Abstract:
A cover for an e-cigarette having a mouthpiece for emitting vapor, includes a top cover part, a bottom cover part and a mechanism configured to be actuated by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette. The mechanism may be a spring interconnecting the top cover part and the bottom cover part, each of which surround the e-cigarette. The spring permits the top cover part to move between an upper released position covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the spring and a lower actuated position exposing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the thumb of the user. Flexible regions, knobs, detents and recesses may also be used as the mechanism and the top part may have a cap. Disposable and rechargeable e-cigarettes may be used.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a cover for an electronic cigarette or e-cigarette, which allows the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette to be covered to promote cleanliness. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    An e-cigarette is a personal vaporizer or electronic nicotine delivery system which is battery-powered and simulates tobacco smoking. The e-cigarette uses a heating element or atomizer for a liquid solution which may contain a mixture of nicotine and/or flavorings. Most, but not all, e-cigarettes are cylindrical and look like tobacco cigarettes. Some are one-piece disposable units and some have disposable and interchangeable liquid flavor containers and rechargeable batteries. 
         [0005]    In contrast to tobacco cigarettes which are smoked and discarded, all e-cigarettes are used over and over again. Therefore, the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette is subject to soiling and contamination by germs when touched by the hands or other objects and such soiling and contamination can easily come into contact with the mouth of the user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an e-cigarette cover, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which allows the mouthpiece of an e-cigarette to be covered when not in use to promote cleanliness. 
         [0007]    With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a cover for an e-cigarette having a mouthpiece for emitting vapor. The cover comprises a top cover part, a bottom cover part and a mechanism configured to be actuated by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette. The mechanism may be a spring interconnecting the top cover part and the bottom cover part, each of which surround the e-cigarette. The spring permits the top cover part to move between an upper released position covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the spring and a lower actuated position exposing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the thumb of the user. Flexible regions, knobs, detents and recesses may also be used as the mechanism and the top part may have a cap. The cover may be used with disposable or rechargeable e-cigarettes. 
         [0008]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0009]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an e-cigarette cover, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
         [0010]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]      FIGS. 1-12  are diagrammatic, perspective and elevational views of a first embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a top cover part, a bottom cover part and a spring are formed in one piece; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 13-17  are perspective and elevational views of a second embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a top cover part, a bottom ring and a spring are formed in one piece; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 18-21  are perspective and elevational views of a third embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a top cover part, a bottom cover part and a spring are formed in one piece and used for a rechargeable e-cigarette; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 22-25  are perspective and elevational views of a fourth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a top cover part, a bottom ring and a spring are formed in one piece for use with a rechargeable e-cigarette; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 26-29  are perspective and elevational views of a fifth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which the top cover part hides the spring; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 30-33  are perspective and elevational views of a sixth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which the cover is formed in one piece with a thin plastic part instead of a spring; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 34-37  are perspective and elevational views of a seventh embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a soft material acting as a spring is molded in one piece with a top cover part and a bottom cover part; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 38-45  are perspective and elevational views of a eighth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a top cover part and a bottom cover part are formed in one piece and a spring is elongated by a knob; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 46-47  are perspective and elevational views of an ninth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, which is similar to the seventh embodiment, but is used with a flavor container for a rechargeable e-cigarette; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 48-53  are perspective and elevational views of a tenth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which the cover is formed in one piece and a rubber ring holds the e-cigarette in exposed and recessed positions; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 54-59  are perspective and elevational views of a eleventh embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a bump on a bottom cover part holds a top cover part and the bottom cover part in place; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 60-67  are perspective and elevational views of an twelfth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, which is similar to the first embodiment, but has a stopper which holds the top cover part in a lowered position; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 68-73  are perspective and elevational views of a thirteenth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a facet ring or a facet body prevents the cover from rolling; and 
           [0024]      FIGS. 74-79  are perspective and elevational views of a fourteenth embodiment of the e-cigarette cover according to the invention, in which a cap on the top cover part covers a mouthpiece of the e-cigarette and also covers a top surface of the e-cigarette when the top cover part moves up. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to  FIGS. 1-12  thereof, there is seen a first embodiment of an e-cigarette cover  1  including a top cover part  2 , a bottom cover part  3  and a spring  4  which are preferably, but not necessarily, formed together in one piece from a hard material such as plastic. In a released position shown in  FIG. 1 , the top cover part  2  covers a mouthpiece region  5  of an e-cigarette  7  which touches the mouth of a user and has a hole  6  from which vapor emerges. In order to use the cover  1 , the user slides the top cover part  2  downward into an actuated position by using the thumb of one hand  10  which compresses the spring  4 . When released, the spring pushes the top cover part  2  upward again to cover the mouthpiece region  5 . The spring  4  provides a mechanism actuable by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region  5  of the e-cigarette  7 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 3-6  illustrate further details of the cover  1  in the released position, covering the mouthpiece region  5 , from which it can be seen that the spring  4  may be formed in one piece with the top and bottom cover parts from a thin plastic, but may also be a metal spring molded with the plastic top and bottom cover parts  2 ,  3  or all three components  2 ,  3 ,  4  may be formed of metal. A body  8  of the e-cigarette  7  may be seen, as well as a cap  9  disposed at the bottom of the bottom cover part  3  or formed in one piece with the bottom cover part  3 . The e-cigarette  7  is inserted into the cover  1  from the bottom and held in place by a tight fit or snap connection or adhesive and the cap  9 .  FIGS. 7-9  illustrate further details of the cover  1  in the actuated position and  FIGS. 9-12  show the cover  1  disassembled from the e-cigarette  7 . A snap connection of two cylindrical bodies is understood to mean that there is a detent or bump on one body and a recess or another detent or bump on the other body, which slide across one another and lock with the detent or bump of one body in the recess or on the other side of the detent or bump of the other body. 
