US20160113323A1

US20160113323A1 - Electronic cigarette case

Info

Publication number: US20160113323A1
Application number: US14/894,374
Authority: US
Inventors: Qiuming Liu
Original assignee: Kimree Hi-Tech Inc
Current assignee: Kimree Hi-Tech Inc
Priority date: 2013-05-29
Filing date: 2013-05-29
Publication date: 2016-04-28
Also published as: WO2014190507A1; CN105143067A; CN105143067B

Abstract

An electronic cigarette case comprising a cigarette case main body, a case cover, and a connection structure connected to the cigarette case main body and to the case cover is provided. The cigarette case main body, the case cover, and the connection structure are integrally formed. Since the electronic cigarette case comprising the cigarette case main body, the case cover, and the connection structure is designed to be integrally formed, and since the integrally formed cigarette main body, case cover, and connection structure are made of a material with great flexibility, the electronic cigarette case is of good folding endurance, simple processing technology, and high production efficiency, and thus production costs is reduced greatly.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of electronic cigarette technology, and more particularly, relates to an electronic cigarette case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smoking is bad for health. With the improvement of people's health consciousness, more and more people know the harm of smoking. Smoking not only hurts smokers themselves, but also hurts people around. Nowadays a type of electronic cigarette has been developed, which has a similar shape to an ordinary cigarette. When people smoke, the electronic cigarette may generate smoke that does not include toxic substances such as tar, etc., so the electronic cigarette is healthier than the ordinary cigarette.
The electronic cigarette is equipped with an electronic cigarette case for being placed therein. When smoking, people take out an electronic cigarette from the electronic cigarette case. However, in the existing electronic cigarette case, the body of the electronic cigarette case is generally connected to a box cover of the electronic cigarette case through a shaft, which makes the production process is very time and effort consuming, the assembly process is complicated, and the production cost is high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem to be solved in the present invention is to provide an integral forming electronic cigarette case with simple progress and low production costs, aiming at the defects of the complicated assembly process and the high production cost.
The technical solutions of the present invention for solving the technical problem are as follows:
An electronic cigarette case is provided, which comprises a box body, a box cover and a connecting structure connected with the box body and the box cover; the box body, the box cover and the connecting structure are integrally formed.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the connecting structure comprises a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion; the first connecting portion extends outwardly along an end surface of a sidewall of the box body; the second connecting portion extends outwardly along an end surface of a sidewall of the box cover; and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion abut against each other.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the first connecting portion is arranged in the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box body and the second connecting portion is arranged in the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box cover.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the connecting structure comprises at least two first connecting portions spaced apart and at least two second connecting portions spaced apart; the first connecting portion portions are arranged on the end surface of the sidewall of the box body; and the second connecting portions are arranged on the end surface of the sidewall of the box cover.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, a fold is formed at a junction between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion; and a thickness of the fold is thinner than that of the rest of the connecting structure.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, shapes of cross sections of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are triangular.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the box body, the box cover and the connecting structure are made of PP plastic or thermoplastic elastomeric materials.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the electronic cigarette case further comprises a bracket arranged in the box body; a cavity configured for placing electronic cigarettes is defined in the bracket; and the bracket is detachably connected with the box body.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the bracket comprises an upper connecting portion, a supporting portion and a lower connecting portion, and the cavity is defined in the supporting portion.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the electronic cigarette case further comprises a seal sleeve and a screw; a through-hole is defined in the bottom of the box body; and the screw passes through the through-hole, the seal sleeve and the lower connecting portion successively and thus fixes the bracket in the body box.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, a protrusion part is arranged on the upper connecting portion; the protrusion part comprises a first protrusion surface, a second protrusion surface and a third protrusion surface; and the second protrusion surface and the third protrusion surface are arranged at two sides of the first protrusion surface respectively.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the first protrusion surface is arranged on side opposite to the connecting structure between the box body and the box cover.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the box cover and the bracket are movably buckled together.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, at least a groove is arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface and/or the third protrusion surface; a bulge corresponding to the groove is arranged on an inner wall of the box cover; and the groove and the bulge are buckled together.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, at least a bulge is arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface and/or the third protrusion surface; a groove corresponding to the bulge is arranged on the inner wall of the box cover; and the bulge and the groove are buckled together.
In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, a first groove and a first bulge alternated with each other are arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface and/or the third protrusion surface; a second bulge and a second groove corresponding to the first groove and the first bulge are arranged on the inner wall of the box cover; and the first groove and the second bulge, and the first bulge and the second groove are buckled together.
When implementing the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the following advantageous effects can be achieved: since the present invention designs an integrally formed electronic cigarette case with a body box, a body cover and a connecting structure, and since the body box, the body cover and the connecting structure which are integrally formed are made of materials with good flexibility, the electronic cigarette case is foldable, the processing technology is simplified and the production efficiency is increased, thus the production cost is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments in the following, in the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a structural schematic view of an electronic cigarette case when it is in a closed state, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a structural schematic view of an electronic cigarette case when it is in an open state, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an explosive structural schematic view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a structural schematic view of a bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

