Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1
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Description
Title of Invention: AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE
Technical Field
[11 The following description relates to an aerosol generating
device.
Background Art
[2] An aerosol generating device is a device that extracts
certain components from a
medium or a substance by producing an aerosol. The medium may contain a multi-
component substance. The substance contained in the medium may be a multi-
component flavoring substance. For example, the substance contained in the
medium
may comprise a nicotine component, an herbal component, and/or a coffee
component,
and the like. Recently, the aerosol generating device is actively researched.
Disclosure of Invention
Technical Problem
[31 It is an objective of the present disclosure to solve the
above and other problems.
[4] It is another objective of the present disclosure to reduce
production costs of a
cartridge, in which a liquid is stored, by separating a heater.
[51 It is yet another objective of the present disclosure to
inform a user whether it is
required to replace a heater.
[6] It is yet another objective of the present disclosure to
increase reliability of a
coupling detection sensor for detecting coupling between a cartridge and a
main body.
[71 It is yet another objective of the present disclosure to
prevent a wick from being
overheated by a heater.
Solution to Problem
[81 In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure for
accomplishing the above
objectives, there is provided an aerosol generating device comprising: a main
body
having a power source; a wick disposed at the main body; a heater connected to
the
power source and configured to heat the wick; a container detachably coupled
to the
main body and having a storage space in which an aerosol generating material
is
contained; a medium having a first end connected to the storage space of the
container
and a second end in contact with the wick, so as to transfer the aerosol
generating
material to the wick; a first sensor disposed at the main body and connected
to the
power source and configured to sense a coupling of the container to the main
body;
and at least one processor configured to determine whether to replace the
heater based
on a total number of times that the first sensor senses the coupling of the
container to
the main body.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
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[91 According to at least one of the embodiments of the present
disclosure, production
costs of a cartridge for storing a liquid may be reduced by separating a
heater.
[10] According to at least one of the embodiments of the present
disclosure, information
on replacement of a heater may be provided to a user.
[11] According to at least one of the embodiments of the present
disclosure, it is possible
to increase reliability of a coupling detection sensor.
[12] According to at least one of the embodiments of the present
disclosure, by con-
trolling the operation of a heater, it is possible to prevent a wick from
being overheated
by the heater.
[13] Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become
apparent from
the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood
that the
detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred
embodiments of
the present disclosure, are given by illustration only, since various changes
and modi-
fications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will become
apparent to
those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
Brief Description of Drawings
[14] FIGS. 1 to 12 are diagrams illustrating examples of an aerosol
generating device
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Mode for the Invention
[15] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described
in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar elements
are
designated by the same reference numerals, and a redundant description thereof
will be
omitted.
[16] The terms "module" and "unit" for elements used in the following
description are
given simply in view of the ease of the description, and do not have a
distinguishing
meaning or role.
[17] In addition, it will be noted that a detailed description of known
arts will be omitted
if it is determined that the detailed description of the known arts can
obscure the em-
bodiments of the present disclosure. Further, the accompanying drawings are
used to
help easily understand various technical features and it should be understood
that the
embodiments presented herein are not limited by the accompanying drawings, and
the
present disclosure should be construed to extend to any alterations,
equivalents and
substitutes in addition to those which are particularly set out in the
accompanying
drawings.
[18] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.,
may be used herein
to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these
terms.
These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.
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[191 It will be understood that when an element is referred to as
being "connected" or
"coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the
other
element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element
is
referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another
element, there
are no intervening elements present.
[20] As used herein, the singular forms are intended to comprise the plural
forms as well,
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
[21] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device 1
according to an em-
bodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol
generating device 1
comprises a casing 30, a cap 20, a mouthpiece 10, a cartridge 40, and a main
body 50.
[22] The casing 30 may form the exterior of the aerosol generating device 1
along with
the cap 20. The casing 30 may comprise the upper part 31 and the lower part
32. The
cartridge 40 and the main body 50 may be disposed in the casing 30. An inner
surface
of the upper part 31 may be coupled to an outer surface of the cartridge 40.
An inner
surface of the lower part 32 may be coupled to an outer surface of the main
body 50.
When the upper part 31 and the lower part 32 are coupled to the cartridge 40
and the
main body 50 respectively, the upper part 31 and the lower part 32 may form a
continuous surface. A user may hold the aerosol generating device 1 by
gripping an
outer surface of the casing 30.
