# US 10,765,821 B2 · Vaporizer for vaporizing a constituent of a plant material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,765,821 B2 - Document ID: US10765821B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/559,308 - Filed: 2016-03-17 - Published: 2018-04-26 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-19 - Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC - Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC - Inventors: Yossef Raichman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765821B2 ## CPC - A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes - A24D 1/20: Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices - A24F 40/51: Arrangement of sensors - A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection - A61K 9/007: {Pulmonary tract; Aromatherapy} - A61K 36/3482: {Cannabis} - A61M 11/042: {electrical} - A61M 15/0003: {with means for dispensing more than one drug} - A61M 15/003: {using capsules, e.g. to be perforated or broken-up} - A61M 15/0085: {using ultrasonics (spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06)} - G05D 23/1904: {variable in time} - A24F 40/20: Devices using solid inhalable precursors - A61M 15/0063: {Storages for pre-packed dosages} - A61M 2205/3313: used specific wavelengths - A61M 2205/3317: Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - G05D 23/1927: {using a plurality of sensors (G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence)} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A24D: CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract Apparatus and methods are described for use with a vaporizer that vaporizes at least one active ingredient of a material. In response to receiving a first input to the vaporizer, the material is heated, in a first heating step. An indication of the temperature of the material is detected, and, in response to detecting an indication that the temperature of the material is at a first temperature, the first heating step is terminated, by withholding causing further temperature increase of the material. The first temperature is less than 95 percent of the vaporization temperature of the active ingredient. Subsequently, a second input is received at the vaporizer. In response thereto, the material is heated to the vaporization temperature, in a second heating step. Other applications are also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vaporizer comprising: a plurality of capsules, each of the capsules configured to be placed at a vaporization location within the vaporizer, each of the capsules comprising a first mesh, a second mesh, a plant material, and a plurality of spacing elements, the plant material containing at least one active ingredient and disposed between the first mesh and the second mesh, the plurality of spacing elements disposed on the first mesh and the second mesh, the vaporizer shaped to define at least first and second receptacles, the first and second receptacles each being shaped to house the plurality of capsules in stacked configurations; a capsule transfer mechanism configured to individually transfer each of the capsules from the first receptacle to the vaporization location and from the vaporization location to the second receptacle; a temperature sensor configured to measure an indication of a temperature of the plant material without drawing heat from a capsule disposed at the vaporization location; and control circuitry configured to: vaporize the at least one active ingredient of the plant material by heating the plant material, while the capsule is disposed at the vaporization location, and control the heating of the plant material, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the plant material comprises tobacco. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the plant material comprises cannabis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising a phase-change material that is coupled to each of the capsules, the phase-change material being configured to undergo a phase change at a temperature that is below a pyrolysis temperature of the plant material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises an optical temperature sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises an infrared temperature sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: detect that a user is inhaling from the vaporizer, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor, and control heating of the plant material, in response thereto. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: receive a first input; in response to receiving the first input, heat the plant material at a first heating rate in a first heating step; in response to receiving, from the temperature sensor, an indication that the temperature of the plant material is at a first temperature, terminate the first heating step, by withholding causing further temperature increase of the plant material, the first temperature being less than 95 percent of a vaporization temperature of the active ingredient; subsequently, receive a second input at the vaporizer; and in response to receiving the second input, heat the plant material to the vaporization temperature of the active ingredient at a second heating rate that is less than the first heating rate in a second heating step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: determine a rate of airflow through the capsule, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor, and control heating of the plant material responsively to the determined airflow. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vaporizer according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the rate of airflow through the capsule by detecting an indication of an amount of energy required to maintain the temperature of the plant material constant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vaporizer according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, in response to receiving an indication that no air has been inhaled from the vaporizer for a given time period, to reduce the temperature of the plant material to below a vaporization temperature of the active ingredient of the plant material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to heat the plant material by heating at least one of the first and second meshes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vaporizer according to claim 12, wherein each of the capsules is configured to be placed at the vaporization location such that planes defined by the first and second meshes are perpendicular to a direction of an air-flow through the vaporizer at the vaporization location. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vaporizer according to claim 12, wherein the vaporizer further comprises at least one electrode configured to contact the at least one of the first and second meshes while the capsule is disposed at the vaporization location, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to heat the at least one of the first and second meshes via resistive heating, by driving a current into the at least one of the first and second meshes via the at least one electrode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vaporizer according to claim 12, wherein the vaporizer further comprises a heating element housed inside the vaporizer in proximity to the vaporization location, and the control circuitry is configured to heat the at least one of the first and second meshes via conduction heating, by heating the heating element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The vaporizer according to claim 12, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure the indication of the temperature of the plant material by detecting an electrical resistance of at least one of the first mesh or the second mesh. ### Claim 17 A method for use with a vaporizer comprising: placing one of a plurality of capsules at a vaporization location within the vaporizer using a capsule-transfer mechanism, each of the capsules including a first mesh, a second mesh, a plant material, and a plurality of spacing elements, the plant material containing at least one active ingredient and disposed between the first mesh and the second mesh, the plurality of spacing elements disposed on the first mesh and the second mesh, the vaporizer shaped to define at least first and second receptacles, the first and second receptacles each being shaped to house the plurality of capsules in stacked configurations so as to facilitate individually transferring a capsule from the first receptacle to the vaporization location using the capsule-transfer mechanism; using a temperature sensor, measuring an indication of a temperature of the plant material without drawing heat from the capsule disposed at the vaporization location; and using control circuitry: vaporizing the at least one active ingredient of the plant material by heating the plant material, while the capsule is disposed at the vaporization location, and controlling the heating of the plant material, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor; and individually transferring the capsule from the vaporization location to the second receptacle using the capsule-transfer mechanism. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein individually transferring the capsule to the vaporization location comprises pushing the capsule to the vaporization location, the plant material of the capsule including tobacco. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein individually transferring the capsule to the vaporization location comprises pushing the capsule to the vaporization location, the plant material of the capsule including cannabis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein a phase-change material is coupled to each of the capsules, the phase-change material being configured to undergo a phase change at a temperature that is below a pyrolysis temperature of the plant material. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein measuring an indication of a temperature of the plant material without drawing heat from the capsule comprises measuring using an optical temperature sensor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein measuring an indication of a temperature of the plant material without drawing heat from the capsule comprises measuring using an infrared temperature sensor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein controlling the heating of the plant material, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor, further comprises, using the control circuitry: detecting that a user is inhaling from the vaporizer, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor; and controlling heating of the plant material, in response thereto. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein controlling the heating of the plant material, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor, further comprises, using the control circuitry: receiving a first input; in response to receiving the first input, heating the plant material at a first heating rate, in a first heating step; in response to receiving, from the temperature sensor, an indication that the temperature of the plant material is at a first temperature, terminating the first heating step, by withholding causing further temperature increase of the plant material, the first temperature being less than 95 percent of a vaporization temperature of the active ingredient; subsequently, receiving a second input at the vaporizer; and in response to receiving the second input, heating the plant material to the vaporization temperature of the active ingredient at a second heating rate that is less than the first heating rate, in a second heating step. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein controlling the heating of the plant material, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor further comprises, using the control circuitry: determining a rate of airflow through the capsule, based upon the indication of the temperature of the plant material measured by the temperature sensor, and controlling heating of the plant material responsively to the determined airflow. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method according to claim 25, wherein determining a rate of airflow through the capsule comprises detecting an indication of an amount of energy required to maintain the temperature of the plant material constant. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method according to claim 25, further comprising, using the control circuitry, in response to receiving an indication that no air has been inhaled from the vaporizer for a given time period, reducing the temperature of the plant material to below a vaporization temperature of the active ingredient of the plant material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein heating the plant material comprises heating at least one of the first and second meshes. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein placing one of the plurality of capsules at the vaporization location comprises placing each of the capsules such that planes defined by the first and second meshes are perpendicular to a direction of an air-flow through the vaporizer at the vaporization location. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein heating the at least one of the first and second meshes comprises heating via resistive heating, by driving a current into the at least one of the first and second meshes via at least one electrode. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein heating the at least one of the first and second meshes comprises heating via conduction heating, by heating a heating element housed inside the vaporizer in proximity to the vaporization location. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein measuring an indication of a temperature of the plant material without drawing heat from the capsule comprises detecting an electrical resistance of at least one of the first mesh or the second mesh.