Abstract:
An electronic cigarette battery assembly, including a charging electrode, the charging electrode including an inner electrode arranged on the inner rim thereof and having a spherical cap end face, and an outer electrode arranged outside the inner electrode and having a ring shape; the charging electrode and the rechargeable battery of the electronic cigarette being connected by means of a control module, when it is necessary to charge the rechargeable battery, one need only connect the charging electrode to the electric power output terminal of the external charger in order to charge the rechargeable battery. There is no need to remove the rechargeable battery, thus the invention is very convenient to use and solves the problems of existing electronic cigarettes, wherein it is inconvenient to remove a rechargeable battery for charging and the electrical connection is unreliable due to loosening of the battery.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2014/073342, titled “ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE BATTERY ASSEMBLY”, filed on Mar. 13, 2014, which claims the benefit of priority to Chinese patent application No. 201420086547.3, titled “ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE BATTERY ASSEMBLY”, filed with the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office on Feb. 27, 2014, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present application relates to the field of electronic cigarettes, and in particular to an electronic cigarette battery assembly. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    An electronic cigarette, also referred to as a virtual cigarette or an electronic tobacco cigarette, is an alternative to a conventional smoke, which is mainly used for quitting smoking and replacing the conventional smoke. The electronic cigarette has a same appearance and substantially a same taste with the conventional smoke, and even has more taste than the conventional smoke. The electronic cigarette, when smoked, can create smoke, taste and feel just like the conventional smoke. Further, the electronic cigarette has no harmful ingredients in the conventional smoke, such as tar, suspended particles, etc., and also would not create diffuse or wreathing second-hand smoke. Therefore, the electronic cigarette would not cause harm to a smoker and other person. 
         [0004]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional electronic cigarette includes an atomizing assembly  20  and a battery assembly  10  which are connected together. The electronic cigarette has a battery  11  arranged in the battery assembly  10 . A cap is provided on an end  13 , which is far away from the atomizing assembly  20 , of the battery assembly. For the purpose of facilitating a reuse, a rechargeable battery may be employed as the battery  11 . When the rechargeable battery  11  runs out, the rechargeable battery  11  is required to be removed out of the battery assembly  10  to be charged. However, this would make the rechargeable battery  11  to be removed out of and put into the battery assembly  10  frequently. The atomizing assembly  20  is detached from the battery assembly  10  to allow the rechargeable battery  11  to be charged from one end of the battery assembly  10  which is connected to the atomizing assembly  20 . However, this would make the use of the electronic cigarette inconvenient. Also, disassembling the atomizing assembly  20  and the battery assembly  10  frequently would easily lead to a problem of an unreliable electric connection between the atomizing assembly  20  and the battery assembly  10  due to the loose atomizing assembly  20  and the battery assembly  10 . 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In view of this, an electronic cigarette battery assembly is provided according to the present application, which overcome the problems in the conventional electronic cigarette that a rechargeable battery has to be removed out of the battery assembly for being charged, which is inconvenient and cause an unreliable electric connection between the atomizing assembly and the battery assembly due to the loose atomizing assembly and the battery assembly. 
         [0006]    To achieve the above object, the solution of the present application is provided as follows. 
         [0007]    An electronic cigarette battery assembly is provided according to the present application, which forms an electronic cigarette together with an atomizing assembly, and includes:
       a battery rod main body including a rechargeable battery and a control module for controlling the charging and discharging of the rechargeable battery; and   a charging electrode arranged at an end of the battery rod main body and electrically connected to the control module for delivering electric energy to the rechargeable battery,   the charging electrode includes:   an outer electrode, an electrode bracket and an inner electrode,   the outer electrode is arranged at the end, is located at an inner side of the end and is fixedly connected to the battery rod main body;   the electrode bracket is made of an electric insulating material, and is arranged at an inner side of the outer electrode and is fixedly connected to the inner side of the outer electrode; and   the inner electrode is arranged at an inner side of the electrode bracket, and an outer side of the inner electrode is slidably connected to the electrode bracket, and   an end face of the inner electrode is in a spherical cap shape and is located at an end face of the end of the battery rod main body.       
