Non-combustible aerosol provision system

Abstract

To provide a non-combustible aerosol provision system which includes: a non-combustible aerosol provision device; and a charging apparatus for use with the non-combustible aerosol provision device.SOLUTION: A non-combustible aerosol provision device 100 includes a first rechargeable battery. A charging apparatus 200 includes: a housing 201; a second rechargeable battery 210 disposed within the housing; a first electrical connection port 202 for connecting to the non-combustible aerosol provision device; a second electrical connection port 204 for connecting to an external power source and control circuitry 208. In use, when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-combustible aerosol provision device is connected to the first electrical connection port, the control circuitry prioritizes directing electrical power from the external power source to the non-combustible aerosol provision device to charging the first rechargeable battery over directing electrical power from the external power source to charging the second rechargeable battery.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-flammable aerosol delivery system including a non-flammable aerosol delivery device and a charging device for use with the non-flammable aerosol delivery device. The present invention also relates to a charging device for use with the non-flammable aerosol delivery device. [Background technology]

[0002] Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to smoking articles, such as cigarettes and cigars, which burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Some examples are devices that produce tobacco-flavored aerosols / vapors and / or flavored-infused air. Most of these devices include an internal battery that provides energy to various components of the device, such as heating elements and control circuits. As these devices become more sophisticated, the demand for internal batteries increases. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-flammable aerosol delivery system comprising a non-flammable aerosol delivery device and a charging device for use with the non-flammable aerosol delivery device, wherein the non-flammable aerosol delivery device comprises a first rechargeable battery, and the charging device comprises a housing, a second rechargeable battery disposed within the housing, a first electrical connection port for connecting to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device, a second electrical connection port for connecting to an external power source, and a control circuit that, in use, when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, prioritizes directing power from the external power source to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device toward charging the first rechargeable battery over directing power from the external power source toward charging the second rechargeable battery.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charging device for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery device, the charging device comprising: a housing; a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing; a first electrical connection port for connecting to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device; a second electrical connection port for connecting to an external power source; and a control circuit that, when in use, when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, prioritizes directing power from the external power source to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device for charging the rechargeable battery of the non-flammable aerosol delivery device over directing power from the external power source for charging the rechargeable battery of the charging device.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a kit of parts is provided that includes a charging apparatus and a non-flammable aerosol delivery device that connects to a first connection port.

[0006] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a non-flammable aerosol delivery device. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a charging apparatus connected to a non-flammable aerosol delivery device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a charging device connected to an external power source. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a non-flammable aerosol delivery device and a charging apparatus connected to an external power source. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a more detailed schematic diagram of the charging device. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a charging device according to a second example. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a non-powered device. [Figure 8]FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a charging case connected to an aerosol generating device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of a non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100. The non-combustible aerosol delivery device may form part of a non-combustible aerosol generation system.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol delivery device is one in which the aerosol-forming material is not combusted to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user. In other words, a non-combustible aerosol delivery device delivers an aerosol without combustion of the aerosol-forming material.

[0010] In some instances, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement. In such instances, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device vaporizes the aerosol-generating material in liquid form.

[0011] In some examples, the non-combustion aerosol delivery device is an aerosol-forming material heating device, also known as a non-combustion heating device, tobacco heating device, etc., as described above. In such examples, the aerosol-forming material may not be in liquid form.

[0012] In some examples, the non-combustible aerosol delivery device is a hybrid device that generates aerosols from a combination of aerosol-forming materials. In some such examples, one or more of the aerosol-forming materials may be heated. Each aerosol-forming material may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, wax, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some examples, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-forming material and a solid aerosol-forming material. The solid aerosol-forming material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0013] Non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100 includes a housing 101 that houses various components of non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100. Non-combustible aerosol delivery device 100 includes a chamber 102 configured to receive or contain an aerosol-generating material (not shown), which may be contained in a consumable item (not shown).

[0014] As used herein, the term aerosol-generating material refers to a material capable of generating an aerosol when energized, for example, by heating, irradiation, or any other method. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material capable of retaining some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, from approximately 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% to approximately 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid. The aerosol-generating material may include one or more active agents and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0015] The aerosol-forming material may include, for example, one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The aerosol-forming material may also be a combination or blend of materials. The aerosol-forming material may include one or more active substances and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials. The aerosol-forming material may also be known as "smoking material."

[0016] As used herein, an active substance may be a physiologically active material (a material intended to produce or enhance a physiological response). The active substance may be selected from, for example, a dietary supplement, a psychotropic drug, or a psychoactive agent. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or constituents, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may include one or more constituents, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant.

