Smoke and/or Vapor Ignition, Cooling and Dispensing Device

[0001] This application is a non-provisional application claiming the benefits of provisional application No. 61/853,916 filed Apr. 15, 2013.

[0002] This invention relates to a therapeutic smoking and/or vaporizing device used for smoking and/or vaporizing material to be smoked and/or vaporized through an appliance that both actively heats up the smoking and/or vaporizing material to ignition temperatures, and then subsequently also chills or cools down the smoke and/or vapor stream before being dispensed from said appliance in order to maximize the full therapeutic experience, while also minimizing throat and lung irritation due to low temperature delivery of smoke and/or vapor to the consumer.

[0003] Many people enjoy smoking and/or vaporizing various items such as tobacco, herbs, and essential oils, and desire the smoke and/or vapor to be cooled before consumption. There are several methods currently used to cool smoke and/or vapor, such as water pipes, volume expansion chambers, and more. There are also many devices which employ the use of heating elements in order to achieve combustion and/or vaporization temperatures.

[0004] There are many particular past descriptions of devices that have had the common goal so as to chill smoke and/or vapor as it passes to the user. Some combinations have employed the use of a passive means of chilling the smoke stream while utilizing a solid-phase cooling medium that connects to or surrounds the smoke stream stem on its way to the user in order for tempering and treating smoke such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,950 A. The main limitation of U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,950 A, being the need for an external active cooling means such as a freezer to arrive at desired temperatures, the non-ease for portability of the external active cooling means, and the limitations of length of time of use and also between uses, since once the passive cooling means has absorbed the ambient temperatures of the surrounding environment, the means to cool the smoke ceases. Similar limitations are present in U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,903 A, whereas the means for cooling the smoke as it passes to the user employs the use of heat fins as a passive heat exchanger in order to dissipate heat away from the smoke stream and into the ambient surrounding temperatures and atmosphere by use of metal fins as heat sinks. Some limitations being that the cooling means depends on the ambient temperatures of the environment in which it is being used, as well as the size and efficiency of the heat fins themselves since they are acting again here, as passive heat exchangers. Similarly, US Patent No. 20120266900 A1 discloses a description of a structure that attaches to the mouthpiece of a smoking appliance in order to cool the smoke as it passes to the user but also shares its similarities in limitations and efficiencies in regards to that being a passive form of cooling mean without a means to actively pump the collected heat away from or out of the system.

[0005] There have been past descriptions of devices which do suggest the use of an active cooling means to cool a thermal mass prior to smoking, so as to cool the gaseous flow of smoke prior to reaching the consumer as they inhale the smoke stream, such as in published international application WO 2012079887 A1, The drawback to this description being that it is in a configuration that does not actively cool the smoke and/or vapor continuously while it is being produced and consumed. Whereas a thermo electric generator or Peltier element is used to pre-cool a thermal mass prior to its removal from said appliance and then used (smoked) as normal. While this seems to be one possible way to obtain a cooled smoke stream, the author also describes some of its limitations, that being, as the cigarette is being smoked, the heat coming from the burning end of the cigarette is increasingly being absorbed by the cooled thermal mass, in this case being the cigarette filter, without the means to keep the device cold for the full duration of use as in published international application WO 2012079887 A1. More specifically, as described, a cooling means is used to cool a cigarette prior to being smoked, but not while it is being smoked. The filter of the cigarette serving as the thermal mass that is cooled prior to smoking has no way to remain cold for the duration of use. As heat is absorbed without a means to dissipate it away from the device beyond the rate of its own passive thermal conduction properties. This system is also limited by ambient environmental temperatures and does not allow for the cigarette to be put out for later use without the thermal mass or filter losing its coolness.

[0006] Another example of prior art that suggests the use of a Peltier element as a means of cooling and applied in a fashion intended to cool smoke within a smoking instrument, specifically a smoking pipe, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,698 A. This description, which focuses on the use of a pair of Peltier elements configured in a way that is expected to become a self-energizing system as one of its primary objectives. The author describes being reliant on the heat collected or absorbed by one of the Peltier elements within the device to provide the power needed to operate the other Peltier element in the same system or said device. It then describes being dependant on the internally generated power as a means to operate the second Peltier element with efficiencies enough to cause the second Peltier element to cool and subsequently be applied to absorb heat from the smoke stream as it passes through the pipe while being inhaled by the consumer.

