Shaped inlets in a vaporizer

Abstract

Reductions in flow resistance, associated with the results of a turbulent airflow in the atomization chamber, are provided through the use of at least one of air inlets and pre-wick airflow passages that make use of a curved sidewall connecting an input face larger than an output face. In some embodiments, a hyperboloid shaped inlet is used to reduce the turbulence associated with forcing an airflow around sharp corners. These shaped inlets and shaped pre-wick air flow passages can be used together or independently.

1 . A pod for storing an atomizable liquid, for use in an electronic vaporizer, the pod comprising:
 an atomization chamber housing a wick and heater; and   a pre-wick airflow passage connected to the atomization chamber by an inlet having an input face larger than an output face and connected by a sidewall.   
     
     
         2 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the atomizable liquid is an e-liquid comprising at least one of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine and a flavoring. 
     
     
         3 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the atomization chamber is further connected to a post wick airflow passage. 
     
     
         4 . The pod of  claim 3  having an airflow passage defined by the pre-wick airflow passage, the inlet, the atomization chamber and the post-wick airflow passage connected in series. 
     
     
         5 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the inlet has a sidewall shape defined by a segment of an ellipse. 
     
     
         6 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the output face of the inlet is sized to prevent e-liquid from passing from the output face of the inlet to the input face of the inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the sidewall of the inlet is curved. 
     
     
         8 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the pre-wick airflow passage has an input face and an output face, smaller than the input face, connected by a sidewall. 
     
     
         9 . The pod of  claim 8  wherein the pre-wick airflow passage sidewalls has a shape defined by a segment of an ellipse. 
     
     
         10 . The pod of  claim 8  further comprising a second pre-wick air flow passage having an input face and an output face connected by a sidewall, where the output face is smaller than the input face and connects the second pre-wick airflow passage to the atomization chamber through an inlet. 
     
     
         11 . The pod of  claim 10  wherein the inlet of the second pre-wick air flow passage has an input face larger than an output face connected by a curved sidewall. 
     
     
         12 . The pod of  claim 1  wherein the atomization chamber and pre-wick airflow passage are connected by a plurality of inlets. 
     
     
         13 . A pod for storing an atomizable liquid, for use in an electronic vaporizer, the pod comprising:
 an atomization chamber housing a wick and heater; and   a pre-wick airflow passage connected to the atomization chamber by an inlet, the pre-wick airflow passage having an input face larger than an output face of the pre-wick airflow passage and connected by a sidewall.   
     
     
         14 . The pod of  claim 13  wherein the atomizable liquid is an e-liquid comprising at least one of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine and a flavoring. 
     
     
         15 . The pod of  claim 13  wherein the atomization chamber is further connected to a post wick airflow passage. 
     
     
         16 . The pod of  claim 13  wherein the sidewall of the pre-wick airflow passage is curved. 
     
     
         17 . The pod of  claim 16  wherein the curve of the pre-wick airflow passage is a segment of an ellipse.