Electronic cigarette case and method for detecting battery rod insertion into or removal from electronic cigarette case

• US 10,008,871 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huizhou Kimree Technology Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Huizhou Kimree Technology Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Xiang, Zhiyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin, Naum B
• Application Number:
  US14/917,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20160226286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/95 structurally associated with cases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00038 using passive battery identification means, e.g. resistors or capacitors identification by mechanical connections H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic cigarette and a method for detecting battery rod insertion into or removal from an electronic cigarette case. The electronic cigarette case is used for charging an electronic cigarette battery rod having a built-in magnet. The electronic cigarette case comprises: a microprocessor, a Hall sensor module, a battery rod charging interface and a charging circuit. The Hall sensor module is connected to the microprocessor. The charging circuit is connected to the microprocessor. The battery rod charging interface is connected to the charging circuit. The beneficial effect is that insertion or removal of a battery rod can be accurately identified on the basis of changes in a magnetic field, thus controlling the turning-on or turning-off of the charging circuit, providing a user with a novel charging scheme, better meeting customer needs, and enhancing user experience.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette case for charging an electronic cigarette battery rod, including a microprocessor (100), a Hall sensor module (200), a battery rod charging interface (400), and a charging circuit (300);

wherein

the Hall sensor module (200) is connected to the microprocessor (100), the charging circuit (300) is connected to the microprocessor (100), the battery rod charging interface (400) is connected to the charging circuit (300);

the battery rod charging interface (400) is used for receiving the electronic cigarette battery rod having a built-in magnet;

wherein

the Hall sensor module (200) is used for detecting magnetic signals generated by inserting the electronic cigarette battery rod into the battery rod charging interface (400) or removing the electronic cigarette battery rod from the battery rod charging interface (400), and for outputting different level signals to the microprocessor (100) according to different magnetic signals;

the microprocessor (100) is used for controlling the charging circuit (300) to switch on or off according to the level signals from the Hall sensor module (200), so as to charge the electronic cigarette battery rod inserted into the battery rod charging interface (400) or stop charging the electronic cigarette battery rod removed from the battery rod charging interface (400);

wherein the charging circuit (300) further includes;

a charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301), an overcurrent and full-charge detection circuit (303), and a boosting circuit (302);

wherein

the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) is connected to an external power supply (500), the microprocessor (100) and the boosting circuit (302), respectively;

the boosting circuit (302) is connected to the microprocessor (100), the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) and the battery rod charging interface (400), respectively;

the overcurrent and full-charge detection circuit (303) is connected to the microprocessor (100) and the battery rod charging interface (400), respectively;

wherein

the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) is used for providing a first charging voltage and implementing an overvoltage protection, when the external power supply (500) is accessed;

the boosting circuit (302) is used for adjusting the first charging voltage to charge the electronic cigarette battery rod;

the overcurrent and full-charge detection circuit (303) is used for detecting a charging current during a charging process of the electronic cigarette battery rod;

the microprocessor (100) is used for controlling a work state of the boosting circuit (302) according to the charging current for adjusting the same;

wherein the electronic cigarette case further includes a built-in battery (700), the charging circuit (300) further includes a built-in battery protection circuit (305) and a built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306);

wherein

the built-in battery (700) is connected to the boosting circuit (302), the built-in battery protection circuit (305) is connected to the built-in battery (700), and the built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306) is connected to the microprocessor (100) and the built-in battery (700), respectively;

wherein

the built-in battery (700) is used for providing a second charging voltage which charges the electronic cigarette battery rod inserted into the battery rod charging interface (400), after being adjusted by the boosting circuit (302);

the built-in battery protection circuit (305) is used for an over-current protection of the built-in battery;

the built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306) is used for detecting a voltage of the built-in battery;

the microprocessor (100) is used for implementing a low-voltage protection on the built-in battery voltage according to a detected voltage of the built-in battery; and

wherein the microprocessor (100) has a model number of HT46R065.

2. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 1, wherein, the electronic cigarette case further includes a charging indicator circuit (600) connected to the microprocessor (100);

wherein

the charging indicator circuit (600) is used for indicating a charging state of charging the built-in battery (700) via the second charging voltage.

3. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 2, wherein, the charging indicator circuit (600) includes at least one first light-emitting diode for indicating that the built-in battery (700) is charging or the built-in battery (700) is full charged, or the built-in battery (700) has a low voltage or the built-in battery (700) is discharging, and at least one second light-emitting diode for indicating an electric energy grade of the built-in battery (700).

4. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 1, wherein, the boosting circuit (302) includes a boosting chip (U2), a first inductor (L2), a first transistor (Q3), a first MOS tube (Q2) and a first diode (D3);

the boosting chip (U2) has a model number of CP2121;

wherein, a fourth pin of the boosting chip (U2) is connected to a sixth pin of the microprocessor (100), and a base of the first transistor (Q3) via a first resistor (R10), the base of the first transistor (Q3) is also grounded via a second resistor (R9), the first transistor (Q3) is further grounded via its emitter, a collector of the first transistor (Q3) is connected to a gate of the first MOS tube (Q2), to a source of the first MOS tube (Q2) via a third resistor (R8), and to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700), a drain of the first MOS tube (Q2) is connected to a sixth pin of the boosting chip (U2), and to one terminal of the first inductor (L2) via a fourth resistor (R11), other terminal of the first inductor (L2) is connected to a first pin of the boosting chip (U2) and an anode of the first diode (D3) whose cathode is connected to the battery rod charging interface (400).

5. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 4, wherein, the Hall sensor module (200) includes a Hall element (U6), a third capacitor (C15) and a ninth resistor (R18);

wherein,

the Hall element (U6) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via an inputting terminal, and to a first pin of the microprocessor (100) via an outputting terminal, and is grounded via a Vss terminal, the outputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the ninth resistor (R18), the Vss terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the third capacitor (C15).

6. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 1, wherein, the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) includes a charging management chip (U1), a second diode (D2), a second inductor (L1) and a second MOS tube (Q1);

the charging management chip (U1) has a model number of HB6293A;

wherein

a first pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a twentieth pin of the microprocessor (100), a second pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a nineteenth of the microprocessor (100), a third pin of the charging management chip (U1) is grounded via a first capacitor (C3), and connected to a positive plate of an external power supply (500) via a fifth resistor (R1), a fourth pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a grid of the second MOS tube (Q1), a seventh pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700), an eighth pin of the charging management chip (U1) is grounded via the second capacitor (C6), and connected to one terminal of the second inductor (L1), a VCC terminal of the external power supply (500) is connected to an anode of the second diode (D2) via the fifth resistor (R1), the cathode of the second diode (D2) is connected to a source of the second MOS tube (Q1), whose drain is connected to one terminal of the second inductor (L1), other terminal of the second inductor (L1) is connected to the eighth pin of the charging management chip (U1) and to the positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via a sixth resistor (R3).

7. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 6, wherein, the Hall sensor module (200) includes a Hall element (U6), a third capacitor (C15) and a ninth resistor (R18);

wherein,

the Hall element (U6) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via an inputting terminal, and to a first pin of the microprocessor (100) via an outputting terminal, and is grounded via a Vss terminal, the outputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the ninth resistor (R18), the Vss terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the third capacitor (C15).

8. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 1, wherein, the built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306) further includes a seventh resistor (R6) and an eighth resistor (R7);

wherein,

the seventh resistor (R6) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via one terminal and connected to a second pin of the microprocessor (100) and one terminal of the eighth resistor (R7) via other terminal, the eighth resistor (R7) is connected to a fifteenth pin of the microprocessor (100) via other terminal.

9. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 8, wherein, the Hall sensor module (200) includes a Hall element (U6), a third capacitor (C15) and a ninth resistor (R18);

wherein,

the Hall element (U6) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via an inputting terminal, and to a first pin of the microprocessor (100) via an outputting terminal, and is grounded via a Vss terminal, the outputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the ninth resistor (R18), the Vss terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the third capacitor (C15).