[0007] Obvious drawbacks to this configuration as well as those indicated by the inventor, are the lack of heat dissipation within the overall system (pipe), which because of its limitations could potentially cause overheating, and therefore, ultimately overcome any gain of the cooling effects of the second Peltier element due to the simple natures of thermal transfer and conduction within a closed system. Also, the second Peltier element that is expected to be cooling a part of the system will also be simultaneously be generating heat in order to operate, and therefore will be adding heat back into the overall system or device as well. The prolonged use and/or time between uses of said device could become limited for the exact same reasons. The overall temperature of the system lacks the means of actively remove heat away from the appliance and therefore likely may not be used continuously and has the potential to easily overheat. The author describes some of these potential problems with the overall heat collected in the device and suggests the use of an external refrigeration unit to draw off excess heat in some cases as a solution, which is not always a readily available nor convenient option for the users of the device.

[0008] While spending some time in the state of Montana, I noticed that many people enjoyed consuming their smoke and/or vapor after being chilled to low temperatures. It was common for people to have a drinking glass imbedded in a bowl of ice kept in their freezers in order to chill their smoke and/or vapor. The common method of use during this time was to manually blow air by the lungs, backwards through a rolled herbal cigarette into the cold drinking glass so as to take advantage of the lower temperatures by allowing heat to be absorbed from the smoke and/or vapor as it passes from vessel to user. This observation then enabled me to envision an appliance that adds efficiency to the desired goal of cooling smoke and/or vapor, automates the processes of doing so, and makes it simple and easy for the user of said appliance to achieve the experience of being able to enjoy the consumption of chilled smoke and/or vapor, while reducing the limitations of prior methods being used. One embodiment of the device described here relates generally to smoking appliances in which automates the combustion and/or vaporization of herbs and/or essential oils by means of a heating element. The heated smoke and/or vapor is then pumped through an active chilling means and passes the chilled smoke and/or vapor, by positive air pressure, to the user by means of a dispensing nozzle so that the user or operator of said appliance simply has to put the serving means such as a drinking glass, attachment hose, or mouthpiece up to the dispensing nozzle to receive a soothing low temperature dose of chilled smoke and/or vapor.

[0009] The preferred embodiment described here begins by the user placing the Material to be Combusted and/or Vaporized into the Bowl (FIG. 7). Next, a Plenum Chamber (FIG. 10) is placed over the Bowl (FIG. 7) creating an air tight chamber to be pressurized, while the Bowl (FIG. 7) provides a passage for any positive pressure of air, liquid, or gas to pass through. After filling the Bowl (FIG. 7) with the desired material and creating an air-tight seal by placing the Plenum Chamber (FIG. 10) in its position, power is then provided to the Heating Element (FIG. 8) by the user activating a switch or sensor switch. The Heating Element (FIG. 8) then reaches temperatures in sufficiency to cause combustion, and/or vaporization while coming into contact and/or near proximity with the Material to Combusted and/or Vaporized. In a preferred embodiment, this occurs simultaneous to the Air Pump (FIG. 29) providing a supply of air to the Plenum Chamber (FIG. 10) via a Length of Tubing as electric power is supplied to the Air Pump (FIG. 29).

[0010] Next, as positive air pressure builds up in the Plenum Chamber (FIG. 10), air is then forced through the neck of the Bowl (FIG. 7), simultaneous to the Heating Element (FIG. 8) providing combustion and/or vaporization temperatures sufficient enough to cause combustion and/or vaporization of the Material to be Combusted and/or Vaporized in the Bowl (FIG. 7), and then therefore supplying air along with the gaseous smoke and/or vapor released from the Material in the Bowl (FIG. 7), and with positive pressure, passes from the Bowl (FIG. 7) through a second Length of Tubing and through a Cold Block Face Plate (FIG. 14) in order to enter a cooling chamber (Cold Block (FIG. 15)). The air, smoke and/or vapor stream then enters the cooling chamber (Cold Block (FIG. 15)) and as it makes its way through a maze of channels, is cooled. The air, smoke and/or vapor is cooled via thermal transfer. The smoke and/or vapor, when it travels through the channels of the Cold Block (FIG. 15), which has been cooled via the transfer of heat to the Thermo Electric Generator (FIG. 21), is subsequently cooled via heat transfer from the air, smoke and/or vapor to the Cold Block (FIG. 15). The cooled air, smoke and/or vapor stream then exits the Cold Block (FIG. 15) through the Cold Block Face Plate (FIG. 14) and is delivered to the Dispensing Nozzle by means of positive air pressure supplied by the Air Pump (FIG. 29).