         [0027]    In the second embodiment shown in  FIGS. 13-17 , a short cover  21  can be seen, in which an end of the spring  4  or a rim or ring  12  replaces the bottom cover part  3  of the first embodiment. The top cover part  2 , the spring  3  and the rim or ring  22  are formed in one piece from plastic or metal or a combination thereof, as described above. In this case, the e-cigarette has a step  23  formed thereon on which the rim or ring  22  or the end of the spring rests. The cover  21  operates like the cover  1 . 
         [0028]    In the third embodiment shown in  FIGS. 18-21 , a cover  31  can be seen as having a top cover part  2 , a bottom cover part  3  and a spring  4  formed from plastic or metal or a combination thereof, as described above. However, the cover  31  is used for a rechargeable e-cigarette  32  having a flavor container  33  and a battery  34  interconnected by a threaded connection  35 . In this case, the battery  34  is snapped or glued to the spring  4 . 
         [0029]    In the fourth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 22-25 , a short cover  41  is seen to have a top cover part  2 , a spring  4  and a bottom ring  42  formed from plastic or metal or a combination thereof, as described above, for use with a rechargeable e-cigarette. The bottom ring  42  is held in place on a flavor container  43  by a tight fit or snap connection or adhesive. The flavor container  43  is connected to a battery  44  by a threaded connection  45 . 
         [0030]    In the fifth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 26-29 , a cover  51  includes a top cover part  2 , a bottom cover part  3  and a spring  54  formed from plastic or metal or a combination thereof, as described above. In this case, the top cover part  2  hides the spring  54 , but otherwise, the cover  51  operates like the cover  1 . 
         [0031]    In the sixth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 30-33 , a cover  61  is formed as a one-part plastic cover which has a spring region  64  cut into strips  65 . The spring region  64  divides the cover  61  into a top cover part  62  and a bottom cover part  63 . The strips  65  are thin enough to deform and bulge outwardly when the top cover part  62  is pushed down by the thumb, as can be seen in  FIGS. 32 and 33 . A portion of the e-cigarette body  8  is exposed in the process. Once again, the top cover part  62  will assume the released position when the thumb releases it. The spring region  64  provides a mechanism actuable by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette. 
         [0032]    In the seventh embodiment shown in  FIGS. 34-37 , a cover  71  is seen in which a top cover part  72 , a bottom cover part  73  and a spring region  74  are molded together in one piece. The spring region  74  is formed of a soft, flexible material such as rubber, TPU, TPE or TRR. When the top cover part  72  is pushed down by the thumb of a user, the spring region  74  is deformed and bulges outward as shown in  FIGS. 36 and 37 , but returns when released. The spring region  74  provides a mechanism actuable by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette. 
         [0033]    In the eighth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 38-45 , a cover  81  has a window  86  formed therein and the e-cigarette  87  has a body  88  with a knob  89  to be actuated by the thumb of a user who reaches through the window  86 . The window  86  divides the cover  81  into a top cover part  82  and a bottom cover part  83 .  FIG. 41  shows a spring  84  holding down the e-cigarette body  88  so that the mouthpiece  85  of the e-cigarette is covered by the top cover part  82 .  FIG. 45  shows that upon sliding the knob  89  upward within the window  86 , the spring  84  is stretched and the mouthpiece  85  is exposed. The knob is limited in its movement by edges of the top cover part  82  and bottom cover part  83  forming stops. When released, the spring pulls the e-cigarette downward again. The window  86 , the knob  89  and the spring  84  provide a mechanism actuable by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette. 
