Electronic cigarette with illuminated tip

• US 10,143,241 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2018
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fontem Ventures BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Fontem Holdings 1 BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Alarcon, Ramon, Hoffman, Adam, Myles, Christopher, Conrey, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US15/901,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20180177241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• 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 40/50 Control or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/60 Devices with integrated user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/10 for personal use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0083 Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light

Abstract

Aspects of the instant disclosure relate to electronic cigarettes. More particularly, to electronic cigarettes including a circumferential light guide that distributes light transmitted by a light source, and controller circuitry that variably illuminates the circumferential light guide of the electronic cigarette based on a user'"'"'s draw strength.

Claims

1. A circumferential light guide comprising:

a partial circumferential feature;

opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls on either side of the partial circumferential feature, the opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls configured and arranged to receive and direct light into the partial circumferential feature;

a circuit board receiving slot between the longitudinally-extending slot walls; and

an outer surface including variable surface texture, the variable surface texture configured and arranged to distribute light, entering the partial circumferential feature from the opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls, along the outer surface of the circumferential light guide.

2. The circumferential light guide of claim 1, further comprising an electronic circuit board positioned within the circuit board receiving slot, the electronic circuit board including at least one light source directed toward at least one of the opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls.

3. The circumferential light guide of claim 1, further comprising a tip diffuser positioned within the partial circumferential feature, the tip diffuser configured and arranged to

receive light directed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the partial circumferential feature at a proximal surface of the tip diffuser, and

distribute the received light along a distal surface of the tip diffuser.

4. The circumferential light guide of claim 3, wherein the tip diffuser is a bi-convex lens with a plurality of diffusing features extending into the proximal surface of the tip diffuser.

5. The circumferential light guide of claim 4, wherein the plurality of diffusing features are pyramidal apertures extending into the proximal surface of the tip diffuser.

6. The circumferential light guide of claim 1, wherein the variable surface texture of the outer surface is minimal near the opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls and increases with an outer surface distance away from the circuit board receiving slot.

7. The circumferential light guide of claim 3, further comprising an electronic circuit board positioned within the circuit board receiving slot, the electronic circuit board comprising

at least one light source directed toward at least one of the opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls, and

at least one light source directed toward the tip diffuser.

8. The circumferential light guide of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources directed toward at least one of the opposing longitudinally-extending slot walls and offset relative to one another along a longitudinal axis of the partial circumferential feature.