[0017] In some instances, the active agent includes nicotine, hi some instances, the active agent includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0018] The aerosol-forming material may include one or more constituents capable of forming an aerosol. In some examples, the aerosol-forming material may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl sulfate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0019] The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0020] As used herein, a consumable is intended to mean an article containing or consisting of an aerosol-forming material, some or all of which is consumed upon use by a user. A consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-forming material storage area, an aerosol-forming material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. A consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that releases heat upon use to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0021] Non-burning aerosol delivery device 100 includes an aerosol generator 104 that volatilizes at least one component of an aerosolizable material. Non-burning aerosol delivery device 100 will hereinafter be referred to as device 100.

[0022] As used herein, an aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to apply thermal energy to the aerosol-generating material to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material and form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to apply one or more of vibrational, high pressure, or electrostatic energy to the aerosol-generating material.

[0023] In examples where the aerosol generator 104 is a heater, it may be, for example, a resistive heater or an inductive heater. If an inductive heater is used, the inductive heater generates a varying magnetic field to heat one or more susceptor elements. In such examples, the one or more susceptor elements may or may not be part of the aerosol generator 104.

[0024] The susceptor material is a material that can be heated by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor material can be a conductive material, such that the penetration of the fluctuating magnetic field results in induction heating of the heating material. The susceptor material can be a magnetic material, such that the penetration of the fluctuating magnetic field results in magnetic hysteresis heating of the susceptor material. The susceptor can be bi-directional, such that it can be heated by both conductive and magnetic heating mechanisms.

[0025] The device 100 includes a power source 106 disposed within the housing 101. The power source 106 provides power to various components of the device 100, including the aerosol generator 104. The power source 106 includes a rechargeable battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery). The rechargeable battery 106 may include multiple sub-batteries. In the following examples, the power source 106 will be referred to simply as the battery 106.

[0026] 1, device 100 includes control circuitry 108 in data communication with computer-readable storage memory 110. Control circuitry 108 is configured to control various aspects and operations of device 100. For example, control circuitry 108 may control the delivery of power from battery 106 to aerosol generator 104. In some examples, control circuitry 108 includes a microprocessor or the like and associated circuitry that controls the functionality of device 100.

[0027] 1, device 100 includes an electrical connection port 112 in electrical communication with control circuitry 108 and battery 106. Among other functions, electrical connection port 112 facilitates charging of battery 106 from an external power source (not shown) (e.g., a battery charger or grid power). In some examples, electrical connection port 112 is an industry-standard electrical connection port, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), USB Type-C, or micro-USB, while in other examples, electrical connection port 112 is a proprietary or custom connector configuration. Additionally, electrical connection port 112 may be in the form of a wireless receiver to enable wireless charging of battery 106.

[0028] Of course, device 100 includes other components not shown in Figure 1, such as ventilation inlets / outlets and control interfaces. It should be noted that Figure 1 is only a schematic diagram illustrating a number of components that may be included in device 100. Figure 1 is not intended to reveal the specific locations of the various components.

[0029] 2-4 are simplified schematic diagrams of a charging device 200 according to a first example, to which various combinations of devices are connected. The charging apparatus may form part of a non-flammable aerosol generating system together with device 100. Charging device 200 includes a housing 201 that encloses and protects various components of charging device 200, including an internal battery 210. Internal battery 210 is a rechargeable battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery). Internal battery 210 may include multiple sub-batteries.

[0030] As described in more detail below, charging device 200, upon connection to device 100, can provide power to battery 106 of device 100. When device 100 is connected to charging device 200 and charging device 200 is not itself connected to an external power source (e.g., grid power), power is provided to recharge battery 106 of device 100 from internal battery 210 of charging device 200.

[0031] Charging device 200 can also be connected to an external power source 206 (e.g., a power grid source). When charging device 200 is connected to external power source 206 but not connected to device 100, the external power source provides power to charge internal battery 210 of charging device 200 if internal battery 210 needs to be recharged.

[0032] When connected to the external power source 206 and the device 100, the charging device 200 is configured to prioritize directing power from the external power source 206 toward charging the battery 106 of the device 100 over directing power from the external power source 206 toward charging the internal battery 210 of the charging device 200.

[0033] In this example, charging device 200 is in the form of a portable carry case that can be used to store and charge device 100 when a user of device 100 is traveling. In effect, this extends the battery life of device 100 without increasing the size / weight of device 100, as the user can simply remove device 100 from the carry case and use it. Charging device 200 will hereinafter be referred to as charging case 200.

[0034] The charging case 200 includes a first connection port 202 for connecting to the connection port 112 of the device 100, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. This connection may be a direct port-to-port connection via a suitably arranged connection cable or a wireless connection. In some examples, the first connection port 202 is a custom (i.e., proprietary) connection port. For example, the first connection port 202 may include two pins (e.g., ground and +5V). An advantage of the custom connection port 202 is that only certain compatible devices with corresponding custom connection ports can be removably connected to the charging case 200, such as other proprietary devices manufactured by the manufacturer of the charging case 200.

