Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Title of Invention: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
GENERATING AEROSOL BASED ON CIGARETTE TYPE
Technical Field
[1] The following description relates to an aerosol generating
technology, and more par-
ticularly, to a technology for generating an aerosol based on a cigarette
type.
Background Art
1-21 The demand for electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, has
recently been on the rise.
The rising demand for e-cigarettes has accelerated the continued development
of e-
cigarette related functions. The e-cigarette related functions may include,
for example,
functions according to the types and characteristics of e-cigarettes.
Disclosure of Invention
Technical Problem
[3] An aspect provides a method of heating an aerosol-generating substrate
performed by
an aerosol-generating device.
[4] Another aspect provides an electronic device for heating an aerosol-
generating
substrate.
Solution to Problem
[5] According to an aspect, there is provided a method of heating an
aerosol-generating
substrate performed by an electronic device, the method including: detecting
an
insertion of a cigarette; displaying an icon corresponding to a type of the
cigarette; de-
termining a heating profile based on a user input corresponding to the type of
the
cigarette; and heating an aerosol-generating substrate of the cigarette based
on the
heating profile.
1_61 The detecting the insertion of the cigarette may include
detecting the type of the
cigarette using a sensor.
[7] The heating profile may include at least one of a heating time and a
heating tem-
perature, which is set according to the type of the cigarette.
[8] Settings of the heating profile may be changeable by a user.
[9] The type of the cigarette may include at least one of a cut tobacco
type, a granular
type, and a liquid type.
1_101 The user input may be one of a button input and a touch
input.
[11] According to another aspect, there is provided an aerosol-
generating device
including: a controller configured to control an operation of the aerosol-
generating
device; an inserter into which a cigarette is inserted; a heater configured to
heat an
aerosol-generating substrate of the cigarette; and a display configured to
display an
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icon corresponding to a type of the cigarette and receive a user input
corresponding to
the type of the cigarette. The controller may determine a heating profile
based on the
user input corresponding to the type of the cigarette when the cigarette is
inserted in
the inserter, and heat the aerosol-generating substrate of the cigarette based
on the
heating profile.
[12] The aerosol-generating device may further include a sensor configured
to detect an
insertion of the cigarette, and the controller may detect the type of the
cigarette using
the sensor.
[13] The heating profile may include at least one of a heating time and a
heating tem-
perature, which is set according to the type of the cigarette.
[14] Settings of the heating profile may be changeable by a user.
[15] The type of the cigarette may include at least one of a cut tobacco
type, a granular
type, and a liquid type.
[16] The aerosol-generating device may further include a button or a touch
display
through which the user input is received, and the controller may receive the
user input
through an input to the button or a touch input to the touch display.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[17] According to example embodiments described herein, a method of heating
an
aerosol-generating substrate performed by an electronic device is provided.
[18] According to example embodiments described herein, an electronic
device for
heating an aerosol-generating substrate based on a cigarette type is provided.
Brief Description of Drawings
[191 FIGS. la through lc are perspective views of an electronic device
according to an
example embodiment.
[20] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic
device according to
an example embodiment.
[21] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller
according to an
example embodiment.
[22] FIGS. 4a and 4b are diagrams illustrating examples of a screen
displayed on an
electronic device according to an example embodiment.
[23] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of heating an aerosol-
generating substrate
according to an example embodiment.
[24] FIGS. 6 through 8 are diagrams illustrating examples of the insertion
of a cigarette in
an aerosol-generating device according to an example embodiment.
[25] FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating examples of a cigarette
according to an
example embodiment.
[26] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an aerosol-generating device
according to
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another example embodiment.
Mode for the Invention
[27] The following detailed structural or functional description is
provided merely as an
example and various alterations and modifications may be made to examples. The
examples are not construed as limited to the examples described in the present
disclosure and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and
re-
placements within the idea and the technical scope of the disclosure.
[28] Terms such as "first," "second," and the like may be used herein to
describe various
components, but the components are not limited to the terms. These terms
should be
used only to distinguish one component from another component. For example, a
"first" component may be referred to as a "second" component, or similarly,
the
"second" component may be referred to as the "first" component within the
scope of
the right according to the concept of the present disclosure.
[29] It is to be understood that when a component is referred to as being
"connected to" or
"coupled to" another component, the component may be directly connected or
coupled
to the other component or intervening components may be present therebetween.
[30] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended
to include the
plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used
herein, the
term "and/or" includes any one and any combination of any two or more of the
as-
sociated listed items. As used herein, the terms "include," "comprise," and
"have"
specify the presence of stated features, numbers, operations, elements,
components,
and/or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of
one or
more other features, numbers, operations, elements, components, and/or
combinations
thereof.
[31] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein including technical or
scientific terms
have the same meanings as those generally understood consistent with and after
an un-
derstanding of the present disclosure. Terms, such as those defined in
commonly used
dictionaries, should be construed to have meanings matching with contextual
meanings
in the relevant art and the present disclosure, and are not to be construed as
an ideal or
excessively formal meaning unless otherwise defined herein.
[32] Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described in detail with
reference to the
accompanying drawings. When describing the example embodiments with reference
to
the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals refer to like components
and a
repeated description related thereto will be omitted.
[33] FIGS. la through lc are perspective views of an electronic device
according to an
example embodiment.
[34] Referring to FIGS. la and lb, an electronic device 100 may include a
front housing
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110 including a display 120, an upper housing 130, a lower housing 140, and a
rear
housing 150. The respective housings may be connected mechanically or
magnetically,
and the shape of the electronic device 100 and a method of connecting the
housings
may be implemented in various ways. The electronic device 100 may include a
circuit
for performing operations in the housings. For example, the circuit for
performing the
operations may be implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB) and the PCB may
be
provided in the housings.
[35] According to an example embodiment, the display 120 included in the
front housing
110 may display a screen and receive a user input from a user. The user input
may be
any one of a button input and a touch input. The display 120 may include at
least one
of a mechanical button or a touch panel to receive the user input. Although
the display
120 is illustrated as being attached to the outside of the front housing 110
in FIGS. la
and lb. examples are not limited thereto but the display 120 may be attached
at any
position of each housing.
[36] Referring to FIG. lb, the upper housing 130 may include a hole to
insert a cigarette
therein. The structure of the hole may be implemented in various ways
depending on
the type of cigarette. According to an example embodiment, to the upper
housing 130,
a sensor for sensing a type of an inserted cigarette may be attached.
1-371 According to an example embodiment, the lower housing 140
may include a hole for
connecting a power terminal for supplying power. The electronic device 100 may
receive power from an external power source connected to the power terminal.
The
power terminal may be implemented as a universal serial bus (USB) port (e.g.,
USB C-
type) but is not limited thereto, and may be implemented in various forms.
Such a
power terminal hole or power terminal of the lower housing 140 may include a
sensor
that senses whether a terminal of the external power source is connected
thereto.
[38] According to an example embodiment, the electronic device 100 may be
an
electronic device for generating an aerosol. For example, the electronic
device 100
may include a heater that receives power from a power source such as a battery
and
heats an aerosol-generating substrate of a cigarette in an inserter. The
aerosol-
generating substrate heated by the heater may generate an aerosol. The
configuration
of the electronic device 100 will be described in detail below with reference
to FIGS. 2
and 3.
[39] Referring to FIG. lc, the electronic device 100 may generate an
aerosol by heating an
aerosol-generating substrate in a cigarette 2 inserted in the electronic
device 100. The
user may then be able to inhale the generated aerosol to smoke. The electronic
device
100 may heat the aerosol-generating substrate using various methods.