 
         [0016]    Further, the outer electrode is in an annular shape. 
         [0017]    Further, a circumferential surface of the outer electrode is provided with a retaining portion for being retained on an end face of the battery rod main body. 
         [0018]    Further, an outer end face of the charging electrode is in a spherical cap shape. 
         [0019]    Further, an inner wall surface of the electrode bracket is provided with a first position-limiting portion which abuts against the inner electrode for preventing the inner electrode from falling into the battery rod main body, and/or
       the outer side of the inner electrode is provided with a second position-limiting portion which abuts against the electrode bracket for preventing the inner electrode from slipping off from the electrode bracket in a direction away from the battery rod main body.       
 
         [0021]    Further, the charging electrode further includes an elastic piece abutting against the inner electrode to allow the inner electrode to be elastically stretchable in an axial direction of the battery rod main body. 
         [0022]    Further, the charging electrode further includes a fixing plate which is inserted into and connected to the outer electrode, and the elastic piece has one end abutting against the inner electrode and another end abutting against the fixing plate. 
         [0023]    Further, the elastic piece is a spring, and the inner electrode is connected to the control module by the spring. 
         [0024]    Further, the inner electrode is provided with a protrusion, and at least a part of the spring is arranged at the circumference of the protrusion. 
         [0025]    Further, the inner electrode is provided with a recess, and at least a part of the spring is arranged in the recess. 
         [0026]    From the above technical solution, it can be seen that the electronic cigarette battery assembly according to the present application includes the charging electrode arranged at the end of the battery assembly. The charging electrode is connected to the rechargeable battery of the battery assembly by the control module. When the rechargeable battery is required to be charged, only the charging electrode is connected to an electric energy output end of an external charger for achieving the charging of the rechargeable battery and it is not necessary to remove the rechargeable battery out of the battery assembly and disassemble the battery assembly and the atomizing assembly, which facilitates the use of the electronic cigarette. That is, the problems, that the rechargeable battery has to be removed out of the battery assembly to be charged, in the conventional electronic cigarette can be overcome, which may otherwise my inconvenient and cause an unreliable electric connection between the atomizing assembly and the battery assembly due to the loose atomizing assembly and the battery assembly. 
         [0027]    Further, since the inner electrode is arranged at the inner side of the electrode bracket and is slidably connected to the electrode bracket and the inner electrode has an end face of a spherical cap shape, the inner electrode is more easily to be aligned and in contact with an electric energy output end of an external charging equipment when the rechargeable battery is being charged. Especially when the battery assembly is to be socketed to a charging equipment to be charged, the inner electrode slidably connected to the electrode bracket is easily to be electrically connected to the charging equipment, and the outer electrode may also be allowed to have a good electrical connection to the charging equipment, which ensures a reliable charging. Also, dirt is not apt to be accumulated at the spherical cap-shaped end face of the charging electrode. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]    For more clearly illustrating embodiments of the present application or technical solutions in the conventional technology, drawings referred to describe the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly described hereinafter. Apparently, the drawings in the following description are only some examples of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings may be obtained based on these drawings without any creative efforts. 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette in the conventional technology; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette battery assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette battery assembly according to another embodiment of the present application; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette battery assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present application. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]    The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely hereinafter in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Apparently, the embodiments described are only some examples of the present application, and not all implementation. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without any creative efforts all fall into the scope of the present application. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0034]      FIG. 2  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette battery assembly forming an electronic cigarette together with an atomizing assembly according to an embodiment of the present application. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the battery assembly according to this embodiment includes a battery rod main body  10  and a charging electrode  30  located at an end  13  of the battery rod main body  10 . Another end of the battery rod main body  10  is connected to the atomizing assembly. 