[0035] The charging case 200 is configured to transmit power from or through the charging case 200 to the device 100 via the first connection port 202. The power transmitted from the charging case 200 charges the battery 106 of the device 100.

[0036] 3 and 4, the charging case 200 includes a second connection port 204 for connecting to an external power source 206. This connection may also be a direct port-to-port connection via a suitably arranged connection cable or a wireless connection. The second connection port 204 is disposed within the housing 201 of the charging case 200 and provides a second electrical and / or data connection to the charging case 200. In this example, the second connection port 204 is an industry-standard electrical connection port (e.g., a USB connection port). This allows various types of power sources and / or various types of other devices to be removably connected to the charging case 200. Of course, other examples of custom electrical connection sockets or power transmission configurations may also be used.

[0037] In some examples, the external power source 206 is connected to a power grid power source via a wall outlet and provides power via a cable connected to the second connection port 204. For example, such a power source can be a charger included with the charging case 200 or another common USB charger connected to the power grid. In alternative examples, the external power source 206 is a power source from another device (e.g., a computer connected to the second connection port 204 via a cable or wirelessly, a vehicle (vehicle power output socket), a solar panel, etc.).

[0038] The second connection port 204 is electrically connected to the first connection port 202 through a control circuit 208. Thus, power provided by the external power source 206 is transmitted to the device 100 through the second connection port 204, the control circuit 208, and the first connection port 202, as represented by arrow 214 in Figure 4. Examples of the control circuit 208 are described in more detail below with respect to Figures 5 and 6.

[0039] The internal battery 210 of the charging case is configured to store power provided by the external power source 206 and fully charge the device 100 multiple times (e.g., at least two times). The internal battery 210 is electrically connected to the first connection port 202 and the second connection port 204 through the control circuit 208. The internal battery 210 is rechargeable by the external power source 206 when the external power source 206 is connected to the second connection port 204.

[0040] As previously mentioned, the flow of power from the external power source 206 to the internal battery 210 and the device 100 is controlled by the control circuitry 208. In the example of Figure 2, only the device 100 is connected to the charging case 200, so when the battery 106 of the device 100 needs to be charged, power is directed from the internal battery 210 through the first connection port 202 to the device 100 (as indicated by arrow 212).

[0041] 3, only the external power source 206 is connected to the charging case 200. Thus, when the internal battery 210 needs to be charged, the control circuit 208 directs power from the external power source 206 to charge the internal battery 210 (as indicated by arrow 216).

[0042] When both the external power source 206 and the device 100 are connected to the charging case 200 and both the battery 106 of the device 100 and the internal battery 210 of the charging case 200 require charging (as best seen in FIG. 4 ), the control circuit 208 prioritizes directing power from the external power source 206 toward charging the battery 106 of the device 100 over directing power from the external power source 206 toward charging the internal battery 210.

[0043] In one example, while the battery 106 of the device 100 is being charged, the control circuit 208 will charge the internal battery 210 of the charging case 200 by supplying power from the external power source 206 only if sufficient excess power is available from the external power source 206.

[0044] In another example, the control circuit 208 begins providing power from the external power source 206 to charge the internal battery 210 of the charging case 200 only when the battery 106 of the device 100 is fully charged.

[0045] Of course, charging case 200 may include other components not shown in Figures 2-4, such as an input detector, a charging status indicator, and a switch. Additionally, control unit 208 may include other components, such as a processor, sensors, and voltage regulation circuitry. It should be noted that Figures 2-4 are merely schematic diagrams illustrating the number of components that may be included in or connected to charging case 200. Figures 2-4 are not intended to reveal the specific locations of the various components.

[0046] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing in more detail the charging case 200 as described with respect to Figures 2-4. In Figure 5, solid arrows represent power lines and dashed arrows represent control and / or monitoring lines between various internal components of the charging case 200. As described above, the charging case 200 includes a first connection port 202, a second connection port 204, a control circuit 208 (shown as a dashed box in Figure 5), and an internal battery 210.

[0047] In this example, the charging case 200 further includes a first electrostatic discharge protection unit 230 and a second electrostatic discharge protection unit 238. The first electrostatic discharge unit 230 protects the first connection port 202 from electrostatic discharge and is located between the first connection port 202 and the control circuit 208. The second electrostatic discharge unit 238 protects the second connection port 204 from electrostatic discharge and is located between the second connection port 204 and the control circuit 208. The charging case 200 also includes one or more indicators 250 for indicating the charging status of the internal battery 210 and / or other information to a user of the charging case 200.