[40] According to an example embodiment, the electronic device 100 may use
a heating
method by which the heater applies heat directly to the aerosol-generating
substrate.
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[411 According to another example embodiment, the electronic
device 100 may use an
inductive heating method that does not directly heat the aerosol-generating
substrate.
For example, the aerosol-generating substrate may be heated based on an
electro-
magnetic field generated as microwaves resonate, as in a microwave oven.
[42] Referring to FIG. lc, the cigarette 2 may be divided into a first
portion including the
aerosol-generating substrate and a second portion including a filter or the
like. Alter-
natively, the second portion of the cigarette 2 may include the aerosol-
generating
substrate. The first portion may be entirely inserted into the electronic
device 100, and
the second portion may be exposed outside. Alternatively, the first portion
may be only
partially inserted into the electronic device 100, and the first portion may
be entirely
inserted and the second portion may be partially inserted into the electronic
device 100.
The user may inhale an aerosol with the second portion in their mouth. In this
case, an
aerosol may be generated as external air passes through the first portion, and
the
generated aerosol may be carried into the mouth of the user through the second
portion.
[43] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic
device according to
an example embodiment.
[44] According to an example embodiment, the electronic device 100 may
include a
controller 210, a display unit 220, a battery 230, a heater 240, and an
inserter 250. The
electronic device 100 may further include general-purpose components. For
example,
the electronic device 100 may further include at least one sensor (e.g., a
puff sensor, a
temperature sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, a power terminal
detection
sensor, etc.) and a motor for outputting tactile information and/or feedback.
As
described above with reference to FIGS. la through lc, the electronic device
100 may
be manufactured to have a structure that allows external air to be introduced
or internal
gas to be discharged even while the cigarette 2 is inserted.
[451 For example, the external air may be introduced through at
least one air path formed
in the electronic device 100. In this example, the opening or closing and the
size of the
air path formed in the electronic device 100 may be adjusted by the user.
Accordingly,
an amount of atomization, a sense of smoking, or the like may be adjusted by
the user.
For another example, the external air may be introduced into the inside of the
cigarette
2 through at least one hole formed on a surface of the cigarette 2.
[46] According to an example embodiment, the electronic device 100 may be
included in
a system along with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to
charge
the battery 230 of the electronic device 100.
[47] The controller 210 may control operations of the electronic device
100. The
controller 210 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3.
[48] The display unit 220 may output visual information through the display
120
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described above with reference to FIGS. la through lc, and receive a user
input from
the user. The user input may be, for example, any one of a button input and a
touch
input.
[49] The battery 230 may supply power to the electronic device 100. The
battery 230 may
receive power from an external power source. For example, as described above
with
reference to FIGS. la through lc, the lower housing 140 may include a hole for
a
power terminal, through which power is received from the external power
source, and
the battery 230 may thereby be charged.
[50] The heater 240 may heat an aerosol-generating substrate of a cigarette
provided in
the inserter 250. The heater 240 may heat the aerosol-generating substrate in
various
ways, as described above with reference to FIG. lc.
[51] According to an example embodiment, the cigarette 2 of various types
may be
inserted into the inserter 250. The cigarette 2 may be of a cut tobacco filler
type having
a shape as a whole tobacco filler that is directly lit to smoke, a granular
type in which
an aerosol-generating material provided in the form of granules or capsules is
inserted
in a cigarette, or a liquid type including a liquid composition. A cigarette
of the liquid
type may be manufactured in the form of a stick, and may include a liquid that
includes
a tobacco-containing material including a volatile tobacco flavor component or
a liquid
that includes a non-tobacco material in the stick.
[52] According to an example embodiment, the cigarette 2 may be inserted
such that the
inserter 250 surrounds at least a portion (e.g., the aerosol-generating
substrate) of the
cigarette 2, and the aerosol-generating substrate may be heated by the heater
240. For
example, the cigarette 2 may be divided into a first portion including the
aerosol-
generating substrate and a second portion including a filter or the like.
Alternatively,
the second portion of the cigarette 2 may also include the aerosol-generating
substrate.
[53] The first portion may be entirely inserted into the electronic device
100, and the
second portion may be exposed outside. Alternatively, the first portion may be
partially
inserted into the electronic device 100, and the first portion may be entirely
inserted
and the second portion may be partially inserted into the electronic device
100. The
user may inhale an aerosol with the second portion in their mouth. In this
case, an
aerosol may be generated as external air passes through the first portion, and
the
generated aerosol may pass through the second portion to be carried into the
mouth of
the user.
[54] According to an example embodiment, the electronic device 100 may
further include
a communication module including a Bluetooth chip or a Wi-Fi chip, and the
controller
210 may use the communication module to communicate with an external device
such
as a server over a network. When a hub device such as an access point (AP) is
present
around the electronic device 100, the controller 210 may use the hub device to
com-
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municate with the server.
[55] For example, a heating profile of a cigarette may be stored in an
external server, and
a heating profile for each cigarette type may be transmitted from the external
server to
the electronic device 100 at the request of the electronic device 100.
[56] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller
according to an
example embodiment.
[57] According to an example embodiment, the controller 210 may include a
commu-
nication unit 310, a processor 320, and a memory 330.
[58] The communication unit 310 may be connected to the processor 320 and
the memory
330 to transmit and receive data thereto and therefrom. The communication unit
310
may be connected to another external device to transmit and receive data
thereto and
therefrom. Hereinafter, transmitting and receiving "A" may refer to
transmitting and
receiving "information or data indicating A."
[59] The communication unit 310 may be implemented as a circuitry in the
controller 210.
For example, the communication unit 310 may include an internal bus and an
external
bus. For another example, the communication unit 310 may be an element that
connects the controller 210 and an external device. The communication unit 310
may
be an interface. The communication unit 310 may receive data from the external
device
and transmit the data to the processor 320 and the memory 330.
[60] The processor 320 may process the data received by the communication
unit 310 and
data stored in the memory 330. A processor described herein may be a hardware-
implemented processing device having a physically structured circuit to
execute op-
erations. The operations may include, for example, code or instructions
included in a
program. The hardware-implemented data processing device may include, for
example,
a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a processor core, a multi-
core
processor, a multiprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit
(ASIC), and a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
[61] The processor 320 may execute computer-readable code (e.g., software)
stored in a
memory (e.g., the memory 330) and instructions triggered by the processor 320.
[62] The memory 330 may store therein the data received by the
communication unit 310
and the data processed by the processor 320. For example, the memory 330 may
store
therein the program (or an application, or software). The program to be stored
may be
a set of syntaxes that are coded and executable by the processor 320 to
control the
electronic device 100.
[63] The memory 330 may include, for example, at least one volatile memory,
non-
volatile memory, random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, hard disk drive,
and
optical disc drive.
[64] The memory 330 may store an instruction set (e.g., software) for
operating the
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controller 210. The instruction set for operating the controller 210 may be
executed by
the processor 320.
[65] The communication unit 310, the processor 320, and the memory 330 will
be
described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 5.
[66] FIGS. 4a and 4b are diagrams illustrating examples of a screen
displayed on an
electronic device according to an example embodiment.
[67] According to an example embodiment, the processor 320 described above
with
reference to FIG. 3 may detect whether the cigarette 2 is inserted in the
inserter 250.
