A method for outputting information regarding a combination of a vaporizer and a charger, and information regarding a combination of a vaporizer and a charger.

Abstract

The vaporizer (10) and charger (12) combination has at least one user interface output (e.g., a display and / or one or more light sources (16) (especially LEDs)) and at least one user interface input (e.g., buttons (14), capacitive touch sensors, and a microphone for inputting voice commands), with the vaporizer being provided with outputs and the charger having no outputs. The vaporizer has at least one input (14), and preferably no information can be input on the charger. The charger (12) may be a portable charging case that can accommodate the vaporizer (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a combination of a vaporizer and a charger, and a method for outputting information regarding such a combination.

Background Art

[0002] Vaporizers have gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to traditional smoking articles. Since the energy for heating the aerosol or tobacco stick is supplied electrically, the vaporizer needs to be charged and is thus typically combined with a charger. The charger may be, for example, a portable charging case that can accommodate the vaporizer. Usually, in such a combination, there is a user interface on both the vaporizer and the charger, and the user interface has one or more inputs (e.g., buttons or capacitive touch sensors) and one or more outputs (e.g., LEDs that display information such as battery level, vape time, heating time, puff intensity, etc.).

[0003] In this context, U.S. Patent No. 9,854,846 B2 relates to a charging package for an electronic cigarette, and this charging package has a window through which light can be radiated from an LED provided on the electronic cigarette. Further, electronic cigarettes having user interface outputs are shown in British Patent No. 2,528,711 B and Chinese Patent No. 10,799,7236 A.

[0004] Other examples of the prior art can be found in European Patent No. 3,711,577 A1, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 112,188 A1, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 042,865 A1, and Chinese Patent No. 20,338,8261 U.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Against this backdrop, the fundamental objective of the present invention is to realize a combination of a vaporizer and a charger with an easy-to-use user interface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This objective is achieved by the invention described in claim 1, which provides the vaporizer with an optional output, the vaporizer further having at least one input, and the charger having neither such an output nor preferably any input at all.

[0007] For illustrative purposes, user outputs may consist of one or more displays or light sources (particularly LEDs), and inputs may consist of buttons, capacitive touch sensors, or microphones for voice command input. Compared to current common vaporizer-and-charger combinations, the present invention simplifies the use of such combinations by eliminating the need for the user to pay attention to outputs on two separate devices, namely the vaporizer in one hand and the charger in the other, and allowing all information to be received solely from the output on the vaporizer. Preferably, the same applies to any inputs. In other words, the user can operate the vaporizer and charger, or input any information to this combination, using only the input on the vaporizer, without having to worry about any other inputs on the charger. This significantly simplifies the use of a vaporizer combined with a charger individually, because both components can be operated and information provided to the user via the vaporizer alone. Nevertheless, the charger may also have one or more inputs. Furthermore, it should be noted that the vaporizer preferably has a single output and / or a single input, and the charger preferably has a single input.

[0008] Further claims describe preferred embodiments.

[0009] By providing the charger, preferably as a portable charging case capable of housing the vaporizer, it is possible to further simplify the operation of the combination including the vaporizer and charger, i.e., the vaporization system.

[0010] To provide the user with necessary or at least useful information, at least one output relates to the battery level, vape time, heating time, puff intensity, or charge status of the vaporizer or charger. All of these outputs provide the user with useful information.

[0011] According to the present invention, a control unit may be provided to enable the user to distinguish between vaporizer-related outputs and charger-related outputs, and the control unit is adapted to control at least one output to distinguish between vaporizer-related outputs and charger-related outputs. Distinguishing between vaporizer-related outputs and charger-related outputs can be achieved, for example, by differences in the representation or display of the outputs (e.g., the color of a light source such as an LED), different display patterns, a different light source such as an LED, or similar means.

[0012] In this context, it would be even more advantageous if the control unit were adapted to control at least one output so as to output (particularly display) a carburetor-related output when the carburetor is not connected to the charger, and a charger-related output when the carburetor is connected to the charger. In this way, the user can easily grasp not only such information, but also the fact that the information relates to one of the two components. In particular, the switching between the carburetor-related output and the charger-related output may be done automatically depending on the detection result of whether the carburetor is connected to the charger. Alternatively, this switching may be done by using the inputs of the carburetor and / or charger.

[0013] This is further supported by the optional feature that the vaporizer has an output indicating whether it is a vaporizer-related output or a charger-related output.

[0014] To facilitate switching between carburetor-related outputs and charger-related outputs, the carburetor and / or charger may have inputs adapted to switch between the above-mentioned output types.

