WO2016112493A1

WO2016112493A1 - Storage box for electronic smoking device

Info

Publication number: WO2016112493A1
Application number: PCT/CN2015/070600
Authority: WO
Inventors: Xinliang TONG; Min SHENG
Original assignee: Fontem Holdings 2 BV
Current assignee: Fontem Ventures BV
Priority date: 2015-01-13
Filing date: 2015-01-13
Publication date: 2016-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-13
Also published as: GB201504957D0; TW201630794A; GB2534238A

Abstract

A storage box (10) for an electronic smoking device (1) and a sales unit (20) comprising the storage box (10), at least one electronic smoking device (1) and at least one cap (3) for a mouthpiece (2) of the electronic smoking device (1), wherein the storage box (10) comprises at least one first receptacle (14) for the electronic smoking device (1), and a second receptacle (15) for the at least one cap (3).

Description

A STORAGE BOX FOR AN ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE

Electronic smoking devices， such as electronic cigarettes， have become well-known products. Generally， an electronic smoking device such as an electronic cigarette has a mouthpiece arranged at one end of its housing. An electric power source， such as a rechargeable battery， an electrically operable atomizer and control electronics including an inhalation sensor are typically included within the housing. When the sensor detects a user inhaling on the mouthpiece， the control electronics switches on the atomizer which atomizes a liquid to create vapour， which is inhaled by the user. Alternatively or additionally， a manual actuator may be used to manually initiate that the atomizer is supplied with operating power in order to generate the aerosol. The manual actuator may be for instance a button or a switch.

The natural interaction between a user and an electronic smoking device is puffing on the device， where a user’s mouth contacts the mouthpiece. However， the mouthpiece may become insanitary when the electronic smoking device is not in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention， a storage box for an electrical smoking device is provided comprising a receiving portion with an open end operable to receive an electronic smoking device in the receiving portion or inserted into the receiving portion in an insertion direction， wherein the receiving portion comprises a first and a second receptacle， the first receptacle being adapted to accommodate an electronic smoking device， and the second receptacle being adapted to accommodate at least one cap for a mouthpiece of an electronic smoking device storable in the first receptacle.

In another aspect of the present invention， a sales unit is provided comprising a storage box for an electrical smoking device as described above wherein at least one electronic smoking device is accommodated in the first receptacle， and at least one cap for a mouthpiece of the electronic smoking device is accommodated within the second receptacle.

An advantage of the storage box according to the present invention is that caps for mouthpieces of electronic smoking devices that are storable in the first receptacle can be stored in the second receptacle of the storage box， such that the caps are at hand and can be placed onto the mouthpiece of the smoking device， in order to avoid contamination of the mouthpiece when the electronic smoking device is not in use and for instance stored in the storage box.

Even if the mouthpiece is covered with saliva， dust or dirt will not then contaminate the mouthpiece when it is inside the cap.

The characteristics， features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which they are obtained as described above， will become more apparent and be more clearly understood in connection with the following description of exemplary embodiments， which are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings， same reference numerals indicate same elements in each of the views：

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronic smoking device with a cap，

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a storage box for an electrical smoking device according to the invention，

Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the storage box of Fig. 2，

Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a storage box in accordance with another embodiment of the invention，

Figs. 5 and 6 are schematic cross-sectional views of a storage box in accordance with another embodiment of the invention， and

Figs. 7 to 9 are schematic cross-sectional views of another storage box according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described hereinafter in greater detail and in an exemplary manner using advantageous embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The described embodiments are only possible configurations， in which， however， the individual features as described can be provided independently of one another or can be omitted in the drawings， unless stated to the contrary.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an electronic smoking device 1 such as an electronic cigarette having a mouthpiece 2. The mouthpiece 2 is shown inserted into a cap 3， the cap 3 protecting the mouthpiece 2 from contamination， e. g. by dust and/or dirt particles. In this example， the mouthpiece 2 of the electronic smoking device 1 is shaped cylindrically with a constant outer diameter d1. In order to be able to place the cap 3 onto the mouthpiece 2，the cap 3 has an opening 4 for receiving the mouthpiece 2 wherein the inner diameter d2 of the opening 4 essentially corresponds to the outer diameter d1 of the mouthpiece 2， such that the mouthpiece 2 can be inserted into the opening 4 and the cap 3 be held in place on the mouthpiece 2 by virtue of a friction fit. As shown in Figure 1 in this example so as to be able to accommodate the electronic smoking device 1， the outer diameter D of the cap 3 is larger than the outer diameter d1 of the mouthpiece 2.

