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 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of electronic cigarette technology, and more particularly, relates to an electronic cigarette case. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Smoking is bad for health. With the improvement of people&#39;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. 
         [0003]    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 
       [0004]    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. 
         [0005]    The technical solutions of the present invention for solving the technical problem are as follows: 
         [0006]    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. 
         [0007]    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. 
         [0008]    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. 
         [0009]    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. 
         [0010]    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. 
         [0011]    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. 
         [0012]    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. 
         [0013]    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. 
         [0014]    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. 
         [0015]    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. 
         [0016]    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. 
         [0017]    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. 
         [0018]    In the electronic cigarette case of the present invention, the box cover and the bracket are movably buckled together. 
         [0019]    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. 
         [0020]    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. 
         [0021]    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. 
         [0022]    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 
         [0023]    The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments in the following, in the accompanying drawings: 
           [0024]      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; 
           [0025]      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; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is an explosive structural schematic view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a structural schematic view of a bracket of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of an electronic cigarette case, according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      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 
       [0031]    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. 
         [0032]    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 . 
         [0033]    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. 
         [0034]    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. 
         [0035]    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. 
         [0036]    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. 
         [0037]    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. 
         [0038]    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. 
         [0039]    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. 
         [0040]    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 . 
         [0041]    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. 
         [0042]    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. 
         [0043]    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 . 
         [0044]    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 . 
         [0045]      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 . 
         [0046]      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 . 
         [0047]      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 . 
         [0048]    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. 
         [0049]    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. 
         [0050]    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.