Vaporization pipe with flame filter

Abstract

A vaporizer device that uses a flame for vaporizing flavor and psychoactive compounds from smoking materials such as tobacco. The present device has a filter unit 34 with a porous flame filter 36 . The flame filter 36 can be made of open-cell ceramic or metal foam, sintered ceramic or metal granules or other porous, heat resistant materials. In use, flame is supplied to the flame filter, and inhalation causes ambient air to enter the flame filter as well. The flame exhaust and ambient air are mixed within the flame filter and produce an air stream of intermediate temperature. The intermediate temperature air stream is hot enough to vaporize desirable components from the smoking material. The filter unit and pipe can attach with a ground glass joint.

1 . A method for vaporizing smoking material, comprising the steps of:
 a) disposing smoking material in a bowl of a pipe having an inhalation end;   b) disposing a heat resistant and porous flame filter upstream from the bowl;   c) inhaling from the inhalation end so that flame exhaust is drawn into the flame filter, and the flame exhaust is mixed with ambient air in the flame filter;   d) drawing the flame exhaust and ambient air mixture through the smoking material such that volatile components of the smoking material are vaporized.   
   
   
       2 . A vaporization device, comprising:
 a) a pipe having:
 1) a bowl for holding smoking material, and 
 2) an inhalation end for emitting vapors, wherein the inhalation end is disposed downstream from the bowl; 
   b) a heat resistant and porous flame filter, with tortured flow paths, for receiving a flame, wherein the flame filter has a thickness of at least 0.02 inches, and wherein the flame filter is disposed upstream from the bowl;   c) a filter housing for holding the flame filter, wherein the filter housing and the pipe attach via a ground glass joint or O-ring seal.   
   
   
       3 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , wherein the flame filter comprises a material selected from the group consisting of open cell foam, open cell ceramic foam, bonded granules, stacked discs, tangled wire, stacked screens, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , wherein the filter housing comprises a male joint, and the pipe comprises a female joint. 
   
   
       5 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , wherein the filter housing comprises a female joint, and the pipe comprises a male joint. 
   
   
       6 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , wherein the ground glass joint is conical or spherical. 
   
   
       7 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , wherein the filter housing includes a step for supporting the flame filter. 
   
   
       8 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , further comprising a retaining ring disposed in the filter housing, for retaining the flame filter. 
   
   
       9 . The vaporization device of  claim 2 , further comprising a finger attached to the filter housing, for retaining the flame filter. 
   
   
       10 . The vaporization device  claim 2 , wherein the flame filter comprises silicon carbide ceramic foam and has a thickness of at lest 0.05 inches. 
   
   
       11 . A filter unit for attachment to a pipe having a bowl for holding smoking material, and having an inhalation end for emitting vapors, wherein the inhalation end is disposed downstream from the bowl, the filter unit comprising:
 a) a filter housing;   b) a heat resistant and porous flame filter disposed in the filter housing, wherein the flame filter has a thickness of at least 0.02 inches, and wherein the flame filter comprises a material selected from the group consisting of open cell foam, open cell ceramic foam, bonded granules, stacked discs, tangled wire, stacked screens, and combinations thereof;   wherein the filter housing comprises a male or female ground glass joint for attaching the filter housing to the pipe such that the flame filter is disposed upstream from the bowl.   
   
   
       12 . The filter unit of  claim 11 , wherein the filter housing comprises a male joint, and the pipe comprises a female joint. 
   
   
       13 . The filter unit of  claim 11 , wherein the filter housing comprises a female joint, and the pipe comprises a male joint. 
   
   
       14 . The filter unit of  claim 11 , wherein the filter housing includes a step for supporting the flame filter. 
   
   
       15 . The filter unit of  claim 11 , wherein the flame filter comprises silicon carbide ceramic foam. 
   
   
       16 . The filter unit of  claim 11 , wherein the flame filter has a thickness of at least 0.05 inches.