10. A method for detecting insertion of a battery rod into or removal of the battery rod from an electronic cigarette case according to claim 1 comprising:

S1. arranging a Hall sensor module in the electronic cigarette case;

S2. detecting magnetic signals generated by inserting the battery rod into a battery rod charging interface or removing the battery rod from the battery rod charging interface by the Hall sensor module;

S3. outputting different level signals according to different magnetic signals by the Hall sensor module;

S4. controlling a charging circuit of the electronic cigarette case to switch on or off according to the level signals from the Hall sensor module, so as to charge the battery rod inserted into the battery rod charging interface or stop charging the battery rod removed from the battery rod charging interface by a microprocessor (100) of the electronic cigarette case.

11. The method for detecting insertion of a battery rod into or removal of the battery rod from an electronic cigarette case according to claim 10, wherein if the battery rod is inserted into the battery rod charging interface, the magnetic signal is greater than a predetermined value, the level signal outputted from step S3 is a high level signal.

12. The method for detecting insertion of a battery rod into or removal of the battery rod from an electronic cigarette case according to claim 10, wherein if the battery rod is removed from the battery rod charging interface, the magnetic signal is smaller than a predetermined value, the level signal outputted from step S3 is a low level signal.

13. The method for detecting insertion of a battery rod into or removal of the battery rod from an electronic cigarette case according to claim 10, wherein if the battery rod is inserted into the battery rod charging interface, the magnetic signal is greater than a predetermined value, the level signal outputted from step S3 is a high level signal;

and

if the battery rod is removed from the battery rod charging interface, the magnetic signal is smaller than a predetermined value, the level signal outputted from step S3 is a low level signal.

14. An electronic cigarette case for charging an electronic cigarette battery rod, including a microprocessor (100), a Hall sensor module (200), a battery rod charging interface (400), and a charging circuit (300);

wherein

the Hall sensor module (200) is connected to the microprocessor (100), the charging circuit (300) is connected to the microprocessor (100), the battery rod charging interface (400) is connected to the charging circuit (300);

the battery rod charging interface (400) is used for receiving the electronic cigarette battery rod having a built-in magnet;

wherein

the Hall sensor module (200) is used for detecting magnetic signals generated by inserting the electronic cigarette battery rod into the battery rod charging interface (400) or removing the electronic cigarette battery rod from the battery rod charging interface (400), and for outputting different level signals to the microprocessor (100) according to different magnetic signals;

the microprocessor (100) is used for controlling the charging circuit (300) to switch on or off according to the level signals from the Hall sensor module (200), so as to charge the electronic cigarette battery rod inserted into the battery rod charging interface (400) or stop charging the electronic cigarette battery rod removed from the battery rod charging interface (400);

wherein the charging circuit (300) further includes;

a charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301), an overcurrent and full-charge detection circuit (303), and a boosting circuit (302);

wherein

the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) is connected to an external power supply (500), the microprocessor (100) and the boosting circuit (302), respectively;

the boosting circuit (302) is connected to the microprocessor (100), the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) and the battery rod charging interface (400), respectively;

the overcurrent and full-charge detection circuit (303) is connected to the microprocessor (100) and the battery rod charging interface (400), respectively;

wherein

the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) is used for providing a first charging voltage and implementing an overvoltage protection, when the external power supply (500) is accessed;

the boosting circuit (302) is used for adjusting the first charging voltage to charge the electronic cigarette battery rod;

the overcurrent and full-charge detection circuit (303) is used for detecting a charging current during a charging process of the electronic cigarette battery rod;

the microprocessor (100) is used for controlling a work state of the boosting circuit (302) according to the charging current for adjusting the same;

wherein

the electronic cigarette case further includes a built-in battery (700), the charging circuit (300) further includes a built-in battery protection circuit (305) and a built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306);

wherein

the built-in battery (700) is connected to the boosting circuit (302), the built-in battery protection circuit (305) is connected to the built-in battery (700), and the built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306) is connected to the microprocessor (100) and the built-in battery (700), respectively;