[0048] In some examples, the one or more indicators 250 are a set of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) electrically connected to the control circuit 208 via control lines 288. The LEDs are used to indicate the charging status of the internal battery 210 (e.g., whether the internal battery 210 is fully charged, partially charged, or fully discharged). In one example, the one or more indicators 250 include a single RGB LED, with different colors indicating different charging states of the internal battery 210. In another example, the one or more indicators 250 include multiple single-color LEDs (e.g., white LEDs), with the number of LEDs that are turned on indicating the charging status of the internal battery 210. In another example, the one or more indicators 250 indicate that the internal battery 210 is being charged in addition to indicating the charging status. Of course, other indicators, such as a screen, an LCD display, a speaker, or the like, could equally well be used to indicate the charging status of the charging case 200.

[0049] In this example, the control circuit 208 is represented by a dashed box 209 that encloses various components. The control circuit 208 includes a microcontroller unit (MCU) 224 (e.g., model STM32G031G4). ​​The MCU 224 detects whether a device is connected to the charging case 200 and that the first and second connection ports 202, 204 are active by monitoring the first connection port 202 via monitoring line 270 and the second connection port 204 via monitoring line 272. Because different external power sources provide different voltage levels, the MCU 224 monitors the voltage level on monitoring line 272 of the power source or device connected to the second connection port 204. The voltage of the internal battery 210 is monitored by the MCU 224 on monitoring line 290.

[0050] The control circuit 208 further includes an input voltage protection unit 240 for protecting the internal components of the charging case 200 from overvoltage and / or reverse voltage conditions. In one example, the charging case 200 can handle a +20V supply from a USB Type-C power source without damaging the internal components, and the input protection unit 240 protects the charging case 200 if a non-compliant USB Type-C charger is connected. The control circuit 208 further includes an output voltage protection unit 228 for protecting the components of the device 100 from overcurrent conditions when connected to the first connection port 202.

[0051] The control circuit 208 further includes a low dropout voltage regulator (LDO) 242 to maintain a constant voltage supply from the internal battery 210 to the MCU 224 .

[0052] The control circuit 208 further includes a charging integrated circuit 226 (charging IC). In this example, the charging IC 226 is a switch-mode battery charger (e.g., BQ25303J manufactured by Texas Instruments). The charging IC 226, under the control of the MCU 224, regulates the charging of the internal battery 210 when a power source is connected to the second connection port 204 and the internal battery 210 is being charged. The charging IC 226 is connected to suitable control lines 280 (e.g., an inter-integrated circuit (I 2 C) It is connected to the MCU 224 via a serial communication bus.

[0053] The charging IC 226 monitors the temperature of the internal battery 210 via a battery temperature monitoring line 278 connected to the battery temperature sensor 252. The internal battery 210 is protected from overcharging by the battery protection unit 232. In one example, the battery temperature sensor 252 is in thermal contact with the internal battery 210 to provide an accurate temperature measurement of the internal battery 210. For example, if the internal battery 210 begins to reach a temperature that is deemed too high when charging, the charging IC 226 will reduce current supplied to the internal battery 210 in response. Alternatively, if the internal battery 210 is being used to charge the battery 106 of the device 100 connected to the first electrical connection port 202 and the temperature of the internal battery 210 is deemed too high, the charging IC 226 will reduce current or stop charging in response to prevent damage to the internal battery 210. The charging IC 226 may also regulate the supply of power to and from the internal battery 210 if the temperature of the internal battery 210 is too low or falls below a certain threshold temperature.

[0054] The control circuit 208 further includes a first switch 220 and a second switch 222. The MCU 224 controls the first switch 220 via a first switch control line 274 and the second switch 222 via a second switch control line 276. As described in more detail below, the MCU 224 controls the first switch 220 and the second switch 222 to an on or off state in various combinations to direct power between the first connection port 202, the second connection port 204, and the internal battery 210. In one example, the first switch 220 and the second switch 222 are low-resistance field-effect transistors (FETs), although other types of switches may be used.

[0055] Regarding the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the operation of charging case 200 will be described in detail below with reference to the components shown in FIG.

[0056] In one example, as shown in FIG. 2 , only the device 100 is connected to the charging case 200, and the battery 106 of the device 100 is being charged. In this scenario, the MCU 224 detects via the monitoring line 272 that the device 100 is connected to the charging case 200 through the first connection port 202, and determines via the monitoring line 270 that no power source or other device is connected to the charging case 200 through the second connection port 204. The MCU 224 sets the first switch 220 to an OFF state via the switch control line 274 and sets the second switch 222 to an ON state via the switch control line 276. Therefore, with the switches in this setting, power is supplied from the internal battery 210 via the charging IC 226 and the first connection port 202 to charge the battery 106 of the device 100. No power flows to the second connection port 204. Of course, in these circumstances, the charging of the battery 106 of the device 100 is controlled by the device's 100 own charging integrated circuit (not shown), rather than IC 226, since the device 100 itself includes a charging integrated circuit (not shown) that regulates the charging of the device's 100 battery 106 when powered in this manner from the internal battery 210. However, in some instances, IC 226 may convert the voltage of the internal battery 210 to a value that matches the expected charging voltage of the device 100.

