Electronic cigarette cover

Abstract

A cover for an e-cigarette having a mouthpiece for emitting vapor, includes a top cover part, a bottom cover part and a mechanism configured to be actuated by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette. The mechanism may be a spring interconnecting the top cover part and the bottom cover part, each of which surround the e-cigarette. The spring permits the top cover part to move between an upper released position covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the spring and a lower actuated position exposing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the thumb of the user. Flexible regions, knobs, detents and recesses may also be used as the mechanism and the top part may have a cap. Disposable and rechargeable e-cigarettes may be used.

1 . A cover for an e-cigarette having a mouthpiece for emitting vapor, the cover comprising:
 a top cover part, a bottom cover part and a mechanism configured to be actuated by the thumb of a user for selectively exposing and covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette.   
     
     
         2 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said mechanism is a spring interconnecting said top cover part and said bottom cover part;   said top cover part, said bottom cover part and said spring surround the e-cigarette; and   said spring permits said top cover part to move between an upper released position covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of said spring and a lower actuated position exposing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette under force of the thumb of the user.   
     
     
         3 . The cover according to  claim 2 , wherein said top cover part, said bottom cover part and said spring are formed as one piece. 
     
     
         4 . The cover according to  claim 2 , wherein said top cover part, said bottom cover part and said spring are separate pieces being molded together. 
     
     
         5 . The cover according to  claim 3 , wherein said one piece is formed of plastic or metal. 
     
     
         6 . The cover according to  claim 4 , wherein said separate pieces are at least partly formed of plastic or at least partly formed of metal. 
     
     
         7 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottom cover part is a ring held against the e-cigarette. 
     
     
         8 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottom cover part is a ring abutting against a step of the e-cigarette. 
     
     
         9 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the e-cigarette has a flavor container and battery releasably connected to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The cover according to  claim 7 , wherein the e-cigarette has a flavor container and battery releasably connected to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The cover according to  claim 2 , wherein said spring is completely surrounded by said top cover part. 
     
     
         12 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said mechanism is a spring region cut into strips and dividing the cover into said top cover part and said bottom cover part, said strips deforming and bulging outward upon pushing said top cover part downward by the thumb of the user and moving inward upon being released by the thumb of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said mechanism is a spring region formed of flexible material dividing the cover into said top cover part and said bottom cover part, said flexible material deforming and bulging outward upon pushing said top cover part downward by the thumb of the user and moving inward upon being released by the thumb of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said mechanism includes a window formed in said cover, a knob formed on the e-cigarette and accessible through said window and a spring, said spring holding down the e-cigarette upon said knob being released by the thumb of the user and being stretched upon moving said knob upward by the thumb of the user to expose the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette. 
     
     
         15 . The cover according to  claim 14 , wherein the e-cigarette has a flavor container and battery releasably connected to one another, and said knob is formed on the battery. 
     
     
         16 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said mechanism includes an elastic ring held on the e-cigarette and a bump or detent formed on an inner surface of the cover and dividing the cover into said top cover part and said bottom cover part; and   said elastic ring configured to be moved between a position retained below said bump or detent with the cover covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette and a position above said bump or detent with the cover exposing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette, by shaking the cover.   
     
     
         17 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said top cover part has a basic inside diameter and a top end bead with an inside diameter smaller than said basic inside diameter;   said bottom cover part has a basic outside diameter and a bump with an outside diameter being larger than said basic outside diameter and larger than said inside diameter of the top end bead; and   said top end bead and said bump forming said mechanism holding said top cover part in a position covering the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette when said bump is disposed below said top end bead and in a position exposing the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette when said bump is moved below said top end bead by the thumb of the user.   
     
     
         18 . The cover according to  claim 2 , wherein said top cover part has an inner surface with a recess or indentation formed therein and configured to be engaged by a bump or detent on the e-cigarette to hold said top cover part against a force of said spring when pushed down by the thumb of the user into said actuated position. 
     
     
         19 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said top cover part or said bottom cover part has a facet or rim preventing the cover from rolling on a surface. 
     
     
         20 . The cover according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a cap held on said top cover part by an elastic web, said cap and said top cover part meeting at a slanted parting line; and   said cap being pushed away from said top cover part by the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette upon pushing said top cover part downward by the thumb of the user, and said elastic web biasing said cap back into a closed position covering the mouthpiece upon upward movement of said top cover part.