To make the technical feature, objective and effect of the present invention be understood more clearly, now the specific implementation of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an electronic cigarette case in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a box body 10, a box cover 20, a bracket 30, a seal sleeve 40 and a screw 50.
Wherein one end of the box body 10 has an opening, and the shape of a cross section of the opening is a slope. The box cover 20 is also designed to be a slope matching the shape of the cross section of the open of the box body 10. A through hole 160 is defined in the bottom of one end of the box body 10, and the end of the box body 10 is far away from the opening. The box cover 20 is arranged at the end of the box body 10 with the opening. The bracket 30 is arranged within the box body 10 and is detachably connected with the box body 10. Specifically, the screw 50 successively passes through the through hole 160 in the bottom of the box body 10 and the seal sleeve 40, and finally the screw 50 is fixed on the bracket 30, thus the bracket 30 is detachably fixed in the box body 10 to prevent the bracket 30 from shaking or falling.
The electronic cigarette case further comprises a connecting structure 70 for connecting with the box body 10 and the box cover 20. The box body 10, the box cover 20 and the connecting structure 70 are integrally formed, and the box cover 20 is retractably covered on the end of the box body 10 with the opening. Specifically, the box body 10, the box cover 20 and the connecting structure 70 are made of materials with good flexibility, such as plastic materials or thermoplastic elastomeric materials wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric materials can be TPE or TPU.
In the present invention, the body box 10, the body cover 20 and the connecting structure 70 used to connect with the body box 10 and the body cover 20 are designed to be integrally formed. Since the body box 10, the body cover 20 and the connecting structure 70 which are integrally formed are made of materials with good flexibility, it makes the electronic cigarette case to be foldable, the processing technology to be simple and the production efficiency to be high, thus the production cost has been greatly reduced.
As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting structure 70 comprises a first connecting portion 710 and a second connecting portion 720. The first connecting portion 710 is arranged on the box body 10, and the second connecting portion 720 is arranged on the box cover 20. The first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 along with the rest part can be injection molded to form an integrally formed electronic cigarette case. The first connecting portion 710 extends outwardly along a sidewall of the box body and the second connecting portion 720 extends outwardly along a sidewall of the box cover 20, and the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 abut against each other. The first connecting portion 710 extends outwardly along the whole end surface of the sidewall of the box body 10, namely the length of the first connecting portion 710 is equal to the length of the sidewall of the box body 10; similarly, the second connecting portion 720 extends outwardly along the whole end surface of the sidewall of the box cover 20, namely the length of the second connecting portion 720 is equal to the length of the sidewall of the box cover 20, thus the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 abut against each other to make the box body 10 and the box cover 20 to be integrally formed. A fold is formed at a junction between the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720, and a thickness of the fold is thinner than that of the rest of the connecting structure 70. Thus, it is convenient to open the box cover 20 and makes sure that the connecting structure 70 is not easy to be broken.
In another embodiment, the first connecting portion 710 extends outwardly along the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box body 10, namely the first connecting portion 710 is arranged at the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box body 10. Similarly, the second connecting portion 720 also extends outwardly along the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box cover 20, namely the second connecting portion 720 is arranged at the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box cover 20. The first connecting portion 710 and second connecting portion 720 abut against each other to form an integrally formed electronic cigarette case.
In other embodiments, the connecting structure 70 comprises at least two first connecting portions 710 and at least two second connecting portions 720. The at least two first connecting portions 710 extend outwardly from the edge region of the sidewall of the box body 10 respectively to form the spaced apart first connecting portion, and the at least two second connecting portions 720 extend outwardly from the edge region of the sidewall of the box cover 20 respectively to form the spaced apart second connecting portion. The corresponding first connecting portion 710 and second connecting portion 720 abut against each other. Specifically there are two first connecting portions 710 and two second connecting portions 720. There is a gap between the two first connecting portions 710, and there is a gap between the two second connecting portions 720. The two first connecting portions 710 are arranged at the edge region of the sidewall of the box body 10 respectively, and the two second connecting portions 720 are arranged at the edge region of the sidewall of the box cover 20 respectively. Finally the first connecting portion 710 and the corresponding second connecting portion 720 abut against each other to form an integrally formed electronic cigarette case.
