Releasable mouthpiece locking mechanism

Abstract

A releasable mouthpiece locking mechanism comprises one or more pairs of flexible, hooked arms that can be disposed in an interior portion of a mouthpiece housing. The arms can engage a tube of a vaporization cartridge to lock the vaporization cartridge and can be radially displaced to release the vaporization cartridge.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A mouthpiece assembly  700  for releasably locking with a vaporization cartridge  200 ,  715 , the mouthpiece comprising:
 a mouthpiece housing including an interior surface  820 , a longitudinally extending passage, and a hole disposed at a first end of the mouthpiece; and 
 a locking adapter  710  configured to be removably coupled to the mouthpiece housing such that the mouthpiece housing is disposed over the locking adapter, the locking adapter comprising:
 a body portion  740  disposed along a longitudinal axis  718 , the body portion including a base portion  770 ; 
 opposed first and second flexible release arms  790  extending longitudinally from the base portion, each of the first and second flexible release arms including a radially inner portion  795  and a radially outer portion  800 , the inner and outer portions being elastically flexible in a radial direction at least at opposite longitudinal ends of each of the inner and outer portions in response to an applied radial force, 
 wherein each of the outer portions is elastically flexible at a first end  802  where the outer portions meet the base portion, and each of the inner portions is elastically flexible at a second end  804  from which the inner portions extend from the outer portions; 
 each of the first and second radially inner portions  795  comprising a hook  742  on a free end thereof, the hook extending radially inwardly toward the longitudinal axis. 
 
 
     
     
         29 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the locking adapter further comprises opposed first and second immobile walls  780  extending longitudinally from the base portion, each of the first and second immobile walls being disposed circumferentially between the first and second flexible release arms  790 . 
     
     
         30 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the locking adapter further comprises a sealing cap ring  750  disposed at the second end  760  of the body portion  740 , the sealing cap ring being coupled to the body portion, the sealing cap ring being made of compressible material and configured for connecting to the vaporization cartridge. 
     
     
         31 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the locking adapter is removably coupled to the mouthpiece housing by a friction fit. 
     
     
         32 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the locking adapter is removably coupled to the mouthpiece housing by a press-fit of the interior surface of the mouthpiece housing over a compressible sealing ring  720 . 
     
     
         33 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the sealing ring is disposed within a circumferential groove  722  on an outer surface of the base portion  770  of the body portion. 
     
     
         34 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the interior surface of the mouthpiece housing includes one or more ribs  810  extending generally longitudinally and radially inward towards the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         35 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the mouthpiece housing is interchangeable. 
     
     
         36 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the mouthpiece housing is made of one or more of plastic, ceramic, wood, or metal. 
     
     
         37 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the locking adapter is made of an elastically flexible material. 
     
     
         38 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the passage of the mouthpiece extends along a longitudinal axis  718  aligned with the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the locking adapter when the mouthpiece is disposed over the locking adapter. 
     
     
         39 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a vaporization cartridge  200 ,  715  having a first end and an opposed second end disposed along the longitudinal axis  718 , the vaporization cartridge comprising:
 a housing having an outer wall  290  defining a fluid reservoir within the housing, the fluid reservoir being open at a first end and including a portion that extends longitudinally toward a second end, 
 a tube  725  disposed within the housing and longitudinally extending from the housing at the first end of the cartridge, the tube being aligned with the passage of the mouthpiece along the longitudinal axis, 
 the tube  725  including a radially outwardly extending shoulder  730  disposed circumferentially around a first end  735  of the tube  725 , wherein the hooks  742  engage longitudinally with the radially outwardly extending shoulder. 
   
     
     
         40 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the shoulder  730  includes a truncated or angled corner  737  proximate to the first end of the tube and a generally perpendicular overhang  739  on a longitudinal end of the radially outwardly extending shoulder  730  opposite the truncated or angled corner  737 ;
 wherein the hooks  742  engage longitudinally with the generally perpendicular overhang  739 . 
 
     
     
         41 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the tube terminates at a second end  284  of the housing at a chamber for accommodating a heating unit  260  therein. 
     
     
         42 . The mouthpiece assembly of  claim 41 , further comprising: a connection  240  for connecting to a source of power for the heating unit, the connection being disposed at the second end of the vaporization cartridge and coupled to the cartridge housing. 
     
     
         43 - 45 . (canceled)