Accessory configured to charge an aerosol delivery device and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9936733-B2
Application number	US-201615065566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

An aerosol delivery device accessory is disclosed. The accessory may include a housing defining a cavity. An electrical power source and a connector may be engaged with a drawer assembly. The drawer assembly may be moveable with respect to the housing between extended and retracted configurations. In the extended configuration an aerosol delivery device may be engaged with the connector. In the retracted configuration the aerosol delivery device may be protected by the housing and recharged by the electrical power source. The drawer assembly may include a storage compartment configured to receive cartridges for the aerosol delivery device. Further, a slider may engage and move a cartridge between recessed and extended positions to store and provide access thereto. A related assembly method is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerosol delivery device accessory, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity substantially enclosed at a first end and open at an opposing second end, the housing defining a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the opposing second end;
a drawer assembly comprising an end wall, the drawer assembly being configured to be inserted in the cavity of the housing along the longitudinal axis of the housing such that the end wall of the drawer assembly is disposed proximate the opposing second end of the housing;
an electrical power source engaged with the drawer assembly;
a connector engaged with the drawer assembly, the connector being electrically coupled to the electrical power source and configured to engage a first aerosol delivery device to charge the first aerosol delivery device;
a divider wall extending between the first end and the opposing second end of the housing to divide the housing into a first portion configured to receive the drawer assembly and a second portion defining a recess; and
a slider configured to engage at least a portion of a second aerosol delivery device, the slider being positioned adjacent to the recess of the second portion of the housing, the slider being configured to move the portion of the second aerosol delivery device from a recessed position in which the portion of the second aerosol delivery device is received in the second portion of the housing to an extended position in which the portion of the second aerosol delivery device at least partially extends out of the second portion of the housing through an opening defined through the first end of the housing, the opening being aligned with an axis of the recess of the second portion, the first aerosol delivery device and the second aerosol delivery device being the same or different;
the drawer assembly being movable with respect to the housing independently of the slider from an extended configuration in which the connector is accessible to a retracted configuration in which the end wall of the drawer assembly substantially covers the opposing second end of the housing such that the housing is substantially enclosed at both the first end and the opposing second end.

2. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the drawer assembly defines a storage compartment configured to receive a cartridge.

3. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the slider is configured to engage a cartridge of the second aerosol delivery device.

4. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the connector is configured to engage a control body of the first aerosol delivery device.

5. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 4 , further comprising a coupler configured to engage a cartridge of the second aerosol delivery device.

6. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 5 , wherein the coupler is engaged with a slider configured to move the cartridge from a recessed position in which the cartridge is received in the housing to an extended position in which the cartridge at least partially extends out of the housing.

7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the slider extends out of the housing.

8. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 1 , further comprising a power meter configured to display a power level of one or both of the electrical power source and the first aerosol delivery device.

9. The aerosol delivery device accessory of claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit configured to control charging of the first aerosol delivery device.

10. A method for assembling an aerosol delivery device accessory, comprising:
electrically coupling an electrical power source and a connector, the connector being configured to engage a first aerosol delivery device to charge the first aerosol delivery device;
engaging the connector and the electrical power source with a drawer assembly comprising an end wall;
inserting the drawer assembly into a cavity of a housing, the cavity of the housing being substantially enclosed at a first end and open at an opposing second end, the housing defining a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the opposing second end, the drawer assembly being configured to be inserted in the cavity of the housing along the longitudinal axis thereof such that the end wall of the drawer assembly is disposed proximate the opposing second end of the housing;
inserting a divider wall in the housing to divide the housing into a first portion configured to receive the drawer assembly and a second portion defining a recess, the divider wall extending between the first end and the opposing second end of the housing; and
positioning a slider adjacent to the recess of the second portion of the housing, the slider being configured to engage at least a portion of a second aerosol delivery device, the slider being configured to move the portion of the second aerosol delivery device from a recessed position in which the portion of the second aerosol delivery device is received in the second portion of the housing to an extended position in which the portion of the second aerosol delivery device at least partially extends out of the second portion of the housing through an opening defined through the first end of the housing, the opening being aligned with an axis of the recess of the second portion; the first aerosol delivery device and the second aerosol delivery device being the same or different, the drawer assembly being movable with respect to the housing independently of the slider from an extended configuration in which the connector is accessible to a retracted configuration in which end wall of the drawer assembly substantially covers the opposing second end of the housing such that the housing is substantially enclosed at both the first end and the opposing second end.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising assembling the drawer assembly, wherein assembling the drawer assembly comprises engaging a drawer cover with a drawer base.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising electrically coupling a power meter with at least one of the electrical power source and the connector, the power meter being configured to display a power level of one or both of the electrical power source and the first aerosol delivery device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein inserting the drawer assembly into the housing comprises positioning the drawer assembly between a first housing portion and a second housing portion and engaging the first housing portion with the second housing portion.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning a coupler in the housing, the coupler being configured to engage a cartridge of the second aerosol delivery device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the coupler in the housing comprises positioning a slider in the housing, the slider being engaged with the coupler and configured to move the cartridge from a recessed position in which the cartridge is received in the housing to an extended position in which the cartridge at least partially extends out of the housing.

Assignees

• Rai Strategic Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Ampolini Frederic Philippe
• Rogers James William
• Bengtsson Bruce Alan
• Demopoulos James
• Laut Michael Edward
• Bockmann Steven Wayne

Classifications

• H02J7/751

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

• H02J7/00

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

• A24F15/18

  combined with other objects · CPC title

• A24F47/008 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• H02J7/0052

  Electricity · mapped topic