According to another example embodiment, a sensor for detecting a type of the
cigarette 2 may be further included in the inserter 250 (or in a portion
adjacent to the
inserter 250), and the processor 320 may detect the type of the cigarette 2,
in addition
to the insertion of the cigarette 2, using the sensor.
[68] The processor 320 may display, through the display unit 220, an icon
for a cigarette
type the electronic device 100 supports. According to an example embodiment,
the
supported cigarette type may include, as non-limiting examples, a cut tobacco
type, a
granular type, and a liquid type, and may be implemented in various ways. For
example, the processor 320 may display different icons for different cigarette
types
having different heating profiles including information on an appropriate
heating tem-
perature and an appropriate heating time.
[69] FIG. 4a illustrates a main screen displayed through the display 120 of
the electronic
device 100. On the main screen, an icon 410 for setting the use of the
electronic device
100, an icon 420 for setting a communication state (e.g., bluetooth status),
and an icon
430 for checking battery information may be displayed. On the main screen,
time in-
formation 440 and weather information 450 may also be displayed. When a user
taps
(or touches) the icon 410 for setting the use, settings for heating the heater
240 may he
displayed as shown in FIG. 4b.
[701 FIG. 4b illustrates a screen for setting the heater 240
displayed on the display 120 of
the electronic device 100. According to an example embodiment, the screen of
FIG. 4b
may be displayed when the cigarette 2 is detected as inserted. According to
another
example embodiment, the screen of FIG. 4b may be displayed by a user input 415
to
the icon 410 for setting the use on the main screen of FIG. 4a, after the user
inserts the
cigarette 2 to heat the aerosol-generating substrate.
[71] Referring to FIG. 4b, icons 471, 474, and 477 for respective
cigarette types supported
by the electronic device 100 may be displayed. Although the icon 471 for a cut
tobacco
type, the icon 474 for a granular type, and the icon 477 for a liquid type are
displayed
on the screen in FIG. 4b, examples of icons are not illustrated thereto, and
various
icons may be displayed for cigarettes having different heating profiles. In
addition to
such icons for supported cigarette types, time information 460 and the like
may be
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displayed on the screen.
[72] According to an example embodiment, when the processor 320 detects the
type of
the cigarette 2 through the sensor for detecting a type of a cigarette
included in the
inserter 250, a different visual effect may be applied to an icon
corresponding to the
detected type of the cigarette 2. For example, when the processor 320 detects
a type of
an inserted cigarette as a cut tobacco type, the processor 320 may display the
background color of the icon 471 for the cut tobacco type to be different from
those of
other icons (e.g., the icons 474 and 477), or may display a message, for
example,
"Currently, a cigarette of the cut tobacco type is inserted."
[73] According to an example embodiment, in addition to the basic settings
for the cut
tobacco type, granular type, and liquid type shown in FIG. 4b, the user may
set an ap-
propriate heating temperature and appropriate heating time to generate a new
heating
profile, and an icon corresponding to the newly generated heating profile may
be
further displayed. The user may then set a name for the newly created heating
profile.
[74] According to an example embodiment, the user may check a cigarette
type (or
heating profile) by swiping up and down the list of heating profiles, and may
bookmark a frequently used type or delete an unused type.
[75] When the user selects a cigarette type, the processor 320 may
determine a corre-
sponding heating profile and heat an aerosol-generating substrate of an
inserted
cigarette based on the determined heating profile. For example, when the user
taps the
icon 471 for the cut tobacco type among the icons displayed on the display 120
as
shown by reference numeral 480, the processor 320 may determine a heating
profile
corresponding to the cut tobacco type, and heat an aerosol-generating
substrate of a
cigarette in the inserter 250 through the heater 240 based on the determined
heating
profile.
[76] A heating profile may include at least one of an appropriate heating
time or an ap-
propriate heating temperature that is preset according to a cigarette type,
and the
processor 320 may determine a heating profile corresponding to a cigarette
type for
which a user input is received by referring to heating profile information
stored in the
memory 330. According to another example embodiment, the heating profile in-
formation may be stored in an external server, and the processor 320 may
obtain the
heating profile information by requesting, from the external server through
the commu-
nication unit 310, a heating profile corresponding to a cigarette type for
which a user
input is received.
[77] The processor 320 may heat the aerosol-generating substrate of the
cigarette 2 in the
inserter 250 through the heater 240 according to the appropriate heating
temperature
and the appropriate heating time based on the heating profile.
[78] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of heating an aerosol-
generating substrate
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according to an example embodiment.
[79] Operations 510 to 540 described hereinafter may be performed by the
processor 320
of the electronic device 100 described above with reference to FIGS. la
through 4b,
and the description provided above will not be repeated for conciseness.
[80] In operation 510, the processor 320 may detect insertion of the
cigarette 2. The
processor 320 may detect the insertion of the cigarette 2 through a sensor
included in
the inserter 250. According to an example embodiment, when a sensor for
detecting a
cigarette type is included in the inserter 250, the processor 320 may also
simul-
taneously detect a type of a cigarette along with the insertion of the
cigarette.
[81] In operation 520, the processor 320 may display an icon for a
supported cigarette
type. As described above with reference to FIG. 4b, when the processor 320
detects the
type of the cigarette 2 in operation 510, a visual effect different from those
for different
icons may be applied to an icon corresponding to the detected type of the
cigarette 2.
[82] In operation 530, the processor 320 may determine a corresponding
heating profile
based on a user input for the type of the cigarette 2. In this case, heating
profile in-
formation may be stored in the memory 330, and may be obtained through a
request to
an external server through the communication unit 310.
[83] In operation 540, the processor 320 may heat an aerosol-generating
substrate of the
cigarette 2 based on the determined heating profile. For example, the
processor 320
may heat the aerosol-generating substrate of the cigarette 2 in the inserter
250 through
the heater 240 based on an appropriate heating temperature and an appropriate
heating
time of the heating profile. The user may then inhale, through the cigarette
2, an
aerosol generated as the aerosol-generating substrate is heated.
[84] FIGS. 6 through 8 are diagrams illustrating examples of the insertion
of a cigarette in
an aerosol-generating device according to one or more example embodiments.
[85] In the examples described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 6
through 8, an
aerosol-generating device 1 may correspond to the electronic device 100
described
above with reference to FIGS. la through 2. A battery 11 may correspond to the
battery 230 described above with reference to FIG. 2. A controller 12 may
correspond
to the controller 210 described above with reference to FIG. 2. A vaporizer 14
or a
heater 13 may correspond to the heater 240 described above with reference to
FIG. 2.
[86] Referring to FIG. 6, the aerosol-generating device 1 may include the
battery 11, the
controller 12, and the heater 13. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the aerosol-
generating
device 1 may further include the vaporizer 14. In addition, a cigarette 2 may
be
inserted into an inner space of the aerosol-generating device 1.
[87] The aerosol-generating device 1 shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 may include
components related to the example embodiments described herein. Therefore, it
is to
be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present
disclosure
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pertains that the aerosol-generating device 1 may further include other
generally used
components in addition to the ones shown in FIGS. 6 through 8.
[88] In addition, although it is shown that the heater 13 is included in
the aerosol-
generating device 1 in FIGS. 7 and 8, the heater 13 may be omitted as needed.