         [0036]    The battery rod main body  10  includes a rechargeable battery  11  and a control module  12  for controlling the charging and discharging of the rechargeable battery  11 . 
         [0037]    The charging electrode  30  is connected to the control module  12 , and the control module  12  is also connected to the rechargeable battery  11 . 
         [0038]    The charging electrode  30  includes an outer electrode  31 , an electrode bracket  32  and an inner electrode  33 . The outer electrode  31  is in an annular shape and arranged at the end  13  of the battery rod main body  10 . The outer electrode  31  is fixedly connected to an inner side of the battery rod main body  10  by glue or the like. The circumferential surface of the outer electrode  31  is provided with a retaining portion  311 , which is retained on an end face of the battery rod main body  10 . By providing the retaining portion  311 , the outer electrode  31  may be prevented from falling into the battery rod main body  10 . 
         [0039]    The electrode bracket  32  is arranged at an inner side of the outer electrode  31  and fixedly connected to the outer electrode  31 . An inner wall surface of the electrode bracket  32  is provided with a first position-limiting portion  321 , which abuts against the inner electrode  33  so as to prevent the inner electrode  33  from falling into the battery rod main body  10 . When the inner electrode  33  moves toward another end of the battery assembly in an axial direction of the battery assembly due to an external force caused by a dropping battery assembly, the position of the inner electrode  33  is limited by the first position-limiting portion  321 , thus preventing the inner electrode  33  from falling into the battery rod main body  10 . 
         [0040]    The inner electrode  33  is arranged at an inner side the electrode bracket  32  and slidably connected to the electrode bracket  32 . The outer electrode  31  and the inner electrode  33  are connected to the control module  12  of the electronic cigarette by wires. 
         [0041]    An end face of the inner electrode  33  is in a spherical cap shape, and is located at an end face of the end  13  of the battery rod main body  10  for being connected to an electric energy output end of external charging equipment. 
         [0042]    The electrode bracket  32  is made of an electric insulating material, such as a plastic or ceramic material, etc. Herein, the material of the electrode bracket  32  is not limited. An outer end face of the charging electrode  30  is in a spherical cap shape. 
         [0043]    When the rechargeable battery  11  needs to be charged, only the charging electrode  30  is required to be connected to an electric energy output end of an external charger for achieving the charging of the rechargeable battery  11 . 
         [0044]    From the above technical solution, it can be seen that the electronic cigarette battery assembly according to this embodiment includes the charging electrode  30 . The charging electrode  30  is connected to the rechargeable battery  11  of the electronic cigarette by the control module  12 . When the rechargeable battery  11  needs to be charged, only the charging electrode  30  is required to be connected to an electric energy output end of an external charger for achieving the charging of the rechargeable battery  11 , that is, it is not necessary to remove the rechargeable battery  11  out of the battery assembly  10 , which facilitates the use of the electronic cigarette. That is, the problems that, the rechargeable battery  11  has to be removed out of the battery assembly  10  to be charged, in the conventional electronic cigarette can be overcome, which may otherwise be inconvenient and has an unreliable electric connection. 
         [0045]    Further, since the inner electrode  33  is arranged at the inner side of the electrode bracket  32  and is slidably connected to the electrode bracket  32  and the end face of the inner electrode  33  is in the spherical cap shape, the inner electrode  33  is more easily to be aligned and in contact with an electric energy output end of an external charging equipment when the rechargeable battery  11  is being charged. Especially when the battery assembly is socketed on a charging equipment for being charged, the inner electrode  33  slidably connected to the electrode bracket  32  is easy to be electrically connected to the charging equipment, and the outer electrode  31  may also be allowed to have a good electrical connection to the charging equipment, which ensures a reliable charging. Also, dirt is not apt to be accumulated on the spherical cap-shaped end face of the charging electrode  30 , which ensures the reliable charging. 
