US20130146489A1 - Electronic cigarette carry case device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic cigarette container has a case body. A lid is attached to the case body. A blister type packaging is retained within the case body, wherein the blister type package has a plurality of blister cavities for holding a cartridge

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This invention is related to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application entitled “Electronic Cigarette Carry Case and Method”, having Ser. No. 61/497,406, filed Jun. 15, 2011, in the name of the same inventor and which application is incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
• This invention relates generally to a cigarette/cigar product, and more specifically, to a container for storing and removing an electronic cigarette/cigar cartridge.
• Electronic cigarettes/cigars (hereinafter electronic cigarettes) are becoming popular alternative smoking products. Presently, most electronic cigarettes are distributed in closed rectangular containers similar to conventional cigarettes. These containers do not allow one to see the actual product. Further, with present containers, it is difficult to place the containers on a display to show the product. Present, containers are generally stacked on top of one another which do not allow packaging/labeling on the containers to be properly displayed.
• Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device and method that overcomes the above problems.
SUMMARY
• An electronic cigarette container has a case body. A lid is attached to the case body. A blister type packaging is retained within the case body, wherein the blister type package has a plurality of blister cavities for holding a cartridge.
• An electronic cigarette container has a case body. A lid is attached to the case body. A blister type packaging is retained within the case body, wherein the blister type package has a plurality of blister cavities for holding a cartridge for an electronic smoking device. An opening is formed on a bottom section of the case body exposing the blister type packaging when the blister type packaging is retained in the case body. A lidding seal is formed over the opening. A safety seal is formed over the lidding seal.
• An electronic cigarette container has a case body. A lid is attached to the case body. An insert is positioned within the case body, the insert having a plurality of first cavities to house a smoking device cartridge therein.
• The features, functions, and advantages may be achieved independently in various embodiments of the disclosure or may be combined in yet other embodiments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective, bottom view of a carry case device consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating removal of a protective lining.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective, bottom view of a carry case device consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating removal of a cartridge.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective, top view of a carry device consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a side view of a carry device consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the device in an open configuration.
• FIG. 5 is an end view of a carry device consistent with the embodiment ofFIG. 4, illustrating two alternate configurations.
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a carry device consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the device in an open configuration.
• FIG. 7 is an end view of a carry device consistent with the embodiment ofFIG. 6, illustrating two alternate configurations.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a carry device consistent with another embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 9 is a top view of an insert portion of the carry device ofFIG. 8.
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the carry device ofFIG. 8, in a closed configuration.
• FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the carry device ofFIG. 8 with an alternate beveled edge, in a closed configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The present invention concerns electronic cigarettes and, more particularly, a carry device and method for carrying the cartridge component of an electronic cigarette device. The device has the aspect of a early tin and utilizes a blister pack-style dispenser for preservation and dispensing of individual cartridges carried within the carry device.
• Referring first toFIGS. 1-3, in one embodiment, acarry device10 consistent with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Thecarry device10, in this embodiment, is a four-sided case having alid12 mounted on acase body14. In one embodiment, thelid12 may be hinge-mounted to thecase body14. As illustrated below inFIGS. 4 and 6, where a hinge is utilized, it may be positioned along either a long or short side oflid12/case body14.
• Retained within thecase body14 is a blister-pack style dispenser16, adapted to retain and dispense at least one and preferably a plurality ofelectronic cigarette cartridges18. Thedispenser16 may comprise a plurality of blister cavities, each adapted to hold acartridge18, backed by alidding seal20 or foil or plastic or the like. Thelidding seal20 may, optionally, have a company name or other desired name or image printed thereon, as shown by way of example inFIGS. 1-2. It may be desired to further provide a security orsafety film22 over the liddingseal20, which would be removed prior to use of thedevice10 as described herein.
• As can be seen fromFIGS. 1-2 as described herein, thecarry case10 is open at the underside thereof, so that when thedispenser16 is retained therein, thecartridges18 may be dispensed therefrom through the open underside ofcarry case10 through liddingseal20. Thedispenser16 may be fixedly retained within thecase body14 or, optionally, may be removably retained therein. If thedispenser16 is removably retained, for example by resting a perimeter of thedispenser16 on a shelf (not shown) or the like along an interior of thecase body14, a user may remove thedispenser16 when empty and insert anew dispenser16 into thecarry device10.
• Referring now toFIGS. 3 and 6, it can be seen that in one embodiment, awindow24 may be provided onlid12, so that a user may determine whether at least onecartridge18 is present within thecarry device10 without the need to open thelid12. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 3 and 6, thewindow24 is shown as dimensioned to be about the size of asingle cartridge18, and is located proximate an end of thedispenser16. In this configuration, a user would want to dispense from the opposite end of thedispenser16, so that the lastremaining cartridge18 would be the one visible throughwindow24. In that way, if a user saw throughwindow24 that there was nocartridge18, the user would know that allcartridges18 had been dispensed. Optionally, it may be desired to provide alarger window24, having an ability to display the presence (or non-presence) of more than onecartridge18.
• Referring toFIGS. 1-7, in one embodiment, aconnection seam26, between thelid12 and thecarry body14, is provided. The seam may, optionally, be molded from amorphous thermoplastic copolymer such as ABS. An interior of the seam26 (not shown) may contain the shelf referenced above, for positioning thereon of thedispenser16.
• As shown by way of example inFIGS. 5 and 7, the perimeter edges of thelid12 and thecarry body14 may be right angled or rounded.
• Thelid12 andcase body14 may be comprised of any desired material, including for example tin.
• Referring now toFIGS. 8-11, acarry device100 consistent with another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Thecarry device100, in this embodiment, is a four-sided case having alid112 mounted on acase body114. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS.8 and10-11, thelid112 may be hinge-mounted to thecase body114.
• Retained within thecarry device100 and/or interposed between thelid112 and thecase body114 is aninsert116. As shown inFIGS. 8-9, theinsert116 is adapted to retain and dispense at least one and preferably a plurality ofelectronic cigarette cartridges118. Theinsert116 may comprise a plurality of cavities, each adapted to hold asingle cartridge118. Optionally, the cavities may be sealed—as best seen in FIG.8—wherein a user can remove an individual seal to extract acartridge118. Where the cavities are sealed, it may be desired to provide aninsert116 formed as a blister pack.
• In one embodiment, as shown in these figures, theinsert116 additionally includes a cavity dimensioned to hold a partially or fully-assembledelectronic cigarette117. (Where theelectronic cigarette117 is fully-assembled, it will include both the cartridge and battery components, as shown by way of example inFIGS. 8-9. Alternately, the cavity may be dimensioned to only hold the battery component of theelectronic cigarette117.) As shown inFIG. 9, finger inserts121 may optionally be provided, to facilitate ready removal of the electronic cigarette (or electronic cigarette batter) frominsert116.
• In one embodiment, theinsert116 is adhered to thecase body114, so that it may not be removed therefrom. Alternatively, theinsert116 may be removable, so that it may be replaced when empty.
• As shown by way of example inFIGS. 10-11, the perimeter edges of theearly device100 may be beveled or rounded.
• This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic cigarette container comprising:

a case body;

a lid attached to the case body; and

a blister type packaging retained within the case body, wherein the blister type package has a plurality of blister cavities for holding a cartridge.

2. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 1, further comprising:

an opening formed on a bottom section of the case body exposing the blister type packaging when the blister type packaging is retained in the case body; and

a lidding seal formed over the opening.

3. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 2, further comprising a safety seal formed over the lidding seal.

4. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 1, further comprising a window formed on the lid.

5. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 1, further comprising a connection seamed formed on the between the case body and the lid.

6. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 1, wherein the lid is hingly coupled to the case body.

7. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 6, wherein the lid is hingly coupled along a length of the case body.

8. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 6, wherein the lid is hingly coupled along a width of the case body.

9. An electronic cigarette container comprising:

a case body;

a lid attached to the case body;

a blister type packaging retained within the case body, wherein the blister type package has a plurality of blister cavities for holding a cartridge for an electronic smoking device,

an opening formed on a bottom section of the case body exposing the blister type packaging when the blister type packaging is retained in the case body;

a lidding seal formed over the opening; and

a safety seal formed over the lidding seal.

10. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 9, further comprising a window formed on the lid.

11. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 9, further comprising a connection seamed foamed on the between the case body and the lid.

12. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 9, wherein the lid is hingly coupled to the case body.

13. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 12, wherein the lid is hingly coupled along a length of the case body.

14. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 12, wherein the lid is hingly coupled along a width of the case body.

15. An electronic cigarette container comprising:

a case body;

a lid attached to the case body;

an insert positioned within the case body, the insert having a plurality of first cavities to house a smoking device cartridge therein.

16. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 15, wherein each of the plurality of first cavities is sealed.

17. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 15, wherein the insert further comprises an electronic cigarette cavity to house one of an electronic cigarette or battery.

18. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 17, further comprising finger inserts positioned adjacent to the electronic cigarette cavity.

19. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 15, wherein the insert is a blister type package.

20. The electronic cigarette container ofclaim 15, wherein the lid is hingly coupled to the case body.

Images