METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR INDUCTIVELY CHARGING BATTERIES IN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

• US 20150333561A1
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fontem Ventures BV (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: LOEC Incorporated (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Alarcon, Ramon
• Granted Patent: US 10,651,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• 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: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A system, a method, and a device for inductive charging of batteries in electronic articles, and more particularly for the inductive charging of batteries in electronic cigarettes. In one embodiment, a charging system for an electronic cigarette can comprise a pack comprising a pack battery electrically coupled to a charging coil. The pack can be configured to hold an electronic cigarette battery and the charging coil can be configured to charge the electronic cigarette battery.

Claims

1. A charging system for an electronic cigarette, the system comprising:

a pack comprising a pack battery electrically coupled to a charging coil;

wherein the pack is configured to hold an electronic cigarette battery and wherein the charging coil is configured to charge the electronic cigarette battery.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the charging coil is sized and configured to allow the electronic cigarette battery to fit within a space at the center of the coil.

3. The charging system of claim 2, wherein the space at the center of the charging coil is configured to surround the electronic cigarette battery.

4. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the pack is configured to hold a plurality of electronic cigarette batteries.

5. The charging system of claim 4, wherein the charging coil is a first charging coil and wherein the pack further comprises a second charging coil.

6. The charging system of claim 5, wherein the electronic cigarette battery is a first electronic cigarette battery and wherein the second charging coil is configured to charge a second electronic cigarette battery.

7. The charging system of claim 1, wherein the pack is configured to communicate with the electronic cigarette battery.

8. The charging system of claim 7, wherein the pack is configured to communicate wirelessly with the electronic cigarette battery.

9. An electronic cigarette, comprising:

a body, a power supply unit disposed within said body, a sensor electrically connected to the power supply unit, and a charging coil electrically connected to the power supply unit,

wherein the charging coil is configured to interact with an external inductive charging coil to charge the power supply unit.

10. The electronic cigarette according to claim 9, further comprising a weight disposed within the body.

11. The electronic cigarette according to claim 10, wherein the weight is configured to align the charging coil with the external inductive charging coil.

12. The electronic cigarette according to claim 9, wherein the charging coil is a first charging coil and wherein the electronic cigarette further comprises a second charging coil disposed within the body.

13. The electronic cigarette according to claim 12, wherein the first charging coil comprises a first central axis and wherein the second charging coil comprises a second central axis and wherein the first central axis and the second central axis are offset from each other.

14. The electronic cigarette according to claim 9, wherein the electronic cigarette further comprises a plurality of charging coils disposed within the body.

15. The electronic cigarette according to claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of charging coils comprises a central axis and wherein a central axis of each of the plurality of charging coils is offset from a central axis of the other of the plurality of charging coils.

16. An electronic charging system, comprising:

an electronic cigarette comprising a body, a power supply unit disposed within said body, a sensor electrically connected to the power supply unit, and a charging coil electrically connected to the power supply unit, wherein the charging coil is configured to interact with an external inductive charging coil to charge the power supply unit; and

a charging mat comprising a mat coil, wherein the charging mat is configured to inductively charge the electronic cigarette.

17. The electronic cigarette according to claim 16, wherein the electronic cigarette further comprises a weight disposed within the body.

18. The electronic cigarette according to claim 17, wherein the weight is configured to align the charging coil with the mat coil.

19. The electronic cigarette according to claim 16, wherein the charging coil is a first charging coil and wherein the electronic cigarette further comprises a second charging coil disposed within the body.

20. The electronic cigarette according to claim 19, wherein the first charging coil comprises a first central axis and wherein the second charging coil comprises a second central axis and wherein the first central axis and the second central axis are offset from each other.