[0057] As described above, the charging IC 226 monitors the temperature of the internal battery 210 and adjusts the output voltage to the first connection port 202 to prevent overheating of the internal battery 210 from causing damage and / or posing a safety hazard to the user.

[0058] In another example, as shown in FIG. 3 , only the external power source 206 is connected to the charging device 200 via the second connection port 204, and the internal battery 210 is being charged. In this configuration, the MCU 224 detects via the monitoring line 270 that the external power source 206 is connected to the second connection port 204, and determines via the monitoring line 272 that the device 100 is not connected to the charging case 200 via the first connection port 202. The MCU 224 sets the first switch 220 to an ON state and the second switch 222 to an OFF state via the switch control lines 274 and 276, respectively. When the first switch 220 and the second switch 222 are in this setting and the internal battery is being charged, power from the external power source 206 is supplied to the internal battery 210 via the charging IC 226 to charge the internal battery 210. The internal battery 210 is protected from overcharging by the battery protection unit 232, and the battery temperature is monitored by the temperature sensor 252 during charging. No power flows through the first connection port 202 .

[0059] 4, both the device 100 and the external power source 206 are connected to the charging case 200 via the first connection port 202 and the second connection port 204, respectively. The MCU 224 detects that the device 100 is connected to the first connection port 202 via the monitoring line 272, and detects that the external power source 206 is connected to the second connection port 204 via the monitoring line 270. Power from the external power source 206 can be supplied to the internal battery 210, the battery 106 of the device 100, or both.

[0060] The MCU 224 prioritizes charging the battery 106 of the device 100 over charging the internal battery 210 of the charging case 200.

[0061] In one example, the MCU 224 determines that the battery 106 of the device 100 is charging and the internal battery 210 is also charging, but the power available from the external power source 206 is only sufficient to meet the charging requirements of the battery 106 of the device 100. For example, the battery 106 of the device 100 may require a certain minimum supply voltage (e.g., 5V) to charge, and the external power source 206 is capable of providing 5V. In this scenario, the MCU 224 sets both the first switch 220 and the second switch 222 to an ON state and sets the charging IC 226 to an OFF state via the switch control lines 274 and 276. Therefore, in this scenario, power is supplied from the external power source 206 to the device 100 through the path defined by the second connection port 204, the first switch 220, the second switch 222, and the first connection port 202 to charge the battery 106 of the device 100. No power is supplied to the internal battery 210. As mentioned above, the device 100 itself includes a charging integrated circuit (not shown) that regulates the charging of the battery 106 of the device 100 when power is supplied in this manner from the external power source 206, so in these circumstances the charging of the battery 106 of the device 100 is controlled by the charging integrated circuit (not shown) of the device 100 itself, rather than by IC 226.

[0062] The MCU 224 monitors the charge state of the device 100's battery 106 to determine when the device 100's battery 106 has reached a predetermined charge level (e.g., fully charged) and no longer requires power. In response to this determination, the MCU 224 sets the second switch 222 to an off state while maintaining the first switch 220 in an on state. The MCU 224 also turns on the charging IC 226 to allow charging of the internal battery 210 by power supplied from the external power source 206 via the charging IC 226. The voltage of the internal battery 210 is monitored by the MCU 224 over a monitoring line 290. As is standard for such components, the charging IC 226 controls the current charging the internal battery 210 based on the input voltage to the charging IC 226 (e.g., reduces the charging current if the input voltage drops).

[0063] Prioritizing charging of the device 100's battery 106 over the internal battery 210 prevents a scenario in which the device 100 is not charging even though the internal battery 210 is. If a user connects the charging case 200 to the external power source 206 to charge its internal battery 210 and then connects the device 100 to the charging case 200 to charge the device 100's battery 106, the MCU 224 detects that the device 100 is now connected and that its battery 106 needs to be charged. In response, as described above, the MCU 224 sets the first switch 220 and the second switch 222 to an ON state and the charging IC 226 to an OFF state, preventing power from being supplied to the internal battery 210. In this way, power from the external power source 206 is directed to the device 100's battery 106 rather than the charging case 200's internal battery 210.

[0064] In another example, the MCU 224 determines that the power available from the external power source 206 is sufficient to simultaneously meet the charging requirements of the battery 106 and the internal battery 210 of the device 100. For example, the external power source 206 can provide 20 V, while the battery of the device 100 only requires a supply voltage of 5 V for charging. In this scenario, the MCU 224 sets both the first switch 220 and the second switch 222 to an on state via switch control lines 274 and 276, respectively, and turns on the charging IC 226. Thus, the battery 106 and the internal battery 210 of the device 100 are simultaneously charged by the external power source 206. The MCU 224 and the charging IC 226 prevent overload by monitoring the voltage of the internal battery 210 via the monitoring line 290. The charging IC 226 maintains the charging current of the internal battery 210 as high as possible to minimize charging time.