[89] FIG. 6 illustrates a linear alignment of the battery 11, the
controller 12, and the heater
13. FIG. 7 illustrates a linear alignment of the battery 11, the controller
12, the
vaporizer 14, and the heater 13. FIG. 8 illustrates a parallel alignment of
the vaporizer
14 and the heater 13. However, the internal structure of the aerosol-
generating device 1
is not limited to what is shown in FIGS. 6 through 8. That is, such alignments
of the
battery 11, the controller 12, the heater 13, and the vaporizer 14 may be
changed
depending on the design of the aerosol-generating device 1.
[90] When the cigarette 2 is inserted in the aerosol-generating device 1,
the aerosol-
generating device 1 may operate the heater 13 and/or the vaporizer 14 to
generate an
aerosol. The aerosol generated by the heater 13 and/or the vaporizer 14 may
pass
through the cigarette 2 into the user.
[91] Even when the cigarette 2 is not inserted in the aerosol-generating
device 1, the
aerosol-generating device 1 may heat the heater 13, as needed.
[92] The battery 11 may supply power to be used to operate the aerosol-
generating device
1. For example, the battery 11 may supply power to heat the heater 13 or the
vaporizer
14, and may supply power required for the controller 12 to operate. In
addition, the
battery 11 may supply power required to operate a display, a sensor, a motor,
or the
like installed in the aerosol-generating device 1.
[93] The controller 12 may control the overall operation of the aerosol-
generating device
1. For example, the controller 12 may control respective operations of other
components included in the aerosol-generating device 1, in addition to the
battery 11,
the heater 13, and the vaporizer 14. In addition, the controller 12 may verify
a state of
each of the components of the aerosol-generating device 1 to determine whether
the
aerosol-generating device 1 is in an operable state.
[94] The controller 12 may include at least one processor. The processor
may be im-
plemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented as
a com-
bination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program
ex-
ecutable in the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it is to be understood
by those
having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that
the
processor may be implemented in other types of hardware.
[95] The heater 13 may be heated by power supplied by the battery 11. For
example,
when the cigarette 2 is inserted in the aerosol-generating device 1, the
heater 13 may
be disposed outside the cigarette 2. The heated heater 13 may thus raise the
tem-
perature of an aerosol-generating material in the cigarette 2.
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[961
For example, the heater 13 may be an electrically resistive heater. In
this example,
the heater 13 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater 13
may be
heated as a current flows through the electrically conductive track. However,
the heater
13 is not limited to the foregoing example, and any example of heating the
heater 13
up to a desired temperature may be applicable without limitation. The desired
tem-
perature may be preset in the aerosol-generating device 1 or may be set by the
user.
[97] For another example, the heater 13 may be an inductive heating-type
heater. In this
example, the heater 13 may include an electrically conductive coil for heating
the
cigarette 2 in an inductive heating manner, and the cigarette 2 may include a
susceptor
to be heated by the inductive heating-type heater.
[98] For example, the heater 13 may include a tubular heating element, a
plate-shaped
heating element, a needle-shaped heating element, or a rod-shaped heating
element,
and may heat the inside or outside of the cigarette 2 according to the shape
of a heating
element.
[99] In addition, the heater 13 may be provided as a plurality of heaters
in the aerosol-
generating device 1. In this case, the heaters may be disposed to be inserted
into the
cigarette 2, or may be disposed outside the cigarette 2. In addition, some of
the heaters
may be disposed to be inserted into the cigarette 2, and the rest may be
disposed
outside the cigarette 2. However, the shape of the heater 13 is not limited to
what is
shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 but may be provided in various shapes.
[100] The vaporizer 14 may heat a liquid composition to generate an
aerosol, and the
generated aerosol may pass through the cigarette 2 into the user. That is, the
aerosol
generated by the vaporizer 14 may travel along an airflow path of the aerosol-
generating device 1, and the airflow path may be configured such that the
aerosol
generated by the vaporizer 14 passes through the cigarette 2 to be into the
user.
[101] For example, the vaporizer 14 may include a liquid storage, a liquid
transfer means,
and a heating element, but is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid
storage, the
liquid transfer means, and the heating element may be included as independent
modules in the aerosol-generating device 1.
[102] The liquid storage may store the liquid composition. The liquid
composition may be,
for example, a liquid including a tobacco-containing material that includes a
volatile
tobacco flavor component, or may be a liquid including a non-tobacco material.
The
liquid storage may be manufactured to be detachable and attachable from and to
the
vaporizer 14, or may be manufactured in an integral form with the vaporizer
14.
[103] The liquid composition may include, for example, water, a solvent,
ethanol, a plant
extract, a fragrance, a flavoring agent, or a vitamin mixture. The fragrance
may
include, for example, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit
flavors, and the
like, but is not limited thereto. The flavoring agent may include ingredients
that
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provide the user with a variety of flavors or scents. The vitamin mixture may
be a
mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, or vitamin E, but
is not
limited thereto. The liquid composition may also include an aerosol former
such as
glycerin and propylene glycol.
[104] The liquid transfer means may transfer the liquid composition in the
liquid storage to
the heating element. The liquid transfer means may be, for example, a wick
such as
cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic, but is not
limited thereto.
[105] The heating element may be an element for heating the liquid
composition
transferred by the liquid transfer means. The heating element may be, for
example, a
metal heating wire, a metal heating plate, a ceramic heater, or the like, but
is not
limited thereto. In addition, the heating element may include a conductive
filament
such as a nichrome wire, and may be arranged in a structure wound around the
liquid
transfer means. The heating element may be heated as a current is supplied and
may
transfer heat to the liquid composition in contact with the heating element,
and may
thereby heat the liquid composition. As a result, an aerosol may be generated.
[106] For example, the vaporizer 14 may also be referred to as a cartomizer
or an atomizer,
but is not limited thereto.
[107] The aerosol-generating device 1 may further include general-purpose
components in
addition to the battery 11, the controller 12, the heater 13, and the
vaporizer 14. For
example, the aerosol-generating device 1 may include a display that outputs
visual in-
formation and/or a motor that outputs tactile information. In addition, the
aerosol-
generating device 1 may include at least one sensor (e.g., a puff sensor, a
temperature
sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, etc.). In addition, the
aerosol-generating
device 1 may be manufactured to have a structure allowing external air to be
in-
troduced or internal gas to flow out even while the cigarette 2 is inserted.
[108] According to an embodiment, the aerosol-generating device 1 may
constitute a
system along with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle may be used to
charge the
battery 11 of the aerosol-generating device 1. Alternatively, the cradle may
be used to
heat the heater 13, with the cradle and the aerosol-generating device 1
coupled.
[109] The cigarette 2 may be of a similar type to a general burning type.
For example, the
cigarette 2 may be divided into a first portion including an aerosol-
generating material
and a second portion including a filter or the like. Alternatively, the second
portion of
the cigarette 2 may also include the aerosol-generating material. For example,
the
aerosol-generating material provided in the form of granules or capsules may
be
inserted into the second portion.
[110] The first portion may be entirely inserted into the aerosol-
generating device 1, and
the second portion may be exposed outside. Alternatively, the first portion
may be
partially inserted into the aerosol-generating device 1, and the first portion
may be
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entirely inserted and the second portion may be partially inserted into the
aerosol-
generating device 1. The user may then inhale an aerosol with the second
portion in
their mouth. In this case, an aerosol may be generated as external air passes
through
the first portion, and the generated aerosol may pass through the second
portion to be
into the mouth of the user.