         [0046]    Furthermore, the outer electrode  31  is in the annular shape, which also increases the contact area of the charging electrode  30  and the electric energy output end of the external charging equipment, achieving a more full contact and a better charging effect. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0047]      FIG. 3  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette battery assembly according to another embodiment of the present application. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , a charging electrode  30  of the battery assembly according to this embodiment further includes an elastic piece and a fixing plate  35 . The elastic piece abuts against the inner electrode  33  to allow the inner electrode  33  to be elastically stretchable in an axial direction of the battery rod main body  10 . The fixing plate  35  is inserted into and connected to the outer electrode  31 . The elastic piece has one end abutting against the inner electrode  33  and another end abutting against the fixing plate  35 . In this embodiment, the elastic piece is a spring. That is, the battery assembly according to this embodiment is that a spring  34  is added in the battery assembly according to the above embodiment. Apparently, the elastic piece may also be an elastic sheet or an elastic soft rubber block, etc., which is not limited herein. In this embodiment, the spring  34  also functions to connect the inner electrode  33  and the control module  12 . 
         [0049]    A protrusion  331  is provided at a bottom of the inner electrode  33 . The circumference of the protrusion  331  is surrounded by a part of the spring  34  and is connected to the control module  12 . 
         [0050]    By providing the spring  34 , the inner electrode  33  slidably connected to the electrode bracket  32  may be allowed to be stretchable when in a charging process, which allows the inner electrode  33  to be in a better contact with the electric energy output end of the external charger during the connection, and prevents a poor charging effect due to a poor contact. 
         [0051]    Since the outer electrode  31  is inserted into and connected to the fixing plate  35 , the charging electrode  30 , which has been assembled, is inserted into the battery rod main body  10  when the battery assembly is assembled. Therefore, the assembling process is convenient and production efficiency is improved. 
       Third Embodiment 
       [0052]      FIG. 4  is a view showing the structure of an electronic cigarette battery assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present application. 
         [0053]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the spring  34  in the above embodiment is remained in the battery assembly according to this embodiment. 
         [0054]    The spring  34  functions to connect the inner electrode  33  and the control module  12 . 
         [0055]    The difference between the battery assembly according to this embodiment and the battery assembly according to the previous embodiment lies in that a recess  332  is provided at the bottom of the inner electrode  33  and a second position-limiting portion  333  is provided at an outer side of the inner electrode  33 . The second position-limiting portion  333  abuts against the electrode bracket  32  so as to prevent the inner electrode  33  from slipping off from the electrode bracket  32  in a direction away from the battery rod main body  10 . A part of the spring  34  extends into the recess  332 , and is connected to the control module  12 . By providing the spring  34 , the inner electrode  33  slidably connected to the electrode bracket  32  can be extended in the charging process, which allows the inner electrode  33  to be in a better contact with the electric energy output end of the external charger during the connection, and avoids a poor charging effect due to a poor contact. By providing the second position-limiting portion  333 , the inner electrode  33  can be more reliably connected. 
         [0056]    Finally, it should also be noted that the relationship terminologies such as “first”, “second” and the like are only used herein to distinguish one entity or operation from another, rather than necessitate or imply that the actual relationship or order exists between the entities or operations. Furthermore, terms of “include”, “comprise” or any other variants are intended to be non-exclusive. Therefore, a process, method, article or device including a plurality of components includes not only the listed components but also other components that are not enumerated, or, also include the components inherent for the process, method, article or device. Without other limitations, the component defined by the statement “comprising (including) one . . . ” does not exclude the case that other similar components may exist in the process, method, article or device having the above component. 
         [0057]    The embodiments in the specification are described in a progressive manner. Each of the embodiments is mainly focused on describing its differences from other embodiments, and references may be made among these embodiments with respect to the same or similar portions among these embodiments. 
         [0058]    Based on the above description of the disclosed embodiments, the person skilled in the art is capable of carrying out or using the present application. It is obvious for the person skilled in the art to make many modifications to these embodiments. The general principle defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to these embodiments illustrated herein, but should be defined by the broadest scope consistent with the principle and novel features disclosed herein.