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 
       [0001]    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 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to a cigarette/cigar product, and more specifically, to a container for storing and removing an electronic cigarette/cigar cartridge. 
         [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device and method that overcomes the above problems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    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. 
         [0007]    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. 
         [0008]    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 
         [0009]    Embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      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. 
           [0011]      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. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective, top view of a carry device consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      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. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an end view of a carry device consistent with the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , illustrating two alternate configurations. 
           [0015]      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. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an end view of a carry device consistent with the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , illustrating two alternate configurations. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a carry device consistent with another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top view of an insert portion of the carry device of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the carry device of  FIG. 8 , in a closed configuration. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the carry device of  FIG. 8  with an alternate beveled edge, in a closed configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    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. 
         [0022]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1-3 , in one embodiment, a carry device  10  consistent with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The carry device  10 , in this embodiment, is a four-sided case having a lid  12  mounted on a case body  14 . In one embodiment, the lid  12  may be hinge-mounted to the case body  14 . As illustrated below in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , where a hinge is utilized, it may be positioned along either a long or short side of lid  12 /case body  14 . 
         [0023]    Retained within the case body  14  is a blister-pack style dispenser  16 , adapted to retain and dispense at least one and preferably a plurality of electronic cigarette cartridges  18 . The dispenser  16  may comprise a plurality of blister cavities, each adapted to hold a cartridge  18 , backed by a lidding seal  20  or foil or plastic or the like. The lidding seal  20  may, optionally, have a company name or other desired name or image printed thereon, as shown by way of example in  FIGS. 1-2 . It may be desired to further provide a security or safety film  22  over the lidding seal  20 , which would be removed prior to use of the device  10  as described herein. 
         [0024]    As can be seen from  FIGS. 1-2  as described herein, the carry case  10  is open at the underside thereof, so that when the dispenser  16  is retained therein, the cartridges  18  may be dispensed therefrom through the open underside of carry case  10  through lidding seal  20 . The dispenser  16  may be fixedly retained within the case body  14  or, optionally, may be removably retained therein. If the dispenser  16  is removably retained, for example by resting a perimeter of the dispenser  16  on a shelf (not shown) or the like along an interior of the case body  14 , a user may remove the dispenser  16  when empty and insert a new dispenser  16  into the carry device  10 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , it can be seen that in one embodiment, a window  24  may be provided on lid  12 , so that a user may determine whether at least one cartridge  18  is present within the carry device  10  without the need to open the lid  12 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the window  24  is shown as dimensioned to be about the size of a single cartridge  18 , and is located proximate an end of the dispenser  16 . In this configuration, a user would want to dispense from the opposite end of the dispenser  16 , so that the last remaining cartridge  18  would be the one visible through window  24 . In that way, if a user saw through window  24  that there was no cartridge  18 , the user would know that all cartridges  18  had been dispensed. Optionally, it may be desired to provide a larger window  24 , having an ability to display the presence (or non-presence) of more than one cartridge  18 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , in one embodiment, a connection seam  26 , between the lid  12  and the carry body  14 , is provided. The seam may, optionally, be molded from amorphous thermoplastic copolymer such as ABS. An interior of the seam  26  (not shown) may contain the shelf referenced above, for positioning thereon of the dispenser  16 . 
         [0027]    As shown by way of example in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the perimeter edges of the lid  12  and the carry body  14  may be right angled or rounded. 
         [0028]    The lid  12  and case body  14  may be comprised of any desired material, including for example tin. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8-11 , a carry device  100  consistent with another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The carry device  100 , in this embodiment, is a four-sided case having a lid  112  mounted on a case body  114 . In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS.  8  and  10 - 11 , the lid  112  may be hinge-mounted to the case body  114 . 
         [0030]    Retained within the carry device  100  and/or interposed between the lid  112  and the case body  114  is an insert  116 . As shown in  FIGS. 8-9 , the insert  116  is adapted to retain and dispense at least one and preferably a plurality of electronic cigarette cartridges  118 . The insert  116  may comprise a plurality of cavities, each adapted to hold a single cartridge  118 . Optionally, the cavities may be sealed—as best seen in FIG.  8 —wherein a user can remove an individual seal to extract a cartridge  118 . Where the cavities are sealed, it may be desired to provide an insert  116  formed as a blister pack. 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, as shown in these figures, the insert  116  additionally includes a cavity dimensioned to hold a partially or fully-assembled electronic cigarette  117 . (Where the electronic cigarette  117  is fully-assembled, it will include both the cartridge and battery components, as shown by way of example in  FIGS. 8-9 . Alternately, the cavity may be dimensioned to only hold the battery component of the electronic cigarette  117 .) As shown in  FIG. 9 , finger inserts  121  may optionally be provided, to facilitate ready removal of the electronic cigarette (or electronic cigarette batter) from insert  116 . 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, the insert  116  is adhered to the case body  114 , so that it may not be removed therefrom. Alternatively, the insert  116  may be removable, so that it may be replaced when empty. 
         [0033]    As shown by way of example in  FIGS. 10-11 , the perimeter edges of the early device  100  may be beveled or rounded. 
         [0034]    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.