[111] For example, the external air may be introduced through at least one
air path formed
in the aerosol-generating device 1. In this example, the opening or closing
and/or the
size of the air path formed in the aerosol-generating device 1 may be adjusted
by the
user. Accordingly, an amount of atomization, a sense of smoking, or the like
may be
adjusted by the user. For another example, the external air may be introduced
into the
inside of the cigarette 2 through at least one hole formed on a surface of the
cigarette 2.
[112] Hereinafter, examples of the cigarette 2 will be described with
reference to FIGS. 9
and 10.
[113] FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective views of examples of a cigarette
according to an
example embodiment.
[114] A cigarette 2 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 may correspond to the cigarette
2 described
above with reference to FIG. lc.
[115] Referring to FIG. 9, the cigarette 2 may include a tobacco rod 21 and
a filter rod 22.
The first portion and the second portion described above with reference to
FIGS. 6
through 8 may include the tobacco rod 21 and the filter rod 22, respectively.
[116] Although the filter rod 22 is illustrated as having a single segment
in FIG. 9,
examples of which are not limited thereto. That is, the filter rod 22 may
include a
plurality of segments. For example, the filter rod 22 may include a segment
that cools
an aerosol and a segment that filters out certain components contained in an
aerosol. In
addition, the filter rod 22 may further include at least one segment that
performs
another function, as needed.
[117] A diameter of the cigarette 2 may be in a range of 5 millimeters (mm)
to 9 mm, and a
length thereof may be approximately 48 mm. However, the cigarette 2 is not
limited
thereto. For example, a length of the tobacco rod 21 may be approximately 12
mm, a
length of a first segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 10 mm, a
length of
a second segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 14 mm, and a length
of a
third segment of the filter rod 22 may be approximately 12 mm. However,
examples
are not limited thereto.
[118] The cigarette 2 may be wrapped with at least one wrapper 24. The
wrapper 24 may
have at least one hole through which external air is introduced or internal
gas is
discharged outside. For example, the cigarette 2 may be wrapped with one
wrapper 24.
For another example, the cigarette 2 may be wrapped with two or more wrappers
24 in
an overlapping manner. For example, the tobacco rod 21 may be wrapped with a
first
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wrapper 24a, and the filter rod 22 may be wrapped with wrappers 24b, 24c and
24d. In
addition, the cigarette 2 may be entirely wrapped again with a single wrapper
24e. For
example, when the filter rod 22 includes a plurality of segments, the segments
may be
wrapped with the wrappers 24b, 24c, and 24d, respectively.
[119] The first wrapper 24a and the second wrapper 24b may be formed of
general filter
wrapping paper. For example, the first wrapper 24a and the second wrapper 24b
may
be porous wrapping paper or non-porous wrapping paper. In addition, the first
wrapper
24a and the second wrapper 24b may be formed of oilproof paper and/or an
aluminum
laminated wrapping material.
[120] The third wrapper 24c may be formed of hard wrapping paper. For
example, a basis
weight of the third wrapper 24c may be in a range of 88 grams per square meter
(g/m2)
to 96 g/m2, and may be in a range of 90 g/m2 to 94 g/m2. In addition, a
thickness of the
third wrapper 24c may be in a range of 120 micrometers (p.m) to 130 p.m, and
may be
125 pm.
[121] The fourth wrapper 24d may be formed of oilproof hard wrapping paper.
For
example, a basis weight of the fourth wrapper 24d may be in a range of 88 g/m2
to 96
g/m2, and may be in a range of 90 g/m2 to 94 g/m2. In addition, a thickness of
the fourth
wrapper 24d may be in a range of 120 pm to 130 pm, and may be 125 pm.
[1221 The fifth wrapper 24e may be formed of sterile paper (e.g., MFW).
The sterilized
paper (MFW) refers to paper specially prepared to enhance tensile strength,
water re-
sistance, smoothness, or the like, compared to general paper. For example, a
basis
weight of the fifth wrapper 24e may be in a range of 57 g/m2 to 63 g/m2, and
may be
60g/m2. In addition, a thickness of the fifth wrapper 24e may be in a range of
64 pm to
70 pm, and may be 67 pm.
[123] The fifth wrapper 24e may have a predetermined material internally
added thereto.
The material may be, for example, silicon, but is not limited thereto. Silicon
may have
properties, such as, for example, heat resistance which is characterized by
less change
by temperature, oxidation resistance which refers to resistance to oxidation,
resistance
to various chemicals, water repellency against water, or electrical
insulation. However,
silicon may not be necessarily used, but any material having such properties
described
above may be applied (or coated) on the fifth wrapper 24e without limitation.
[124] The fifth wrapper 24e may prevent the cigarette 2 from burning. For
example, there
may be a probability that the cigarette 2 burns when the tobacco rod 21 is
heated by the
heater 13. For example, when the temperature rises above an ignition point of
any one
of materials included in the tobacco rod 21, the cigarette 2 may burn. Even in
this case,
it may still be possible to prevent the cigarette 2 from burning because the
fifth
wrapper 24e includes a non-combustible material.
[125] In addition, the fifth wrapper 24e may prevent a holder 1 from being
contaminated
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by substances produced in the cigarette 2. For example, liquid substances may
be
produced in the cigarette 2 by puffs from the user. For example, as an aerosol
generated in the cigarette 2 is cooled by external air, such liquid substances
(e.g.,
water, etc.) may be produced. Thus, wrapping the cigarette 2 with the fifth
wrapper 24e
may prevent the liquid substances produced in the cigarette 2 from leaking out
of the
cigarette 2.
[126] The tobacco rod 21 may include an aerosol-generating material. The
aerosol-
generating material may include, for example, at least one of glycerin,
propylene
glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene
glycol,
tetraethylene glycol, or oleyl alcohol, but is not limited thereto. The
tobacco rod 21
may also include other additives, such as, for example, a flavoring agent, a
wetting
agent, and/or an organic acid. In addition, the tobacco rod 21 may include a
flavoring
liquid such as menthol or a moisturizing agent that is added as being sprayed
onto the
tobacco rod 21.
[127] The tobacco rod 21 may be manufactured in various forms. For example,
the tobacco
rod 21 may be manufactured as a sheet or as a strand. The tobacco rod 21 may
also be
formed with a cut tobacco filler from finely cut tobacco sheets. In addition,
the tobacco
rod 21 may be enveloped by a heat-conductive material. The heat-conductive
material
may be, for example, a metal foil such as an aluminum foil, but is not limited
thereto.
For example, the heat-conductive material enveloping the tobacco rod 21 may
evenly
distribute the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 21 to improve the thermal
con-
ductivity to be applied to the tobacco rod 21, thereby improving the taste of
tobacco. In
addition, the heat-conductive material enveloping the tobacco rod 21 may
function as a
susceptor heated by an inductive heater. In this case, the tobacco rod 21 may
further
include a susceptor in addition to the heat-conductive material enveloping the
outside
thereof.
[1281 The filter rod 22 may be a cellulose acetate filter. However,
there is no limit to the
shape of the filter rod 22. For example, the filter rod 22 may be a
cylindrical rod, or a
tubular rod including a hollow therein. The filter rod 22 may also be a recess-
type rod.
For example, when the filter rod 22 includes a plurality of segments, at least
one of the
segments may be manufactured in a different shape.
[129] In this example, a first segment of the filter rod 22 may be a
cellulose acetate filter.
For example, the first segment may be a tubular structure including a hollow
therein. In
this example, the first segment may prevent internal materials of the tobacco
rod 21
from being pushed back when the heater 13 is inserted and generate an aerosol
cooling
effect. A diameter of the hollow included in the first segment may be adopted
from a
range of 2 mm to 4.5 mm, but is not limited thereto.
