How Are Vapes Made? A Brief History of Vaping

The history of vaping is fascinating. For example, did you know that the first patent for an electronic vaporizer was made in 1930? In today’s blog, we take a look at the rich and complex history of vaping to find out exactly how the first vapes were made and how vapes are made today. 

Table of Contents:

1. The First Patents
2. The Favor Cigarette
3. The FDA Begins to Intervene
4. It Was All a Dream
5. How Are Vapes Made Today?
6. Conclusion

The First Patents 

Believe it or not, the first patent for the first electronic cigarette was created in 1930 by Joseph Robinson. The patent described a device that he called an “electronic vaporizer” that would allow the users to inhale medicinal substances. Although the device was never made, this is the first patent that we know of that imagined a vaporizer. 

The second patent came in 1963 when Helbert Gilbert created a device that was exclusively made to replace cigarettes and not made to inhale “medical compounds” as Joseph Robinson had envisioned. However, Helbert, like his predecessor, had difficulty manufacturing the device, which he called the “smokeless non-tobacco cigarette,” and just like the model before, it remained a patent. However, the device and his inventor made strides that would later be used in the future of vaping. For example, his device used a battery, and he even suggested the use of propylene glycol, one of the three ingredients now used in vape juice. 

The Favor Cigarette 

Although not electronic, the Favor Cigarette is also essential to mention in the history of vaping. It was a paper cigarette that used liquid nicotine created by Phil Ray and Norman Jacobson. Phil Ray was a genius who helped in the invention of the computer, while Norman Jacobson was his physician and friend. They launched the product and created their own company. The Favor Cigarette made it to some grocery stores, but they underestimated the shelf life of liquid nicotine, which after a while became bitter tasting and unpleasant, so the company never took off.  They are important in vaping’s history because they were the first people to coin the term “vape,” and their research into nicotine delivery would prove important for future inventors. 

The FDA Begins to Intervene

Decades would pass and it wouldn't be until the 1990s and early 2000s that numerous patents and inventors would create their own versions of electronic cigarettes or nicotine inhaler devices. According to CASAA, in 1998 a major tobacco company requested permission from the FDA to market an invention that closely resembled the current electronic cigarette, and although the FDA did not yet have permission to regulate tobacco products but did have regulatory powers over drug delivery devices, they denied the request stating that it was an unapproved drug delivery device. This discouraged inventors and the tobacco industry and explained why all interest in creating an American electronic cigarette suddenly disappeared. 

It Was All a Dream

As far as we know, the first vape device was made because of a dream. Hon Lik, a 54-year-old pharmacist from Beijing, China, dreamed that he was drowning in a sea and when all hope was lost, the water magically evaporated. Upon waking, he had the idea of creating a device that would evaporate nicotine and could save him from his deadly cigarette addiction, which had recently claimed his father’s life. He soon began work on his invention and in 2003 he created the patent for his device and presented it to the company he worked for. The company loved the device so much that they decided to manufacture it and even went so far as to change their name to Ruyan, which roughly translates to “like smoke.” Shortly after 2006, they began to sell the first vape device in Europe and the Americas and the rest, as they say, is history. 

How Are Vapes Made Today?

Now that you know the history of vapes, you might ask yourself, how are vapes made today? Well, in today’s market there are different types of vapes. However, from pod systems to box mods to disposables, it seems like all vapes have the same characteristics. They all have three components: 

• A power source or battery
• A coil that heats up and evaporates the nicotine
• And vape juice, the liquid that contains the nicotine

The way vapes work is essentially how they are made. Manufacturers of vapes assemble the device so that the battery powers up the coil, which heats up cotton that leads to the vape juice reservoir which creates vapor. This is why most vapes are rectangular in shape, because they house a battery that powers up the whole device.

Conclusion 

We hope that with this blog you learned how vapes were invented and the history of vaping. At VapeRanger, we are an international wholesaler and bulk supplier of vape products that carries thousands of vape products. With domestic and international shipping and delivery, we offer one of the best options for stocking your vape shop. Take a look around our website and see for yourself why VapeRanger is the only vape wholesaler you’ll ever need.