Biased Patents (Class 206/266)
  • Patent number: 9887563
    Abstract: A portable charging case configured to contain and charge an electronic vaping device or a battery thereof is provided. The portable charging case includes a body, a cover hingedly connected to the body at a hinge axle, and a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly includes a biasing component including a pin having an integrally formed straight first end portion and a curved second end portion. The biasing component also includes a spring arranged about the straight first end portion of the pin. The pin extends through an opening in a housing, such that the spring presses against a bottom surface of the housing and against a base of the curved second end portion of the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Tony Gatta, David R. Schiff
  • Patent number: 9745107
    Abstract: An e-liquid dispenser. The e-liquid dispenser may contain and dispense e-liquids for use in e-cigarettes and comprise a hinged container having a bottom housing and a pivotally-attached lid, and a removable e-bottle used to hold and dispense the e-liquid. The e-bottle may be child resistant and may comprise a raised portion on a wall of the e-bottle, wherein the raised portion may match an opening in a wall of the bottom housing such that when the e-bottle is inserted into the bottom housing, it is securely held in the bottom housing. E-liquid is expelled from the e-bottle by a user pressing on the raised portion. The e-bottle may be removed by depressing the raised portion and pushing the e-bottle out of the bottom housing. The removable e-bottle may also include a spout that allows the e-bottle to be refilled so that the e-bottle is reusable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: RETRO BRANDS, LLC
    Inventors: Rabih Zahr, Shady Makarem, Nedal Makarem
  • Publication number: 20140374288
    Abstract: A pack for smoking articles is disclosed. The pack includes a body having two minor side walls, a minor top wall and a minor bottom wall extending between two opposing major walls so as to define a space for holding smoking articles. The pack further includes an opening in at least one minor wall so as to provide access to the space, a lid that is pivotally attached to the minor wall formed with the opening so as to open and close said opening. The lid is attached to one of said minor walls along a hinge line that extends obliquely relative to a plane of at least one of the major walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
    Inventors: Steven Holford, Aaron McKenzie
  • Patent number: 8910783
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette case includes a box body, a box cover hinged to the box body and an opening and closing mechanism. The opening and closing mechanism includes a spring piece built in the box body and an arc-shaped bulge formed on the box cover. The arc-shaped bulge clamped between the spring piece and inner wall of the box body and slidingly contact with the spring piece. When the box cover rotates a first predetermined angle relative to the box body, the spring piece drives the bulge to slide relative to the spring piece until the box cover is fully open. When the box cover rotates a second predetermined angle relative to the box body, the spring piece drives the arc-shaped bulge to slide relative to the spring piece until the box cover is fully closed. Thus, it is convenient to open or close the electronic cigarette case which has a simplified structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kimree Hi-Tech Inc
    Inventor: Qiuming Liu
  • Publication number: 20140216961
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette case includes a box body, a box cover hinged to the box body and an opening and closing mechanism. The opening and closing mechanism includes a spring piece built in the box body and an arc-shaped bulge formed on the box cover. The arc-shaped bulge clamped between the spring piece and inner wall of the box body and slidingly contact with the spring piece. When the box cover rotates a first predetermined angle relative to the box body, the spring piece drives the bulge to slide relative to the spring piece until the box cover is fully open. When the box cover rotates a second predetermined angle relative to the box body, the spring piece drives the arc-shaped bulge to slide relative to the spring piece until the box cover is fully closed. Thus, it is convenient to open or close the electronic cigarette case which has a simplified structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventor: Qiuming Liu
  • Patent number: 8794434
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to electronic cigarettes, and more particularly, to a container for storing the electronic cigarette. In one embodiment, the container includes a cover coupled to a base through a hinge. The hinge can provide three settings: opened, closed and middle. Within the base of the container, a number of sections can be provided. One section can enclose the hinge. At a distal end from the hinge, another section can include a portion where an electronic cigarette can be held. The section can incorporate a spring loaded mount whereby the electronic cigarette can be held firmly into place or loosely removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: NJOY, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Scatterday, Craig Weiss
  • Patent number: 8561793
    Abstract: A container for consumer goods comprising an outer shell, an inner housing and a resilient member arranged between the outer shell and the inner housing. The inner housing has an opening and is mounted within the outer shell for rotational movement relative thereto between a closed position, in which the opening is covered by the outer shell and an open position in which the opening is at least partially exposed. The inner housing is resiliently biased towards the closed position by the resilient member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventor: Lucas Chatelain
  • Publication number: 20100051486