[130] A length of the first segment may be adopted from a range of 4 mm to
30 mm, but is
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not limited thereto. The length of the first segment may be 10 mm, but is not
limited
thereto.
[131] The first segment may have a hardness that is adjustable through an
adjustment of the
content of a plasticizer in a process of manufacturing the first segment. In
addition, the
first segment may be manufactured by inserting a structure such as a film or a
tube of
the same or different materials inside (e.g., the hollow).
[132] A second segment of the filter rod 22 may cool an aerosol generated
as the heater 13
heats the tobacco rod 21. The user may thus inhale the aerosol cooled down to
a
suitable temperature.
[133] A length or diameter of the second segment may be determined in
various ways
according to the shape of the cigarette 2. For example, a length of the second
segment
may be adopted from a range of 7 mm to 20 mm. For example, the length of the
second
segment may be approximately 14 mm, but is not limited thereto.
[134] The second segment may be manufactured by weaving polymer fiber. In
this case, a
flavoring liquid may be applied to fiber formed of a polymer. Alternatively,
the second
segment may be manufactured by weaving a separate fiber to which a flavoring
liquid
is applied and the fiber formed of the polymer together. Alternatively, the
second
segment may be formed with a crimped polymer sheet.
11351 For example, the polymer may be prepared with a material
selected from the group
consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate
(CA,) and
aluminum foil.
[136] As the second segment is formed with the woven polymer fiber
or the crimped
polymer sheet, the second segment may include a single channel or a plurality
of
channels extending in a longitudinal direction. A channel used herein may
refer to a
path through which a gas (e.g., air or aerosol) passes.
[1371 For example, the second segment formed with the crimped
polymer sheet may be
formed of a material having a thickness between approximately 5 m and ap-
proximately 30011m, for example, between approximately 10 [cm and
approximately
250 m. In addition, a total surface area of the second segment may be between
ap-
proximately 300 mm2/mm and approximately 1000 mm2/mm. Further, an aerosol
cooling element may be formed from a material having a specific surface area
between
approximately 10 mm2/mg and approximately 100 mm2/mg.
[1381 The second segment may include a thread containing a
volatile flavor ingredient. The
volatile flavor ingredient may be menthol, but is not limited thereto. For
example, the
thread may be filled with a sufficient amount of menthol to provide at least
1.5
milligrams (mg) of menthol to the second segment.
[139] A third segment of the filter rod 22 may be a cellulose
acetate filter. A length of the
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third segment may be adopted from a range of 4 mm to 20 mm. For example, the
length of the third segment may be approximately 12 mm, but is not limited
thereto.
[140] The third segment may be manufactured such that a flavor is generated
by spraying a
flavoring liquid onto the third segment in a process of manufacturing the
third
segment. Alternatively, a separate fiber to which the flavoring liquid is
applied may be
inserted into the third segment. An aerosol generated in the tobacco rod 21
may be
cooled as it passes through the second segment of the filter rod 22, and the
cooled
aerosol may pass through the third segment into the user. Accordingly, when a
flavoring element is added to the third segment, the durability of the flavor
to be
carried to the user may be enhanced.
[141] In addition, the filter rod 22 may include at least one capsule 23.
The capsule 23 may
perform a function of generating a flavor, or a function of generating an
aerosol. For
example, the capsule 23 may be of a structure in which a liquid containing a
fragrance
is wrapped with a film. The capsule 23 may have a spherical or cylindrical
shape, but
is not limited thereto.
[142] Referring to FIG. 10, a cigarette 3 may further include a front end
plug 33. The front
end plug 33 may be disposed on one side of a tobacco rod 31 opposite to a
filter rod
32. The front end plug 33 may prevent the tobacco rod 31 from escaping to the
outside,
and may also prevent an aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 31 during
smoking
from flowing into an aerosol-generating device (e.g., the aerosol-generating
device 1 of
FIGS. 6 through 8).
[143] The filter rod 32 may include a first segment 32a and a second
segment 32b. The first
segment 32a may correspond to the first segment of the filter rod 22 of FIG.
9, and the
second segment 32b may correspond to the third segment of the filter rod 22 of
FIG. 9.
[144] A diameter and a total length of the cigarette 3 may correspond to
the diameter and
the total length of the cigarette 2 of FIG. 9. For example, a length of the
front end plug
33 may be approximately 7 mm, a length of the tobacco rod 31 may be
approximately
15 mm, a length of the first segment 32a may be approximately 12 mm, and a
length of
the second segment 32b may be approximately 14 mm. However, examples are not
limited thereto.
[145] The cigarette 3 may be wrapped with at least one wrapper 35. The
wrapper 35 may
have at least one hole through which external air flows inside or internal gas
flows
outside. For example, the front end plug 33 may be wrapped with a first
wrapper 35a,
the tobacco rod 31 may be wrapped with a second wrapper 35b, the first segment
32a
may be wrapped with a third wrapper 35c, and the second segment 32b may be
wrapped with a fourth wrapper 35d. In addition, the cigarette 3 may be
entirely
wrapped again with a fifth wrapper 35e.
[146] In addition, at least one perforation 36 may be formed on the fifth
wrapper 35e. For
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example, the perforation 36 may be formed in an area surrounding the tobacco
rod 31,
but is not limited thereto. The perforation 36 may perform a function of
transferring
heat generated by the heater 13 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to the inside of the
tobacco rod
31.
[147] In addition, the second segment 32b may include at least one
capsule 34. The capsule
34 may perform a function of generating a flavor or a function of generating
an
aerosol. For example, the capsule 34 may have a structure in which a liquid
containing
a fragrance is wrapped with a film. The capsule 34 may have a spherical or
cylindrical
shape, but is not limited thereto.
[148] The first wrapper 35a may be a combination of general filter
wrapping paper and a
metal foil such as an aluminum foil. For example, a total thickness of the
first wrapper
35a may be in a range of 45 to 55
and may be 50.3 tm. In addition, a thickness
of the metal foil of the first wrapper 35a may be in a range of 6 p.m to 7
rim, and may
be 6.3 [cm. In addition, a basis weight of the first wrapper 35a may be in a
range of 50
g/m2 to 55 g/m2, and may be 53 g/m2.
[149] The second wrapper 35b and the third wrapper 35c may be
formed with general filter
wrapping paper. The second wrapper 35b and the third wrapper 35c may each be,
for
example, porous wrapping paper or non-porous wrapping paper.
[150] For example, the porosity of the second wrapper 35b may be
35000 CU, but is not
limited thereto. In addition, a thickness of the second wrapper 35b may be in
a range of
70 to 801.im, and may be 78 [mi. In addition, a basis
weight of the second wrapper
35b may be in a range of 20 g/m2 to 25 g/m2, and may be 23.5 g/m2.
[151] For example, the porosity of the third wrapper 35c may be
24000CU, but is not
limited thereto. In addition, a thickness of the third wrapper 35c may be in a
range of
60 p.m to 70 p.m, and may be 68 p.m. In addition, a basis weight of the third
wrapper
35c may be in a range of 20 g/m2 to 25 g/m2, and may be 21 g/m2.
[1521 The fourth wrapper 35d may be formed with polylactic acid
(PLA) laminated paper.
