Child-resistant vaporization device

Abstract

A child resistant vaporization device includes at least two safety holes that pass through a housing of the device and are configured such that a child's hand is not large enough to cover both holes. A heating unit of the device cannot be activated unless both holes are covered. The child resistant vaporization device can further include a locking mouthpiece that can optionally be removable.

1 . A child-resistant vaporization device ( 100 ,  200 ) comprising:
 a housing ( 123 ) having a mouthpiece end lockably attachable to a mouthpiece ( 110 ,  210 ), said housing having an opening ( 126 ) at an end opposite the mouthpiece end for entering air into the vaporization device;   a tube ( 180 ,  280 ) disposed within said housing, the tube extending from a first end ( 190 ,  290 );   a heating unit ( 135 ,  235 ) disposed within said housing;   a fluid reservoir ( 185 ,  285 ) disposed within said housing;   a battery ( 124 ) disposed within said housing;   a sensor ( 355 ) disposed within said housing, said sensor being configured to detect when a user inhales and to cause said heating unit to activate in response to vaporize a vaporization liquid within said fluid reservoir;   wherein the vaporization device defines a path for air flow extending through the opening and within said housing;   wherein said housing includes at least first and second safety inlet holes ( 360 ,  362 ) disposed therethrough;   wherein said sensor and the at least first and second safety inlet holes are in fluid communication with the path for air flow;   wherein the sensor does not detect that the user is inhaling when any of the at least first and second safety inlet holes is uncovered.   
     
     
         2 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a housing for a cartridge and battery combination ( 120 ). 
     
     
         3 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a cartridge housing ( 123 ) and a battery component housing removably sealed to the cartridge housing by a connection ( 230 );
 wherein said tube, said fluid reservoir, and said heating unit are disposed within the cartridge housing;   wherein said battery and said sensor are disposed within the battery component housing; and   wherein the battery component housing includes the opening ( 126 ).   
     
     
         4 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 1 , further comprising a mouthpiece ( 110 ,  210 ) having a passage ( 140 ,  240 ) disposed therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the mouthpiece comprises a mouthpiece housing ( 112 ,  212 ) and a support structure ( 160 ,  260 ) disposed at least partially within the mouthpiece housing, the support structure supporting a tip seal ( 170 ,  270 ) disposed at an end ( 175 ,  275 ) of the mouthpiece;   wherein the tip seal makes sealing contact with an internal surface of an outer wall of the fluid reservoir when the mouthpiece is lockably attached to said housing, the tip seal being sized to span an annular width of the fluid reservoir.   
     
     
         6 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 , wherein the mouthpiece comprises a mouthpiece housing ( 112 ,  212 ) and a support structure ( 160 ,  260 ) disposed at least partially within the mouthpiece housing, the support structure supporting a tip seal ( 170 ,  270 ) disposed at an end ( 175 ,  275 ) of the mouthpiece;
 wherein the tip seal makes sealing contact with an internal surface of an outer wall of the fluid reservoir and with an outer surface of the tube when the mouthpiece is lockably attached to said housing.   
     
     
         7 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 ,
 wherein said tube includes a radially outwardly extending structural feature ( 195 ,  295 ) at the first end ( 190 ,  290 ) of said tube;   wherein the mouthpiece comprises two or more hooked arms ( 181 ,  281 ) extending longitudinally from the support structure toward the passage of the mouthpiece; and   wherein the two or more hooked arms engage the radially outwardly extending structural feature of the tube to lockably attach the mouthpiece to said housing.   
     
     
         8 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 7 , wherein the mouthpiece further comprises a release arm ( 182 ,  282 ) respectively extending from each of the two or more hooked arms for allowing the mouthpiece to be released from the cartridge by insertion of a release pin ( 400 ) between the release arms. 
     
     
         9 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 , wherein the path for air flow extends into a passage ( 140 ,  240 ) of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         10 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 , wherein the path for air flow extends through a space between the battery and said housing,
 wherein optionally the path for air flow extends through said heating unit and through said tube.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 , wherein the path for air flow extends through a space between the battery and said housing, and into a passage ( 140 ,  240 ) of the mouthpiece,
 wherein optionally between the space between said battery and said housing and the passage of the mouthpiece, the path for air flow further extends through said heating unit and through said tube, and   and optionally between the space between said battery and said housing and the passage of the mouthpiece, the path for air flow further extends through a space between said housing and the outer wall of said fluid reservoir.   
     
