E-cigarette and re-charging pack

• US 10,536,013 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2019
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• 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:
  US16/251,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20190157887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 131327, 131328, 131329, 131330
• 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 second connector which is electrically connectable to the e-cigarette when the e-cigarette is received within the pack; 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 can be configured to provide protection against the pack battery providing excessive current through the second connector.

Claims

1. 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 second connector which is electrically connectable to the e-cigarette when the e-cigarette is received within the pack; 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;

wherein the second recharging mechanism is configured to provide protection against the pack battery providing excessive current through the second connector, and wherein the second recharging mechanism acts to cut off a current through the second connector if the current exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

2. The pack of claim 1, further comprising a tube which in normal use has a substantially vertical orientation, such that the e-cigarette received into the tube engages the second connector under the force of gravity.

3. The pack of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is set at approximately twice a level of current for re-charging the e-cigarette according to normal specified operating conditions.

4. The pack of claim 1, wherein the pack can be reset after the cut off to allow the second recharging mechanism to provide power again for re-charging through the second connector.

5. The pack of claim 4, wherein the pack further comprises a lid which can be opened to provide access to receive the e-cigarette into the pack and closed to contain the e-cigarette within the pack, and wherein the reset is performed by opening the lid.

6. The pack of claim 1, wherein the second recharging mechanism includes a thermal resettable fuse to perform the cut off.

7. The pack of claim 1, wherein the second recharging mechanism is configured to obtain confirmation that the e-cigarette has been received into the pack before supplying power for re-charging to the second connector.

8. The pack of claim 7, wherein the second recharging mechanism is configured to supply power to the second connector for a limited period while the confirmation is being obtained, and then to discontinue supplying power to the second connector if no confirmation is obtained.

9. The pack of claim 1, wherein the second recharging mechanism is positioned between the pack battery and other components of the pack including the first recharging mechanism, the first connector, and the second connector.

10. The pack of claim 1, further comprising an insert having at least one opening for receiving an e-cigarette.

11. The pack of claim 1, further comprising a set of one or more LED lights to indicate a charging state of the pack.

12. The pack of claim 1, wherein the e-cigarette received into the pack can be recharged via the first connector using the external power source.

13. The pack of claim 1, wherein the first connector may be used to update software on a printed circuit board located in the pack.

14. The pack of claim 1, wherein the first connector may be used to download usage data from the e-cigarette received into the pack.

15. The pack of claim 1, wherein the pack battery and the e-cigarette received into the pack can be re-charged simultaneously from the external power source.

16. The pack of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the pack battery.

17. The pack of claim 1, further comprising an induction coil for recharging the e-cigarette received into the pack.

18. The pack of claim 1, further comprising a facility to detect whether an e-cigarette has been received into the pack.