The PLA laminated paper may refer to three-ply paper including a paper layer,
a PLA
layer, and a paper layer. For example, a thickness of the fourth wrapper 35d
may be in
a range of 1001tm to 1201tm, and may be 110
In addition, a basis weight of the
fourth wrapper 35d may be in a range of 80 g/m2 to 100 g/m2, and may be 88
g/m2.
[153] The fifth wrapper 35e may be formed of sterile paper (e.g., MFW). The
sterile paper
(MFW) may refer to paper specially prepared such that it has enhanced tensile
strength, water resistance, smoothness, or the like, compared to general
paper. For
example, a basis weight of the fifth wrapper 35e may be in a range of 57 g/m2
to 63 g/
m2, and may be 60 g/m2. In addition, a thickness of the fifth wrapper 35e may
be in a
range of 64 [cm to 70 Lrn, and may be 67 [Am.
[154] The fifth wrapper 35e may have a predetermined material internally
added thereto.
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The material may be, for example, silicon, but is not limited thereto. Silicon
may have
properties, such as, for example, heat resistance which is characterized by
less change
by temperature, oxidation resistance which refers to resistance to oxidation,
resistance
to various chemicals, water repellency against water, or electrical
insulation. However,
silicon may not be necessarily used, but any material having such properties
described
above may be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 35e without limitation.
[155] The front end plug 33 may be formed of cellulose acetate. For
example, the front end
plug 33 may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to
cellulose
acetate tow. A mono denier of a filament constituting the cellulose acetate
tow may be
in a range of 1.0 to 10.0, and may be in a range of 4.0 to 6Ø The mono
denier of the
filament of the front end plug 33 may be more 5Ø In addition, a cross
section of the
filament constituting the front end plug 33 may be Y-shaped. A total denier of
the front
end plug 33 may be in a range of 20000 to 30000, and may be in a range of
25000 to
30000. For example, the total denier of the front end plug 33 may be 28000.
[156] In addition, as needed, the front end plug 33 may include at least
one channel, and a
cross section of the channel may be provided in various shapes.
[157] The tobacco rod 31 may correspond to the tobacco rod 21 described
above with
reference to FIG. 9. Thus, a more detailed and repeated description of the
tobacco rod
31 will be omitted here for conciseness.
[158] The first segment 32a may be formed of cellulose acetate. For
example, the first
segment 32a may be a tubular structure including a hollow therein. The first
segment
32a may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose
acetate
tow. For example, a mono denier and a total denier of the first segment 32a
may be the
same as the mono denier and the total denier of the front end plug 33.
[159] The second segment 32b may be formed of cellulose acetate. A mono
denier of a
filament constituting the second segment 32b may be in a range of 1.0 to 10.0,
and
may be in a range of 8.0 to 10Ø For example, the mono denier of the filament
of the
second segment 32b may be more 9Ø In addition, a cross section of the
filament of the
second segment 32b may be Y-shaped. A total denier of the second segment 32b
may
be in a range of 20000 to 30000, and may be 25000.
[160] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an aerosol-generating device
9 according to
another example embodiment.
[161] The aerosol-generating device 9 described hereinafter may correspond
to the
electronic device 100 described above with reference to FIGS. la through 2. A
display
93a or a user input unit 96 may correspond to the display unit 220 described
above
with reference to FIG. 2 or the display 120 described above with reference to
FIGS. la
through lc. A battery 94 may correspond to the battery 230 described above
with
reference to FIG. 2. A heater 95 may correspond to the heater 240 described
above
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with reference to FIG. 2.
[162] According to an example embodiment, the aerosol-generating device 9
may include a
controller 91, a sensing unit 92, an output unit 93, a battery 94, a heater
95, a user input
unit 96, a memory 97, and a communication unit 98. However, an internal
structure of
the aerosol-generating device 9 is not limited to what is shown in FIG. 11. It
is to be
understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present
disclosure
pertains that some of the components shown in FIG. 11 may be omitted or new
components may be added according to the design of the aerosol-generating
device 9.
[163] The sensing unit 92 may sense a state of the aerosol-generating
device 9 or a state of
an environment around the aerosol-generating device 9, and transmit sensing in-
formation obtained through the sensing to the controller 91. Based on the
sensing in-
formation, the controller 91 may control the aerosol-generating device 9 to
control op-
erations of the heater 95, restrict smoking, determine whether an aerosol-
generating
item (e.g., a cigarette, a cartridge, etc.) is inserted, display a
notification, and perform
other functions.
[164] The sensing unit 92 may include at least one of a temperature sensor
92a, an insertion
detection sensor 92b, or a puff sensor 92c, but is not limited thereto.
[165] The temperature sensor 92a may sense a temperature at which the
heater 95 (or an
aerosol-generating material) is heated. The aerosol-generating device 9 may
include a
separate temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the heater 95, or the
heater 95
itself may perform a function as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the
temperature
sensor 92a may be arranged around the battery 94 to monitor a temperature of
the
battery 94.
[166] The insertion detection sensor 92b may sense whether the aerosol-
generating item is
inserted or removed. The insertion detection sensor 92b may include, for
example, at
least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive
sensor, a ca-
pacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, or an infrared sensor, which may sense a
signal
change by the insertion or removal of the aerosol-generating item.
[167] The puff sensor 92c may sense a puff from a user based on various
physical changes
in an airflow path or airflow channel. For example, the puff sensor 92c may
sense the
puff based on any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage
change, and a
pressure change.
[168] The sensing unit 92 may further include at least one of a
temperature/humidity
sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration
sensor, a
gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)),
a
proximity sensor, and a red, green, blue (RGB) sensor (e.g., an illuminance
sensor), in
addition to the sensors 92a through 92c described above. A function of each
sensor
may be intuitively inferable from its name by those having ordinary skill in
the art, and
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thus a more detailed description thereof will be omitted here.
[169] The output unit 93 may output information about the state of the
aerosol-generating
device 9 and provide the information to the user. The output unit 93 may
include at
least one of a display 93a, a haptic portion 9311, or a sound outputter 93c,
but is not
limited thereto. When the display 93a and a touchpad are provided in a layered
structure to form a touchscreen, the display 93a may be used as an input
device in
addition to an output device.
[170] The display 93a may visually provide the information about the
aerosol-generating
device 9 to the user. The information about the aerosol-generating device 9
may
include, for example, a charging/discharging state of the battery 94 of the
aerosol-
generating device 9, a preheating state of the heater 95, an insertion/removal
state of
the aerosol-generating item, a limited usage state (e.g., an abnormal item
detected) of
the aerosol-generating device 9, or the like, and the display 93a may
externally output
the information. The display 93a may be, for example, a liquid-crystal display
panel
(LCD), an organic light-emitting display panel (OLED), or the like. The
display 93a
may also be in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED) device.
[171] The haptic portion 93b may provide the information about the aerosol-
generating
device 9 to the user in a haptic way by converting an electrical signal into a
mechanical
stimulus or an electrical stimulus. The haptic portion 93b may include, for
example, a
motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.
[172] The sound outputter 93c may provide the information about the aerosol-
generating
device 9 to the user in an auditory way. For example, the sound outputter 93c
may
convert an electric signal into a sound signal and externally output the sound
signal.
[173] The battery 94 may supply power to be used to operate the aerosol-
generating device
9. The battery 94 may supply power to heat the heater 95. In addition, the
battery 94
may supply power required for operations of the other components (e.g., the
sensing
unit 92, the output unit 93, the user input unit 96, the memory 97, and the
commu-
nication unit 98) included in the aerosol-generating device 9. The battery 94
may be a
rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. The battery 94 may be, for
example, a
lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.