         [0034]    In the ninth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 46-47 , a cover  91  operates like the cover  81 , but an e-cigarette  97  has a flavor container  98  and a battery  99  which are interconnected at a threaded connection  95 . 
         [0035]    In the tenth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 48-53 , a cover  101  is formed in one piece and has a top end bead  102  and a bottom end bead  103 , both of which have an inside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the rest of the cover, but larger than the outside diameter of the e-cigarette  107 . The cover  101  also has a bump or detent  105  on the inner surface thereof at a distance below the top end bead  102 . The e-cigarette  107  has raised portions or points  106 ,  108 , between which a recess  109  is formed. A rubber ring  104  is secured in the recess  109 . 
         [0036]    In order to move the e-cigarette  107  from the retracted position shown in  FIGS. 48-50  to the exposed position shown in  FIGS. 51-53 , the user shakes the cover  101  and the rubber ring  104  jumps over the bump or detent  105 , until it is stopped by the top end bead  102 , allowing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette  107  to be exposed. In this position, the rubber ring  104  frictionally holds the e-cigarette  107  in the exposed position. Another shake will return the e-cigarette  107  into the retracted position in which the bottom of the e-cigarette  107  is stopped by the bottom end bead  103 . The elements  104 - 106  and  108 - 109  together provide a mechanism, actuable by the thumb of a user, for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette. 
         [0037]    In the eleventh embodiment shown in  FIGS. 54-59 , a cover  111  has a top cover part  112  and a bottom cover part  113 . As is best seen in  FIGS. 56 and 59 , the top cover part  112  has a top end bead  114  and a bottom end  115 , both of which have an inside diameter which is smaller than the basic inside diameter of the rest of the cover  111 , but larger than the outside diameter of the e-cigarette  7 . The bottom cover part  113  has a bump  116  with an outside diameter which is larger than the basic outside diameter of the bottom cover part  113  and larger than the inside diameter of the top end bead  114  and the bottom end  115 . In the retracted position shown in  FIGS. 54-56 , the bottom end  115  and the bump  116  are engaged with each other and hold the top cover part  112  in a position covering the mouthpiece  5  of the e-cigarette  7 . However, a user can easily overcome this hold and slide the top cover part  112  down with the thumb into the exposed position shown in  FIGS. 57-59  in which the top end bead  114  and the bump  116  are engaged with each other and the bottom end  115  frictionally engages the e-cigarette  7  to hold the top cover part  112  in a position exposing the mouthpiece  5  of the e-cigarette  7 . The elements  114 - 116  together provide a mechanism, actuable by the thumb of a user, for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette. 
         [0038]    In the twelfth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 60-67 , a cover  121  is shown which is similar to the cover of the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , in that a top cover part  122 , a bottom cover part  123  and a spring  124  are preferably, but not necessarily, formed together in one piece from a hard material such as plastic, although a metal spring may be molded with the plastic top and bottom cover parts or all three components may be formed of metal. However, in this embodiment, an e-cigarette  127  has a bump or detent  125  which engages into a recess or indentation  126  formed in the inner surface of the top cover part  122  to hold the top cover part  122  when pushed down by the thumb in the retracted position. When the top cover part  122  is pushed up using the thumb, the components or elements  125 ,  126  are released and the top cover part  122  bounces back into the released position due to the action of the spring  124 . The elements  125  and  126  together provide a mechanism, actuable by the thumb of a user, for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette. 
         [0039]    In the thirteenth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 68-73 , a cover  131 , which is otherwise similar to the cover of the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , has a facet rim or ring  135  on the top cover part  132  and/or a facet portion  136  on the bottom cover part  133 , which prevent the cover  131  from rolling. 
         [0040]    In the fourteenth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 74-79 , a cover  141  is shown which is similar to the cover of the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , in that a top cover part  142 , a bottom cover part  143  and a spring  144  are preferably, but not necessarily, formed together in one piece from a hard material such as plastic, although a metal spring may be molded with the plastic top and bottom cover parts or all three components may be formed of metal. However, in this embodiment, the top cover part  142  has a cap  145  held to the rest of the top cover part  142  by a thin plastic, elastic web  146 . The cap  145  and the top cover part  142  meet at a slanted parting line  147  as shown in  FIGS. 74-76 . When the top cover part  142  is pushed down against the force of the spring  144 , the mouthpiece  5  pushes the cap  145  away as shown in  FIGS. 77-79 , exposing the mouthpiece  5 . When the top cover part  142  is released so that the cover assumes the released position, the web  146  springs or biases the cap  145  back into its closed position, covering the mouthpiece  5 . The cap  145  is part of a mechanism, actuable by the thumb of a user, for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece region of the e-cigarette.