Patent Application
20190239559
The disclosed technology relates generally to e-cigarettes, and more specifically, to an e-cigarette holder.
E-cigarettes are the like are used as an often safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. They can come in varieties with tobacco, without tobacco, with nicotine, without nicotine, and with or without various other components found in traditional cigarettes. They can also be used to help people wean themselves off of addiction to cigarettes and control their intake of harmful drugs and chemicals.
One of the downsides to e-cigarettes, and for that matter, most hand-held electronics, is that it is battery powered and when one runs out of battery, the device becomes unusable until the battery is charged again. Separate battery packs are known in the art for use with, for example, hand-held phones. However, these battery packs require plugging in cables in most cases and can be unwieldy. A solution is needed which allows one to use an e-cigarette and have additional electric current available for use without having to open up the e-cigarette and modify or use a cumbersome external battery pack.
An e-cigarette holder of embodiments of the disclosed technology is a housing designed to hold an e-cigarette. An e-cigarette is defined as a device which dispenses drugs or drug substitutes such as tobacco without the aid of other devices. Thus, an e-cigarette, for purposes of the disclosed technology, has all the parts needed to hold and dispense a drug or drug substitute. An e-cigarette holder, for purposes of this disclosure is a device which attaches to, abuts against, or holds an e-cigarette thereto. In embodiments of the disclosed technology the e-cigarette holder has a top side, bottom side, front side, left side, and right side. The top side has an opening into a portal where an e-cigarette can enter and be placed. It can have a length equal to that of the e-cigarette or less than that of the e-cigarette so that the e-cigarette is fully or mostly within the portal. The portal itself can extend a majority of a longest length of the holder. A small section beneath the portal and above the bottom side of the housing houses electronics, such as electrical contacts, in embodiments of the disclosed technology. A battery is hidden within in the housing in embodiments of the disclosed technology, meaning that it is out of view from an observer looking at the housing.
A window opening through the front side of the housing opens into the portal in embodiments of the disclosed technology. The window extends for at least a majority of a length of the portal in some embodiments. This window can also have rounded top and bottom extends (sides) thereof. The length of the portal is equal to a length of an e-cigarette placed therein such that an operative end of the e-cigarette is aligned with the top side of the e-cigarette holder. The window can open to buttons for operation of the e-cigarette, such as an on/off button or buttons to control the strength of the output of vapors.
A kit with the e-cigarette holder and an e-cigarette includes, in embodiments of the disclosed technology, an a e-cigarette with a longest length equal to that of a longest length of the portal. As such, the e-cigarette substantially or fully fills the portal causing the e-cigarette to be filled from top to bottom end and left to right end. A sucking end, or operative end (defined as a side of the e-cigarette to be placed within or abutting one's mouth to retrieve a drug or substitute for a drug) of the e-cigarette is flush with a top side of the housing in embodiments of the disclosed technology. This can be simultaneous to the e-cigarette abutting a bottom most extent of the portal (and being electrically coupled to the battery within the housing). The e-cigarette can have a button for operation thereof, accessible through the window. The portal can be entirely on one side of the housing, such as on the right side, while the battery is on the left side and part of the right side as the battery is much wider than the e-cigarette. One can insert an e-cigarette through the top side of the housing into the portal causing the e-cigarette to be electrically coupled with the battery and an operative end of the e-cigarette to be flush with the top side of the housing. One can then suck vapor from the e-cigarette, causing the e-cigarette to obtain electrical current from said battery. While doing so, one's lips may invariably touch the top side of the housing as well. Further, one can push a button on the e-cigarette by reaching through the window and depressing a button thereon.
An e-cigarette holder of embodiments of the disclosed technology is designed for use with a rectangular e-cigarette. A rectangular shaped portal extending through at least a majority of a length of the holder has a window through which the e-cigarette controls are accessible, and an electrical connector at a bottom side of the portal adapted to be abutted by the e-cigarette and be electrically coupled thereto. A length of the portal is substantially equal to that of the e-cigarette designed for use therewith. An operative end of the e-cigarette is flush with an end of the e-cigarette holder. One uses this e-cigarette by sucking on the end of the e-cigarette holder which is flush with the e-cigarette, in such embodiments of the disclosed technology.
Any device or step to a method described in this disclosure can comprise or consist of that which it is a part of, or the parts which make up the device or step. The term “and/or” is inclusive of the items which it joins linguistically and each item by itself. “Substantially” is defined as “at least 95% of the term being described” and any device or aspect of a device or method described herein can be read as “comprising” or “consisting” thereof.
An e-cigarette holder widens the width of an e-cigarette while having a top side flush with the e-cigarette. A portal within the e-cigarette holder receives the e-cigarette such that when the top side of the e-cigarette is flush with the top of the holder, a bottom side is engaged with electrical connectors at the bottom of the portal. A battery within the e-cigarette holder provides electrical current to charge or power the e-cigarette.
Embodiments of the disclosed technology will become more clear in view of the following description of the figures.
The top side 20 has an opening 22 to a portal 30 such as a rectangular portal which has the same or substantially the side length and width of an e-cigarette to be placed therein, such that an e-cigarette substantially or fully fills the opening 22 to the portal 30 when it is placed therein. The bottom side 32 of the portal 30 is the furthest extent to which an e-cigarette can extend downwards. This distance between the bottom side 32 and the top portal 22 is equal to a depth (longest length) of an e-cigarette used in embodiments of the disclosed technology. A window 34 on (cut into) the front side 10 of the holder allows one to use buttons on an e-cigarette and be unobstructed by the holder when doing so. This window can have curved top and bottom extents and can extend at least a majority of a longest length of the holder and/or an e-cigarette inserted therein.
Further, it should be understood that all subject matter disclosed herein is directed at, and should be read only on, statutory, non-abstract subject matter. All terminology should be read to include only the portions of the definitions which may be claimed. By way of example, “computer readable storage medium” is understood to be defined as only non-transitory storage media.
While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. Combinations of any of the methods, systems, and devices described hereinabove are also contemplated and within the scope of the disclosed technology.
