Charging case for a personal vaporizing inhaler

• US 8,314,591 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Duffin
• Inventors: Terry, Nathan Andrew, Minskoff, Noah Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/780,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20110278189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 920 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/107, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115, 131/328, 131/329, 131/330, 131/175, 131/347, 131/348
• US Class Current: 320/114
• 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: A61M 11/041 using heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0018 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3693 by mechanical waves, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/80 voice-operated command
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.

Claims

1. A case, comprising:

a first cradle adapted to hold a personal vaporizing unit, said personal vaporizing unit having dimensions approximating a smoking article;

a battery;

a first contact and a second contact, said first contact and said second contact forming an electrical contact with said personal vaporizing unit when said personal vaporizing unit is held by said first cradle, said first contact and said second contact conducting charge from said battery to said personal vaporizing unit to charge said personal vaporizing unit.

2. The case of claim 1, further comprising:

a light source visible on the exterior of the case to indicate a charge level of said battery.

3. The case of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector to interface to a computer, the case transferring data from said personal vaporizing unit to said computer via said connecter.

4. The case of claim 3, wherein said connecter also conducts charge to recharge said battery.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of personal vaporizing unit is visible from the outside of said case to allow a light source comprising said personal vaporizing unit to indicate a state of said personal vaporizing unit outside of said case.

6. The case of claim 1, further comprising a second cradle.

7. The case of claim 1, further comprising a charge controller to control charge conducted from said battery to said personal vaporizing unit.

8. The case of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless interface, the case transferring data from said personal vaporizing unit to a computer via said wireless interface.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein said wireless interface comprises an infrared (IR) transmitter.

10. The case of claim 8, wherein said wireless interface comprises an 802.15 specified interface.

11. The case of claim 8, wherein said wireless interface comprises an 802.11 specified interface.

12. The case of claim 8, wherein said wireless interface communicates with a cellular telephone network.

13. The case of claim 8, wherein said data from said personal vaporizing unit is associated with an identification number stored by said personal vaporizing unit.

14. The case of claim 13, wherein said data from said personal vaporizing unit is transmitted via said wireless interface in association with said identification number stored by said personal vaporizing unit.