Mouthpiece for Vaporizer Including Positive Temperature Coefficient of Resistivity Heater

Abstract

A mouthpiece for a vaporizer device includes a vapor inlet and an aerosol outlet. A first plurality of air inlets and a second plurality of air inlets are disposed between the vapor inlet and the aerosol outlet and configured to provide air streams. The air streams form a first vortex and a second vortex. The air streams mix with a vapor entering from the vapor inlet and form an aerosol exiting through the aerosol outlet. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

1 .- 110 . (canceled) 
     
     
         111 . A vaporizer device, comprising:
 a housing including an air inlet;   a heating element within the housing, the heating element including a nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material;   a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heating element and arranged to receive an airflow from the air inlet, the heat exchanger configured to transfer heat between the heating element and the airflow to produce a heated airflow, wherein the heated airflow exiting the heat exchanger is configured to vaporize a vaporizable material;   a cartridge having a first air inlet, wherein the cartridge comprises:
 a reservoir containing the vaporizable material; and 
 a wick in fluidic communication with the vaporizable material, the wick arranged to receive the heated airflow from the heat exchanger to vaporize the vaporizable material to produce a vapor and/or a first aerosol; and 
   a mouthpiece configured to receive the vapor and/or first aerosol through a vapor inlet.   
     
     
         112 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , further comprising:
 a solid vaporizable material arranged to receive the vapor and/or the first aerosol to produce a second aerosol,   wherein the mouthpiece is configured to receive the second aerosol after the vapor and/or the first aerosol passes through the solid vaporizable material.   
     
     
         113 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , wherein the cartridge is configured to receive the heated airflow through the first air inlet and direct the heated airflow over the wick. 
     
     
         114 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , wherein the wick is located in a path of the heated airflow between the heating element and the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         115 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , wherein cartridge includes a second air inlet configured to draw a second airflow into the cartridge for mixing with the heated airflow. 
     
     
         116 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , wherein the second air inlet is located within the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         117 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , wherein the nonlinear positive temperature coefficient of resistance material includes an electrical resistivity transition zone in which the electrical resistivity increases over a temperature range, such that when the heating element is heated above a first temperature within the electrical resistivity transition zone, current flow from a power source is reduced to a level that limits further temperature increases of the heating element. 
     
     
         118 . The vaporizer device of  claim 117 , wherein the electrical resistivity transition zone begins at the first temperature of between 150° C. and 350° C. 
     
     
         119 . The vaporizer device of  claim 118 , wherein the electrical resistivity transition zone begins at the first temperature of between 220° C. and 300° C. 
     
     
         120 . The vaporizer device of  claim 119 , wherein the electrical resistivity transition zone begins at the first temperature between 240° C. and 280° C. 
     
     
         121 . The vaporizer device of  claim 117 , wherein the increase in the electrical resistivity over the temperature range of the electrical resistivity transition zone includes an increase factor of at least 10, the increase factor characterizing a relative change in electrical resistivity between electrical resistivity at the first temperature associated with a start of the electrical resistivity transition zone and electrical resistivity at a second temperature associated with an end of the electrical resistivity transition zone. 
     
     
         122 . The vaporizer device of  claim 117 , wherein the electrical resistivity transition zone begins at the first temperature and the electrical resistivity of the heating element at temperatures below the first temperature is between 0.2 ohm-cm and 200 ohm-cm. 
     
     
         123 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , further comprising:
 a power source configured to provide a voltage between 3 Volts and 50 Volts to the heating element;   a pressure sensor; and   a controller coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to detect inhalation and in response electrically connect the power source to the heating element.   
     
     
         124 . The vaporizer device of  claim 111 , wherein the mouthpiece includes:
 the vapor inlet and an aerosol outlet;   a first plurality of air inlets disposed between the vapor inlet and the aerosol outlet and configured to provide a first plurality of air streams, the first plurality of air streams forming a first vortex, the first vortex having a first axis of rotation and a first direction of rotation about the first axis of rotation; and   a second plurality of air inlets disposed between the vapor inlet and the aerosol outlet and configured to provide a second plurality of air streams, the second plurality of air streams forming a second vortex, the second vortex having a second axis of rotation and a second direction of rotation about the second axis of rotation;   wherein the first plurality of air streams and the second plurality of air streams are configured to mix with a vapor entering from the vapor inlet and to form an aerosol exiting through the aerosol outlet.