[0011] Next, being that the air, smoke and/or vapor stream has been cooled, its density has also preferably increased as a result, and therefore causes the air, smoke and/or vapor stream to flow with properties similar to that of a liquid. This makes it possible to allow the air, smoke/vapor stream to flow from the Dispensing Nozzle and into a Serving Means while it sinks to the bottom and therefore fills the Serving Means from bottom up. The chilled air, smoke and/or vapor can then easily be poured out again from the Serving Means, like a liquid, to be ingested or consumed by the user.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the method of providing low temperatures to the Cold Block (FIG. 15) is obtained by providing electric power to a Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21). As electric power is supplied to the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21), one side begins to turn cold while heat is transferred to other side, and therefore begins to turn hot. To help draw heat away from the hot side and thus helping to create further cooling by maintaining a maximum temperature differential between the hot side and cold side of the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21), a secondary block (Liquid Coolant Block (FIG. 20)) with a maze of liquid coolant channels is positioned against the hot side of the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21) acting as a heat sink.

[0013] Also, to provide further cooling by means of drawing additional heat away from the hot side of the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21) and thus causing an overall lower temperature differential between the hot side and cold side of the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21), and therefore causing the cold side temperatures to decrease even lower, liquid coolant is pumped through the Liquid Coolant Block (FIG. 20) by means of a Liquid Coolant Pump (FIG. 23) which is supplied with electrical power from the power supply. The liquid coolant then draws heat from the Liquid Coolant Block, gained by the hot side of the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21), and is pumped away to be exhausted from the system. The liquid coolant is supplied by an internal Liquid Coolant Reservoir (FIG. 24) via a Length of Hose. The liquid coolant is drawn from the reservoir and passes through the Liquid Coolant Pump (FIG. 23) and pumped on through a second Length of Hose and into the Liquid Coolant Block (FIG. 20) through the Liquid Coolant Block Face Plate (FIG. 22)

[0014] After the liquid coolant is passed through the Liquid Coolant Block (FIG. 20) while drawing heat away by thermal transfer, it exits back out through the Liquid Coolant Block Face Plate (FIG. 22) via a third length of Hose and into a Radiator (FIG. 25B). As the liquid coolant passes through the Radiator (FIG. 25B), an electrically powered Fan (FIG. 27) is positioned along side of the Radiator (FIG. 25B) in order to blow the collected heat away from and out of the system, therefore decreasing the temperature of the liquid coolant. The radiated/cooled liquid then exits the Radiator (FIG. 25B) returns back to the Liquid Coolant Reservoir (FIG. 24) via a fourth Length Hose to be used again in this liquid cooling system.

[0015] The method of switching power on and off to each of the electrically powered components of this system can be done manually by means of power or pushbutton switches or sensors controlled by the user or operator of the system. However, one preferred embodiment, would be that the Liquid Coolant Pump (FIG. 23) and Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21) are switched on manually by the operator/user in order to begin lowering the temperature of the Cold Block (FIG. 15), while the Heating Element (FIG. 8) and Air Pump (FIG. 29) are triggered on/off by a Switch (photo-optical sensor or lever switch) that is set-on by the user placing the Serving Means in proper position relative to the Dispensing Nozzle so as to be filled or supplied with the cooled air, smoke and/or vapor being dispensed.

[0016] As a recap on the stream of air, smoke and/or vapor path, the smoke and/or vapor is created in the Plenum Chamber (FIG. 10) and pumped to the Cold Block (FIG. 15), where it is cooled. Next, it is pumped out and dispensed via the Dispensing Nozzle. Meanwhile, the Cold Block (FIG. 15) is being actively cooled by the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21) drawing heat away from the Cold Block (FIG. 15), and the heat being drawn away from the Thermo electric Generator (FIG. 21) by the Liquid Coolant Block (FIG. 20) acting as a heat sink. Additionally, as the liquid coolant is pumped, and passes through the Liquid Coolant Block (FIG. 20), the heat is then transferred to the liquid coolant, which is then pumped away from the system through a Radiator (FIG. 25B) where the heat is blown or exhausted out of and away from the appliance by a Fan (FIG. 27). The cooled liquid then returns to the Liquid Coolant Reservoir may be used again by the Smoke and/or Vapor Ignition, Cooling and Dispensing Device.

