E-cigarette and re-charging pack

• US 10,218,193 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Nicoventures Holdings Limited (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Gratton, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leigh, Peter G
• Application Number:
  US15/328,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 131328
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 15/18 combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/00 Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
• 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 40/95 structurally associated with cases
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/10 Devices to locate articles in containers for protecting articles from mechanical damage B65D81/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/163 the container and the lid being made separately B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4221 with battery type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/446 Initial charging measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• 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 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 : in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 : in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 : of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 : The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A rechargeable pack is provided for containing and recharging an e-cigarette. The pack includes a pack battery; a first connector which is electrically connectable to an external power source; a first recharging mechanism for re-charging the pack battery using the external power source when the first connector is electrically connected to the external power source; a tube for receiving an e-cigarette such that the e-cigarette can be contained within the recharging pack; a second connector which is electrically connectable to the e-cigarette when the e-cigarette is received within the tube; and a second recharging mechanism for re-charging the e-cigarette using the pack battery when the e-cigarette is electrically connected to the second connector. The second recharging mechanism is configured to provide protection against the pack battery providing excessive current through the second connector.

Claims

1. A rechargeable e-cigarette comprising:

a battery which provides a voltage output that has a maximum level when the battery is fully charged;

a connector located on an exterior of the e-cigarette to allow the e-cigarette to be electrically connected to an external power supply for re-charging without disassembly of the e-cigarette; and

a recharging mechanism for re-charging the battery using power from the external power supply when the connector is electrically connected to the external power supply;

wherein the re-charging mechanism is configured to determine the voltage output of the battery, and to prevent re-charging of the battery if the voltage output of the battery is above a first predefined threshold level, wherein the first predefined threshold level is below the maximum level of the voltage output of the battery, wherein the first predefined threshold level (P) represents an offset (O) relative to the maximum voltage output level (M) of the battery, and wherein O=M−

P, and O is in a range of 0.075V to 0.3V.

2. The e-cigarette of claim 1, wherein O is in the range of 0.1V to 0.2V.

3. A combination of the e-cigarette of claim 1 and a rechargeable pack for containing and recharging the e-cigarette, the pack comprising:

a pack battery;

a first connector which is electrically connectable to an external power source;

a first recharging mechanism for re-charging the pack battery using the external power source when the first connector is electrically connected to the external power source;

a tube for receiving the e-cigarette such that the e-cigarette can be contained within the recharging pack, wherein the e-cigarette includes an e-cigarette battery;

a second connector which is electrically connectable to the e-cigarette when the e-cigarette is received within the tube without disassembly of the e-cigarette; and

a second recharging mechanism for re-charging the e-cigarette battery using the pack battery when the e-cigarette is electrically connected to the second connector.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the second recharging mechanism is configured to determine the voltage output of the e-cigarette battery, and to prevent re-charging of the e-cigarette battery if the voltage output of the e-cigarette battery is above a predefined threshold level, wherein the predefined threshold level is below a maximum voltage output level of the e-cigarette battery, and wherein the predefined threshold level (P) represents an offset (O) relative to a maximum voltage output level (M) of the battery, wherein O=M−

P, and O is in a range of 0.075V to 0.3V.

5. The rechargeable e-cigarette of claim 1, further having a second predefined threshold lower than the first predefined threshold, wherein current from the battery is cut off if the voltage output of the battery falls below the second predefined threshold.

6. A method of operating a rechargeable e-cigarette comprising a battery which provides a voltage output that has a maximum level when the battery is fully charged;

a connector located on an exterior of the e-cigarette to allow the e-cigarette to be electrically connected to an external power supply for re-charging without disassembly of the e-cigarette; and

a recharging mechanism for re-charging the battery using power from the external power supply when the connector is electrically connected to the external power supply, the method comprising;

determining the voltage output of the battery; and

preventing re-charging of the battery if the voltage output of the battery is above a predefined threshold level, wherein the predefined threshold level is below the maximum level of the voltage output of the battery,

wherein the predefined threshold level (P) represents an offset (O) relative to a maximum voltage output level (M) of the battery, wherein O=M−

P, and O is in a range of 0.075V to 0.3V.

7. A rechargeable pack for containing and recharging an e-cigarette, the pack comprising:

a pack battery;

a first connector which is electrically connectable to an external power source;

a first recharging mechanism for re-charging the pack battery using the external power source when the first connector is electrically connected to the external power source;

a tube for receiving an e-cigarette such that the e-cigarette can be contained within the recharging pack, wherein the e-cigarette includes an e-cigarette battery;

a second connector which is electrically connectable to the e-cigarette when the e-cigarette is received within the tube without disassembly of the e-cigarette; and

a second recharging mechanism for re-charging the e-cigarette battery using the pack battery when the e-cigarette is electrically connected to the second connector;

wherein the second recharging mechanism is configured to determine the voltage output of the e-cigarette battery, and to prevent re-charging of the e-cigarette battery if the voltage output of the e-cigarette battery is above a predefined threshold level, wherein the predefined threshold level is below a maximum voltage output level of the e-cigarette battery, and wherein the predefined threshold level (P) represents an offset (O) relative to a maximum voltage output level (M) of the battery, wherein O=M−

P, and O is in a range of 0.075V to 0.3V.

8. The pack of claim 7, wherein for normal use of the pack, the tube has a substantially vertical orientation, and an e-cigarette received into the tube engages the second connector under the force of gravity.

9. A method of operating a rechargeable pack for containing and recharging an electronic vapor provision system, the pack comprising a pack battery;

a first connector which is electrically connectable to an external power source for re-charging the pack battery using the external power source when the first connector is electrically connected to the external power source;

a tube for receiving an electronic vapor provision system such that the electronic vapor provision system can be contained within the recharging pack;

a second connector which is electrically connectable to the electronic vapor provision system when the electronic vapor provision system is received within the tube for re-charging the electronic vapor provision system using the pack battery when the electronic vapor provision system is electrically connected to the second connector;

the method comprising;

detecting when a foreign object may be located in the tube by attempting and failing to find a signal associated with the presence of an electronic vapor provision system in the tube; and

responsive to the detecting, not initiating or discontinuing recharging of the electronic vapor provision system by preventing the pack battery providing current through the second connector.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the detecting further comprises monitoring the current provided through the second connector.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting comprises determining if the current provided through the second connector exceeds a predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the signal is an optical signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the signal is an electrical signal.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein for normal use of the pack, the tube has a substantially vertical orientation, and an electronic vapor provision system received into the tube engages the second connector under the force of gravity.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the pack comprises a lid and a switch for detecting opening and closing of the lid, the method further comprising:

opening the lid to reset the pack such that current may be provided across the second connector when the lid is next closed; and

removing the foreign object.

16. A rechargeable pack for containing and recharging an electronic vapor provision system, the pack comprising:

a pack battery;

a first connector which is electrically connectable to an external power source for recharging the pack battery using the external power source when the first connector is electrically connected to the external power source;

a tube for receiving an electronic vapor provision system such that the electronic vapor provision system can be contained within the recharging pack;

a second connector which is electrically connectable to the electronic vapor provision system when the electronic vapor provision system is received within the tube for re-charging the electronic vapor provision system using the pack battery when the electronic vapor provision system is electrically connected to the second connector; and

a control system configured to;

detect when a foreign object may be located in the tube by attempting and failing to find a signal associated with the presence of an electronic vapor provision system in the tube; and

responsive to the detecting, not initiate or discontinue re-charging of the electronic vapor provision system by preventing the pack battery providing current through the second connector.