Electronic Cigarette Case

• US 20130341218A1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huizhou Kimree Technology Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Huizhou Kimree Technology Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Liu, Qiuming
• Granted Patent: US 9,271,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/242
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/95 structurally associated with cases
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic cigarette case, including a case body, a frame module disposed in the case body, a battery module, and a printed circuit board (PCB) module. The electronic cigarette case further has a touch control method for performing at least a predefined function. The touch control method includes: defining a touch zone on the case body, and providing a touch control module in the case body. The at least a predefined function is performed to indicate an electric quantity of a battery when a finger touch gesture is detected on the touch zone by the touch control module. The electronic cigarette case is durable, waterproof and dustproof, rapidly response, space saving, and easy to use.

Claims

1. An electronic cigarette case, comprising:

a case body, a frame module disposed in the case body, a battery module, and a printed circuit board (PCB) module, wherein the electronic cigarette case further comprises a touch control method for performing at least a predefined function, the touch control method comprising;

defining a touch zone on the case body, and providing a touch control module in the case body, and the at least a predefined function being performed when a finger touch gesture is detected on the touch zone by the touch control module.

2. The electronic cigarette case of claim 1, wherein the touch control module comprises a touch key unit, the touch key unit comprising a touch sensor element and a touch detection control circuit electrically coupled to the touch sensor element, a corresponding electrical signal generated when the finger touch gesture or a finger contact is detected on the touch zone by the touch sensor element, whereby the electrical signal is received by the touch detection control circuit so as to perform the at least a predefined function.

3. The electronic cigarette case of claim 2, wherein the touch key unit is a resistive touch switch or a capacitive sensor switch, and the touch sensor element is a touch sensor conductor for used in the capacitive sensor switch, when touching a figure onto the touch sensor conductor, capacitors of the touch sensor conductor are changed in capacitance, and therefore the touch detection control circuit is enabled to perform the at least a predefined function according to the change of the capacitors;

alternatively, the touch sensor element including at least two disconnected resistors for used in the capacitive sensor switch, and when the resistors are electrically connected by a figure tough so as to control a circuit to be on or off, and therefore the touch detection control circuit is capable of detecting resistance variation so as to perform the at least a predefined function.

4. The electronic cigarette case of claim 3, wherein, with respect to the resistive touch switch and the capacitive sensor switch, the touch sensor element includes a set of conductors or resistors being separately disposed with each other, and when the finger touch gesture is detected on the touch zone, the touch detection control circuit detects all electrodes or the resistors changed correspondingly in capacitance or resistance, whereby performing the at least a predefined function.

5. The electronic cigarette case of claim 2, wherein the case body defines a display area, the touch control module further comprises a display unit including a display control circuit and a display element connected with the display control circuit;

wherein the touch detection control circuit is intended to detect variation of the electrical signal generated when the finger touch gesture or the finger contact is detected on the touch zone by the touch sensor element, the display control unit is intended to control the display element for information display, and when variation of the corresponding electrical signal is detected, the touch detection control circuit excites the display control circuit to trigger the display element displaying predefined information.

6. The electronic cigarette case of claim 5, wherein the touch sensor element is disposed on the touch zone or inside the case body behind the touch zone, and the display unit is disposed within or behind the display area.

7. The electronic cigarette case of claim 5, wherein the at least a predefined function is to indicate a reaming electric quantity of the battery module, the touch control display module further comprises a battery detection circuit for detecting the electric quantity of the battery module, the display element is intended to display the remaining electric quantity, and when a finger moves on the touch zone, the touch detection control circuit is capable of detecting variation of the corresponding electrical signal and exciting the display control circuit to control the display element to display an electric quantity of the battery module detected by the battery detection circuit.

8. The electronic cigarette case of claim 2, wherein the touch detection control circuit is integrated with the PCB module, the display control circuit is integrated with the PCB module, and the battery detection circuit is integrated with the PCB module.

9. The electronic cigarette case of claim 8, wherein the touch sensor element is installed with the PCB module, the display element is installed with the PCB module, the battery module is a case battery and/or an electronic cigarette battery, the battery module is electrically connected with the PCB module through a battery connector, and the PCB module is provided with a charging port for charging the battery module from an external power.

10. The electronic cigarette case of claim 9, wherein the PCB module comprises a cigarette case PCB and a touch PCB both connected through a connector.

11. The electronic cigarette case of claim 10, wherein the touch sensor element and the display element are installed on a front side of the touch PCB, the touch detection control circuit is integrated in a control integrated circuit (IC) of the touch PCB, the control IC is installed on a rear side of the touch PCB, and the display control circuit is integrated in the control IC.

12. The electronic cigarette case of claim 6, wherein the display unit is a row of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, and the LEDs or the LCD screen is intended to indicate a rate of the remaining electric quantity.

13. The electronic cigarette case of claim 12, further comprising a light guiding plate mounted above the LEDs, and the LEDs are disposed within or behind the display zone over the light guiding plate.

14. The electronic cigarette case of claim 10, wherein the touch zone and the display area are defined on a side wall of the case body, the touch PCB is correspondingly disposed on an inner wall of the case body, the touch sensor element and the display element are respectively located corresponding to the touch zone and the display area, the frame module comprises a tray, a cartridge holder and a bottom base, the tray and the cartridge holder cooperatively hold cartridges of electronic cigarettes therein, and the battery module and the PCB module are securely disposed in the bottom base.

15. The electronic cigarette case of claim 2, wherein the touch control module further comprises a predefined function unit comprising a control function starter circuit and a predefined function module, and when variation of an electrical signal is detected by the touch detection control circuit, the touch detection control circuit excites the control function starter circuit to trigger the predefined function module so as to perform the at least a predefined function.