[0017] 1) Smoke and/or vapor—The use of the term “smoke and/or vapor” used herein describes that there are two methods of combusting the material to be smoked and/or vaporized prior to ingestion, depending on temperature and proximity of the heating element and whether the heating element comes into contact with, or is placed in very near, or in close proximity to the material to be smoked and/or vaporized. For example, if the heating element is made to come into contact with or very near contact with the smoking material, then the material may ignite and burn, whereas if the heating element is made to not come into direct contact with the material being combusted and/or vaporized, while reaching sufficient enough temperatures, the material to be combusted and/or vaporized may vaporize, rather than ignite and burn.
2) Peltier—The use of the term “Peltier” used herein, and in some referenced materials, refers to thermo electric cooling and/or generator elements in general, whereas the term Peltier relates to the name of the man who conceived of some of its early pioneering properties and applications to specific semi-conductor configurations to achieve the effect of thermo electric cooling and/or electric generation with said configuration. The use of the term Peltier used herein is thereby in reference to the specific embodiments of a common thermo electric generator. Many thermo electric cooling and/or generator units are available as a common semi-conductor component in the current electronics market.
3) Combustion—The use of the term “combustion” used herein describes the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel, and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The many combustible chemical species that are found to be present in the herbs, and/or their extracts, are used here as examples of a material to be smoked and/or vaporized referenced herein.
4) Plenum—The use of the term “Plenum” used herein, is generally defined as a chamber intended to contain air, gas, or liquid at positive pressure.

[0050] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Each apparatus embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.

[0051] The preferred embodiment described here combines the use of an ignition system to generate heat sufficient enough to induce smoke and/or vapor from materials to be combusted and/or vaporized, a chilling system that both actively cools the smoke and/or vapor to be consumed, and a pump system that dispenses the smoke and/or vapor in a simple and automated process experienced by the operator of said appliance. The goals intended here are achieved by configuring a set of components into a combined system that may be used as an appliance both for commercial or home applications in such a way that the user can simply and continuously draw chilled smoke and/or vapor from their favorite herbs or essential oils. Also, another embodiment improves upon the limitations of prior devices with specific regards to the use of a thermo electric generator by configuring it in such a way that the cold side of the thermo electric generator is connected to a cold sink which includes a smoke and/or vapor stream path between heating element and dispensing nozzle. Heat is thus absorbed from the smoke and/or vapor stream on its way to the dispensing means and transferred to the hot side of the thermo electric generator. The hot side of the thermo electric generator is connected to a heat sink which includes a liquid coolant stream path so as to allow the coolant to pass over and draw heat off by thermal conduction. Furthermore, the collected heat is then pumped away from the system by means of a liquid coolant heat pump system comprising of still another described embodiment such as a reservoir, radiator, fan, and pump, which collects heat and actively pumps it away from the system continuously therefore preventing temperatures from building up in the device, appliance or overall system. As the liquid coolant draws heat off of the system by thermal transfer, it is then pumped away and through a radiator so that the collected heat can be exhausted out of the system by means of a cooling fan. Finally, after the heat is exhausted from the system by the cooling fan, whereby the liquid coolant has expelled its collected heat, and therefore lowering its temperature, the liquid coolant then returns to the reservoir to be used again by the liquid cooling system. This configuration has been found to cause high efficiency of the thermo electric generator and therefore allows for continuous use of the cooling element as a means to chill smoke and/or vapor while simplifying the steps for the user of the appliance to consume chilled smoke and/or vapor of herbs, essential oils, and extracts as it is dispensed to them in the form of a low temperature stream of smoke and/or vapor.

[0052] Many variations of the construction of the device can be applied or combined in order to achieve the preferred embodiment. As an example, the device may be made with multiple cooling blocks in series using the same liquid coolant reservoir, it may be made using a thermoelectric cooling element only with no liquid cooling, or it may be made using liquid coolant means only, with no Thermo electric Cooling Element. Other means of cooling may also be used such as liquid nitrogen, Freon®, ice, anhydrous ammonia, dry ice, or applying other items that are cold. Additionally, ice or other cold items may be added to the coolant reservoir in order to maintain and/or cause additional cooling, and/or replacing the liquid coolant with another chilling means.