    Abstract: A container for consumer goods comprising an outer shell, an inner housing and a resilient member arranged between the outer shell and the inner housing. The inner housing has an opening and is mounted within the outer shell for rotational movement relative thereto between a closed position, in which the opening is covered by the outer shell and an open position in which the opening is at least partially exposed. The inner housing is resiliently biased towards the closed position by the resilient member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventor: Lucas Chatelain
  • Publication number: 20090084694
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cigarette packet with a packet body (4) for containing cigarettes and a lid (5) joined to the packet body (4) via a hinge (38), each with a front panel (12, 22), a rear panel (13, 23) and two opposing side panels (11a, 11b, 21a, 21b), and at least one tab (201a, 201b) is provided on the lid (5) and/or on the packet body (4), which extends beyond an imaginary connecting line (37a, 37b) on at least one side panel (11a, 11b, 21a, 21b) of the packet (1) between the hinge (38) and front lid bottom edge (36) when the packet (1) is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventor: Erdinc Agirbas
  • Publication number: 20090057173
    Abstract: Provided is a pocket-sized, hand-held container including a receptacle at least partially housed in an outer housing and a tray, contained within the outer housing and positioned around the receptacle. Preferably, the tray is sealed with a membrane. The receptacle is used to contain spent product. Preferably, the outer housing includes an upper housing and a lower housing. A lid in the upper housing slides open to reveal an openable window in the membrane. In an embodiment, at least one thumb ridge is located on the lid to facilitate opening and closing of the lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Mitten, Xuan M. Pham, Yvonne DeVerry, Sven Bergmann, Stephen J. Bellamah, Stephen Getsy
  • Publication number: 20080099353
    Abstract: An assembled container for cigarettes possesses an outer body portion that possesses a front wall, a back wall, a right side wall and a left side wall; with each wall outer surface being vertically extending, and generally curved when viewed from the top of the container. The container also possesses an associated outer lid portion. An inner sleeve is positioned within the outer body portion and connected at opposite inner faces of that outer body portion so as to provide a central, vertically extending region whereby the front wall of the outer body portion is connected to the back wall of the outer body portion. The assembled container has the minimum depth in the central, vertically extending region; and the maximum depth being located on each side of that region. The assembled container also has a width that is greater than the maximum depth. As such, the outer container possesses two vertically extending hollow regions or compartments (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Heather Noelle Parsons, William Paul Scott, Pankaj Patel, Laya Katina Palmer
  • Patent number: 7044294
    Abstract: The invention relates to a box with a hinged lid wherein the lid is reliably closed by way of an enlarged collar section (20) as compared to conventional boxes with a hinged lid. The closure is even rendered more reliable by recesses on the insides of the lid that optionally are further provided with embossed sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventor: Bodo-Werner Lutzig
  • Patent number: 5967312
    Abstract: A flip top container used to store a smoking pipe and smoking material. Pivots mount a side lever and the top lid to the container's body while side panels mounted on the body define two sides of the smoking material chamber. A first biasing spring on the lid engages the top of a stored pipe and acts to raise the lid while a second biasing spring on the lever acts to pivot the lever into engagement with the closed lid top and keep it in that position. When the lever is depressed it pivots on its pin to release the engaged lid which then flips upward by virtue of its biased spring. Complementarily shaped engaged stepped surfaces on the ends of the lever and lid assist in maintaining the lid closed and locked when access to the container is not desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Patrick C. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 5472433
    Abstract: A disposable safety guard for syringe needles and the like, the safety guard being adapted to laterally receive the tip of a needle in an elongated interior chamber within a body member. The interior encloses a high frictional surfaced gripping device which receives the syringe needle in a lateral direction and prevents the needle from being removed therefrom, after it is secured therein. In a preferred embodiment, the gripping mechanism comprises a rectangular shaped plastic component having two planar members joined by a thinned or living hinge permitting the component to be folded in half so that it may conform to the shape of the interior of the body member and close upon the needle. In that preferred embodiment of the invention, a series of ridges on the folded interior surface of the gripper component increases the frictional engagement with the syringe needle. The gripper component has a pair of lips designed to engage a plurality of ratchet teeth in the interior walls of the body member chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Inventor: George R. Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5392905
    Abstract: In hinge-lid packs comprising a pack part (12) and a lid (13) hinged to a pack rear panel (15) it is difficult to ensure a precise closed position of the lid (13). This is particularly the case in hinge-lid packs with rounded longitudinal edges (10, 11). To create an additional closing force, outwardly directed deformations, particularly convexities (38), are formed in the free portion of collar side panels (28, 29) of a collar (26). These convexities abut the inner sides of the lid side panels (17) with an increased friction and thus create an increased closing force. The deformation of the collar side panels (28, 29) is a result of longitudinal collar edges (30, 31) diverging towards the free edge. As a result, there is a strain of material which effects the deformation of the collar side panels (28, 29). A further or alternative closing aid is provided in the form of an upright or inclined cut (39) arranged in the region of the collar side panels (28, 29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Helmut Granz