Diameters d1， d2， D essentially extend perpendicular to a longitudinal axis A of the electronic smoking device 1 with the central axis of the cap 3 being aligned with the longitudinal axis A， when the mouthpiece 2 is inserted in the opening 4 of the cap 3.

Although in the example shown in Figure 1， a mouthpiece 2 is shown having a constant outer diameter， d1， it will be appreciated that other electronic smoking devices may be provided where the mouthpiece 2 may be formed with a varying outer diameter d1. In the case of such devices a cap 3 may be provided in having an opening 4 that is formed essentially complementary to the exterior shape of the mouthpiece 2. Alternatively a cap 3 may be provided with a constant interior diameter d2 where that diameter corresponds to the greatest diameter of the portion of the mouthpiece 2 to be covered by the cap 3.

Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of a storage box for an electrical smoking device 10 according to the present invention.

The storage box 10 comprises a receiving portion 11 having an open end 12. The storage box 10 also comprises a lid 13， which is adapted to be swivelled in order to cover the open end 12 of the box. The lid 13 is optionally provided and may be omitted is some embodiments.

The receiving portion 11 comprises three first receptacles 14 and a second receptacle 15， each of the first receptacles 14 being adapted to accommodate an electronic smoking device 1，and the second receptacle 15 being adapted to accommodate one or more caps 3 for covering a mouthpiece 2 of an electronic smoking device 1 storable in any of the first receptacles 14.

The first and

second receptacles

14， 15 extend in an insertion direction I into the receiving portion 11 of the storage box， in which the electronic smoking device 1 and the caps 3 are insertable into the respective one of the first and the

second receptacles

14， 15. The first and

second receptacles

14， 15 each have an insertion opening 16， 17 wherein the insertion opening is provided on the open end 12 of the storage box 10. Preferably， the first and /or the

second receptacles

14， 15 are separated from each other by walls that are formed by the receiving portion 11. Hence， as a preferred embodiment， the first and /or the

second receptacles

14， 15 are formed as tubes or ducts， which comprise a stop or a closed end in the insertion direction I. In such an embodiment， the first and /or the

second receptacles

14， 15 may preferably be formed as blind holes.

The lid 13 covers at least the insertion opening 17 of the second receptacle 15 in its closed position. Hence， a contamination of the caps 3 arranged in the second receptacle 15 is avoided.

Alternatively or additionally， the lid 13 covers the insertion opening 16 of the first receptacle 14 in its closed position， in order to prevent that mouthpieces 2 of electronic smoking devices 1 stored in the storage box 10 can be polluted by dust and/or dirt particles.

Each of the first receptacles 14 is preferably formed essentially complementary to the electronic smoking device 1 storable in each first receptacle 14. However， in order to provide that the electronic smoking device 1 can be easily taken out of the first receptacle 14， the depth in the insertion direction I of the first receptacle 14 is preferably smaller than the length L of the electronic smoking device 1 storable in the first receptacle 14.

An inner diameter Di of the second receptacle 15 is arranged so that it exceeds the inner diameter di of the first receptacle， such that at least one cap 3 can be placed into the second receptacle 15， preferably with its central axis extending parallel to the insertion direction L.

When being placed inside of the second receptacle 15， the opening 4 of the cap 3 preferably faces against the insertion direction I such that the opening 4 in the cap 3 is open towards the direction of the insertion opening 17 of the second receptacle 15. This means that when a cap 3 is contained within the second receptacle 15， and the mouthpiece 2 of an electronic smoking device 1 can be inserted into the opening 4 of the cap 3 within the second receptacle 15. The cap 3 can then be removed from the second receptacle 15 by virtue of the cap 3 attaching to the electronic smoking device 1 through a friction fit and being removed from the second receptacle 15 as the electronic smoking device 1 is withdrawn from the second receptacle 15.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view the exemplary embodiment of Figure 2 in use.

