U.S. patent application number 16/910805 was filed with the patent office on 2021-12-30 for vaporization device using frustal porous vaporization media.
The applicant listed for this patent is Vuber Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to David Crowe.
Application Number | 20210401052 16/910805 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004958999 |
Filed Date | 2021-12-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210401052 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crowe; David |
December 30, 2021 |
VAPORIZATION DEVICE USING FRUSTAL POROUS VAPORIZATION MEDIA
Abstract
The present invention is directed towards a vaporization device
that uses a vaporization media, The vaporization media used is an
inherently non-porous solid having a plurality of frustal voids
that are specially formed to provide improved capillary action and
vaporization properties of high vaporization rate, tolerance to
wide gamut of Extract types and viscosities, dramatic reduction in
non-Extract media-emitted inhalable particulate or vapor, as well
as collateral benefits such as fluid containment sealing, and
manufacturability that are presently impossible with traditional
vaporization media.
Inventors: |
Crowe; David; (Lake Forest
Park, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Vuber Technologies, LLC |
Seattle |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004958999 |
Appl. No.: |
16/910805 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24F 40/42 20200101;
A24F 40/10 20200101; A24F 40/485 20200101; A24F 40/46 20200101 |
International
Class: |
A24F 40/485 20060101
A24F040/485; A24F 40/10 20060101 A24F040/10; A24F 40/42 20060101
A24F040/42; A24F 40/46 20060101 A24F040/46 |
Claims
1. A vaporization media (104) comprising: a media wall (106)
comprising a liquid face (112) that is adjacent to and in fluid
communication with an Extract reservoir (102), a vapor face (114)
that is adjacent to and in fluid communication with a vaporization
chamber (110), and a thickness (120); and a pore (108) that
perforates the media wall (106), wherein the pore (108) is
approximately frustum-shaped, having an inlet (116) located on the
liquid face (112), an outlet (118) located on the vapor face (114),
and a height equal to the thickness (120) of the media wall
(106).
2. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the pore (108)
is a truncated cone having the inlet (116) with a diameter ranging
from 0.3-0.7 mm, and the outlet (118) with a diameter ranging from
0.1-0.5 mm.
3. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the pore (108)
is pyramidal shaped.
4. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the pore (108)
is prismatic shaped.
5. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the inlet (116)
of the pore (108) has an area of 0.07-0.38 mm2 and the outlet (118)
of the pore (108) has an area of 0.008-0.2 mm2.
6. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the media wall
(106) forms a cylinder, and the pore (108) is arranged
substantially normal to the surface of the cylinder.
7. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the media wall
(106) is a substantially nonporous material.
8. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the media wall
(106) is a ceramic material.
9. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the thickness
(120) of the media wall (106) is uniform or non-uniform.
10. The vaporization media (104) of claim 1, wherein the inlet
(116) of the pore (108) is large enough to allow liquid Extract to
flow into the pore (108), while the outlet (118) of the pore (108)
is small enough to cause surface tension to prevent liquid Extract
from flowing past the vapor face (114), and into the vaporization
chamber (110) of an atomizer core (100) resulting in seepage or
leakage of the Extract.
11. The vaporization media (104) of claim 10, wherein the liquid
Extract flows into the pore (108) through the inlet (116) due to
capillary action.
12. An atomizer core (100) for a vaporizer comprising: a
vaporization media (104) comprising a media wall (106) disposed
between an extract reservoir (102) and a vaporization chamber
(110), wherein the media wall (106) is perforated with a plurality
of frustum-shaped pores (108), and wherein the media wall (106)
comprises a liquid face (112) that is adjacent to and in fluid
communication with an the extract reservoir (102), a vapor face
(114) that is adjacent to and in fluid communication with the
vaporization chamber (110), and a thickness (120), the extract
reservoir (102) and the vaporization chamber (110) being in fluid
communication via the frustum-shaped pores (108), and a resistance
heater (202) disposed proximal to the media wall (106) and adapted
to heat the media wall (106) for vaporizing extract content filled
in the extract reservoir (102), wherein the resistance heater (202)
is formed of a metallic resistive element that is encapsulated in
an electrically insulative material and is located within the
vaporization chamber (110) and transfer heat to the atomizer core
(100) via thermal radiation.
13. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein the frustum shaped
pores are shaped as truncated cones having an inlet (116) with a
diameter of 0.3-0.7 mm and an outlet (118) with diameter of 0.1-0.5
mm.
14. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein the resistance
heater (202) is a resistive element encapsulated in a ceramic
material.
15. The atomizer core (100) of claim 14, wherein the resistance
heater (202) is in direct contact with the vaporization media (104)
and capable of transferring heat to the vaporization media (104)
through conduction.
16. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein the resistance
heater (202) is capable of transferring heat to the vaporization
media (104) via the thermal radiation.
17. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein the frustum shaped
pores are pyramidal shaped or prismatic shaped.
18. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein the media wall
(106) is a substantially nonporous material.
19. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein the media wall
(106) forms a cylinder, and the plurality of frustum-shaped pores
(108) are arranged substantially normal to the surface of the
cylinder.
20. The atomizer core (100) of claim 12, wherein each pore (108)
perforates the media wall (106), wherein each pore (108) is
approximately frustum-shaped, having an inlet (116) located on the
liquid face (112), an outlet (118) located on the vapor face (114),
and a height equal to the thickness (120) of the media wall (106),
and wherein the inlet (116) of each pore (108) has an area of
0.07-0.38 mm.sup.2 and the outlet (118) of the pore (108) has an
area of 0.008-0.2 mm.sup.2.
21. The atomizer core (100) of claim 20, wherein the inlet (116) of
the pore (108) is large enough to allow liquid extract to flow into
the pore (108), while the outlet (118) of the pore (108) is small
enough to cause surface tension to prevent liquid extract from
flowing past the vapor face (114), and into the vaporization
chamber (110) of an atomizer core (100) resulting in seepage or
leakage of the extract.
22. The atomizer core (100) of claim 21, wherein the liquid extract
flows into the pore (108) through the inlet (116) due to capillary
action.
Description
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] The present invention relates to devices and methods for
vaporization of liquids and solids, and more particularly to a
vaporizer and vaporization media having a plurality of frustal
voids to provide improved capillary action during vaporization.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Tobacco and cannabis have long been used recreationally and
medicinally, with smoking being the traditional and prevalent means
for consumption. A variety of other means for consumption currently
exist, while new consumption means are continually being
developed.
[0003] Vaporization has gained prevalence as a means for
consumption. Vaporization differs from smoking in that the cannabis
or tobacco, extracts thereof, or cannabinoid concentrates are
merely heated to the point of vaporization, rather than combusted.
Vaporization ideally produces just inhalable vapor without smoke.
Vaporization differs from smoking in that the Extract is heated to
a temperature high enough to volatilize the medicament into vapor
but low enough to avoid combustion. Combustion products and
byproducts, such as smoke and NO.sub.N, may be undesirable for
consumption for a variety of reasons, including health effects and
flavor preference. Vaporization optimally produces no smoke and the
vapor will exhibit a complete absence of any associated burnt
flavor.
[0004] Virtually all commercially available vaporizers operate by
heating the Extract with a miniature resistive heating element or
coil to the point of vaporization, which is typically between
400-700.degree. F. When the Extract is directly exposed to surfaces
that are hot enough to vaporize, it has a strong tendency to
migrate away from the hot surface. Thus, the vaporization process
is virtually always mediated by a media having wicking properties
that will cause the Extract to flow into and remain in proximity of
a heating element. As the Extract is converted to vapor in the
media, the wicking properties cause the vaporized Extract to be
replaced with liquid Extract.
[0005] Prior art media often used to prevent migration of the
Extract away from the heating element is a random matrix micro
porous media, such as for example cotton, fiberglass, ceramic, or
fritted glass. The wicking property, or sorptivity, of such media
is a result of the shared property of microscopic porosity, which
causes capillary action in the Extract. Capillary action is the
ability of a liquid to flow into narrow spaces as a result of
surface tension and adhesive forces between the liquid and the
container, and therefore requires small voids/pores within the
media. In available media listed above, the small voids are
inherent properties of the media materials, and void size and
geometry is largely dictated by the specifics of the material
choice. For example, porous materials such as kitchen sponges vary
in the void size and geometry, but the essential geometric shapes
and size ranges are limited by the material itself. Specialized
void geometries and sizes are not possible with random matrix
media.
[0006] Void size and geometry is also linked to specific capillary
action behavior, such as flow rate and susceptibility to leaking.
