E-cigarette personal vaporizer

• US 10,021,916 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AYR Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beyond Twenty Ltd.
• Inventors: Memari, Kaveh, Bennett, Adrian, Murison, Ian, Marsh, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US15/696,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20170360111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 131328, 131329, 131361, 320107-108
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/015 with means for refilling of liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/90 Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/95 structurally associated with cases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 37/06 by pistons or pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/005 Side walls formed with an aperture or a movable portion arranged to allow removal or insertion of contents B65D5/16, B65D7/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2023/0025 on containers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/00 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A portable, personal storage and carrying case for an e-liquid e-cigarette PV in which the case includes: a refillable PV that is removable from the case; an electrical power source for re-charging a rechargeable battery in the PV; a user-replaceable reservoir for holding e-liquid; and an electrical or electronic pump adapted to transfer e-liquid from the reservoir to a chamber in the PV, the pump delivering a pre-defined or variable quantity of e-liquid from the reservoir; and in which the refillable PV is approximately the same size as a cigarette and it includes no ‘on’ control button.

Claims

1. A portable, personal storage and carrying case system for an e-liquid e-cigarette PV in which the case system includes:

(a) a case and the e-liquid e-cigarette PV which is a refillable PV that is removable from the case;

(b) an electrical power source for re-charging a rechargeable battery in the PV;

(c) a user-replaceable reservoir for holding e-liquid; and

(d) an electrical or electronic pump adapted to transfer e-liquid from the reservoir to a chamber in the PV, the pump delivering a pre-defined or variable quantity of e-liquid from the reservoir;

and in which the refillable PV is approximately the same size as a cigarette and it includes no ‘

on’

control button.

2. The case system of claim 1, in which the case is configured to re-fill the PV with e-liquid when the PV is inserted into the case, without the need to dis-assemble or puncture the PV, maintaining the PV whole and intact.

3. The case system of claim 1, in which the case displays a visual indication of e-liquid volume remaining in the reservoir.

4. The case system of claim 1, in which the case includes a hinged compartment for receiving and holding the PV.

5. The case system of claim 1, in which the case has closed and open positions, and exposes the top of the removable PV when in the open position to enable a user to readily withdraw the PV from the case.

6. The case system of claim 1, in which the case is configured to lift the PV up to facilitate withdrawal of the PV from the case.

7. The case system of claim 1, in which the case is lockable to prevent use by unauthorized persons, including under-age persons.

8. The case system of claim 1, in which the case is lockable remotely from a smartphone app.

9. The case system of claim 1, in which a smartphone app implements a nicotine reduction or cessation program and controls operation of the case.

10. The case system of claim 1 in which the case automatically locks the PV into a secured re-charging and re-filling position when the case is fully closed for storage and carrying the PV.

11. The case system of claim 1 which includes a locking system to lock the PV securely in a heating position during which time the PV is heating using power from a power source in the case and, after the PV has been sufficiently heated, to release the locking system.

12. The case system of claim 1, in which the refillable PV ceases to work once e-liquid equivalent to a single cigarette has been consumed, but will resume after re-filling in the case.

13. The case system of claim 1, in which the PV includes indicators that show when e-liquid equivalent to a single cigarette is present in the PV.

14. The case system of claim 1, in which the PV includes indicators that show when e-liquid equivalent to a single cigarette has been consumed.

15. The case system of claim 1 in which the pump is a peristaltic pump.

16. The case system of claim 1, in which the reservoir is not user-refillable.

17. The case system of claim 1, in which the reservoir includes a unique identifier chip.

18. The case system of claim 1 in which the user-replaceable e-liquid reservoir fits in the case or is otherwise attached to the case.

19. The case system of claim 1 in which the user-replaceable e-liquid reservoir is designed in normal use to permit e-liquid to escape only if the reservoir is correctly positioned in the case.

20. The case system of claim 1 in which the e-liquid capacity of the user replaceable reservoir is at least three times greater than the e-liquid capacity of the chamber in the PV.

21. The case system of claim 1 in which the case includes an overflow channel or return path that enables excess e-liquid that is pumped up from the reservoir but is not stored in the PV to be captured and returned to the reservoir.

22. The case system of claim 1 in which the case or the user-replaceable reservoir detects the level of e-liquid or the quantity of e-liquid in the user-replaceable reservoir.

23. The case system of claim 1 which includes a data processor that controls sending a signal requesting a replacement for the user-replaceable e-liquid reservoir in the case.

24. The case system of claim 1 which includes a data processor that controls sending a signal reminding the user that a replacement is needed for the user-replaceable e-liquid reservoir in the case.

25. A user-replaceable e-liquid reservoir for dispensing e-liquid, inserted into, or otherwise attached to, a portable, personal storage and carrying case for an e-liquid e-cigarette PV and engaging with an electrical or electronic pump fluid transfer system in the case, the case forming part of a case system, the case system including:

(a) the e-liquid e-cigarette PV, which is a refillable PV that is removable from the case;

(b) an electrical power source in the case for re-charging a rechargeable battery in the PV; and

(c) an electrical or electronic pump in the case, being configured to transfer e-liquid from the e-liquid reservoir to a chamber in the PV, the pump delivering a pre-defined or variable quantity of e-liquid from the reservoir;

and in which the refillable PV is approximately the same size as a cigarette.

26. A method of operating a portable, personal e-cigarette system, the method including the steps of:

(a) inserting a refillable PV into a storage and carrying case for the PV;

(b) inserting or attaching a user-replaceable reservoir for holding e-liquid to the case;

(c) recharging the PV with an electrical power source in the case;

(d) operating an electrical or electronic pump in the case to transfer e-liquid from the reservoir to a chamber in the PV, the pump delivering a pre-defined or variable quantity of e-liquid from the reservoir;

and in which the refillable PV is approximately the same size as a cigarette.