Laser smoking apparatus

Abstract

A laser smoking device featuring a laser diode heating source for combustion or vaporization. Variants include self-contained versions as well as variants for use with existing water pipes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for use with a water pipe comprising a vapor tube, the apparatus comprising:
 a combustion assembly comprising:
 a combustion assembly upper portion comprising: a battery, control assembly, laser diode, and a collimating lens coupled to the laser diode; 
 a combustion assembly lower portion comprising:
 a combustion cavity; 
 at least one viewport allowing visual access to the combustion cavity; 
 a viewport shield disposed over the at least one viewport, the viewport shield comprising laser attenuating material, and 
 one or more locking channels, each of the one or more locking channels comprising a first set of electrical contacts; 
 
 wherein the collimating lens is adapted to direct laser energy generated by the laser diode downward into the combustion cavity; and 
   an adapter assembly detachable from the combustion assembly, the adapter assembly comprising:
 an adapter assembly upper portion adapted for insertion into the combustion assembly lower portion, the adapter assembly upper portion comprising:
 a loading chamber housing comprising: 
 a loading chamber;
 a shielding plate comprising a plurality of receptacle vent holes disposed below the loading chamber; 
 
 one or more locking lugs, each of the one or more locking lugs comprising a second set of electrical contacts; and 
 
 an adapter assembly lower portion comprising a stem extending downwardly from a bottom of the adapter assembly lower portion, the stem comprising:
 one or more exterior exhaust channels; 
 an internal channel terminating in one or more stem exhaust holes, wherein the internal channel is in fluid communication with an adapter assembly plenum; 
 wherein the adapter assembly plenum is (i) disposed below the plurality of receptacle vent holes, and (ii) in fluid communication with the loading chamber housing via the plurality of receptacle vent holes; and 
 
   an adapter fitting configured for insertion in the vapor tube, the adapter fitting comprising a first end configured to receive the stem;   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser diode is nonfunctional unless the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts are in contact. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion assembly and the adapter assembly are cylindrical, wherein the adapter assembly is adapted to rotate relative to the combustion assembly from an unlocked position to a locked position, and wherein the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts are only in contact in the locked position. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cup comprising one or more cup vent holes corresponding to the plurality of receptacle vent holes, wherein the loading chamber is configured to receive the cup. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the cup further comprises a first threaded portion and the loading chamber comprises a second threaded portion adapted to engage the first threaded portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser diode is configured to emit light in a 633-670 nm wavelength band. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combustion assembly upper portion comprises a first laser diode configured to emit light in a 633-670 nm wavelength band, and a second laser diode configured to emit light in a wavelength band visible to a human eye. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a combustion assembly comprising:
 a combustion assembly upper portion comprising: a battery, control assembly, laser diode, and a collimating lens coupled to the laser diode, and 
 a combustion assembly lower portion comprising:
 a combustion cavity, wherein the collimating lens directs laser energy generated by the laser diode downwardly into the combustion cavity; 
 at least one viewport allowing visual access to the combustion cavity; 
 a viewport shield disposed over the at least one viewport, the viewport shield comprising laser attenuating material; and 
 
 one or more locking channels disposed in a bottom of the combustion assembly, each of the one or more locking channels comprising a first set of electrical contacts; 
   an adapter assembly, the adapter assembly comprising:
 an adapter assembly upper portion adapted for insertion into the combustion assembly lower portion, the adapter assembly upper portion comprising:
 a loading chamber comprising:
 a loading chamber; 
 a shielding plate comprising a plurality of loading chamber vent holes disposed below the loading chamber; 
 
 one or more locking lugs, each of the one or more locking lugs comprising a second set of electrical contacts, wherein the one or more locking lugs are adapted for insertion into the one or more locking channels such that the first set of electrical contacts are in contact with the second set of electrical contacts; 
 
 an adapter assembly plenum disposed below the loading chamber, in fluid communication with the loading chamber via the plurality of loading chamber vent holes; 
   a gas pump comprising a pump intake and a pump exhaust, wherein the pump intake is coupled to the adapter assembly and is in fluid communication with the adapter assembly plenum;   wherein the laser diode is nonfunctional unless the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts are in contact.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the combustion assembly and the adapter assembly are cylindrical, such that the adapter assembly is capable of rotating relative to the combustion assembly from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein the first set of electrical contacts and the second set of electrical contacts are in contact only in the locked position. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a cup having a first threaded portion, and wherein the loading chamber comprises a second threaded portion adapted to engage the first threaded portion. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a lower portion of the adapter assembly is coupled to a reservoir and a pipe comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the pipe is coupled to the adapter assembly plenum such that the pipe is in fluid communication with the adapter assembly plenum, and
 wherein the outlet of the pipe terminates in the reservoir, wherein the adapter assembly further comprises an exhaust tube having an exhaust tube inlet located in the reservoir, and an exhaust tube outlet coupled to the pump intake.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the laser diode is configured to emit light in a 633-670 nm wavelength band. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the combustion assembly upper portion comprises a first laser diode configured to emit light in a 633-670 nm wavelength band, and a second laser diode configured to emit light in a wavelength band visible to a human eye.