As shown in Figure 3， the storage box 10 is shown with three first receptacles 14 and one second receptacle 15. Each of the first and the

second receptacles

14， 15 extend along the insertion direction I and open against the insertion direction I. The first and the

second receptacles

14， 15 are formed essentially as hollow cylinders with constant inner diameters di，Di. The inner diameter di of the first receptacles 14 is smaller than the inner diameter Di of the second receptacle 15.

In Figure 3 two of the first receptacles 14， are shown where each receptacle contains an electronic smoking device 1. Mouthpieces 2 of the electronic smoking devices 1 project out of the respective first receptacles 14 against the insertion direction I， such that the electronic smoking devices 1 can be easily grasped by a user of the electronic smoking devices 1.

On the mouthpiece 2 of one of the electronic smoking devices 1， a cap 3 is placed in order to prevent dirt and/or dust particles from polluting the mouthpiece 2. Inside the second receptacle 15， a plurality of caps 3 is arranged. The caps 3 are stacked along the insertion direction I， such that openings 4 of the caps 3 face against the insertion direction I. As the caps 3 open against the insertion direction I， a mouthpiece 2 of an electronic smoking device 1 can be easily introduced into the opening 4 of the uppermost cap 3 of the stacked caps 3. When the mouthpiece 2 is inserted in the opening 4， the electronic smoking device 1 and the cap 3 are interconnected by virtue of a friction fit， such that the cap 3 coupled to the mouthpiece 2 can be taken out of the second receptacle 15.

Alternatively， the first receptacles 14 can be dimensioned such that the electronic smoking device 1 can be completely inserted into one of the first receptacles 14. In order to be able to insert a cap 3 coupled with the mouthpiece 2 into the first receptacle 14， the insertion opening 16 of the first receptacle 14， which faces against the insertion direction I， may be formed with an inner diameter， that is equal to the inner diameter Di of the second receptacle 15.Hence， in this case， the open end is preferably formed essentially complementary to the cap 3. In the insertion direction I behind the insertion opening 16， the second receptacle 15 preferably comprises the inner diameter di， which is smaller than the inner diameter Di of the second receptacle 15.

If the storage box 10 is filled with electronic smoking devices 1 and caps 3， the storage box 10 filled with electronic smoking devices 1 and caps 3 may be designated as sales unit 20.

If the caps 3 are placed in the second receptacle 15 when the sales unit 20 is sold， the user of the electronic smoking device 1 can use the electronic smoking device 1 and can place the cap 3 onto the mouthpiece 2 of the electronic smoking device 1 when the user has finished or pauses using the electronic smoking device 1. If the caps 3 are placed onto the mouthpieces 2 when the sales unit 20 is sold， the user can be sure that the mouthpiece 2 of the respective electronic smoking devices 1 remains free from dust and/or dirt particles until the user removes the cap 3 in order to use the electronic smoking device 1. Caps 3 removed by the user can be stored in the second receptacle 15， at least until the user places the cap 3 back onto the mouthpiece 2.

Figure 4 shows another exemplary embodiment of a storage box according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a storage box 110 in a schematic cross-sectional side elevation. The receiving portion 111 of the exemplary embodiment of figure 4 essentially corresponds to the receiving portion 11 of the previous exemplary embodiment. However， the storage box 110 of the exemplary embodiment shown in figure 4 comprises a lid 113 that differs from the lid 13 of the previous exemplary embodiment.

In contrast to the previous embodiment， in which a lid 13 is fixed to the receiving portion 11 on an edge of the open end 12 of the storage box 10 and which covers of the first and

second receptacles

14， 15 when the lid 113 is in a closed position， in this embodiment， the lid 113 is fixed to a side of the open end 12， which adjacent to the second receptacle 15 and at a distance to the first receptacles 14. An axis， around which lid 113 can be swivelled， essentially extends perpendicular to the axis， around which lid 13 can be swivled.

The lid 113 in this embodiment is movably affixed to the receiving portion 111 and can be moved from its closed position to its opened position against an elastic force. In order to provide the elastic force， storage box 110 comprises a spring element 118， which interconnects the receiving portion 111 and the lid 113. The spring element 118 is preferably adapted to generate the elastic force， such that the elastic force seeks to move or hold the lid 113 into or in its closed position. Hence， the spring element 118 may also be designated as closing spring.