[23] The cap 20 may be coupled to the upper part 31. The mouthpiece 10 may
be
rotatably coupled to the cap 20. The cap 20 may comprise a receiving portion
21 in
which the mouthpiece 10 is received. The receiving portion 21 may be recessed
into
the aerosol generating device 1. The mouthpiece 10 may be rotated to be
received in
the receiving portion 21. The mouthpiece 10 having a hollow shape may have a
passage (not shown) formed therein, through which air flows. A user may inhale
aerosols, generated in the cartridge 40, through the mouthpiece 10.
[24] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the aerosol generating
device 1 according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol
generating
device 1 comprises a sensing unit 60, an output unit 70, a user input unit 80,
a
controller 90, a memory 91, and a battery 100.
[25] The sensing unit 60 comprises a coupling detection sensor 61, a liquid
volume sensor
62, a flow detection sensor 63, and a resistance detection sensor 64. The
coupling
detection sensor 61 may detect coupling between the cartridge 40 and the main
body
50. The liquid volume sensor 62 may detect a volume of an aerosol generating
material
contained in the cartridge 40. The flow detection sensor 63 may detect an air
flow in
the aerosol generating device 1. The resistance detection sensor 64 may detect
a re-
sistance value of a heater 57. The controller 90 may control operations of the
coupling
detection sensor 61, the liquid volume sensor 62, the flow detection sensor
63, and the
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resistance detection sensor 64.
[26] The output unit 70 may output information about a state of the aerosol
generating
device 1 and may provide the information to a user. For example, the output
unit 70
may provide the user with information on whether to replace the heater 57 and
whether
to charge the battery 100, and information on a remaining amount of the
aerosol
generating material contained in the container 42.
[27] The output unit 70 may comprise at least one of a display 71, a haptic
unit 72, and a
sound output unit 73, but is not limited thereto. In the case where the
display 71 and a
touch pad form a layer structure to be configured as a touch screen, the
display 71 may
also be used as an input device as well as an output device.
[28] The display 71 may visually provide information about the aerosol
generating device
1 to a user. For example, the information about the aerosol generating device
1 may
comprise a variety of information, such as a charging/discharging state of the
battery
100, a preheating state of the heater 57, an insertion/removal state of an
aerosol
generating article, or a state in which use of the aerosol generating device 1
is re-
stricted (e.g., detecting an abnormal article), etc., and the display 71 may
output the in-
formation to the outside. The display 71 may be, for example, a liquid crystal
display
(LCD) panel, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel, and the
like. In
addition, the display 71 may be a light emitting diode (LED).
[29] The haptic unit 72 may tactually provide information about the aerosol
generating
device 1 to a user by converting an electrical signal into a mechanical
stimulus or an
electrical stimulus. For example, the haptic unit 72 may comprise a motor, a
piezo-
electric element, or an electric stimulator.
[30] The sound output unit 73 may aurally provide information about the
aerosol
generating device 1 to a user. For example, the sound output unit 73 may
convert an
electrical signal into a sound signal and may output the signal to the
outside.
[311 The user input unit 80 may receive information input by a user or
may output in-
formation to the user. For example, the user input unit 80 may comprise a
keypad, a
dome switch, and a touch pad (capacitive overlay, resistive overlay, infrared
beam,
surface acoustic wave, integral strain gauge, piezoelectric touch screen,
etc.), a jog
wheel, a jog switch, etc., but is not limited thereto. Although not
illustrated in FIG. 6,
the aerosol generating device 1 may further comprise a connection interface,
such as a
universal serial bus (USB) interface, and may be connected to another external
device
via the connection interface, such as the USB interface and the like, to
transmit and
receive information and to charge the battery 100.
[32] The controller 90 may control operations of the coupling detection
sensor 61, the
liquid volume sensor 62, and the flow detection sensor 63. The controller 90
may store
information in the memory 91. The controller 90 may control the heater 57. The
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controller 90 may control the sensing unit 60, the output unit 70, the user
input unit 80,
and the heater 57. The controller 90 may comprise at least one processor.
[33] Meanwhile, when the cartridge 40 is separated from the main body 50,
the controller
90 may stop the operation of the heater 57. When the cartridge 40 is
separated, an
amount of liquid supplied to a wick 56 is reduced, such that the wick 56 may
be
overheated. By stopping the operation of the heater 57, the controller 90 may
prevent
overheating of the wick 56.
