Cartridge for Vaporizer Device

Abstract

A cartridge may include a cartridge, a reservoir, a heating element, and a wicking element. The housing may include a first housing segment coupled with a second housing segment. A portion of the cartridge housing may form a wick housing. The reservoir may include a collector having an overflow channel with microfluidic features configured to provide a constriction point at which a meniscus forms to prevent air entering the reservoir from passing the vaporizable material in the overflow channel. The heating element may include a heating portion disposed inside the wick housing and a contact portion extending outside of the wick housing. The wicking element may be disposed inside the wick housing and proximate to the heating portion of the heating element. The wicking element may be in fluid communication with the reservoir and configured to draw the vaporizable material from the reservoir for vaporization by the heating element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cartridge for a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising:
 a cartridge housing having a first housing segment coupled with a second housing segment;   a reservoir configured to store a vaporizable material;   a heating element;   a wicking element disposed proximate to the heating element, the wicking element being in fluid communication with the reservoir, and the wicking element configured to draw the vaporizable material from the reservoir for vaporization by the heating element; and   a diaphragm coupled to the first housing segment and having a first side defining a wall of the reservoir, the diaphragm configured to prevent the vaporizable material from leaking through the wicking element by at least exerting a pulling force against the vaporizable material in the reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is configured to distend in response to the vaporizable material being drawn from the reservoir and air entering a pocket between a second side of the diaphragm and the first housing segment through an air inlet in the first housing segment, and wherein the diaphragm distends in order to maintain pulling force exerted against with the vaporizable material remaining in the reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein the air inlet comprises an aperture in the first housing segment. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein the air inlet comprises a channel configured to enable airflow while minimizing a transmission of vapor. 
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 4 , wherein the channel comprises a groove in the first housing segment that is covered by a barrier coupled to the first housing. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein the barrier comprises a metalized film that is coupled to the first housing segment by heating staking and/or laser welding. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is formed from an elastic material comprising a natural rubber, a synthetic rubber, a nitrile rubber, a silicone rubber, a urethane rubber, a chloroprene rubber, and/or an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) rubber. 
     
     
         8 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is coupled to the first housing segment by a fluid tight seal. 
     
     
         9 . The cartridge of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid tight seal comprises a laser weld formed around a perimeter of the diaphragm. 
     
     
         10 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm maintains a pressure within the reservoir below an ambient pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controlled orifice configured to admit air into the reservoir when a pressure within the reservoir is a threshold quantity below an ambient pressure.   
     
     
         12 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is in an undistended state or a minimally distended state while an initial volume of the vaporizable material is included in the reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is preset to prevent the diaphragm from distending without the vaporizable material being drawn from the reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . The cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the diaphragm is preset by removing a portion of the initial volume of the vaporizable material to cause the diaphragm to transition from the undistended state or the minimally distended state to a distended state. 
     
     
         15 . The cartridge of any of claims  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a preload configured to impose one or more limits on a position of the diaphragm within the cartridge housing.   
     
     
         16 . The cartridge of  claim 15 , wherein the preload comprises a spring exerting a pressure against the diaphragm, and wherein the pressure presets the diaphragm to a minimally distended position. 
     
     
         17 . The cartridge of  claim 15 , wherein the preload comprises a backstop protruding from the second housing segment, and wherein the backstop is configured to prevent the diaphragm from distending beyond a maximally distended position. 
     
     
         18 . The cartridge of  claim 15 , wherein the preload comprises one or more projections on a surface of the diaphragm, and wherein the one or more projections are configured to prevent the diaphragm from distending beyond a maximally distended position. 
     
     
         19 . A vaporizer device comprising the cartridge of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A vaporizer device, comprising:
 a vaporizer body; and   the cartridge of  claim 1  coupled to the vaporizer body.