Phyto material tablet, method and apparatus

Abstract

Phyto material tablets, tablet vaporizers, methods and apparatus for forming phyto material tablets. The tablets are formed to increase vaporization efficiency. Tablets can include break regions to facilitate fracturing into multiple pieces for vaporization. The tablets can also include multiple layers of different phyto material mixtures. Compression molds are used to shape the tablets. The compression molds can be provided on a rotational assembly to facilitate rapid manufacturing of multiple tablets. The vaporizers include heating chambers that are configured to increase the surface area of the tablets exposed for vaporization. The heating chambers include compression or fracture members that compress and/or encourage fracturing of the tablets to assist vaporization.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A vaporization device comprising:
 a device body extending from a first end to a second end in a longitudinal direction and from a first side to a second side in a lateral direction;   an inhalation aperture positioned at the second end;   a heating chamber having a chamber base, at least one chamber sidewall, and a chamber lid, wherein the chamber base, the at least one chamber sidewall and the chamber lid together define a phyto material receiving cavity, the phyto material receiving cavity shaped to receive a phyto material tablet;   at least one air inlet fluidly coupled to the heating chamber, wherein the at least one air inlet is formed at least one of the first side the second side of the device body between the first end and the second end;   at least one chamber vapor outlet provided in the chamber lid;   a flow path that extends from the at least one air inlet through the heating chamber to the at least one chamber vapor outlet and then to the inhalation aperture;   a conduction heating element assembly positioned proximate the heating chamber, the conduction heating element operable to heat phyto material within the phyto material receiving cavity, wherein the at least one conduction heating element is heatable to a predetermined vaporization temperature sufficient to heat the phyto material tablet when the phyto material tablet is positioned in the heating chamber and cause emission of vapor from the phyto material tablet, whereby the emitted vapor is fluidly coupled to the inhalation aperture via the flow path;   wherein
 the vaporization device comprises a first body portion and a second body portion, wherein the first body portion extends from the first end to a first body second end, and the second body portion extends from the first body second end to the second end; 
 the first body portion includes the chamber base and the at least one chamber sidewall; 
 the second body portion includes the chamber lid and the inhalation aperture; 
 the second body portion is adjustable between an open position and a closed position, in the open position the chamber lid is open and the phyto material receiving cavity is accessible, and in the closed position the phyto material receiving cavity is enclosed by the chamber lid and the at least one chamber vapor outlet fluidly couples the heating chamber to the inhalation aperture via a lid section of the flow path that is entirely enclosed within the second body portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein the second body portion is detachably mounted to the first body portion, wherein in the open position the second body portion is detached from the first body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein the second body portion is hingedly mounted to the first body portion, wherein in the open position the second body portion is hinged with the first body portion and the phyto material receiving cavity is accessible. 
     
     
         4 . The vaporization device of  claim 1 , further comprising an airflow sensor positioned in the flow path upstream of the heating chamber, wherein the airflow sensor is operable to detect airflow through the flow path. 
     
     
         5 . The vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein the flow path has a first path section and a second path section, wherein the first path section extends from the at least one air inlet to the second path section in the lateral direction, and the second path section extends from the first path section to the heating chamber in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The vaporization device of  claim 5 , further comprising an airflow sensor positioned in the first path section, wherein the airflow sensor is operable to detect airflow through the flow path. 
     
     
         7 . The vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein the first body portion and the second body portion comprise corresponding mounting members usable to attach the second body portion to the first body portion. 
     
     
         8 . The vaporization device of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting members comprise magnetic coupling members. 
     
     
         9 . The vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein the heating chamber further comprises at least one chamber air inlet fluidly coupled to the at least one air inlet and the phyto material receiving cavity, wherein the at least one chamber air inlet is provided in the at least one chamber sidewall and spaced apart from the chamber base towards the chamber lid. 
     