  • Patent number: 5307925
    Abstract: In hinge-lid packs comprising a pack part (12) and a lid (13) hinged to a pack rear panel (15) it is difficult to ensure a precise closed position of the lid (13). This is particularly the case in hinge-lid packs with rounded longitudinal edges (10, 11). To create an additional closing force, outwardly directed deformations, particularly convexities (38), are formed in the free portion of collar side panels (28, 29) of a collar (26). These convexites abut the inner sides of the lid side panels (17) with an increased friction and thus create an increased closing force. The deformation of the collar side panels (28, 29) is a result of longitudinal collar edges (30, 31) diverging towards the free edge. As a result, there is a strain of material which effects the deformation of the collar side panels (28, 29). A further or alternative closing aid is provided in the form of an upright or inclined cut (39) arranged in the region of the collar side panels (28, 29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Helmut Granz
  • Patent number: 5205402
    Abstract: A cigarettes case comprising (i) a case body with a top partially cut away to provide a top opening located adjacent to one side of the case body for taking out a cigarette from the case body, with a vertical slit provided in the one side, and with an opposed, open side for supplying cigarettes into the case body 1, (ii) a removable side wall member for closing the open side, and (iii) a slider located in the case body and having a lid portion, an upright portion, and a projecting bottom portion. The lid portion closes the top opening when the slider is on the bottom of the case body. The upright portion is in contact with the one side of the case body. The bottom portion projects toward the open side of the case body and has sufficient size to support at least one cigarette thereon. The upright portion is provided at its outer surface with a projection projecting outwardly through the slit. A handle is located outside the case body and is connected to the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Nagoya Kenkotabako Yugen Kaisha
    Inventor: Hikotaro Maeda
  • Patent number: 5174492
    Abstract: A multiple-purpose dispensing package having inner and outer shells wherein the inner shell is movable without the outer shell between fully closed and fully open positions. The inner shell is integrally pivotably connected to the outer shell. The package includes a snap-lock member. The inner and the outer shell are made from a single blank. Optionally, the inner shell, the outer shell, and the snap-lock member can be made from a single blank. The inner shell and the outer shell are connected along a hinge line integral with the single blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Inventor: Gabriel Gero
  • Patent number: 5123530
    Abstract: A cigarette container comprising a body having a plurality of cigarette receivers therein, each receiver being in the form of a bore of substantially the same size as a cigarette, with a helical spring disposed on the lower end thereof, to respectively receive a cigarette therein, a cover which is releasibly secured on the body so as to be capable of being opened to deposit cigarettes into the cigarette receivers, and has a plurality of lids thereon, each of the lids covers a cigarette receiver and is slidable away from its position to allow a cigarette to be forced upward by one of the springs. A further bore is formed in the body to receive a plurality of granular breath refreshing pastilles therein and a dispensing device associated therewith is installed to control the dispensing of the pastilles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Inventor: Kuen-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 4240271
    Abstract: A refrigerated box is provided in the shape of a cigarette box or pack having an upper container portion and a bottom which contains a heat sink material which is frozen in a home freezer and then plugged into the box to maintain the interior compartment refrigerated for the preservation and chilling of sticks of carrots, celery, and the like, to provide the person undergoing smoking withdrawal low-calorie snacks to munch on to substitute for cigarettes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Inventor: Susan E. Brownlow
  • Patent number: 4148422
    Abstract: A holder for a smoking-pipe in the form of a substantially rigid or flexible sheath attachable to a support, the sheath having front and back walls defining a cavity and being sufficiently close to one another and sufficiently taut laterally and transversely that they frictionally pinch-hold a pipe stem in the cavity. An interior wall surface can have a high friction surface area, and the sheath can include tautening means to tauten the walls, to increase the frictional hold of the pipe stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Inventor: Adam L. Habler
  • Patent number: 4055283
    Abstract: A holder for a smoking-pipe in the form of a substantially rigid or flexible sheath attachable to a support, the sheath having front and back walls defining a cavity and being sufficiently close to one another and sufficiently taut laterally and transversely that they frictionally pinch-hold a pipe stem in the cavity. An interior wall surface can have a high friction surface area, and the sheath can include tautening means to tauten the walls, to increase the frictional hold of the pipe stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1977
    Inventor: Adam L. Habler
  • Patent number: 4037719
    Abstract: A case for containing a pack of cigarettes, the case including a counting mechanism which counts the number of times that the case is opened up so to remove a cigarette from the pack, thus enabling a smoker, who wished to cut down on his smoking habit, to keep track of the number of cigarettes being smoked during a current day, the counting mechanism also having a counter that records the number of cigarettes smoked on a previous day for purposes of comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1977
    Inventor: Alan Perlmutter