[0065] 6 is a schematic diagram showing the internal components of charging case 300 according to a second example. For simplicity, components that are the same as or equivalent to the components of charging case 200 described above with reference to FIG. 5 have the same reference numbers as those used in FIG. 5, but increased by 100.

[0066] In this example, charging case 300 includes a device detection unit 392 configured to detect when a device, such as device 100, is connected to first connection port 302. An example of device detection unit 392 is described in more detail below with respect to FIG.

[0067] The MCU 324 is connected to the second connection port 304 via a monitoring line 383 , and uses the monitoring line 383 to detect that a device or an external power source is connected to the second connection port 304 .

[0068] The MCU 324 is connected to the first connection port 302 via a data line 385, and uses the data line 385 to receive data from or transmit data to the device 100 when the device 100 is connected to the first connection port 302.

[0069] The charging case 300 includes an input protection unit 399 for protecting the charging IC 326 .

[0070] The charging case 300 also includes a fuel gauge 394 in series with an electrical connection 396 between the internal battery 310 and the charging IC 326. The fuel gauge 394 measures the electrical energy entering or being removed from the internal battery 310 by measuring the current and voltage of the internal battery 310.

[0071] In this example, the control circuit 308 includes a first switch 320, a second switch 322, and a third switch 398 that are controlled by the MCU 324 via switch control lines 374a (although there is a control line for each switch, only one line is shown in FIG. 6 for simplicity).

[0072] In a first example, the device 100 is connected to the first connection port 302 of the charging case 300, the battery 106 of the device 100 is charging, and the second connection port 304 is unused (i.e., inactive). In this scenario, the MCU 324 detects that the device 100 is connected to the charging case 300 via the device detection unit 392 and determines that the second connection port 304 is unused via the monitoring line 383 and / or the monitoring line 372. The MCU 324 sets both the first switch 320 and the second switch 322 to an OFF state and sets the third switch 398 to an ON state. With the switches set in this way, power stored in the internal battery 310 is supplied via the charging IC 326 and the first connection port 302 to charge the battery 106 of the device 100. No power flows through the second connection port 304.

[0073] In a second example, the external power source 206 is connected to the charging case 300 via the second connection port 304, the internal battery 310 is being charged, and the first connection port 302 is unused. In this scenario, the MCU 324 detects via the monitoring line 383 and / or the monitoring line 372 that the external power source 206 is connected to the second connection port 304, and detects via the device detection unit 392 that the device 100 is not connected to the charging case 300. The MCU 324 sets the first switch 320 to an ON state and both the second switch 322 and the third switch 398 to an OFF state. With the switches set in this way, power is supplied from the external power source 206 via the charging IC 326 to charge the internal battery 310.

[0074] In a third example, an unpowered device 400 (an example of which is shown schematically in FIG. 7 ) is connected to the charging case 300 via the second connection port 304. The unpowered device 400 includes its own internal battery 401 and a connection port 402 similar to the connection port described above that allows connection to the second connection port 304.

[0075] The unpowered device may be, for example, a camera, a mobile phone, a GPS device, etc.

[0076] In this example, the first connection port 302 is not used. In this scenario, the MCU 324 detects via the monitoring line 383 and / or the monitoring line 372 that the unpowered device 400 is connected to the second connection port 304, and detects via the device detection unit 392 that the device 100 is not connected to the charging case 300. The MCU 324 sets the first switch 320 to an ON state and both the second switch 322 and the third switch 398 to an OFF state. With the switches set in this way, power is supplied from the internal battery 310 via the charging IC 326 to charge the internal battery 401 of the unpowered device 400.

[0077] In the fourth example, both the device 100 and the unpowered device 400 are connected to the charging case 300 via the first connection port 302 and the second connection port 304, respectively. The MCU 324 detects, via the device detection unit 392, that the device 100 is connected to the first connection port 302, and detects, via the monitoring line 383 and / or the monitoring line 372, that the unpowered device 400 is connected to the second connection port 304.

[0078] The MCU 324 prioritizes charging the battery 106 of the device 100 over charging the battery 401 of the unpowered device 400 .

[0079] In this example, the MCU 324 sets the first switch 320 and the second switch 322 to an off state and sets the third switch 398 to an on state. Therefore, power is supplied from the internal battery 310 through a path including the charging IC 326, the third switch 322, and the first connection port 302 to charge the battery 106 of the device 100.

[0080] The MCU 324 monitors the charge state of the battery 106 of the device 100 to determine when the battery 106 of the device 100 has reached a predetermined charge level (e.g., fully charged) and no longer requires power. In response to this determination, the MCU 324 sets the first switch 320 to an ON state, the third switch 398 to an OFF state, and keeps the second switch 322 in an OFF state. With the switches set in this way, power is supplied from the internal battery 310 through a path including the charging IC 326, the first switch 320, and the second connection port 304 to charge the battery 401 of the non-powered device 400.