Because the pores/voids in the random matrix media are inherently
random, thus specific capillary action can be difficult to control
precisely. Furthermore, certain random pore geometries present in
the random matrix media are undesirable for vaporization for a
variety of reasons including reclaim accretion, loss or flaking of
random matrix media and subsequent inhalation of resulted vapor,
uncontrolled variation in batches and other quality control issues,
as well as other various inherent limitations to the types and
viscosities of the Extract that will operate with a given type of
media.
[0007] Additionally, the random matrix micro porous media generally
has sorptivity that is approximately isotropic, and any fluid
contained within the media is transported in all directions
similarly. In most cases, the media is constantly supplied with the
Extract from a reservoir, and thus, in typical operation, the media
in a typical vaporizer is fully saturated. Similar to a saturated
sponge, fully saturated random matrix media is susceptible to
Extract seepage or leakage.
[0008] Furthermore, traditional random matrix media generally lacks
strong material integrity and can easily be crushed or otherwise
deformed and is therefore unsuitable for certain manufacturing
methods and design elements that would rather benefit from a
vaporizer media that has improved strength properties.
Specifically, improved strength can allow for a seal to be placed
into the element, whereas the seal would destroy traditional,
more-brittle, random-matrix ceramic elements.
[0009] It is also desirable for a vaporizer or a vaporization
process to produce pure vaporized Extract that is free of
non-Extract, collateral inhalant material, which in most cases is
present as collateral vaporized heating element or media material,
or as shed particulate media, such as microscopic ceramic shards.
There is significant demand for vaporizers that produce vapor that
is free from such collateral inhalants.
SUMMARY
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to eliminate or at
least ameliorate the disadvantages associated with use of random
matrix micro porous media in vaporizers.
[0011] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
vaporization media that includes a plurality of voids with size and
geometry that's better suited to the vaporization process.
[0012] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
vaporization media that is impermeable in selected directions while
the capillary action in the Extract is taking place to facilitate
sealing and reducing or eliminating leakage of the Extract during
vaporization.
[0013] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
vaporizer media that has improved strength properties compared to
traditional random matrix micro porous media (such as sponge,
cotton, fiberglass, ceramic, or fritted glass).
[0014] The present invention is directed towards a vaporization
device that uses a vaporization media. The vaporization media used
is an inherently non-porous solid having a plurality of frustal
voids that are specially formed to provide improved capillary
action and vaporization properties of high vaporization rate,
tolerance to wide gamut of Extract types and viscosities, dramatic
reduction in non-Extract media-emitted inhalable particulate or
vapor, as well as collateral benefits such as fluid containment
sealing, and manufacturability that are presently impossible with
current media.
[0015] Embodiments of the present invention disclose a vaporization
media. The vaporization media includes a media wall having a liquid
face that is adjacent to and in fluid communication with an Extract
reservoir, a vapor face that is adjacent to and in fluid
communication with a vaporization chamber, and a thickness; and a
pore that perforates the media wall, wherein the pore is
approximately frustum-shaped, having an inlet located on the liquid
face, an outlet located on the vapor face, and a height equal to
the thickness of the media wall.
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention disclose an atomizer
core for a vaporizer. The atomizer core includes a vaporization
media having a media wall disposed between an Extract reservoir and
a vaporization chamber, wherein the media wall is perforated with a
plurality of frustum-shaped pores, wherein the Extract reservoir
and the vaporization chamber being in fluid communication via the
frustum-shaped pores, and a resistance heater disposed proximal to
the media wall and adapted to heat the media wall for vaporizing
Extract content filled in the Extract reservoir.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0017] The following detailed description, given by way of example
and not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, will best
be appreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0018] FIG. 1 shows an isometric perspective view and a
corresponding section view taken along A-A of an atomizer core,
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a side view and a corresponding section view
taken along A-A' of the atomizer core.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a side view, a section view taken along A'-A',
and a detailed enlarged section view B taken from the section view
of an atomizer assembly of a vaporizer, according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a front view, two side views, and an isometric
view of approximate frustal pores present in the proposed
vaporization media.
DEFINITIONS
[0022] Extract: Liquid vaporizable medicament, especially in
relation to cannabis, tobacco, or synthetic variants thereof.
[0023] Frustal: of or related to frusta.
