown in FIG. 3, there is a single second
chamber that is positioned in the first chamber. In alternative
embodiments, two or more of the second chambers may be positioned
in the first chamber. These second chambers may contain
concentrated amounts of nicotine. They may contain concentrated
amounts of flavorings that could be the same as or, alternately,
different from the flavoring that is already contained in the first
chamber. A user may deploy the two or more second chambers to
formulate their own special mixture that they prefer.
[0031] In each of the examples described herein, there is a first
chamber and one or more second chambers. There are differences
between a liquid contained in the first chamber and the liquid
contained in one or more second chambers. This difference is
typically the concentration of a nicotine-containing vaporizing
liquid or, alternatively, the concentration or flavor of a
flavorized vaporizing liquid. Importantly, these first and one or
more second chambers define a first position where there is a
liquid seal between the chambers. That is, the liquids contained in
the respective chambers are not able to intermix with each other.
However, in each dispenser described herein, there is also a
second, open position that includes an opening between the first
chamber and one or more of the second chambers. In this second,
open position, the access and circulation of the various liquids is
enabled by multiple means described herein. These include a valve,
a door, a puncturable capsule, or any other design which allows the
user to selectively mix the liquids in the first and one or more
second chambers.
[0032] Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent
to those skilled in the art from consideration of the
specification. It is intended that the specification and Figures be
considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the
invention being indicated by the following claims.
* * * * *