Portable vaporizer

Abstract

A vaporizer and method of vaporizing a botanical material is described. Embodiments of the apparatus include a self-contained, fully enclosed, battery operated vaporizer having an air inlet and a mouthpiece. The vaporizer includes a window for viewing a botanical material contained therein and a heating element that is also visible through the window and through an air inlet. The vaporizer also includes a push-button switch that rapidly provides power to heat air, which is then drawn through the botanical material by inhaling. Embodiments of the method include utilizing a push-button switch for heating vaporizer air and viewing the glow of the heating element as a signal that the vaporizer is ready for use.

1 . A vaporizer to provide a user with a vapor from a botanical material, said vaporizer comprising:
 a housing;   a heater substantially within said housing including an electrical energy storage device, a user-operable switch, a heating element, and an electrical circuit including said electrical energy storage device, said user-operable switch, and said heating element, where said electrical circuit is adapted to provide energy from the electrical energy storage device to said heating element when said user-operable switch is actuated; and   a passageway with said housing, said passageway including an air inlet, a heater section to provide thermal contact with air within said heater and said heating element, a receptacle for containing a botanical material, and an air outlet,   such that the user may actuate said user-operable switch and inhale through said outlet to draw air external to said vaporizer to sequentially, heat air in contact with said heating element to a heated air temperature, at least partially vaporize the botanical material with the heated air, then provide at least a portion of the vaporized botanical material through said outlet to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , where said heater further includes a sensor to provide an indication of the temperature within the vaporizer, where said electrical circuit further includes said sensor, and where said electrical circuit is adapted to provide energy from said electrical energy storage device to said heating element according to said indication of the temperature within the vaporizer. 
     
     
         3 . The vaporizer of  claim 2 , where said electrical circuit is adapted to limit the maximum temperature as determined by said sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , where said heating element is disposed about an edge of said receptacle. 
     
     
         5 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , where at least a portion of the heater section is transparent to at least a portion of visible light, such that a portion of the glow of the heating element is transmitted through said heater section. 
     
     
         6 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , where the glow of the heating element is visible through said housing. 
     
     
         7 . The vaporizer of  claim 6 , where said housing includes a window disposed adjacent to said receptacle, and where the glow of the heating element is visible through said window. 
     
     
         8 . The vaporizer of  claim 6 , where the glow of the heating element is visible through said air inlet. 
     
     
         9 . The vaporizer of  claim 2 , where said heater further includes a user-operable power level switch, where said electrical circuit further includes said user-operable power level switch, and where said electrical circuit is adapted to provide energy from said electrical energy storage device to said heating element according to said indication of the temperature within the vaporizer and a setting of said user-operable power level switch. 
     
     
         10 . The vaporizer of  claim 9 , where said electrical circuit is adapted to limit the maximum temperature as determined by said sensor and said user-operable power level switch. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing a vapor of a botanical material using a vaporizer, said method comprising:
 manually actuating the vaporizer, where said where said vaporizer includes stored electric energy, a receptacle for containing the botanical material, and a flow passageway extending from an inlet, through a manually actuatible heater to accept the stored electric energy and heat air, through the receptacle, to an outlet; and   inhaling through the outlet,   such that air is drawn external to the vaporizer into the passageway and sequentially, has the air temperature increased in the heater, heats and extract a vapor from the botanical material, and provides the vapor to the user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 manually selecting a heater temperature setting.   
     
     
         13 . A vaporizer to provide a user with a vapor from a botanical material, said vaporizer comprising:
 a heating element, and   a passageway including
 an air inlet; 
 a heater section to provide thermal contact with air within said heater and said heating element; 
 a receptacle for containing a botanical material; 
 a window to transmit thermal radiation from the heater section to the user, and 
 an air outlet, 
   such that the user has a visual cue that inhaled air may be heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the botanical material.   
     
     
         14 . The vaporizer of  claim 13 , where said vaporizer further includes an electrical energy storage device, a user-operable switch, a heating element, and an electrical circuit including said electrical energy storage device, said user-operable switch, and said heating element, where said heater further includes a sensor to provide an indication of the temperature within the vaporizer, where said electrical circuit further includes said sensor, and where said electrical circuit is adapted to provide energy from said electrical energy storage device to said heating element according to said indication of the temperature within the vaporizer. 
     
     
         15 . The vaporizer of  claim 14 , where said electrical circuit is adapted to limit the maximum temperature as determined by said sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The vaporizer of  claim 13 , where said heating element is disposed about an edge of said receptacle. 
     
     
         17 . The vaporizer of  claim 13 , where at least a portion of the heater section is transparent to at least a portion of visible light, such that a portion of the glow of the heating element is transmitted through said heater section. 
     
     
         18 . The vaporizer of  claim 13 , where the glow of the heating element is visible to a user of the vaporizer. 
     
     
         19 . The vaporizer of  claim 18 , where said vaporizer includes a window disposed adjacent to said receptacle, and where the glow of the heating element is visible through said window. 
     
     
         20 . The vaporizer of  claim 19 , where the glow of the heating element is visible through said air inlet. 
     
     
         21 . The vaporizer of  claim 14 , where said heater further includes a user-operable power level switch, where said electrical circuit further includes said user-operable power level switch, and where said electrical circuit is adapted to provide energy from said electrical energy storage device to said heating element according to said indication of the temperature within the vaporizer and a setting of said user-operable power level switch. 
     
     
         22 . A method of providing a vapor of a botanical material using a vaporizer, said method comprising:
 manually actuating the vaporizer, where said vaporizer includes a receptacle for containing the botanical material, and a flow passageway extending from an inlet, through a heater to heat air, through the receptacle, to an outlet, and a window to allow a user to view thermal radiation from said heater; and   when a user perceives a glow from the heater through the window, inhaling through the outlet,   such that the user has a visual cue that inhaled air may be heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the botanical material.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 manually selecting a heater temperature setting.