Smoking apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12029244-B2
Application number	US-201916975050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

It is provided a smoking apparatus ( 500 ) adapted to heat a solid smokable material ( 100 ) to volatilize at least one component thereof. The apparatus ( 500 ) comprises a mobile charging part ( 400 ) comprising a first battery ( 410 ) and a first charging connector ( 420 ). Furthermore, the apparatus ( 500 ) comprises a smoking device ( 300 ) comprising a second battery ( 310 ) electrically connected to a processing unit ( 315 ) and to a second charging connector ( 320 ), and a heater ( 340 ) operable to heat solid smokable material ( 100 ) received within the receiving structure ( 330 ). The processing unit ( 315 ) is configured to cause that the heater ( 340 ) is provided with energy stored in the first battery ( 410 ) in a state in which the first and second charging connector ( 420, 320 ) are electrically connected to each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A smoking apparatus adapted to heat a solid smokable material to volatilize at least one component thereof, the apparatus comprising:
a mobile charging part comprising a first shell having a first shell exterior surface, the mobile charging part further comprising
a receiving section formed in the first shell exterior surface,
a first battery, and
a first charging connector electrically connected to the first battery;

a smoking device comprising a second shell having a second shell exterior surface and being separate from the first shell, the smoking device further comprising
a second battery electrically connected to a processing unit and to a second charging connector electrically connectable to the first charging connector,
a receiving structure adapted to removably receive the solid smokable material, and
a heater operable to heat the solid smokable material received within the receiving structure,

wherein the processing unit is configured to cause that the heater is provided with energy stored in the first battery in a state in which the first and second charging connectors are electrically connected to each other, and
wherein the receiving section is adapted to complementarily and removably receive thereagainst less than all of the second shell exterior surface, whereby a longitudinally extending portion of the second shell exterior surface remains uncovered by the first shell when the smoking device is connected to the mobile charging part.

2. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the state in which the first and second charging connector are electrically connected to each other, the second battery is chargeable via the first battery, and wherein the processing unit is configured to allow for the heater to be operated while the second battery is charged via the first battery.

3. The smoking apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause that the heater is provided with energy stored in the first battery while the second battery is charged via the first battery in the state in which the first and second charging connector are electrically connected to each other.

4. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is electrically connected to the second battery and to the second charging connector.

5. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to allow for the heater to be operated with energy that is stored in the second battery when the first shell and the second shell are in a separated state in which the first and second charging connector are not electrically connected to each other.

6. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiving section is substantially C-shaped and wherein the second shell is substantially rod-shaped.

7. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a position of the first charging connector within the first shell is adjusted to a position of the second charging connector within the second shell, such that the first charging connector electrically connects to the second charging connector when the second shell is received within the receiving section.

8. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second charging connectors comprises at least one magnetic element respectively.

9. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the smoking device or the mobile charging part further comprises a detector unit adapted to detect when the first and the second charging connector are electrically connected to each other.

10. The smoking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second shell comprises at least a first shell part and a second shell part which together form the second shell, the first shell part comprising
the receiving structure,
the heater and
the second battery,

wherein the second shell part comprises
an opening through which the solid smokable material is removably insertable into the receiving structure, and
a closing mechanism adapted to controllably cover and uncover the opening upon respective actuation of the closing mechanism.

11. The smoking apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and second shell part are rotatably connected to each other, and wherein the closing mechanism comprises a locking element having at least one protrusion slidably arranged within a guiding rail provided within the second shell part, respectively.

12. The smoking apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the locking element covers the opening when the second shell part is in a first position with respect to the first shell part and wherein the locking element does not cover the opening when the second shell part is rotated to a second position with respect to the first shell part.

13. The smoking apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first shell part is further sub-divided into a first and a second sub-part which are connectable to each other via a screw-fit connection, wherein the first sub-part comprises the receiving structure and the heater and wherein the second sub-part comprises the second battery.

14. The smoking apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the receiving structure comprises a first end with a first opening facing the opening of the second shell part and a second end opposing the first end, the second end comprising a second opening which is accessible via a cleaning tool when the first and the second sub-part are separated from one another and not connected to each other.

15. A mobile charger adapted to charge a smoking device, the mobile charger comprising:
a shell having an exterior surface,
a receiving section formed in the shell exterior surface and being adapted to complementarily and removably receive thereagainst less than all of an exterior surface of the smoking device;
a first battery; and
a first charging connector electrically connected to the first battery, the first charging connector configured to be electrically connected to a second charging connector of the smoking device when the smoking device is received within the receiving section.

16. The mobile charger of claim 15 , wherein first charging connector comprises at least one first magnetic element, wherein the second charging connector comprises at least one second magnetic element, and wherein the first and second magnetic elements are adapted to be attracted to each another such that the first charging connector electrically connects to the second charging connector.

17. The mobile charger of claim 15 , wherein, in a state in which the first charging connector is electrically connected to the second charging connector, the first battery is configured to charge a second battery of the smoking device, and wherein the smoking device is configured to be operated while the first battery charges the second battery.

18. A smoking apparatus adapted to heat a solid smokable material to volatilize at least one component thereof, the apparatus comprising:
a mobile charging part provided in a first shell, the mobile charging part comprising
a first battery, and
a first charging connector electrically connected to the first battery;

a smoking device provided in a second shell being separate from the first shell, the smoking device comprising
a second battery electrically connected to a processing unit and to a second charging connector electrically connectable to the first charging connector,
a receiving structure adapted to removably receive the solid smokable material, and
a heater operable to heat the solid smokable material received within the receiving structure,
wherein the second shell comprises at

Assignees

• Imperial Tobacco Ventures Ltd
• Imperial Tobacco Ltd

Inventors

• Adams James
• Callaghan Christopher
• Beer Andreas

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• A24F40/95

  structurally associated with cases · CPC title

• A24F40/20

  Devices using solid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/90 Primary

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