[0053] Additionally, various heating element designs may be used. For example, one preferred embodiment may use a silicon-nitride heating element as the preferred embodiment. Still other preferred embodiments or configurations of the present invention may include alternate components or various forms and design options in specific regards to the heating element of the preferred embodiment. One example being a heating element made from a coil or length of nichrome (nickel-chromium) or resistance wire imbedded in different types of ceramic(s). Other means of applying temperatures sufficient enough to cause combustion and/or vaporization may be used such as hot-air, gas-flame, plasma, or applying other items that are hot, thus causing combustion and/or vaporization of the material to be combusted and/or vaporized.

[0054] The same follows for the bowl, many different materials may be chosen to construct the bowl such as glass, quartz, marble, or anything that can withstand the temperatures generated by the heating element or its effects on the temperature of the system.

[0055] Likewise, many various designs of the radiator block may be chosen from and applied as a preferred embodiment. Another preferred embodiment may be chosen depending on the size, configuration, and application desired. The same follows for many of the basic components to the system such as, the liquid coolant pump, air pump, liquid coolant reservoir, Thermo electric Cooling Element, tubing (though medical or food grade materials are an example of a preferred embodiment), serving vessel or serving means, etc. In some cases, a serving vessel may not be desired by the user if they choose to ingest directly from the dispensing nozzle, or a mouth piece, tube attachment or other means of serving the chilled air, smoke and/or vapor to the user as another preferred embodiments may include. Additionally, many designs of the channel system shaped through both the cold block and the liquid block may be applied. Many materials as the preferred embodiment may be applied to for many of the components used in the construction of the appliance. The various nuts, bolts, o-rings, tubes, connectors, etc. that may be needed for construction for a preferred embodiment can be either custom made or basic standard components available on the general market.

[0056] FIG. 1. Shows one preferred embodiment in a home use form, here, a countertop appliance.

[0057] FIG. 2 Shows another embodiment in its commercial form, here, a barista or beer tap serving appliance.

[0058] FIG. 3 Exploded view-isometric exploded view of internal components of present invention.

[0059] FIG. 4 Exploded view of internal components of present invention with connections.

[0060] FIG. 5 Exploded isometric view of Chiller assembly.

[0061] FIG. 6 Exploded Isometric view of Plenum Assembly with each of its components.

[0062] FIG. 7 Bowl of present embodiment, here a glass bowl shown in perspective view.

[0063] FIG. 8 Heating Element of present embodiment, here a silicon-nitride element in perspective view.

[0064] FIG. 9 Plenum Cap of present embodiment, here a wedged shaped cap shown in perspective view.

[0065] FIG. 10 Plenum Chamber of present embodiment, here a glass tube shown in perspective view.

[0066] FIG. 11 Plenum Base of present embodiment, here a wedged shaped base shown in perspective view.

[0067] FIG. 12 Plenum Assembly, assembled.

[0068] FIG. 13 Chiller System Assembly, exploded isometric perspective.

[0069] FIG. 14 Cold Block Face Plate, perspective view.

[0070] FIG. 15 Cold Block, perspective view.

[0071] FIG. 16 Side View of Cold Block.

[0072] FIG. 17 Cross sectional view of the Cold Block.

[0073] FIG. 18 Thermo electric generator, front view.

[0074] FIG. 18A Thermo electric generator, perspective view.

[0075] FIG. 18B Thermo electric generator, side view.

[0076] FIG. 19 Liquid Coolant Block, perspective view.

[0077] FIG. 20 Liquid Coolant Block, side view.

[0078] FIG. 21 Cross sectional view of Coolant Block.

[0079] FIG. 22 Liquid Coolant Block Faceplate, perspective view.

[0080] FIG. 23 Liquid Coolant Pump, perspective view.

[0081] FIG. 24 Reservoir, perspective view.

[0082] FIG. 25 Radiator, top view.

[0083] FIG. 25A Radiator, perspective view.

[0084] FIG. 25B Side view of Radiator.

[0085] FIG. 26 Fan, front view.

[0086] FIG. 27 Fan, perspective view.

[0087] FIG. 28 Air Pump, side view.

[0088] FIG. 29 Air Pump, perspective view.

[0089] Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present configuration in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.