[34] The controller 90 may store information in the memory 91 or may
retrieve in-
formation from the memory 91. The memory 91 is hardware for storing various
data
processed in the aerosol generating device 1, and may store data processed by
the
controller 90 as well as data to be processed by the controller 90. The memory
91 may
comprise at least one storage medium having at least one type of a flash
memory type,
a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type (e.g., a SD
memory, a XD
memory, or the like), a random access memory (RAM) a static random access
memory
(SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-
only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic
memory, a magnetic disc, and an optical disc. The memory 91 may store an
operating
time, a maximum number of puffs, a current number of puffs, at least one
temperature
profile, and data on a user's smoking pattern, and the like. The memory 91 may
store a
reference pressure value, a reference resistance value, and a reference number
of
coupling times.
[35] The battery 100 may supply power to the aerosol generating device 1.
The battery
100 may supply electric power to the controller 90. The battery 100 may be
connected
to an external power source via a terminal 101 (see FIG. 4). The battery 100
may be
referred to as a power source. The battery 100 may be a rechargeable battery
or a
disposable battery. For example, the battery 100 may be a lithium polymer
(LiPoly)
battery but is not limited thereto. The battery 100 may be referred to as a
power source.
[36] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the aerosol
generating device
1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-
sectional
view of a portion of the aerosol generating device 1 according to an
embodiment of the
present disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cartridge 40 comprises a
medium 41
and a container 42. The main body 50 comprises a base 51, a column 52, a
window 53,
a protrusion 54, a through-hole 55, the wick 56, the heater 57, a mounting
space 58,
and a first flow space 59.
[37] The cartridge 40 may store the aerosol generating material 1. The
cartridge 40 may
be detachably coupled to the main body 50. The cartridge 40 may have an
elongated
shape. The cartridge 40 may be covered by the casing 30. Meanwhile, the
cartridge 40
and the mouthpiece 10 may be integrally separated from the main body 50. A
user may
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integrally replace the cartridge 40 and the mouthpiece 10.
[38] The medium 41 may be disposed on an outer surface of the cartridge 40.
The
medium 41 may absorb the aerosol generating material 1 contained in the
container 42.
The medium 41 may retain the liquid 1. For example, the medium 41 may be made
of a
felt material or sponge such as polyester foam and the like. The aerosol
generating
material 1 may be in a liquid state or a gel state at room temperature. The
aerosol
generating material 1 may be referred to as a liquid-type or gel-type
material.
[39] The medium 41 may have a hole 411 through which the liquid 1 passes.
The hole 411
of the medium 41 may be a concept that comprises a fine gap formed between
substances of the medium 41. For example, the hole 41 may have a diameter
ranging
from 1 mm to 2 mm or from 0.01 mm to 0.02 mm.
[40] The medium 41 may have a shape corresponding to a shape of the wick
56. The
medium 41 may be disposed on a lateral wall 422 of the container 42. When the
cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50, the medium 41 may come into
contact
with the wick 56 mounted in the main body 50.
[41] The medium 41 may transfer an aerosol generating material, contained
in the
container 42, to the wick 56. The medium 41 may mediate movement of the
aerosol
generating material between the inside of the container 42 and the wick 56.
The
aerosol generating material 1 contained in the container 42 may diffuse to the
wick 56
through the medium 41.
[42] The container 42 comprises a window 421, a lateral wall 422, a bottom
surface 423,
and a groove 425. The container 42 may comprise a storage space 424 formed
therein.
The storage space 424 may contain the liquid 1.
[43] The window 421 may be formed of a translucent or transparent material.
The
window 421 may be disposed on the lateral wall 422 of the container 42. The
window
421 may face the window 53 of the main body 50. Meanwhile, the window 421 may
be integrally formed with the lateral wall 422. The window 421 may refer to a
region
of the lateral wall 422.
[44] A volume of the liquidl in the container 42 may be seen with the naked
eye through
the window 421. The liquid volume sensor 62 may detect the volume of the
liquid 1,
contained in the container 42, through the windows 421 and 53. The controller
90 may
provide information about the volume of the liquid 1, which is detected by the
liquid
volume sensor 62, to the outside of the aerosol generating device 1 through
the output
unit 70. The liquid volume sensor 62 may be a capacitance sensor.
[45] The lateral wall 422 of the container 42 may have a cylindrical shape.
The lateral
wall 422 may define the storage space 424. The lateral wall 422 may be
elongated.
