RE-CHARGING PACK FOR AN E-CIGARETTE

• US 20170013876A1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: SCHENNUM, Steven Michael, MCKEON, Thomas Michael, NETTENSTROM, Matthew Joel, PEART, Justin Banker
• Granted Patent: US 10,750,779 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 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 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition

Abstract

A pack is provided for holding and re-charging an e-cigarette. The pack comprises a tube having a substantially cylindrical shape. The tube has a hole defined by an open end of the tube for receiving an e-cigarette into the tube, such that the e-cigarette is held in the tube. The pack further includes a re-charging mechanism for re-charging an e-cigarette held within the tube, and a light for indicating a charging state of the e-cigarette in the tube. The light is located at the open end of the tube adjacent the hole for receiving the e-cigarette into the tube.

Claims

1. A pack for holding and re-charging an e-cigarette, said pack comprising:

a first tube having a substantially cylindrical shape, said first tube having a hole defined by an open end of the first tube for receiving an e-cigarette into the first tube to be held therein;

a re-charging mechanism for re-charging the e-cigarette held within said first tube; and

a light for indicating a charging state of the e-cigarette held within the first tube, said light being located at the open end of said first tube adjacent the hole for receiving the e-cigarette into the first tube.

2. The pack of claim 1, wherein the open end of the first tube defines a circumference of the hole, and the light extends at least part-way around the circumference of the hole.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the light extends substantially all around the circumference of the hole.

4. The pack of claim 1, wherein the light comprises:

a light producing component; and

a light transmitting component.

5. The pack of claim 4, wherein the light producing component comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

6. The pack of claim 4, wherein the light transmitting component is transparent or translucent, and transmits light from the light producing component, which is located within the pack, to the open end of the first tube to be seen by a user.

7. The pack of claim 4, wherein the light transmitting component comprises a second tube which is substantially coaxial with the first tube, such that the e-cigarette is received through the second tube of the light transmitting component into the first tube having a substantially cylindrical shape for receiving the e-cigarette.

8. The pack of claim 7, wherein the second tube of the light transmitting component comprises a lip which is directly radially outwards at the open end of the first tube to provide increased surface area of the light transmitting component exposed to the user.

9. The pack of claim 4, wherein the first tube having a substantially cylindrical shape for receiving the e-cigarette has an aperture in a side wall, said aperture allowing light from the light emitting component and/or the light emitting component itself to pass through, such that light from the light emitting component is able to reach the light transmitting component.

10. The pack of claim 1, wherein the light is continuously illuminated to indicate that the e-cigarette is fully charged.

11. The pack of claim 1, wherein the light is pulsed on and off to indicate that the e-cigarette is in the process of charging.

12. The pack of claim 10, wherein the continuous or intermittent illumination of the light is terminated if the pack is not connected to an external power supply.

13. The pack of claim 12, wherein the termination of the continuous or intermittent illumination of the light is delayed for a predetermined period if a lid of the pack is open.

14. The pack of claim 13, wherein the pack is configured to detect whether or not:

(i) the pack is connected to an external power supply; and

(ii) the lid is open.

15. The pack of claim 1, wherein one or more of the following properties of the light are controlled to provide said indication of charging state:

color or colors of the light;

proportion of the light illuminated;

frequency of pulsed or intermittent illumination of the light;

duty cycle of pulsed or intermittent illumination of the light.

16. The pack of claim 1, wherein the pack includes a re-chargeable battery plus an associated light, and wherein said associated light indicates a charging state for the pack battery.

17. The pack of claim 1, wherein the re-charging mechanism is configured to re-charge the e-cigarette held within said first tube using wireless induction charging.

18. The pack of claim 1, wherein the re-charging mechanism comprises a wired connection between the pack and the e-cigarette held within said first tube.

19. The pack of claim 1, wherein the first tube receives at least a portion of the e-cigarette which contains a battery or cell to be re-charged.

20. A method for re-charging an e-cigarette using a pack comprising a first tube having a substantially cylindrical shape, said tube having a hole defined by an open end of the first tube for receiving an e-cigarette into the tube, said method comprising:

receiving and holding an e-cigarette in said first tube;

re-charging the e-cigarette in said first tube; and

using a light to indicate a charging state of the e-cigarette held within the first tube, said light being located at the open end of said first tube adjacent the hole for receiving the e-cigarette into the first tube.

21. (canceled)