When the lid 113 is in its opened position， the second receptacle 15 is accessible via the open end 112 of the receiving portion 111. In case lid 113 is its closed position， in which it covers the second receptacle 15， at least one or all of the first receptacles 14 may be accessible via the open end 112. Such a lid 113 prevents the caps 3 stored in the second receptacle 15 from undesired pollution， whereas mouthpieces 2 of electronic smoking devices 1 stored in the first receptacles 14 can be covered by caps 3 and are readily accessible.

The lid 118 preferably comprises an actuation section 113a， which can be used in order to move the lid 113 out of its closed position and towards its opened position. In the exemplary embodiment figure 4， the actuation section 113a protrudes from the receiving portion 111 at least when the lid 113 is in its closed position. In particular， the lid 113 can be formed as a plate， a section of which protrudes from the receiving portion 111 to form the actuation section. The spring element 118 contacts the lid 113 between the actuation section 113a and a cover section 113b of the lid 113， the cover section 113b covering at least the insertion portion 117 of the second receptacle 15 when the lid 118 is in its closed position.

Figures 5 and 6 show another embodiment of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention， wherein receiving portions of the storage box essentially correspond to receiving portions of the previous embodiments.

The storage box 210 of the exemplary embodiments of figures 5 and 6 comprises a lid 213， whose actuation section 213a essentially extends parallel to the insertion direction I and is arranged at a side 21 1a of the receiving portion 211 that extends parallel to the insertion direction I. In order to move the cover section 213b from its closed position C to the opened position O， the actuation section 213a is slid in the insertion direction I. When moving the actuation section 213a in the insertion direction I， a spring element 218 is deformed， such that it creates the elastic force， which biases the lid 213 to move back towards the closed position C.

The lid 213 as depicted in figures 5 and 6 covers only the second receptacle 15 in its closed position C. If， however， the cover section 213 is longer perpendicular to the insertion direction I and away from the cover section 213b in the closed position C， the cover section 213b may additionally covers at least one or even all of the first receptacles 14 when in its closed position C.

In order to provide that the cover section 213b safely closes at least the second receptacle 15 in the closed position C， the lid 213 may comprise another spring element 219， which seeks to swivel the cover section 213b onto the actuation section 213a and onto the open end 212 of the receiving portion 211 in case the lid 213 is arranged in its closed position C.

Cover section 213b may comprise several cover plates， which may be interconnected in a hinged manner. The hinges may be adapted to force the plates onto the open end 212 in case the lid 213 is its closed position C. Due to the hinged connections of the plates， the cover section 213b may not completely lift off when the actuation section 213a is moved from the closed position C towards the open position O. Rather， due to the hinged connections， as the cover section 213b is moved perpendicular to the insertion direction I and along the open end 212， as the actuation section 213a is moved in the insertion direction I. Hence， the lid 213 may comprise more than one closed position， wherein the lid 213 covers the second receptacle 15 in its first closed position， and the first and

second receptacles

14， 15 in its second closed position. The first closed position may be designated as intermediate position， as the cover section 213b is arranged between its opened position O and its closed position C in the first closed position.

Furthermore， the at least one first receptacle 14 is accessible in the first closed position， which corresponds to a first opened position of the lid 213.

Figures 7 to 9 show another exemplary embodiment of a storage box according to the invention.

The lid 313 of storage box 310 of the exemplary embodiment of figures 7 to 9 is slidable along the open end 312 of the receiving portion 311. The open end 312 essentially extends perpendicular to the insertion direction I， and the lid 313 is slidable perpendicular to the insertion direction I. In the exemplary embodiment depicted in figures 7 to 9， however， the open end 312 is curved， such that lid 313 slides perpendicular to and in the insertion direction I， in case lid 313 is moved out of its closed position C and towards its opened position O.

Figure 7 shows lid 313 in its closed position C， in which it closes the open end 312 and all of the first and second receptacles. In figure 8， the lid 318 is moved out of its closed position C into its intermediate position P， in which all of the first receptacles 14 are accessible. The lid 313 may comprise several intermediate positions P， in which one， several or all of the first receptacles are accessible. However， in all intermediate positions P， the second receptacle 15 remains to be covered by the lid 313. Hence， the intermediate positions P may be designated as second， third etc. opened positons or as second， third etc. closed positions.

In figure 9， the lid 313 covers none of the first and

second receptacles

14， 15 and is， therefore， arranged in its opened position O.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments， it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments， but， on the contrary， is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.