[0015] This ease of use can be further enhanced by the optional feature that the vaporizer has a single output and / or input, and / or the charger has a single input.

[0016] The present invention further provides a method for outputting and inputting information corresponding to a combination of a vaporizer and a charger. That is, in this method, all information is output to the vaporizer, no information is output to the charger, and it is possible to input information to the vaporizer, while at least preferably, no information can be input to the charger. The method according to the present invention simplifies the use of the described combination, and the preferred features of the method correspond to the preferred features of the devices described above. In this context, it should be noted that, in general, all features described in relation to each device and combination of vaporizer and charger are achievable in the method described herein, and all features described in relation to the method described herein are achievable in each device and combination of vaporizer and charger. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] The present invention will be described below with reference to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, based on the drawings. The drawings are as follows.

[0018] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the first embodiment is shown. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the second embodiment is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] As can be seen from Figure 1, the combination of the vaporizer 10 and the charger 12 may be implemented, for example, in an elongated form in which the charger is provided as a charging case capable of housing the vaporizer 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the vaporizer includes a button 14 as an example of an input and an LED 16 as an example of an output. The button may be pressed, for example, to display the battery level of the vaporizer with the LED. Furthermore, the control unit may be adapted to display the battery level of the charger when the button 14 is pressed again. The fact that the LED is now displaying the battery level of the charger may be indicated by changing the color of the LED (for example, from white to green).

[0020] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the vaporizer is basically provided with inputs and outputs, but in addition, the charger has an input button 18. Button 14 on the vaporizer 10 may be used, for example, to control an LED to display the vaporizer's battery level, while, for example, when button 18 on the charger is pressed, the charger's battery level is immediately displayed. In either case, the use and operation of the vaporizer combined with the charger are considerably simplified, thereby increasing user convenience.

[0021] As seen in both drawings, the vaporizer 10 is basically slender and extends, essentially covering the entire side of one side of the charger 12. The LED 16 may be basically located in the center of the vaporizer 10, and the input 14 of the vaporizer 10 may be located approximately in the middle of the shorter dimension of the vaporizer 10 (from left to right in the drawing), basically at about 1 / 4 to 1 / 3 of the way along the length of the vaporizer 10. The input 18 of the charger may be located at the opposite end of the vaporizer input 14, approximately in the middle of the larger side of the charger 12.

Claims

1. A combination of a vaporizer (10) and a charger (12) for charging the vaporizer (10), A display and / or at least one user interface output (16) including one or more light sources (especially LEDs), It has at least one user interface input, including a button, a capacitive touch sensor, and / or a microphone for voice command input, The at least one user interface output (16) is provided on the vaporizer (10) and not on the charger (12). The combination is characterized in that the at least one user interface output (16) is controlled to output vaporizer-related information and charger-related information separately in response to the user's operation of the at least one user interface input, and the charger-related information includes the battery level of the battery provided in the charger (12).

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the charger (12) is portable and is a charging case capable of housing the vaporizer (10).

3. The combination according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vaporizer-related information includes at least one of the battery level, vaping time, heating time, puff intensity, or charge state of the battery provided in the vaporizer (10).

4. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one user interface output is controlled to output vaporizer-related information when the vaporizer (10) is not connected to the charger (12), and to output charger-related information when the vaporizer (10) is connected to the charger.

5. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vaporizer (10) has an output indicating whether the output from at least one user interface output is vaporizer-related information or charger-related information.

6. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vaporizer and / or the charger has an input adapted to switch at least one output between vaporizer-related information and charger-related information.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the vaporizer (10) has a single output and / or input, and / or the charger (12) has a single input.

8. A method for outputting information relating to a combination of a vaporizer (10) and a charger (12) for charging the vaporizer (10) via at least one user interface output (16) including a display and / or one or more light sources (particularly LEDs), The at least one user interface output (16) is provided on the vaporizer (10) and not on the charger (12). The method wherein at least one user interface output (16) is controlled to output vaporizer-related information and charger-related information separately, and the charger-related information includes the battery level of a battery provided in the charger (12).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the vaporizer-related information includes at least one of the battery level, vaping time, heating time, puff intensity, or charging state of the battery provided in the vaporizer (10).

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one user interface output is controlled to output vaporizer-related information when the vaporizer (10) is not connected to the charger (12), and to output charger-related information when the vaporizer (10) is connected to the charger (12).

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein information is output to indicate whether the output is carburetor-related information or charger-related information.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the at least one user interface output is switchable between vaporizer-related information and charger-related information.

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