Vaporizer cartridge with movable wall

Abstract

This disclosure describes a personal vaporizer such as an electronic cigarette, a vape pen, vape kits, e-cig, e-hookah, or other electronic nicotine delivery system that includes a movable wall in the cartridge for more reliable substance delivery. In many personal vaporizers, a wick transports the substance to be atomized from a reservoir to an atomization chamber via capillary action. These cartridges rely on gravity to ensure the wick is properly wetted during use, in order to prevent damage to the wick material. In certain instances, gravity is not suitable for feeding a wick, for example with substances that do not flow freely in the cartridge. In these instances, a movable wall, e.g., a ceiling or other wall, for mechanically forcing the substance onto the wick, or preventing voids or air pockets from forming in undesirable locations is desired.

1 . A personal vaporizer cartridge comprising:
 a housing comprising a shell and a base, the housing configured to couple with a body of a personal vaporizer;   a reservoir defined by the housing, and configured to contain a substance to be vaporized;   a wick configured to transport the substance from the reservoir to an atomization chamber, the wick and substance within the housing;   a chimney extending axially from the atomization chamber, through the reservoir and the shell to an aerosol outlet, the chimney forming a channel between the atomization chamber and a space external to the cartridge;   a hollow screw enclosing a portion of the chimney and configured to rotate about a first axis that is parallel to an axis defined by the chimney; and   a movable wall engaged with threads of the hollow screw and configured to translate along the first axis when the hollow screw is rotated, the movable wall surrounding the chimney and configured to alter a volume of the reservoir when it translates.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , comprising a fixed wall, positioned between the movable wall and the aerosol outlet, wherein the fixed wall comprises an equalization port configured to permit pressure equalization between the space external to the cartridge and a volume between the movable wall and the fixed wall. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the shell is a transparent or translucent material. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the atomization chamber is configured to atomize the substance to be vaporized and generate an aerosol, the atomization chamber comprising:
 a heating element; and   an air inlet to allow airflow through the atomization chamber into the chimney.   
     
     
         5 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow screw is coupled to an adjustment knob, operable by a user to rotate the hollow screw about the first axis. 
     
     
         6 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the movable wall is coated with a sealant. 
     
     
         7 . The cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the sealant is a silicon based coating. 
     
     
         8 . A method for adjusting reservoir volume in a personal vaporizer cartridge, the method comprising:
 rotating a hollow screw, the hollow screw enclosing a portion of a chimney that extends from an atomization chamber axially, through a reservoir and a housing to an aerosol outlet, wherein the reservoir contains a substance;   wherein rotating the hollow screw causes a movable wall that is engaged with threads of the hollow screw to translate axially along the chimney, and wherein translation of the movable wall alters a volume of the reservoir.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cartridge comprises a fixed wall, positioned between the movable wall and the aerosol outlet, wherein the fixed wall comprises an equalization port configured to permit pressure equalization between a space external to the cartridge and a volume between the movable wall and the fixed wall. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a transparent or translucent material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the atomization chamber is configured to atomize the substance and generate an aerosol, the atomization chamber comprising:
 a heating element; and   an air inlet to allow airflow through the atomization chamber into the chimney.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein rotating the hollow screw comprises rotating and an adjustment knob coupled to the hollow screw, the adjustment knob operable by a user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the movable wall is coated with a sealant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the sealant is a silicon based coating. 
     
     
         15 . A system for delivering atomized substance from a personal vaporizer cartridge, the system comprising:
 a housing comprising a shell and a base, the housing configured to couple with a body of a personal vaporizer;   a reservoir defined by the housing, and configured to contain a substance to be vaporized;   a wick configured to transport the substance from the reservoir to an atomization chamber, the wick and substance within the housing;   a chimney extending axially from the atomization chamber, through the reservoir and the shell to an aerosol outlet, the chimney forming a channel between the atomization chamber and a space external to the cartridge;   a hollow screw enclosing a portion of the chimney and configured to rotate about a first axis that is parallel to an axis defined by the chimney; and   a movable wall engaged with threads of the hollow screw and configured to translate along the first axis when the hollow screw is rotated, the movable wall surrounding the chimney and configured to alter a volume of the reservoir when it translates.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising a fixed wall, positioned between the movable wall and the aerosol outlet, wherein the fixed wall comprises an equalization port configured to permit pressure equalization between the space external to the cartridge and a volume between the movable wall and the fixed wall. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the shell is a transparent or translucent material. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the atomization chamber is configured to atomize the substance to be vaporized and generate an aerosol, the atomization chamber comprising:
 a heating element; and   an air inlet to allow airflow through the atomization chamber into the chimney.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the hollow screw is coupled to an adjustment knob, operable by a user to rotate the hollow screw about the first axis. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the movable wall is coated with a sealant.