Electronic vaping apparatus, cartridge therefor and method for vaporizing a vaporizable substance using the same

Abstract

There is provided an electronic vaping apparatus comprising: a cartridge including: a substance container for receiving a vaporizable substance; a heater in thermal communication with the substance container for heating the vaporizable substance; a cartridge electrical connector operatively coupled to the heater; an identifier for providing an indication of a type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container; and an apparatus body including: an electrical power supply; a cartridge receiver for removably receiving the cartridge, the cartridge receiver including a body electrical connector operatively coupled to the electrical power supply, the at least one body electrical connector being couplable to the cartridge electrical connector to form a closed electrical circuit between the electrical power supply and the heater; a controller operatively connected to the electrical power supply for controlling power provided from the electrical power supply to the heater according to a desired heating condition corresponding to the type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container based on a detection of the identifier of the cartridge.

1 . An electronic vaping apparatus comprising:
 a cartridge including:
 a substance container for receiving a vaporizable substance; 
 a heater in thermal communication with the substance container for heating the vaporizable substance; 
 a cartridge electrical connector operatively coupled to the heater; 
 an identifier for providing an indication of a type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container; and 
   an apparatus body including:
 an electrical power supply; 
 a cartridge receiver for removably receiving the cartridge, the cartridge receiver including a body electrical connector operatively coupled to the electrical power supply, the at least one body electrical connector being couplable to the cartridge electrical connector to form a closed electrical circuit between the electrical power supply and the heater; 
 a controller operatively connected to the electrical power supply for controlling power provided from the electrical power supply to the heater according to a desired heating condition corresponding to the type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container based on a detection of the identifier of the cartridge. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier includes at least one of a configuration of the cartridge electrical connector and an electrical resistance value of the heater. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cartridge connector includes first and second electrodes spaced from each other by a predetermined distance in accordance with the type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one body electrical connector includes at least two connecting pins extending towards the cartridge. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least two connecting pins include a first end pin, a second end pin spaced from the first end pin and a central pin located between the first and second end pins. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the cartridge electrical connector includes a first electrode, a pin receiving recess spaced from the first electrode and a second electrode located between the first electrode and the pin receiving recess, the first and second electrodes and the pin receiving recess being disposed such that when the cartridge is received in the cartridge receiver, the first end pin contacts the first electrode, the central pin contacts the second electrode and the second end pin is received in the pin receiving recess, thereby forming a closed electrical circuit between the electrical power supply and the heater through the first end pin and the central end pin. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the cartridge is a dry herb cartridge configured for receiving the vaporizable substance in a dry herb form. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured for detecting that the closed electrical circuit is formed through the first end pin and the central end pin, and for controlling provision of electrical power to the heater to heat the vaporizable substance according to a corresponding heating condition. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the cartridge electrical connector includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced from the first electrode and a pin receiving recess located between the first and second electrodes, the first and second electrodes and the pin receiving recess being disposed such that when the cartridge is received in the cartridge receiver, the first end pin contacts the first electrode, the second end pin contacts the second electrode and the central pin is received in the pin receiving recess, thereby forming a closed electrical circuit between the electrical power supply and the heater through the first end pin and the second end pin. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic vaping apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured for:
 detecting an electrical resistance value of the heater;   determining a type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container based on the detected electrical resistance value of the heater;   controlling provision of electrical power to the heater to heat the vaporizable substance according to a corresponding heating condition.   
     
     
         11 . A cartridge for an electronic vaping apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
 a substance container for receiving a vaporizable substance;   a heater in thermal communication with the substance container for heating the vaporizable substance;   a cartridge electrical connector operatively coupled to the heater, the cartridge electrical connector including first and second electrodes; and   an identifier for providing an indication of a type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container, the identifier including at least one of an electrical resistance value of the heater and a position of the first and second electrodes.   
     
     
         12 . A method for vaporizing a vaporizable substance, the method comprising:
 providing an electronic vaping apparatus comprising:
 a cartridge including a substance container for receiving a vaporizable substance, a heater in thermal communication with the substance container for heating the vaporizable substance and an identifier for providing an indication of a type of vaporizable substance receivable in the substance container; and 
 an apparatus body including an electrical power supply and a cartridge receiver for removably receiving the cartridge such that the electrical power supply is operatively coupled to the heater; 
   detecting the identifier of the cartridge;   based on the detected identifier, controlling provision of electrical power from the electrical power source to the heater to heat the vaporizable substance at a predetermined heating condition.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein detecting the identifier of the cartridge includes detecting a configuration of a cartridge electrical connector operatively couplable to a body electrical connector to form a closed electrical circuit between the heater and the electrical power supply. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein detecting the identifier of the cartridge includes detecting an electrical resistance value of the heater.