[0024] Vaporize: to produce vapor from a liquid or solid.
[0025] Vaporizer: Device used to vaporize.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] In the summary above and in this detailed description, and
the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is
made to particular features of the invention. It is to be
understood that the disclosure of the invention in this
specification includes all possible combinations of such particular
features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in
the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention,
or a particular claim, that feature can also be used--to the extent
possible--in combination with and/or in the context of other
particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the
invention generally.
[0027] The term "comprises" and grammatical equivalents thereof are
used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc.
are optionally present. For example, an article "comprising" (or
"which comprises") components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e.,
contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only
components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other
components.
[0028] Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or
more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any
order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that
possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps
which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two
of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where
the context excludes that possibility).
[0029] The term "at least" followed by a number is used herein to
denote the start of a range including that number (which may be a
range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the
variable being defined). For example, "at least 1" means 1 or more
than 1. The term "at most" followed by a number is used herein to
denote the end of a range, including that number (which may be a
range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower
limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, "at
most 4" means 4 or less than 4, and "at most 40%" means 40% or less
than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as "(a
first number) to (a second number)" or "(a first number)-(a second
number)," this means a range whose limits include both numbers. For
example, "25 to 100" means a range whose lower limit is 25 and
upper limit is 100, and includes both 25 and 100. Further in the
context of the present disclosure, the terms "media,", "material,"
and so on are all interchangeably used. Further, the terms
"vaporization media,", "vaporizer media," and so on are all
interchangeably used in this disclosure.
[0030] The present invention discloses a device that vaporizes
Extract, commonly referred as vaporizer. The vaporizer consists of
an atomizer. The atomizer further includes an atomizer core where
the Extract and vaporization media are disposed. During operation,
the extract is heated to vaporize and the vaporized Extract passes
through the vaporization media to reach the vaporization chamber
and then expelled through a mouthpiece of the atomizer for
inhalation by a user of the vaporizer. The embodiments of the
present invention related to the proposed vaporizer, atomizer
assembly, and atomization media will now be discussed in detail
with respect to FIGS. 1-4.
[0031] FIG. 1 shows an isometric perspective view and a
corresponding section view taken along A-A of an atomizer core 100,
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a side view and a corresponding section view
taken along A-A' of the atomizer core 100. As seen, the atomizer
core 100 includes an Extract reservoir 102 configured in fluid
communication with a vaporization media 104. The Extract reservoir
102 is configured for holding the Extract which undergoes
vaporization process. The vaporization media 104 comprises a media
wall 106. The media wall 106 is perforated with a plurality of
pores 108. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the media
wall 106 is a substantially nonporous material, such as quartz,
metal, or certain nonporous ceramics. Porous material that is
treated to reduce sorptivity, such as ceramic glaze or vapor
deposition methods, may also be suitable. Porous material is less
desirable due to factors such as reclaim accretion discussed supra.
The pores 108 act as a medium for transportation of the Extract
from the Extract reservoir 102 toward a vaporization chamber 110 of
the atomizer core 100. The media wall 106 is solid and generally
forms a barrier separating the Extract reservoir 102 and the
vaporization chamber 110, although the barrier is permeable in
nature due to the presence of the pores 108 perforated into the
media wall 106. Pores 108 excepted, the media wall 106 should be
substantially nonporous. In other words, the material of the media
wall 106 should have negligible sorptivity. The media wall 106 has
a liquid face 112 adjacent to the Extract reservoir 102 and a vapor
face 114 adjacent to the vaporization chamber 110. The other face
or faces of the frustrum are the conduit faces 122.
[0033] In the preferred embodiment, each of the pores 108
perforated into the media wall 106 are frustum-shaped or
approximate frustum shaped voids in the media wall 106. In the
preferred embodiment, the frustum is approximately the shape of a
truncated cone, while in alternative embodiments, the frustum may
be a pyramidal frustum or a prismatic solid, such as a cylinder or
a prismatic polygon. In general, the pores are macroscopic in
nature and detectable with the unaided human eye. In the
embodiment, the conically shaped frustum pore 108 contains an inlet
116 present on the liquid face 112 of the media wall 106. The inlet
116 may have a diameter ranging from 0.3-0.7 mm. The conically
shaped frustum pore further contains an outlet 118 present on the
vapor face 114 of the media wall 106. The outlet 118 may have a
diameter ranging from 0.1-0.5 mm. For the frustum of other
geometrically shaped perforations/pores which have non-circular
cross section as discussed above, the inlets may have an area of
0.07-0.38 mm.sup.2 and outlets may have area of 0.008-0.2 mm.sup.2.
