Vapor delivery systems and methods

A vaporization device for delivering vaporized material for inhalation by a user, the vaporization device comprising:

• an air intake through which air enters the vaporization device during an inhalation event;
• an outlet through which vapor is withdrawn from the vaporization device during the inhalation event;
• a vaporization chamber for accommodating material to be vaporized;
• a mesh heater supported upstream of the vaporization chamber with respect to a flow of air through the device duration the inhalation event and operable to heat air which passes through the mesh heater during the inhalation event as the air moves from the air intake toward the outlet;
• a temperature sensor positioned downstream of the mesh heater with respect to the flow of air through the device duration the inhalation event and operable to sense a temperature of the air downstream of the mesh heater;
• a nozzle block for supporting the mesh heater upstream of the vaporization chamber, the nozzle block including a nozzle passage shaped to funnel the air passing through the mesh heater toward a central location;
• and
• a control system, the control system operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the mesh heater to provide a closed loop control scheme for controlling heat generated by the mesh heater to maintain a temperature of the air delivered to the vaporization chamber at or within a predetermined tolerance of a desired vaporization temperature for at least a majority of a duration of the inhalation event, and
• wherein the mesh heater is held offset from the nozzle block via one or more bosses such that, apart from the one or more bosses, a space is maintained between the mesh heater and the nozzle block to reduce conductive heat transfer from the mesh heater to the nozzle block during operation.

A vaporization device for delivering vaporized material for inhalation by a user, the vaporization device comprising:

• an air intake through which air enters the vaporization device during an inhalation event;
• an outlet through which vapor is withdrawn from the vaporization device during the inhalation event;
• a vaporization chamber for accommodating material to be vaporized;
• a mesh heater supported upstream of the vaporization chamber with respect to a flow of air through the device duration the inhalation event and operable to heat air which passes through the mesh heater during the inhalation event as the air moves from the air intake toward the outlet;
• a temperature sensor positioned downstream of the mesh heater with respect to the flow of air through the device duration the inhalation event and operable to sense a temperature of the air downstream of the mesh heater;
• and
• a control system, the control system operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the mesh heater to provide a closed loop control scheme for controlling heat generated by the mesh heater to maintain a temperature of the air delivered to the vaporization chamber at or within a predetermined tolerance of a desired vaporization temperature for at least a majority of a duration of the inhalation event,
• wherein the vaporization device comprises a vaporization head removably coupled to a base assembly, the base assembly including the mesh heater, the temperature sensor, the control system and a power source accommodated within a housing, and
• wherein the vaporization head includes a heat exchanger received within a removable mouthpiece, the vaporization chamber defined at least in part by the heat exchanger.

A vaporization device for delivering vaporized material for inhalation by a user, the vaporization device comprising:

• an air intake through which air enters the vaporization device during an inhalation event;
• an outlet through which vapor is withdrawn from the vaporization device during the inhalation event;
• a vaporization chamber for accommodating material to be vaporized;
• a mesh heater supported upstream of the vaporization chamber with respect to a flow of air through the device duration the inhalation event and operable to heat air which passes through the mesh heater during the inhalation event as the air moves from the air intake toward the outlet;
• a temperature sensor positioned downstream of the mesh heater with respect to the flow of air through the device duration the inhalation event and operable to sense a temperature of the air downstream of the mesh heater;
• a control system, the control system operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the mesh heater to provide a closed loop control scheme for controlling heat generated by the mesh heater to maintain a temperature of the air delivered to the vaporization chamber at or within a predetermined tolerance of a desired vaporization temperature for at least a majority of a duration of the inhalation event;
• and
• a vapor concentration detection arrangement operatively coupled to the control system to provide signals indicative of a concentration of vapor in an air-vapor mixture generated in the vaporization chamber from which to modify operation of the mesh heater.