The lengths that the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 extend outwardly are 0.05 cm to 2.0 cm, namely the lengths that the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 extend outwardly should not he too long or too short, Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to cover the box cover 20 on the box body 10 or the box cover 20 cannot be tightly covered on the box body 10. Preferably, the lengths that the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 extend outwardly are 0.2 cm. The cross sections of the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 are triangular. Thus, when the electronic cigarette case is open, the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 form a plane together, and at this time shape of cross section of the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 is right triangle. Since shapes of cross sections of the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 are triangular, it not only makes sure that it is not easy for the connecting structure 70 to be broken, but also can save materials. It should he understood that shapes of cross sections of the first connecting portion 710 and the second connecting portion 720 can le other shapes such as curves etc.
As shown in FIG. 4, the bracket 30 comprises a supporting portion 310, an upper connecting portion 320, a lower connecting portion 330 and a protrusion part 340. Wherein, the upper connecting portion 320 is arranged at one side of the supporting portion 310 and the side is close to the box cover 20. The supporting portion 310 is arranged between the upper connecting portion 320 and the lower connecting portion 330. The protrusion part 340 extends upwardly from the upper connecting portion 320. The upper connecting portion 320, the supporting portion 310 and the lower connecting, portion 330 are all arranged within the box body 10. The protrusion part 340 is arranged at one end out of the box body 10 and is close, to the box cover 20. Thus the screw 50 successively passes through the through-hole 160 in the bottom of the box body 10, the seal sleeve 40, and the lower connecting portion 330 so as to fix the bracket 30 and the box body 10 together to prevent the bracket 30 from shaking in the box body 10.
A cavity used to place electronic cigarettes is formed within the supporting portion 310. The electronic cigarettes 60 placed in the cavity may be disposable or reusable electronic cigarettes, and it is not limited here.
A shape of a cross section of the upper connecting portion 320 is approximately a trapezoidal slope, and the upper connecting portion 320 comprises a first side 321, a second side 322, a third side 323 and a fourth side 324. The first side 321, the second side 322, the third side 323 and the fourth side 324 are successively connected together to form the square hollow upper connecting portion 320. Specifically, the first side 321 and the third side 323 are parallel to each other, and the second side 322 and the fourth side 324 are parallel to each other. The first side 321 is the side far away from the connecting structure 70 between the box body 10 and the box cover 20. The height between the first side 321 and the supporting portion 310 is less than the height between the third side 323 and the supporting portion 310. Advantageously, the height between the first side 321 and the supporting portion 310 is half of the height between the third side 323 and the supporting portion 310. Namely the height of the first side 321 is half of the height of the third side 323. The height between the second side 322 and the supporting portion 310 is equal to the height between the fourth side 324 and the supporting portion 310. Thus the upper connecting portion 320 is made to be a slope with a certain tilt angle.
A shape of the protrusion part 340 is approximately a U-shape, and the protrusion part 340 comprises a first protrusion surface 341, a second protrusion surface 342 and a third protrusion surface 343. Two sides of the first protrusion surface 341 are connected with the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343 respectively. The second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343 are parallel to each other. Specifically, the first protrusion surface 341 is fixed on the first side 321, the second protrusion surface 342 is fixed on the second side 322, and the third protrusion surface 343 is fixed on the fourth side 324. Namely the first protrusion surface 341 extends upwardly from the whole first side 321, but the second protrusion surface 342 extends upwardly from a part of the second side 322 and the third protrusion surface 343 extends upwardly from a part of the fourth side 324.
The part of the second protrusion surface 342 fixed at the second side 322 and the part of the third protrusion surface 343 fixed at the fourth side 324 respectively are referred as the two fixed sides of the protrusion part 340, thus the length of the fixed side of the second protrusion surface 342 fixed at the second side 322 is shorter than the one third of the length of the second side 322. The length of the fixed side of the third protrusion surface 343 fixed at the fourth side 324 is shorter than the one third of the length of the fourth side 324. Advantageously, the lengths of the two fixed sides of the protrusion part 340 are equal to each other, and are equal to one fourth of the length of the second side 322 or the fourth side 324, and thus to approximately form a U-shape protrusion part 340.