     
         13 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a mouthpiece ( 110 ,  210 );   wherein the mouthpiece comprises a mouthpiece housing ( 112 ,  212 ) and a support structure ( 160 ,  260 ) disposed at least partially within the mouthpiece housing;   wherein the path for air flow further extends through a space between the support structure and the mouthpiece housing.   
     
     
         16 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 4 , wherein the path for air flow extends through a space between the battery and said housing, through said heating unit, through said tube, through a space between said housing and the outer wall of the fluid reservoir and into a passage of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         17 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor:
 (a) is electrically coupled to said heating unit;   (b) is configured to detect when a user inhales on the mouthpiece;   (c) is configured to detect a pressure drop and/or an air flow; and/or   (d) is electrically connected to circuitry, the circuitry being connected to said heating unit and to said battery, said sensor being configured to send a signal to cause said heating unit to activate when said sensor detects a pressure drop and/or an air flow.   
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The child-resistant vaporization device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) said fluid reservoir has an outer wall ( 187 ,  287 ) disposed annularly around the tube, the fluid reservoir being in fluid communication with an exterior surface of the heating unit;   (b) the at least first and second safety inlet holes comprises more than two safety inlet holes, and optionally the at least first and second safety inlet holes comprise first and second safety inlet holes disposed on opposite longitudinal ends of the vaporization device and/or on opposite sides of the vaporization device;   (c) the first safety inlet hole is disposed through said housing near the mouthpiece end on a first side of the vaporization device and the second safety inlet hole is disposed through said housing near an opposite end of said housing and on an opposite side of the vaporization device;   (d) the at least first and second safety inlet holes comprise first and second safety inlet holes oriented and respectively separated on said housing so as to prevent a hand of average size for a 5-year-old child from covering both of the first and second safety inlet holes simultaneously, and said heating unit is configured to be inactive unless both the first and second safety holes are covered; and/or   (e) each of the at least first and second safety inlet holes has a minimum opening of 2 mm across.   
     
     
         22 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method for operating a child-resistant vaporization device, comprising:
 providing a child-resistant vaporization device comprising a housing having a mouthpiece end lockably attachable to a mouthpiece, a heating unit disposed within the housing, a fluid reservoir disposed within the housing, a battery disposed within the housing, and a sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the vaporization device defines a path for air flow extending through an opening of the housing at an end opposite the mouthpiece end for entering air into the vaporization device and within said housing, and wherein the housing includes at least first and second safety inlet holes disposed therethrough, and the sensor and the at least first and second safety inlet holes are in fluid communication with the path for air flow:   the sensor detecting a pressure drop or air flow indicating that a user is inhaling;   in response to said detecting, the sensor sending a signal to the heating unit to cause the heating unit to activate, whereby the activated heating unit vaporizes a vaporization liquid disposed within the fluid reservoir;   wherein the sensor does not cause the heating unit to activate when any of the at least first and second safety holes is uncovered while the user is inhaling.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein:
 (a) the sensor is electrically connected to circuitry, the circuitry being electrically connected to the heating unit; and wherein said sending a signal to the heating unit comprises sending a signal to the circuitry;   (b) the vaporization device further comprises a mouthpiece;   (c) wherein the path for air flow extends into a passage of the mouthpiece, or the path for air flow extends through a space between the battery and said housing, or the path for air flow extends through said heating unit and through a tube disposed within the housing, or the path for air flow extends through a space between the battery and said housing, and into a passage of the mouthpiece; and/or   (d) between the space between said battery and said housing and the passage of the mouthpiece, the path for air flow further extends through said heating unit and through a tube disposed within the housing, and optionally between the space between said battery and said housing and the passage of the mouthpiece, the path for air flow further extends through a space between said housing and the outer wall of said fluid reservoir.   
     
     
         29 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 :
 wherein the vaporization device further comprises a mouthpiece lockably attached to the housing;   wherein the mouthpiece comprises a mouthpiece housing and a support structure ( 160 ,  260 ) disposed at least partially within the mouthpiece housing;   wherein the path for air flow further extends through a space between the support structure and the mouthpiece housing.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 27 ,
 wherein the vaporization device further comprises a mouthpiece lockably attached to the housing; and   wherein said sensor detects when a user inhales on the mouthpiece.