Tray for an electronic smoking device or parts thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330853-B2
Application number	US-202418767930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2024
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to electronic smoking devices and in particular to a tray for at least a portion of an electronic smoking device. The tray (100) comprises at least one cavity (101) for containing the portion. The tray (100) is configured to be reversibly deformed from a default form into a deformed form by finger interaction with interaction elements of the tray (100) having a distance to each other of at least 90% of the average distance between thumb tip and index finger tip or a middle finger tip of an adult. The tray (100) is configured to return to the default form once the finger interaction is terminated. The default form provides the at least one cavity (101) for containing the portion in an inaccessible manner and the deformed form is required for accessing the portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tray adapted for accommodating at least a portion of an electronic smoking device in a child-safe manner, the tray comprising:
two inner portions;
an outer portion surrounding the two inner portions;
a groove located between the outer portion and the two inner portions;
dividing structures that extend from the outer portion to between the two inner portions; and
a cavity within the two inner portions and adapted for accommodating said electronic smoking device or said portion of the electronic smoking device,
wherein the tray is configured to be reversibly deformed from an undeformed shape into a deformed shape by simultaneous finger interaction of a user with at least two interaction elements of the tray, the at least two interaction elements being spaced apart from each other and having a distance to each other of at least 6 cm,
wherein the two inner portions at least partially extend away from the outer portion at the deformed shape,
wherein the tray is configured to return to the undeformed shape once the finger interaction is terminated, and
wherein the deformed shape is configured such that said electronic smoking device or said portion of the electronic smoking device becomes accessible between the two inner portions.

2. The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the interaction elements are located on opposite surfaces of the tray.

3. The tray according to claim 2 , wherein the finger interaction comprises applying pressure on the interaction elements.

4. The tray according to claim 3 , wherein the pressure required for deforming the tray into the deformed shape is at least 90% of the pressure which an average adult can apply on the interaction elements using the thumb tip and the index finger tip or the middle finger tip.

5. The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity is configured for accommodating an electronic smoking device.

6. The tray according to claim 1 , wherein said portion of the electronic smoking device is a mouthpiece portion, a liquid reservoir portion, a cartomizer or an atomizer/liquid reservoir portion.

7. The tray according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing structures comprise indentations.

Assignees

• Fontem Ventures Bv

Inventors

• Rehders Thorben
• Senftleben Sebastian
• Robinson Duncan B

Classifications

• B65D83/0454

  the whole forming a circular container with rotating parts (B65D83/0463 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A24F15/00

  Receptacles or boxes specially adapted for cigars, cigarettes, simulated smoking devices or cigarettes therefor (adaptations for use in vehicles B60N3/12; packages specially adapted for cigarettes B65D85/10) · CPC title

• A24F15/01

  specially adapted for simulated smoking devices or cigarettes therefor (battery charging means structurally associated with the case A24F40/95) · CPC title

• A24F40/40

  Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts · CPC title

• B65D2215/06

  based on the difference in size between children's and adults' hands · CPC title