Granted Patent B2

US 12,439,478 · App. 18/352,407 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Christopher S. Tucker (Midlothian, VA); Phillip Diana (Richmond, VA); Nam Tran (North Chesterfield, VA); Matthew Caparrelli (Richmond, VA)

Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC

H05B1/0244A24F40/42A24F40/485A24F40/50A24F40/60A24F47/00F21V33/0004H05B3/46A24F40/10H05B45/00H05B47/105H05B47/16

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. An e-vaping device, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light; and

control circuitry configured to control the light source, wherein the controlling includes

activating the light source to emit light through an interior of the e-vaping device based on a determination that air is being drawn through at least a portion of the e-vaping device, such that

at least a portion of the light is channeled along a longitudinal axis of the e-vaping device through a thickness of a first housing of the e-vaping device to an outlet end of the first housing, via internal reflection through the thickness of the first housing between an inner surface of the first housing and an outer surface of the first housing, and

the channeled light is emitted from the outlet end of the first housing.

2. The e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cause the light source to remain activated for at least a particular period of elapsed time following a cessation of air being drawn through at least the portion of the e-vaping device.

3. The e-vaping device of claim 2 , wherein,

the light source is configured to emit light having a particular property, the particular property being a color of the light and/or a brightness of the light; and

the control circuitry is further configured to control the particular property of the light emitted by the light source, based on,

a determination that the light source has emitted light for at least a threshold period of elapsed time,

a determined amount of pre-vapor formulation held in a reservoir of the e-vaping device,

a determined amount of electrical charge held in a power supply section of the e-vaping device, and/or

a magnitude of generated vapor that is generated by a vapor generator of the e-vaping device.

4. The e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein,

at least the first housing is transparent to visible light in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the e-vaping device.

5. The e-vaping device of claim 1 , wherein,

the control circuitry is located within a second housing of the e-vaping device,

the second housing is separate from the first housing, and

the second housing is opaque to visible light.

6. A method for operating an e-vaping device, the method comprising:

controlling a light source of the e-vaping device, wherein the controlling includes

activating the light source to emit light through an interior of the e-vaping device based on a determination that air is being drawn through at least a portion of the e-vaping device, such that

at least a portion of the light is channeled along a longitudinal axis of the e-vaping device through a thickness of a first housing of the e-vaping device to an outlet end of the first housing, via internal reflection through the thickness of the first housing between an inner surface of the first housing and an outer surface of the first housing, and

the channeled light is emitted from the outlet end of the first housing.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein,

the light source is configured to emit light having a particular property, the particular property being a color of the light and/or a brightness of the light; and

the controlling includes controlling the particular property of the light emitted by the light source, based on,

a determination that the light source has emitted light for at least a threshold period of elapsed time,

a determined amount of pre-vapor formulation held in a reservoir of the e-vaping device,

a determined amount of electrical charge held in a power supply section of the e-vaping device, and/or

a magnitude of generated vapor that is generated by a vapor generator of the e-vaping device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein,

at least the first housing is transparent to visible light in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the e-vaping device.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein,

the e-vaping device includes a second housing that is separate from the first housing, and

the second housing is opaque to visible light.

Continuity (4)

References Cited (369)