# US 10,863,776 B2 · Electronic cigarette with illuminated tip

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- Number: US 10,863,776 B2
- Document ID: US10863776B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/175,129
- Filed: 2018-10-30
- Published: 2019-03-07
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Fontem Holdings 1 B.V.
- Applicants: Fontem Holdings 1 B.V.
- Inventors: Ramon Alarcon; Adam Hoffman; Christopher Myles; James R. Conrey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863776B2

## CPC

- A61M 15/06: Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
- A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
- A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring
- A24F 40/60: Devices with integrated user interfaces
- A61M 11/042: {electrical}
- F21V 23/0442: {activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors}
- F21V 33/0004: {Personal or domestic articles}
- G02B 6/0036: {2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces}
- G02B 6/0051: {Diffusing sheet or layer}
- G02B 6/0068: {Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources}
- G02B 6/0083: {Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like}
- H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A61M 2016/0021: {with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor}
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/3368: Temperature
- A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
- A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- F21W 2111/10: for personal use, e.g. hand-held
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06)
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

Aspects of the instant disclosure relate to electronic cigarettes. More particularly, to electronic cigarettes including a circumferential light guide that distributes light transmitted by a light source, and controller circuitry that variably illuminates the circumferential light guide of the electronic cigarette based on a user's draw strength.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A electronic cigarette tip diffuser comprising:
a bi-convex lens; and
a plurality of light diffusing features extending into a proximal surface of the tip diffuser.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of diffusing features are pyramidal apertures.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of diffusing features are evenly distributed across the proximal surface of the tip diffuser.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of diffusing features are unevenly distributed across the proximal surface of the tip diffuser.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the electronic cigarette tip diffuser is configured and arranged to diffuse light received from a single point source to produce even illumination along a distal surface of the tip diffuser.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light diffusing features form a pattern.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light diffusing features further include secondary light diffusing features selected from the group consisting of: surface texturing, and material characteristics or additives to the tip diffuser that facilitate internal light diffusion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein the bi-convex lens includes side-walls configured and arranged to further facilitate diffusion of light through the tip diffuser.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 8, wherein the side-walls are selected from the group consisting of: sloped, straight, or rounded.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, further including a second plurality of light diffusing features extending into a distal surface of the tip diffuser.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The electronic cigarette tip diffuser of claim 1, wherein a distal surface convex lens of the bi-convex lens is configured and arranged to distribute the light across a wide viewing angle.

### Claim 12

An electronic cigarette comprising:
a tip diffuser; and
wherein the tip diffuser is a bi-convex lens with a plurality of diffusing features extending into a proximal surface of the tip diffuser.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electronic cigarette of claim 12, wherein the plurality of diffusing features are pyramidal apertures and are evenly distributed across the proximal surface of the tip diffuser.