The pore's geometry has a significant effect on fluid flow through
the pore. The fluid flow is higher through the pores if the pores
have larger diameter and the media thickness 120 is smaller.
[0034] In operation, due to surface tension and the closely related
phenomenon of capillary action, the liquid Extract tends to flow
into and completely fill the pores 108, while preventing liquid
Extract from flowing past the vapor face 114 and into the
vaporization chamber 110, tending to keep intact any Extract
contained within the Extract reservoir 102 and the vaporization
media 104. Capillary action tends to increase as liquid viscosity
decreases.
[0035] In the preferred embodiment, the vaporization media 104 is
arranged cylindrically, such that the pores 108 are arranged in
relation to a central axis. In alternative embodiments, the
vaporization media 104 and pores 108 may be arranged in a flat, or
planar configuration, or any other suitable geometry. The
embodiment of the atomizer core 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a
uniform wall thickness 120 and a plurality of substantially
identical pores 108. In alternative embodiments, the wall thickness
120 may be non-uniform, and the pore geometry may vary between
pores. For example, some pores 108 may be shaped as conical frusta
and some other pores 108 may have pyramidal frusta. Approximate
frusta, having minor distortions to the general frustum shape may
also be acceptable. For example, additive manufacture often induces
slight distortions to the geometries, such as gentle curvature of
the conical axes of the frusta. Such imperfections do not affect
the function of the proposed vaporization media design. The key
properties of the frusta are that the inlet 116 on the liquid face
112 of the media wall 106 is large enough to allow liquid extract
to flow into the pore 108, while the outlet 118 on the vapor face
114 is small enough to cause surface tension to prevent liquid
Extract from flowing through, past the vapor face 114, and into the
vaporization chamber 110 and resulting in seepage or leakage.
Finally, the outlet 118 must be large enough to freely emit
vaporized Extract into the vaporization chamber 110.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows a side view, a section view taken along A'-A',
and a detailed enlarged section view B taken from the section view
of an atomizer assembly of a vaporizer, according to an embodiment
of the present invention. The detailed enlarged section view B
represents the atomizer core 100 discussed in FIG. 2 above. As
seen, the atomizer assembly 200, when combined with a battery (not
seen), forms a vaporizer (not seen). The atomizer assembly 200 will
function to vaporize the Extract when an electrical current is
supplied to an ohmic resistance heater 202. The function of the
heater 202 is to heat the vaporization media 104 to a temperature
above the vaporization temperature of the Extract, approximately
400 F, preferably in between 400-700.degree. F. In the embodiment,
heat generated by the heater 202 is transferred into the
vaporization media 104 via conduction. Due to the relatively small
scale of the device, heat energy is efficiently transferred
throughout the volume of the vaporization media 104 and transferred
preferentially to the Extract contained within the frustal pores
108. In the preferred embodiment, the conical pore geometry
preferentially heats Extract disposed toward the outlet 118, which
may be desirable. When sufficient heat energy is transferred to the
Extract present within the pores 108, the Extract will begin to
vaporize and to be expelled through the outlet 118 on the vapor
face 114 and into the vaporization chamber 110. The vaporization
chamber 110 serves to contain and or collect vapor prior to
consumption by a user. In an embodiment, the vaporization chamber
110 is in fluid communication with a mouthpiece 204 and a vent 206.
Application of negative pressure to the mouthpiece 204 will
transport vaporized extract to the environment for consumption. As
vaporized Extract is expelled through the outlet 118, capillary
forces cause the liquid Extract to continuously flow into the pores
108 and replace vaporized Extract.
[0037] The pores 108 are specially adapted to conduct the transport
of the Extract to the vapor face 114. Conduit faces 122 of the
pores 108 are substantially nonporous. Furthermore, the preferred
materials for the vaporization media 104 have dramatically improved
structural properties over traditional vaporization media of prior
art, such as porous ceramic or fritted glass. Therefore, the
atomizer core 100 is able to be a stressed component within the
atomizer assembly 200, and furthermore is suitable for
manufacturing processes such as press-fitting due to the improved
mechanical properties.