[174] The heater 95 may receive power from the battery 94 to heat the
aerosol-generating
material. The aerosol-generating device 9 may further include a power
conversion
circuit (e.g., a direct current (DC)-to-DC (DC/DC) converter) that converts
power of
the battery 94 and supplies the power to the heater 95. In addition, when the
aerosol-
generating device 9 generates an aerosol by an inductive heating method, the
aerosol-
generating device 9 may further include a DC-to-alternating current (AC)
(DC/AC)
converter that converts DC power of the battery 94 into AC power.
[175] The controller 91, the sensing unit 92, the output unit 93, the user
input unit 96, the
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memory 97, and the communication unit 98 may receive power from the battery 94
to
perform functions. The aerosol-generating device 9 may further include a power
conversion circuit, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage
regulator
circuit, which converts power of the battery 94 and supplies the power to
respective
components.
[176] According to an example embodiment, the heater 95 may be formed of an
electrically
resistive material that is suitable. The electrically resistive material may
be a metal or a
metal alloy including, for example, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum,
nickel,
cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium,
manganese,
iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, or the like, but is not limited
thereto. In
addition, the heater 95 may be implemented as a metal heating wire, a metal
heating
plate on which an electrically conductive track is arranged, a ceramic heating
element,
or the like, but is not limited thereto.
[177] According to another example embodiment, the heater 95 may be an
inductive
heating-type heater. For example, the heater 95 may include a susceptor that
heats the
aerosol-generating material by generating heat through a magnetic field
applied by a
coil.
[178] According to an example embodiment, the heater 95 may include a
plurality of
heaters. For example, the heater 95 may include a first heater for heating a
cigarette
and a second heater for heating a liquid.
[179] The user input unit 96 may receive information input from the user or
may output in-
formation to the user. For example, the user input unit 96 may include a key
pad, a
dome switch, a touchpad (e.g., a contact capacitive type, a pressure resistive
film type,
an infrared sensing type, a surface ultrasonic conduction type, an integral
tension mea-
surement type, a piezo effect method, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, or the
like, but is
not limited thereto. In addition, the aerosol-generating device 9 may further
include a
connection interface such as a USB interface, and may be connected to another
external device through the connection interface such as a USB interface to
transmit
and receive information or to charge the battery 94.
[180] The memory 97, which is hardware for storing various pieces of data
processed in
the aerosol-generating device 9, may store data processed by the controller 91
and data
to be processed thereby. The memory 97 may include a storage medium of at
least one
type, for example, a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card
micro
type, a card type memory (e.g., an SD or XE memory), a random-access memory
(RAM), a static RAM (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable
programmable ROM (EEPROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), a magnetic
memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disc. The memory 97 may store an
operating
time of the aerosol-generating device 9, a maximum number of puffs, a current
number
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of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data associated with a smoking
pattern of the
user, or the like.
[181] The communication unit 98 may include at least one component for
communicating
with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit 98 may
include a
short-range communication unit 98a and a wireless communication unit 98b.
[182] The short-range communication unit 98a may include, for example, a
Bluetooth com-
munication unit, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication unit, a near-field
com-
munication (NFC) unit, a wireless local area network (WLAN) (or Wi-Fi) commu-
nication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an infrared data association
(IrDA) com-
munication unit, a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra-wideband
(UWB)
communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, or the like. However, the
examples
of which are not limited thereto.
[183] The wireless communication unit 98b may include, for example, a
cellular network
communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g.,
a local
area network (LAN) or a wide-area network (WAN)) communication unit, or the
like.
However, examples of which are not limited thereto. The wireless communication
unit
98b may use subscriber information (e.g., international mobile subscriber
identity
(IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol-generating device 9 in a
commu-
nication network.
[184] The controller 91 may control the overall operation of the aerosol-
generating device
9. According to an example embodiment, the controller 91 may include at least
one
processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of
logic gates,
or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and
a
memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. In
addition, it
is to be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the
present
disclosure pertains that it may be implemented in other types of hardware.
[185] The controller 91 may control the temperature of the heater 95 by
controlling the
supply of power from the battery 94 to the heater 95. For example, the
controller 91
may control the supply of power by controlling switching of a switch element
between
the battery 94 and the heater 95. For another example, a direct heating
circuit may
control the supply of power to the heater 95 according to a control command
from the
controller 91.
[186] The controller 91 may analyze a sensing result obtained by the
sensing of the sensing
unit 92 and control processes to be performed thereafter. For example, the
controller
91 may control power to be supplied to the heater 95 to start or end an
operation of the
heater 95 based on the sensing result obtained by the sensing unit 92. For
another
example, the controller 91 may control an amount of power to be supplied to
the heater
95 and a time for which the power is to be supplied, such that the heater 95
may be
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heated up to a predetermined temperature or maintained at a desired
temperature,
based on the sensing result of the sensing unit 92.
[187] The controller 91 may control the output unit 93 based on the sensing
result of the
sensing unit 92. For example, when the number of puffs counted through the
puff
sensor 92c reaches a preset number, the controller 91 may inform the user that
the
aerosol-generating device 9 is to be ended soon, through at least one of the
display 93a,
the haptic portion 93b, or the sound outputter 93c.
[188] According to an example embodiment, the controller 91 may control a
power supply
time and/or a power supply amount for the heater 95 according to a state of
the
aerosol-generating item sensed by the sensing unit 92. For example, when the
aerosol-
generating item is in an over-humidified state, the controller 91 may control
the power
supply time for an inductive coil to increase a preheating time, compared to a
case
where an aerosol-generating material is in a general state.
[189] The methods according to the example embodiments described herein may
be
recorded in non-transitory computer-readable media including program
instructions to
implement various operations of the example embodiments. The media may also
include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data files,
data
structures, and the like. The program instructions recorded on the media may
be those
specially designed and constructed for the purposes of example embodiments, or
they
may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the
computer
software arts. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include
magnetic
media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such
as CD-
ROM discs, DVDs, and/or Blue-ray discs; magneto-optical media such as optical
discs; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform
program
instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM),
flash
memory (e.g., USB flash drives, memory cards, memory sticks, etc.), and the
like.
Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as produced
by a
compiler, and files containing higher level code that may be executed by the
computer
using an interpreter. The devices described above may be configured to act as
one or
more software modules in order to perform the operations of the example em-
bodiments, or vice versa.
[190] The software may include a computer program, a piece of code, an
instruction, or
some combination thereof, to independently or collectively instruct or
configure the
processing device to operate as desired. Software and data may be embodied per-
manently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual
equipment, computer storage medium or device, or in a propagated signal wave
capable of providing instructions or data to or being interpreted by the
processing
device. The software may also be distributed over network coupled computer
systems
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so that the software is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The
software and
data may be stored by one or more non-transitory computer readable recording
mediums. The non-transitory computer readable recording mediums may include
any
data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a
computer
system or processing device.
[191] While this disclosure includes specific example embodiments, it will
be apparent to
one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may
be made in
these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and
their
equivalents. The examples described herein are to be considered in a
descriptive sense
only, and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects
in each
example are to be considered as being applicable to similar features or
aspects in other
examples. Suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are
performed
in a different order, and/or if components in a described system,
architecture, device,
or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented
by other
components or their equivalents.
[192] Therefore, the scope of the disclosure is defined not by the detailed
description, but
by the claims and their equivalents, and all variations within the scope of
the claims
and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the disclosure.
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