FIG. 5 is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. At least a groove 350 is arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface 342 and/or the third protrusion surface 343. A bulge 210 corresponding to the groove 350 is arranged on an inner wall of the box cover 20, and thus the groove 350 and the bulge 210 are buckled together. Specifically, a groove 350 is arranged on each of the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343 and two bulges 210 corresponding to the grooves 350 are arranged on the inner wall of the box cover 20, and thus the grooves 350 and the bulges 210 are buckled together to fix and seal the box cover 20 and the box body 10. It should be understood that there may be one or more grooves 350 and bulges 210, and it is not limited here. However, the number of the groove 350 must he equal to that of the bulge 210 and the groove 350 and the bulge 210 are corresponded to each other. When there are more than one groove 350 and more than one bulge 210, the grooves 350 may be spaced with the same distance or with different distances and the bulges 210 are spaced corresponding to the grooves 350. The grooves 350 may be arranged on the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343 at the same time, and may also only be arranged on one of the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343.
FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. At least one groove 360 is arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface 342 and/or the third protrusion surface 343. A bulge 220 corresponding to the groove 360 is arranged on an inner wall of the box cover 20, and thus the groove 360 and the bulge 220 are buckled together. Specifically, a groove 360 is respectively arranged on each of the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343, and two bulges 220 corresponding to the grooves 360 is arranged on the inner wall of the box cover 20, and thus the grooves 360 and the bulges 220 are buckled together to fix and seal the box cover 20 and the box body 10. It should be understood that there may he one or more grooves 360 and bulges 220, and it is not limited here. However, the number of the groove 360 must be equal to that of bulge 220 and the groove 360 and the bulge 220 are arranged corresponding to each other. When there are more than one groove 360 and more than one bulge 220, the grooves 360 may be spaced with the same distance or with different distances and the bulges 220 are spaced corresponding to the grooves 360. The grooves 360 may he arranged on the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343 at the same time, and may also only he arranged on one of the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343.
FIG. 7 is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. A groove 370 and a bulge 380 alternated with each other are arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface 342 and/or the third protrusion surface 343. A bulge 230 and a groove 240 respectively corresponding to the groove 370 and the bulge 380 are arranged on an inner wall of the box cover 20. The groove 370 and the bulge 230, and the bulge 380 and the groove 240 are buckled together respectively. Specifically, one groove 370 and one bulge 380 are respectively arranged on the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343, and one bulge 230 and one groove 240 are arranged on the inner wall of the box cover 20, thus when covering the box cover 20 on the box body 10, the groove 370 and the bulge 230, and the bulge 380 and the groove 240 are buckled together respectively to seal the electronic cigarette case. It should be understood that more than one groove 370 and more than one bulge 380 may be arranged on the second protrusion surface 342, and the grooves 370 and the bulges 380 are alternated with each other. Specifically the grooves 370 and the bulges 380 may be spaced with the same distance or with different distances, but the number and the arrangement form of the grooves 370 and the bulges 380 arranged on the third protrusion surface 343 may be the same as or different with those of the second protrusion surface 342. In other embodiments, the alternated grooves 370 and bulges 380 may be arranged apart both on the second protrusion surface 342 and on the third protrusion surface 343, and may also be arranged on one of the second protrusion surface 342 and the third protrusion surface 343.
It should be understood that in other embodiments, the box cover 20 may also be connected with the bracket 30 through other means, such as magnetic attraction etc, as long as the box cover 20 and the box body 10 can be sealed together.
In the present invention, the box body 10, the box cover 20 and the connecting structure 70 are designed to be integrally formed. Since the integrally formed box body 10, box cover 20 and connecting structure 70 are made of materials with good flexibility, it makes the electronic cigarette case to be foldable, the processing technology to be simple and the production efficiency to be high, thus the production cost has been reduced.
While the embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementations In fact, the above-mentioned specific implementations are intended to he exemplary not to be limiting. In the inspiration of the present invention, those of ordinary skills in the art can also make many modifications without breaking away from the subject of the present invention and the protection scope of the claims. All these modifications belong to the protection of the present invention.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. An electronic cigarette case, comprising a box body, a box cover and a connecting structure connected with the box body and the box cover; wherein the box body, the box cover and the connecting structure are integrally formed.

18. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 17, wherein the connecting structure comprises a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion;

the first connecting portion extends outwardly along an end surface of a sidewall of the box body;

the second connecting portion extends outwardly along an end surface of a sidewall of the box cover; and

the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion abut against each other.

19. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 18, wherein the first connecting portion is arranged in the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box body and the second connecting portion is arranged in the middle area of the end surface of the sidewall of the box cover.

20. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 18, wherein the connecting structure comprises at least two first connecting portions spaced apart and at least two second connecting portions spaced apart;

the first connecting portions are arranged on the end surface of the sidewall of the box body; and

the second connecting portions are arranged on the end surface of the sidewall of the box cover.

21. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 18, wherein a fold is formed at a junction between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, and a thickness of the fold is thinner than that of the rest of the connecting structure.

22. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 21, wherein shapes of cross sections of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are triangular.

23. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 17, wherein the box body, the box cover and the connecting structure are made of PP plastic or thermoplastic elastomeric materials.

24. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 17, wherein the electronic cigarette case further comprises a bracket arranged in the box body;

a cavity configured for placing electronic cigarettes is defined in the bracket; and

the bracket is detachably connected with the box body.

25. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 24, wherein the bracket comprises an upper connecting portion, a supporting portion and a lower connecting portion, and the cavity is defined in the supporting portion.

26. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 25, wherein the electronic cigarette case further comprises a seal sleeve and a screw;

a through-hole is defined in bottom of the box body; and

the screw passes through the through-hole, the seal sleeve and the lower connecting portion successively and thus fixes the bracket in the body box.

27. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 25, wherein a protrusion part is arranged on the upper connecting portion;

the protrusion part comprises a first protrusion surface, a second protrusion surface and a third protrusion surface; and

the second protrusion surface and the third protrusion surface are arranged at two sides of the first protrusion surface respectively.

28. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 27, wherein the first protrusion surface is arranged on a side opposite to the connecting structure between the box body and the box cover.

29. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 24, wherein the box cover and the bracket are movably buckled together.

30. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 29, wherein at least a groove is arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface and/or the third protrusion surface;

a bulge corresponding to the groove is arranged on an inner wall of the box cover; and

the groove and the bulge are buckled together.

31. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 29, wherein at least a bulge is arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface and/or the third protrusion surface;

a groove corresponding to the bulge is arranged on an inner wall of the box cover; and

the bulge and the groove are buckled together.

32. The electronic cigarette case according to claim 29, wherein a first groove and a first bulge alternated with each other are arranged on an outer surface of the second protrusion surface and/or the third protrusion surface;

a second bulge and a second groove corresponding to the first groove and the first bulge are arranged on an inner wall of the box cover; and

the first groove and the second bulge are buckled together, and the first bulge and the second groove are buckled together.