     
         10 . A kit comprising:
 a vaporization device; and   at least one phyto material tablet;   wherein   the vaporization device comprises
 a device body extending from a first end to a second end in a longitudinal direction; 
 an inhalation aperture positioned at the first end; 
 a heating chamber positioned at the second end, the heating chamber having a chamber base, at least one chamber sidewall, and a chamber lid, wherein the chamber base, the at least one chamber sidewall and the chamber lid together define a phyto material receiving cavity; 
 at least one air inlet fluidly coupled to the heating chamber; 
 at least one chamber vapor outlet; 
 a flow path that extends from the at least one air inlet through the heating chamber to the at least one chamber vapor outlet and then to the inhalation aperture; 
 a conduction heating element positioned proximate the heating chamber, the conduction heating element operable to heat phyto material within the phyto material receiving cavity, wherein the at least one conduction heating element is heatable to a predetermined vaporization temperature sufficient to heat the phyto material tablet when the phyto material tablet is positioned in the heating chamber and cause emission of vapor from the phyto material tablet, whereby the emitted vapor is fluidly coupled to the inhalation aperture via the flow path; 
   wherein
 the vaporization device comprises a first body portion and a second body portion, wherein the first body portion extends from the first end to a first body second end, and the second body portion extends from the first body second end to the second end; 
 the first body portion includes the chamber base and the at least one chamber sidewall; 
 the second body portion includes the chamber lid; 
 the second body portion is adjustable between an open position and a closed position, in the open position the chamber lid is open and the phyto material receiving cavity is accessible, and in the closed position the phyto material receiving cavity is enclosed by the chamber lid and the at least one chamber vapor outlet fluidly couples the heating chamber to the inhalation aperture; and 
   the phyto material tablet comprises cannabis phyto material compressed into a tablet shaped to fit within the phyto material receiving cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one chamber sidewall defines a sidewall perimeter of the heating chamber, wherein the sidewall perimeter is a rounded rectangle. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the tablet is shaped as a generally rectangular parallelepiped in which an upper face and a lower face of the tablet are rounded rectangles. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the heating chamber base is non-planar. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the tablet is infused. 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the tablet is provided in a pack containing a plurality of tablets. 
     
     
         17 . A method of vaporizing phyto material using a vaporization device comprising a heating chamber, an inhalation aperture fluidly coupled to the heating chamber, and a conduction heating element positioned proximate the heating chamber, the heating chamber having a chamber base, at least one chamber sidewall, and a chamber lid, wherein the chamber base, the at least one chamber sidewall and the chamber lid together define a phyto material receiving cavity, the method comprising:
 removing a phyto material tablet from a pack containing a plurality of individually sealed tablets;   aligning the phyto material tablet with the phyto material receiving cavity;   inserting the phyto material tablet into the phyto material receiving cavity after the aligning;   adjusting the chamber lid to a closed position, wherein in the closed position the phyto material receiving cavity is enclosed by the chamber lid, the chamber base, and the at least one chamber sidewall;   activating the conduction heating element, wherein in response to activation the conduction heating element is heated to a predetermined vaporization temperature sufficient to heat the phyto material tablet positioned in the heating chamber;   inhaling from the inhalation aperture while the conduction heating element is heated to the predetermined vaporization temperature thereby causing emission of vapor from the phyto material tablet;   after inhaling from the inhalation aperture:
 adjusting the chamber lid to an open position, wherein in the open position the chamber lid is open and the phyto material receiving cavity is accessible; 
 ejecting the phyto material tablet from the phyto material receiving cavity; 
 removing an additional phyto material tablet from a pack containing a plurality of individually sealed tablets; 
 inserting the additional phyto material tablet into the phyto material receiving cavity; 
 adjusting the chamber lid to the closed position; and 
 inhaling from the inhalation aperture while the conduction heating element is heated to the predetermined vaporization temperature and the additional phyto material tablet is positioned in the phyto material receiving cavity thereby causing emission of vapor from the additional phyto material tablet. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method of vaporizing phyto material using a vaporization device comprising a heating chamber, an inhalation aperture fluidly coupled to the heating chamber, and a conduction heating element positioned proximate the heating chamber, the heating chamber having a chamber base, at least one chamber sidewall, and a chamber lid, wherein the chamber base, the at least one chamber sidewall and the chamber lid together define a phyto material receiving cavity, the method comprising:
 inserting a phyto material tablet into the phyto material receiving cavity;   adjusting the chamber lid to a closed position, wherein in the closed position the phyto material receiving cavity is enclosed by the chamber lid, the chamber base, and the at least one chamber sidewall;   activating the conduction heating element, wherein in response to activation the conduction heating element is heated to a predetermined vaporization temperature sufficient to heat the phyto material tablet positioned in the heating chamber; and   inhaling from the inhalation aperture while the conduction heating element is heated to the predetermined vaporization temperature thereby causing emission of vapor from the phyto material tablet.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising aligning the phyto material tablet with the phyto material receiving cavity prior to inserting the phyto material tablet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising removing the phyto material tablet from a pack containing a plurality of individually sealed tablets prior to inserting the phyto material tablet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, after inhaling from the inhalation aperture:
 adjusting the chamber lid to an open position, wherein in the open position the chamber lid is open and the phyto material receiving cavity is accessible; and   ejecting the phyto material tablet from the phyto material receiving cavity.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 removing an additional phyto material tablet from a pack containing a plurality of individually sealed tablets;   inserting the additional phyto material tablet into the phyto material receiving cavity;   adjusting the chamber lid to the closed position; and   inhaling from the inhalation aperture while the conduction heating element is heated to the predetermined vaporization temperature and the additional phyto material tablet is positioned in the phyto material receiving cavity thereby causing emission of vapor from the additional phyto material tablet.