[0038] The heater 202 is shown as a washer-shaped (rectangular
toroid) element, formed of a metallic resistive element that is
encapsulated in an electrically insulative material, such as
ceramic. In alternative embodiments, the heater 202 may be any
resistive heating element capable of heating the atomizer core 100
to above the Extract vaporization temperature. In an embodiment,
the heater 202 may be located within the vaporization chamber 110
and transfer heat to the atomizer core 100 via radiation. In
alternative embodiments, the heater 202 may be a resistor that is
embedded within the atomizer core 100 itself. In the preferred
embodiment, the heater 202 has a resistance of less than 1 Ohm. A
heater 202 is preferably located proximal to the atomizer core 100
if the heater 202 is capable of heating the atomizer core 100 to a
temperature higher than the vaporization temperature of
Extract.
[0039] In the preferred embodiment, collateral vaporization is
minimized by encapsulating the resistive heating element 202 in a
material such as ceramic. Similarly, materials and coatings that
resist collateral vaporization, such as nonporous ceramic, are
preferable in order to mitigate or eliminate off-gassing during
operation.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a front view, two side views, and an isometric
view of approximate frustal pores present in the proposed
vaporization media 104. The frustal pores 108 need not be
geometrically exact frusta. For example, geometrically exact frusta
would have planar faces 300, while an approximate frusta may have a
face that includes slight curvature such as curvature 302.
Similarly, geometrically exact frusta have parallel faces that are
geometrically similar, while an approximate frusta may have faces
that are not either geometrically similar or exactly parallel. For
example, approximate frustum 304 deviates from an exact frustum
because of following reasons: 1) the face 306 of the approximate
frustum 304 is not a plane, but rather it is a slight curve due to
the curved face 302, 2) the face 306 of the approximate frustum 304
is only approximately parallel to the face 308 rather than exactly
parallel, and 3) the faces 306 and 308 are not geometrically
similar, though the shapes are approximately similar. Frustal pores
108 will have a pore height equal to the media thickness 120.
[0041] In the preferred embodiment, the atomizer core 100 is
comprised of non-porous ceramic that is fabricated via additive
manufacture. A non-exhaustive list of various factors that affect
material choice for the nonporous solid media wall 106 would
include thermal conductivity, melting temperature, intrinsic
material porosity, suitability for food-grade usage and
nontoxicity, additive manufacturability, subtractive
manufacturability, material strength, material toughness,
coatability, and price.
[0042] Additive manufacture is the preferred method of manufacture,
and suitable materials include ceramic, iron, titanium, and quartz.
Subtractive manufacturing methods including laser boring, stylus
EDM, and traditional machining may be viable, and suitable
materials include ceramic, glass, quartz, and metal. Materials that
exhibit porosity may be used if it is possible to treat porous
surfaces to cause them be nonporous, such as applying ceramic
coatings or other similar surface treatments. Any random or
anomalous porosity will tend to introduce the undesirable
properties present in the prior art. Therefore, some low degree of
random or anomalous porosity can be tolerated, but is not
preferable.
[0043] Further, in the preferred embodiment, the atomizer core 100
is a single integral part. In alternative embodiments, the atomizer
core 100 may be comprised of a plurality of discrete parts.
Similarly, in the preferred embodiment, the elongate frustal pores
108 are voids formed within a larger monolith. In alternative
embodiments, the frustal voids may reside between discrete mating
parts.
[0044] While preferred and alternate embodiments have been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not limited by
the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments.
Instead, the scope of the present invention is to be determined
entirely by reference to the claims. Insofar as the description
above and the accompanying drawings disclose any additional subject
matter that is not within the scope of the claims below, the
inventions are not dedicated to the public and Applicant hereby
reserves the right to file one or more applications to claim such
additional inventions.
[0045] The reader's attention is directed to all papers and
documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and
which are open to public inspection with this specification, and
the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated
herein by reference.
[0046] All the features disclosed in this specification (including
any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by
alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar
purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly
stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example of a
generic series of equivalent or similar features.
[0047] Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state "means
for" performing a specified function, or "step for" performing a
specific function is not to be interpreted as a "means" or "step"
clause as specified in 35. U.S.C. .sctn. 112 6. In particular, the
use of "step of" in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the
provisions of U.S.C. .sctn. 112 916.
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