wherein

the built-in battery (700) is used for providing a second charging voltage which charges the electronic cigarette battery rod inserted into the battery rod charging interface (400), after being adjusted by the boosting circuit (302);

the built-in battery protection circuit (305) is used for an over-current protection of the built-in battery;

the built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306) is used for detecting a voltage of the built-in battery;

the microprocessor (100) is used for implementing a low-voltage protection on the built-in battery voltage according to a detected voltage of the built-in battery;

wherein,

the electronic cigarette case further includes a charging indicator circuit (600) connected to the microprocessor (100);

wherein

the charging indicator circuit (600) is used for indicating a charging state of charging the built-in battery (700) via the second charging voltage;

wherein, the charging indicator circuit (600) includes at least one first light-emitting diode for indicating that the built-in battery (700) is charging or the built-in battery (700) is full charged, or the built-in battery (700) has a low voltage or the built-in battery (700) is discharging, and at least one second light-emitting diode for indicating an electric energy grade of the built-in battery (700);

wherein

the microprocessor (100) has a model number of HT46R065;

the boosting circuit (302) includes a boosting chip (U2), a first inductor (L2), a first transistor (Q3), a first MOS tube (Q2) and a first diode (D3);

the boosting chip (U2) has a model number of CP2121;

wherein, a fourth pin of the boosting chip (U2) is connected to a sixth pin of the microprocessor (100), and a base of the first transistor (Q3) via a first resistor (R10), the base of the first transistor (Q3) is also grounded via a second resistor (R9), the first transistor (Q3) is further grounded via its emitter, a collector of the first transistor (Q3) is connected to a gate of the first MOS tube (Q2), to a source of the first MOS tube (Q2) via a third resistor (R8), and to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700), a drain of the first MOS tube (Q2) is connected to a sixth pin of the boosting chip (U2), and to one terminal of the first inductor (L2) via a fourth resistor (R11), other terminal of the first inductor (L2) is connected to a first pin of the boosting chip (U2) and an anode of the first diode (D3) whose cathode is connected to the battery rod charging interface (400);

wherein

the charging management and over-voltage protection circuit (301) includes a charging management chip (U1), a second diode (D2), a second inductor (L1) and a second MOS tube (Q1);

the charging management chip (U1) has a model number of HB6293A;

wherein

a first pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a twentieth pin of the microprocessor (100), a second pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a nineteenth of the microprocessor (100), a third pin of the charging management chip (U1) is grounded via a first capacitor (C3), and connected to a positive plate of an external power supply (500) via a fifth resistor (R1), a fourth pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a grid of the second MOS tube (Q1), a seventh pin of the charging management chip (U1) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700), an eighth pin of the charging management chip (U1) is grounded via the second capacitor (C6), and connected to one terminal of the second inductor (L1), a VCC terminal of the external power supply (500) is connected to an anode of the second diode (D2) via the fifth resistor (R1), the cathode of the second diode (D2) is connected to a source of the second MOS tube (Q1), whose drain is connected to one terminal of the second inductor (L1), other terminal of the second inductor (L1) is connected to the eighth pin of the charging management chip (U1) and to the positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via a sixth resistor (R3);

wherein

the built-in battery low-voltage detection circuit (306) further includes a seventh resistor (R6) and an eighth resistor (R7);

wherein,

the seventh resistor (R6) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via one terminal and connected to a second pin of the microprocessor (100) and one terminal of the eighth resistor (R7) via other terminal, the eighth resistor (R7) is connected to a fifteenth pin of the microprocessor (100) via other terminal;

wherein

the Hall sensor module (200) includes a Hall element (U6), a third capacitor (C15) and a ninth resistor (R18); and

wherein the Hall element (U6) is connected to a positive plate of the built-in battery (700) via an inputting terminal, and to a first pin of the microprocessor (100) via an outputting terminal, and is grounded via a Vss terminal, the outputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the ninth resistor (R18), the Vss terminal of the Hall element (U6) is connected to the inputting terminal of the Hall element (U6) via the third capacitor (C15).