[0081] In some instances, if sufficient power is available from the internal battery 310, simultaneous charging of both the battery 401 of the unpowered device 400 and the battery 106 of the device 100 can occur, i.e., the battery 106 of the device 100 can be charged to full capacity and the internal battery 310 can provide additional power to charge the battery 401 of the device 400.

[0082] In the fifth example, both the device 100 and the external power source 206 are connected to the charging case 300 via the first connection port 302 and the second connection port 304, respectively. The MCU 324 detects, via the device detection unit 392, that the device 100 is connected to the first connection port 202, and detects, via the monitoring line 383 and / or the monitoring line 370, that the external power source 206 is connected to the second connection port 304.

[0083] The MCU 324 prioritizes charging the battery 106 of the device 100 over charging the internal battery 310 .

[0084] In one scenario, the MCU 324 determines that the battery 106 of the device 100 is charging and the internal battery 310 is also charging, but the power available from the external power source 206 is only sufficient to meet the charging requirements of the battery 106 of the device 100. For example, the battery 106 of the device 100 may require a certain minimum supply voltage (e.g., 5V) to charge, but the external power source 206 can only provide 5V. In this scenario, the MCU 324 sets the first switch 320 and the third switch 398 to an off state and sets the second switch 322 to an on state. Therefore, in this scenario, power is supplied from the external power source 206 through a path including the second connection port 304, the second switch 322, and the first connection port 302 to charge the battery 106 of the device 100.

[0085] The MCU 324 monitors the charge state of the battery 106 of the device 100 to determine when the battery 106 of the device 100 has reached a predetermined charge level (e.g., fully charged) and no longer requires power. In response to this determination, the MCU 324 sets the first switch 320 to an ON state, the second switch 322 to an OFF state, and keeps the third switch 398 in an OFF state. With the switches in this configuration, power is supplied from the external power source 206 to charge the internal battery 310. Power is not supplied to the device 100.

[0086] In an alternative scenario, the MCU 324 determines that the device 100's battery and the internal battery 310 are charging and that the power available from the external power source 206 is sufficient to simultaneously satisfy the charging requirements of both. In this scenario, the MCU 324 sets both the first switch 320 and the second switch 322 to an on state and sets the third switch 398 to an off state. With the switches in this state, power is provided from the external power source 206 to simultaneously charge the internal battery 310 and the device 100's battery 106.

[0087] 8 is a schematic diagram of the MCU 324 and device detection unit 392 (represented by dashed boxes) of the charging case 300 as described above, and the device 100. Dashed line 401 represents a custom connection interface between the charging case 300 and the device 100 when the device 100 is connected to the charging case 300. In this example, the first connection port 302 defines the charging case 300 side of the connection interface 401.

[0088] The MCU 324 includes a voltage output pin VO and a voltage detection pin VD. The device detection unit 392 includes a resistor 402, a diode 404, a first contact 401a, and a second contact 401b. A first end of the resistor 402 is connected to the voltage output pin VO, and a second end of the resistor 402 is connected to the voltage detection pin VD and the anode of the diode 404. A cathode of the diode 404 is connected to the first contact 401a. The second contact 401b is connected to ground.

[0089] The device 100 includes a third electrical contact 401c and a fourth electrical contact 401d and a resistor 406 connected between the third electrical contact 401c and the fourth electrical contact 401d.

[0090] When the device 100 is connected to the charging case 300, the first electrical contact 401a contacts the third electrical contact 401c, and the second electrical contact 401b contacts the fourth electrical contact 401d.

[0091] In use, the voltage output pin VO of the MCU 324 outputs a low fixed voltage, and the MCU 324 monitors the sense voltage level at the sense pin VD.

[0092] When the device 100 is connected to the charging case 300, the resistors 402 and 406 form a potential divider, causing the voltage level at the detection pin VD to drop to a predetermined detection voltage, which is detected by the MCU 324.

[0093] The voltage drop that the MCU 324 detects when the device 100 is connected to the charging case will depend on the resistance of the two resistors 402 and 406. Therefore, by knowing the two resistances, the MCU can distinguish whether the device 100 is connected or whether a different, incompatible device is connected. This may allow the MCU 324 to identify if an incompatible device with a different internal resistance / resistor is connected and prevent the +5V supply 408.

[0094] In other examples, the connection interface is not custom-made, but instead is defined by a standard connector type (e.g., a USB Type-C connector.) In these examples, MCU 324 may also detect that device 100 is connected to the charging case by detecting that a high-level signal to the interface's output connector drops to a low-level signal when device 100 is connected to the carrying case.

