Container assembly

Abstract

A cartridge or pod for use in an electronic cigarette, or electronic vaporizer, makes use of a displacement member to reduce or eliminate air bubbles within the pod after filling. During assembly, liquid is filled to a desired level in a pod, and an end cap is inserted. The end cap makes use of the displacement member, which may be integrated with a wick holder, to displace e-liquid. The displacement of the e-liquid further displaces air left in the pod before it is sealed.

1 . A pod for storing a defined volume of a liquid, the pod comprising:
 a reservoir having a post wick air flow passage extending from a closed end of the reservoir to a terminating end, the reservoir having an open end opposite the closed end and an interior volume greater than the defined volume of the liquid; and   an end cap assembly sized for sealing the open end of the reservoir and for engaging the terminating end of the post wick air flow passage, and having a volume determined in accordance with the difference between the interior volume of the reservoir and the defined volume of the liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the liquid is an e-liquid comprising at least one of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, nicotine, and a flavouring. 
     
     
         3 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the end cap is sized to sit flush with the top of the reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the end cap assembly sealingly engages the terminating end of the post wick air flow passage with at least one of an O-ring and a gasket. 
     
     
         5 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the end cap assembly comprises an end cap configured to house a heater and wick. 
     
     
         6 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the end cap assembly further comprises a displacement member for displacing fluid within the reservoir during insertion of the end cap into the reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The pod of  claim 6  wherein the displacement member is configured to engage with the end cap assembly to hold a wick. 
     
     
         8 . The pod of  claim 6  wherein the displacement member is centered on the end cap, descends from a bottom of the end cap, and sealingly engages the terminating end of the post wick air flow passage when the end cap is fully inserted into the reservoir. 
     
     
         9 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein the end cap assembly further comprises a seal for engaging with an interior wall of the reservoir. 
     
     
         10 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein, the displacement member is sized to displace sufficient fluid from the reservoir so that when the defined volume of liquid has been loaded into the reservoir, and the end cap is inserted into the open of the reservoir so that the seal engages with the interior wall of the reservoir, any air in the reservoir has been substantially displaced. 
     
     
         11 . The pod of  claim 10  wherein the end cap assembly is sized to displace liquid from the reservoir into a wick housed in the end cap assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the pod further comprises the defined volume of a nicotine-based liquid within the reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the reservoir is rigid. 
     
     
         14 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the end cap assembly has a volume substantially equal to the difference between the interior volume of the reservoir and the defined volume of the liquid. 
     
     
         15 . An electronic vaporizer comprising:
 a reservoir having a post wick air flow passage extending from a closed end of the reservoir to a terminating end, the reservoir having an open end opposite the closed end and an interior volume greater than the defined volume of the liquid;   a vaporizer device having a power supply and control circuitry for providing power to a heater in response to user activity, the vaporizer device comprising:
 a displacement member having a volume determined in accordance with the difference between the interior volume of the reservoir and the defined volume of the liquid; 
 a wick for drawing e-liquid from the reservoir towards the heater; and 
 a seal for sealingly engaging with the open end of the reservoir upon insertion of the displacement member into the reservoir. 
   
     
     
         16 . The electronic vaporizer of  claim 15  wherein the liquid is an e-liquid comprising at least one of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, nicotine, and a flavouring. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic vaporization of  claim 15  wherein the displacement member is sized to have a volume substantially identical to the difference between the interior volume of the reservoir and the defined volume of the liquid. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic vaporizer of  claim 17  wherein the displacement member is sized to displace liquid from the reservoir into the wick upon insertion of the displacement member into the reservoir.