Charger assembly and charging system for an electronic vaping device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10010114-B2
Application number	US-201615190584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2015
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A charger assembly is configured to charge the electronic vaping device. The charger assembly includes a base including a housing defining a port. The port is configured to receive a tip end of an electronic vaping device. The port includes a magnetic electrical contact centrally positioned at a bottom of the port and a first pin positioned at the bottom of the port. The charger assembly also includes a microprocessor electrically connected to the magnetic electrical contact and the first pin.

First claim

We claim:

1. A charging system for an electronic vaping device, the charging system comprising:
an electronic vaping device including,
a first electrical contact,
a second electrical contact, and
an insulating insert between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; and

a charger assembly configured to charge the electronic vaping device, the charger assembly comprising,
a base including a housing defining a port, the port configured to receive a tip end of an electronic vaping device, the port comprising,
a magnetic electrical contact positioned at a bottom of the port, the magnetic electrical contact configured to form a first electrical connection with the electronic vaping device; and
a first pin positioned at the bottom of the port, the first pin configured to form a second electrical connection with the electronic vaping device; and

a microprocessor electrically connected to the magnetic electrical contact and the first pin.

2. The charging system of claim 1 , further comprising,
a second pin positioned at the bottom of the port.

3. The charger assembly of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic electrical contact is centrally positioned at the bottom of the port and the first pin and the second pin are peripherally positioned with respect to the magnetic electrical contact.

4. The charging system of claim 2 , wherein the first pin and the second pin are configured to be depressed upon insertion of the electronic vaping device in the port.

5. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is centrally located on the tip end of the electronic vaping device.

6. The charging system of claim 5 , wherein the first electrical contact is magnetic and the first electrical contact is configured to electrically connect with the magnetic electrical contact.

7. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the second electrical contact is located on an outer edge of the tip end.

8. The charging system of claim 7 , wherein the second electrical contact extends substantially about one of a circumference and a perimeter of the outer edge of the tip end.

9. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the tip end has a generally triangular cross-section.

10. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the port is generally triangular in cross-section and the base of the charger assembly is generally triangular in cross-section.

11. The charging system of claim 10 , wherein the triangular cross-section of the port has a central port vertex and the triangular cross-section of the base has a central base vertex.

12. The charging system of claim 11 , wherein the central port vertex is opposite from the central base vertex.

13. The charging system of claim 11 , wherein the port is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the base and the central port vertex is at a highest point of the port.

14. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises,
a rechargeable power source configured to charge a battery of the electronic vaping device.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Jordan Geoffrey Brandon
• Smith Barry S
• Burton Douglas A
• Hawes Eric
• Sundberg Sean
• Yerkic-Husejnovic Berina

Classifications

• A24F40/90

  Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof · CPC title

• H02J7/731 Primary

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/0052

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/0044

  Electricity · mapped topic