[0095] The charging case 300 may include alternative configurations (e.g., a hall or mechanical switch) for detecting when the device 100 is connected.

[0096] In the above example, the first electrical connection ports 202 and 302 are custom two-pin connection ports. Alternatively, the first electrical connection ports 202, 302 may be standard pin connection ports (e.g., USB Type-C or micro USB, etc.). While the above example describes the first connection ports 202, 302 and the second connection ports 204, 304 as pin connectors, it should be understood that alternative connection ports may be used to transmit power and / or data to the device, such as wireless connection ports, wireless charging systems, etc.

[0097] The above-described embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention are contemplated. It is to be understood that any feature described with respect to any one embodiment can be used alone or in combination with other described features, and can also be used in combination with one or more features of any other embodiment or any combination thereof. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A non-flammable aerosol delivery system comprising: a non-flammable aerosol delivery device; and a charging device for use with the non-flammable aerosol delivery device, the non-flammable aerosol delivery device comprises a first rechargeable battery; The charging device Housing and a second rechargeable battery disposed within the housing; a first electrical connection port for connecting to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device; a second electrical connection port for connecting to an external power source; a control circuit that, in use, when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, prioritizes directing power from the external power source to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device toward charging the first rechargeable battery over directing power from the external power source toward charging the second rechargeable battery; A non-flammable aerosol delivery system comprising:

2. 2. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, the control circuit is configured to prioritize directing power from the external power source to charging the first rechargeable battery until the charge level of the first rechargeable battery reaches a predetermined charge level, and then directing power from the external power source to charging the second rechargeable battery.

3. 3. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined charge level is a full charge.

4. A non-flammable aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, the control circuit is configured to determine whether the external power source has sufficient power to simultaneously charge the second rechargeable battery and the first rechargeable battery, and if it determines that the external power source has insufficient power to simultaneously charge the second rechargeable battery and the first rechargeable battery, direct power from the external power source to the non-flammable aerosol delivery device only to charge the first rechargeable battery.

5. 5. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 4, wherein the control circuit is configured to direct power from the external power source to simultaneously charge the first rechargeable battery and the second rechargeable battery when the control circuit determines that the external power source has sufficient power to simultaneously charge the second rechargeable battery and the first rechargeable battery.

6. A non-flammable aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the external power source is connected to the second electrical connection port and the first electrical connection port is inactive, the control circuit is configured to direct power from the external power source to charge the second rechargeable battery.

7. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second electrical connection port is also for connecting to a non-powered device, and when the non-powered device is connected to the second electrical connection port and the first electrical connection port is inactive, the control circuit is configured to direct power from the second rechargeable battery to charge the rechargeable battery of the non-powered device.

8. A non-flammable aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second electrical connection port is also for connection to a non-powered device, and when the first electrical connection port is connected to the non-powered aerosol delivery device and the second electrical connection port is connected to the non-powered device, the control circuit is configured to prioritize directing power from the second rechargeable battery to charging the first rechargeable battery over directing power from the first rechargeable battery to charging the rechargeable battery of the non-powered device.

9. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 8, wherein when the non-powered device is connected to the second electrical connection port and the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, the control circuit is configured to prioritize directing power from the second rechargeable battery to charging the first rechargeable battery until the charge level of the first rechargeable battery reaches a predetermined charge level, and then direct power from the second rechargeable battery to charging the rechargeable battery of the non-powered device.

10. A non-flammable aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein when the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port and the second electrical connection port is inactive, the control circuit is configured to direct power from the second rechargeable battery to charge the first rechargeable battery.

11. A non-flammable aerosol delivery system as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control circuit comprises a controller and a plurality of switches controlled by the controller, and the controller passes power to the charging device by setting the plurality of switches to any one of a plurality of different selectable on / off setting states.

12. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 11, wherein, in use, when the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, the controller sets the plurality of switches to a first setting state among the plurality of different selectable on / off settings, thereby directing power from a power source connected to the second electrical connection port to charge the second rechargeable battery and / or directing power from the external power source to charge the first rechargeable battery.

13. 13. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 12, wherein, in use, when the non-flammable aerosol delivery device is connected to the first electrical connection port, the controller directs power from the second rechargeable battery to charge the first rechargeable battery by setting the plurality of switches to a selected second setting state among the plurality of different selectable on / off settings.

14. 14. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising one or more indicators configured to indicate a state of charge of the first rechargeable battery.

15. 15. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 14, wherein the one or more indicators comprise one or more light emitting diodes.

16. 16. The non-flammable aerosol delivery system of claim 1, wherein the charging device is a portable carry case that stores the non-flammable aerosol delivery device.

17. A charging device for use in the non-flammable aerosol delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. 20. A kit of parts comprising the charging device of claim 17 and a non-flammable aerosol delivery device that connects to the first electrical connection port.

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