E-cigarette and re-charging pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12095052-B2
Application number	US-202318482316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2023
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A rechargeable e-cigarette can include 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 predefined threshold level, wherein the predefined threshold level is below the maximum level of the voltage output of the battery.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rechargeable electronic vapor provision system comprising a body and a cartomizer, wherein the body comprises:
a battery which provides a voltage output that has a maximum level when the battery is fully charged;
a first connector located on the exterior of the vapor provision system to allow the vapor provision system to be electrically connected to an external battery pack for re-charging without disassembly of the vapor provision system;
a second connector such that the body of the vapor provision system is mechanically and electrically connectable to the cartomizer and is electrically connectable to an external power supply for re-charging said battery when the body is disassembled from the cartomizer; and
an over-current protection module for monitoring current flowing through the second connector and voltage applied at the second connector in order to provide protection against excessive re-charging voltage during recharging and to provide protection against excessive current draw during normal operation.

2. The vapor provision system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a recharging mechanism for re-charging the battery using power from the external battery pack when the connector is electrically connected to the external battery pack, 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 predefined threshold level, wherein said predefined threshold level is below the maximum voltage output level of the battery.

3. The vapor provision system of claim 2 , wherein the predefined threshold level (P) represents an offset (O) relative to the maximum voltage output level (M) of the battery.

4. The vapor provision system of claim 3 , wherein O=M−P, and the offset (O) is in the range 0.075-0.3V.

5. The vapor provision system of claim 4 , wherein O is in the range 0.1-0.2V.

6. The vapor provision system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vapor provision system is an e-cigarette.

7. A combination of the vapor provision system of claim 1 and a rechargeable pack for containing and recharging the vapor provision system, said 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 vapor provision system such that the vapor provision system can be contained within the recharging pack;
a second connector which is electrically connectable to the vapor provision system when the vapor provision system is received within the tube without disassembly of the vapor provision system; and
a second recharging mechanism for re-charging the vapor provision system battery using the pack battery when the first connector of the vapor provision system is electrically connected to the second connector of the pack.

8. The combination of claim 7 , wherein the second recharging mechanism of the pack is configured to determine the voltage output of the vapor provision system battery, and to prevent re-charging of the vapor provision system battery if the voltage output of the vapor provision system battery is above a predefined threshold level, wherein said predefined threshold level is below a maximum voltage output level of the vapor provision system battery.

9. The combination of claim 7 , wherein for normal use of the pack, the tube has a substantially vertical orientation, and a vapor provision system received into the tube engages the second connector under the force of gravity.

10. The combination of claim 7 , wherein the vapor provision system is an e-cigarette.

11. A method of operating a rechargeable electronic vapor provision system comprising: a body and a cartomizer, wherein the body comprises: a battery which provides a voltage output that has a maximum level when the battery is fully charged; a first connector located on the exterior of the vapor provision system to allow the vapor provision system to be electrically connected to an external battery pack for re-charging without disassembly of the vapor provision system; a second connector such that the vapor provision system is mechanically and electrically connectable to the cartomizer and is electrically connectable to an external power supply for re-charging said battery when the body is disassembled from the cartomizer; and an over-current protection module, the method comprising:
monitoring a current flowing through the second connector and a voltage applied at the second connector;
protecting against excessive re-charging voltage during recharging; and
protection against excessive current draw during normal operation.

Assignees

• Nicoventures Trading Ltd

Inventors

• Gratton Colin

Classifications

• H02J7/64

  against overvoltage · CPC title

• H02J7/61

  against overcharge · CPC title

• H02J7/977

  of the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/731

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