Cartridge for a vaporizor

Abstract

An electronic cigarette or vaporizer may be composed of a battery portion and a cartomizer connectable to the battery portion. The cartomizer may include a heating element and a tank for holding a vaporizable fluid. The heating element may be substantially composed electrically conductive wiring wrapped around wicking. The vaporizable fluid may be transferable to the heating element through a semi-permeable membrane. A heat shield may be placed between the heating element and an outer shell of the cartomizer in order to prevent the outer shell, or other components of the cartomizer, from experiencing undesired temperature raises potentially resulting in failure.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cartomizer for use with an electronic cigarette, the cartomizer comprising:
 an elongate outer shell having first and second ends;   a first opening provided proximate to the first end of the outer shell, and a second opening provided proximate to the second end of the outer, and an airflow establishable between the first and second openings;   a tank provided within the outer shell, the tank dimensioned to hold a vaporizable fluid;   a heating element provided within the outer shell and adjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of the airflow, the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to a vaporization temperature; and   a heat shield provided proximate to the heating element.   
     
     
         2 . The cartomizer of  claim 1 , wherein the heat shield is provided between the heating element and the outer shell. 
     
     
         3 . The cartomizer of  claim 2 , wherein the heat shield is formed as a ring. 
     
     
         4 . The cartomizer of  claim 1 , wherein the heat shield is substantially composed of a metal. 
     
     
         5 . The cartomizer of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is composed of wicking and a conductive coil wrapped around the wicking. 
     
     
         6 . The cartomizer of  claim 5  further comprising a semi-permeable membrane provided between the tank and the heating element, and wherein the liquid is transferred from the tank to the heating element through the semi-permeable membrane. 
     
     
         7 . An electronic cigarette comprising:
 a battery portion including a battery housed within the battery portion; and   a cartomizer including
 an elongate outer shell having first and second ends, 
 a first opening provided proximate to the first end of the outer shell, and a second opening provided proximate to the second end of the outer, and an airflow establishable between the first and second openings, 
 a tank provided within the outer shell, the tank dimensioned to hold a vaporizable fluid, 
 a heating element provided within the outer shell and adjacent to the tank, the heating element in the path of the airflow, the heating element operable to heat the vaporizable fluid to a vaporization temperature, and 
 a heat shield provided proximate to the heating element. 
   
     
     
         8 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 7 , wherein the heat shield is provided between the heating element and the outer shell. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 8 , wherein the heat shield is formed as a ring. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 7 , wherein the heat shield is substantially composed of a metal. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 7 , wherein the heating element is composed of wicking and a conductive coil wrapped around the wicking. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic cigarette of  claim 11  further comprising a semi-permeable membrane provided between the tank and the heating element, and wherein the liquid is transferred from the tank to the heating element through the semi-permeable membrane.