Apparatus for lighting smokable material without heat source having physical contact with smokable material

Abstract

The apparatus solves at least one technical problem, disclosed herein, resulting from lighting and/or vaporizing a smokeable material (material hereafter). Embodiments include a heating assembly responsive to electrical stimulus to heat incoming air to create heated air delivered to material to light and/or vaporize it without direct physical contact to create air mixed with vaporized and/or ignition byproducts intended for human consumption. The apparatus may further include a power assembly adapted and/or configured to couple at least electrically with the heating assembly to provide electrical stimulus to heat the air. The apparatus may further include a lighter and/or a pipe containing at least one instance of the heating assembly, with or without the power assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
   1 A) a heat source adapted to light/vaporize a smokable material containing at least one  cannabis  related product;     1 B) wherein said heat source is adapted and/or configured to light/vaporize said smokable material without direct physical contact between said heat source and said smokable material; and     1 C) wherein said apparatus solves at least one smoking technical problem for a user of said apparatus resulting from said lighting/vaporizing of said smokable material.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one smoking technical problem includes at least one of the following technical problems resulting from said lighting/vaporizing of said smokable material:
   2 A) chemical residues accumulating near and/or on said apparatus;     2 B) excessive incineration of said smokable material;     2 C) release of at least one undesirable biproduct and/or at least one undesirable flavor ingested by said user;     2 D) damage to the flavor of said smokable material once lighted/vaporized; and     2 E) damage to the natural effect of said smokable material once lighted/vaporized.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising
   3 A) a heating assembly including a housing, and said heat source;     3 B) wherein said housing couples to said heat source to provide a safe distance between said heat source and said smokable material to insure no direct contact between said heat source and said smokable material to solve said at least one of said smoking technical problems for said user.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
   4 A) wherein said heating assembly further includes a first air inlet and a first air outlet;     4 B) wherein said first air inlet is adapted to provide air into said heat source and said first air outlet provides a heated version of said air (heated air hereafter) from said heat source;     4 C) wherein said housing contains a first entrance of said air into said first air inlet and said first outlet of said heated air.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said heating assembly further includes:
   5 A) a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact adapted to provide electrical power across said heat source to create said heated air sent to said first outlet.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said heat source implements creating said heated air to light/vaporize said smokable material through at least one of
   6 A) resistive heating in response to said electrical power across said heat source to create said heated air;     6 B) inductive heating in response to said electrical power across said heat source to create said heated air; and     6 C) convective heating in response to said electrical power across said heat source.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprises
   7 A) a power assembly adapted to mechanically couple to said heating assembly to electrically couple to said first contact and adapted to contain at least one battery adapted to provide a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal;     7 B) wherein said power assembly is configured to use said second battery terminal to generate said electrical power used in said heating assembly to create said heated air.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 ,
   8 A) wherein said power assembly incorporates a battery body of a vaping device adapted to screw onto said heating assembly to mechanically couple said power assembly to said heating assembly and couple said first contact between said power assembly and said heating assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  adapted to implement at least one of:
   9 A) a lighter adapted and/or configured to light/vaporize said smokable material without direct physical contact between said heat source and said smokable material, comprising said heating assembly coupled to said power assembly; and 
   9 B) a pipe adapted and/or configured to light/vaporize said smokable material without direct physical contact between said heat source and said smokable material, comprising said heating assembly coupled to said power assembly. 
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
   10 A) wherein said lighter couples to a second pipe to light/vaporize said smokable material without direct physical contact between said heat source and said smokable material.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
   11 A) wherein said pipe is adapted and/or configured to include said heating assembly mechanically coupled to said pipe to implement at least two settings of said heating assembly;     11 B) wherein a first setting configures said heating assembly near said smokable material of said pipe to support lighting/vaporizing said smokable material by operating said heating assembly; and     11 C) wherein a second setting configures said heating assembly away from said smokable material of said pipe so that said heating assembly remains mechanically coupled to said pipe when said smokable material is not being lighted/vaporized.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
   12 A) wherein said heat source contains at least one heating element composed of at least one essentially non-reactive component;     12 B) wherein said essentially non-reactive component is a chemical composition which does not form oxides in the presence of oxygen except at a temperature above the operating range required to light said smokable material.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 ,
   13 A) wherein said essentially non-reactive component contains at least one of a stainless steel, a titanium, a titanium alloy, a platinum, a woven carbon nanotube structure, an essentially non-reactive ceramic, a kanthal, a nichrome, a nickel and an aluminum nitrate.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
   14 A) wherein said pipe is adapted and/or configured for said smokable material in at least one of a dry herb form of said smokable material, a dry concentrate of said smokable material, a liquid form of said smokable material, and an extract of said smokable material.