The storage box of any of the embodiments may be used in order to be filled with electronic smoking devices and caps which are sold separately from the storage box. Alternatively， the sales unit can be provided according to the invention， the sales unit comprising the storage box for an electrical smoking device according to the invention， at least one electronic smoking device accommodated in the at least one first receptacle， and at least one cap for a mouthpiece of the electronic smoking device， the cap either being accommodated in the second receptacle and opening against the insertion direction or the cap being placed on the mouthpiece. The sales unit according to the invention preferably comprises a plurality of the caps， whose quantity corresponds to the amount of first receptacles， the caps being arranged in the second receptacle and /or on the mouthpieces of the electronic smoking devices， that are each arranged in a different one of the first receptacles.

According to all embodiments， the lid covers at least the insertion portion in its closed position. In particular， the cover section may be arranged essentially perpendicular to the insertion direction and may contact the open end when the lid is arranged in its closed position.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

Claims

A storage box (10) for an electrical smoking device comprising a receiving portion (11) with an open end (12) operable to receive an electronic smoking device (1) inserted into the receiving portion (11) in an insertion direction (I) ， wherein the receiving portion (11) comprises a first and a second receptacle (14， 15) ， the first receptacle (14) being adapted to accommodate an electronic smoking device (1) ， and the second receptacle (15) being adapted to accommodate at least one cap (3) for a mouthpiece (2) of an electronic smoking device (1) storable in the first receptacle (14) .
The storage box (210) of claim 1， wherein storage box (210) comprises a lid (213) moveable between an open position (O) and a closed position (C) wherein the lid (213) covers an insertion opening (17) at least of the second receptacle (15) when in its closed position (C) .
The storage box (310) of claim 2， wherein the lid (313) covers an insertion opening (16) of the first receptacle (14) when in its closed position (C) .
The storage box (310) of claim 2 or 3， wherein the lid (313) is movable between an open position (O) and a closed position (C) via an intermediate position (P) and lid (313) covering the second receptacle (15) when in its intermediate position (P) and the first and second receptacles (14， 15) when in its closed position (C) .
The storage box (310) of claim 4， wherein the lid (313) is arranged such that in its intermediate position (P) ， the first receptacle (14) is accessible.
The storage box (310) of any of claims 2 to 5， wherein the lid (313) is arranged such that the second receptacle (15) is accessible via the open end (312) when the lid (313) is in its open position (O) .
The storage box (210) of any of claims 2 to 6， wherein the lid (213) is movably affixed to the receiving portion (211) and biased towards its closed position (C) by an elastic force.
The storage box (210) of claim 7， wherein the storage box (210) comprises a spring element (218) that forces the lid (213) from its opened position (O) into its closed position (C) .
The storage box (110) of any of claims 2 to 8， wherein the lid (113) comprises an actuation section (113a) and a cover section (113b) ， wherein the cover section (113b) closes at least the second receptacle (15) when the lid (113) is in its closed position (113) .
The storage box (210) of claim 9， wherein the actuation section (213a) extends along a side face (211 a) of the receiving portion (211 ) and along the insertion direction (I) .
The storage box (10) of any of claims 1 to 10， wherein the inner diameter (Di) of the second receptacle (15) exceeds the inner diameter (di) of the first receptacle (14) .
The storage box (10) of any of claims 1 to 11， wherein the receiving portion (11) comprises a plurality of first receptacles (14) and only one second receptacle (15) .
A sales unit (20) comprising： a storage box (10) of any of claims 1 to 12， wherein at least one electronic smoking device (1) is accommodated in the first receptacle (14) ， and at least one cap (3) for a mouthpiece (2) of the electronic smoking device (1) is accommodated in the second receptacle (15) .
The sales unit (20) of claim 13， wherein the depth of the second receptacle (15) in the insertion direction (I) is such to accommodate the number of caps (3) that corresponds to the number of first receptacles (14) .
The sales unit (20) of claim 13 or 14， wherein the sales unit (20) comprises a plurality of caps (3) ， whose quantity corresponds to the number of first receptacles (14) ， the caps (3) being arranged in the second receptacle (15) and /or on the mouthpieces (2) of the electronic smoking devices (1) ， that are each arranged in a different one of the first receptacles (14) .