When the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50, the lateral wall 422
which is
elongated may have one end disposed inside of the base 51 and another end
disposed
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outside of the base 51. The lateral wall 422 may be formed of a translucent or
transparent material.
[46] The groove 425 may be formed in an outer surface of the container 42.
The main
body 50 may comprise the protrusion 512 coupled to the groove 425 of the
container
42. The container 42 may have a plurality of grooves 425, and the main body 50
may
have a plurality of protrusions 512. Meanwhile, unlike this embodiment, a
protruding
portion may be formed on the cartridge 40, and a recessed portion, in which
the
protruding portion is received, may be formed in the main body 50.
[47] The bottom surface 423 of the container 42 may face a portion of the
base 51. When
the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50, the bottom surface 423 may
come
into contact with the coupling detection sensor 61 installed on the base 51.
When the
groove 425 of the container 42 and the protrusion 512 of the main body 50 are
coupled
to each other, the bottom surface 423 may be disposed adjacent to the base 51.
The
bottom surface 423 may press the coupling detection sensor 61.
[48] The main body 50 may comprise the mounting space 58 in which the
controller 90
and the battery 100 are disposed. The main body 50 may have a shape which is
elongated in a longitudinal direction of the lateral wall 422. The main body
50 may be
covered by the casing 30. The protrusion 54 may be formed on an outer surface
of the
main body 50. The casing 30 may be coupled to the protrusion 54 of the main
body 50.
[49] The base 51 may be disposed at an outer end of the main body 50. The
base 51 may
be recessed into the main body 50. The base 51 may define a space in which the
cartridge 40 is mounted. The base 51 may have a protrusion 512. The protrusion
512
may protrude from the base 51 toward the cartridge 40. The column 52 may be
formed
on one side of the base 51. One end of the lateral wall 422 may be inserted
into the
base 51.
[50] The base 51 comprises a side wall 511 and a facing surface 513. The
side wall 511 of
the base 51 may face the lateral wall 422 of the container 42 mounted to the
main body
50. The side wall 511 of the base 51 may be connected to the column 52. The
facing
surface 513 may face the bottom surface 423 of the container 42. The coupling
detection sensor 61 may be disposed on the facing surface 513.
[51] The column 52 may be elongated in the longitudinal direction of the
lateral wall 422.
The column 52 may have a hollow shape. The column 52 may support the lateral
wall
422 of the container 42. The liquid volume sensor 62 may be installed in the
column
52. The liquid volume sensor 62 may face the window 53. The column 52 may have
the flow space 522 and the hole 521.
[52] The hole 521 may communicate with the outside of the aerosol
generating device 1.
The hole 521 may be disposed at one end of the column 52. The column 52 may
have
the flow space 522 formed therein. The aerosol generated by the heater 57 may
se-
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quentially flow (b and c) through the flow space 522 and the hole 521. The
flow
detection sensor 63 may be installed at a position adjacent to the hole 521.
[53] The flow detection sensor 63 may be a pressure sensor for measuring
ambient at-
mospheric pressure. When there is a change in air flow around the flow
detection
sensor 63, the flow detection sensor 63 may detect air flowing around the flow
detection sensor 63.
[54] The window 53 may face the lateral wall 422 of the container 42
mounted to the
main body 50. The window 53 may be interposed between the container 42 and the
liquid volume sensor 62. The window 53 may be formed of a translucent or
transparent
material. Light may pass through the window 53.
[55] The through-hole 55 may be formed in an outer surface of the main body
50. The
through-hole 55 may communicate with the flow space 59 of the main body 50.
The
through-hole 55 may communicate with the outside of the aerosol generating
device 1.
Air outside of the aerosol generating device 1 may be introduced into the flow
space
59 through the through-hole 55.
[56] A user may inhale the generated aerosol through the mouthpiece 10. The
air outside
the aerosol generating device 1 may sequentially pass through the through-hole
55, the
flow spaces 59 and 522, the hole 521, and the mouthpiece 10, to be inhaled by
the user.
[57] The wick 56 may be disposed in the main body 50. When the cartridge 40
is mounted
to the main body 50, the wick 56 may face the medium 41. The wick 56 may come
into contact with the medium 41. A portion of the wick 56 may be exposed to
the
outside of the main body 50. The wick 56 may absorb the liquid 1. For example,
the
wick 56 may be made of a ceramic material. The heater 57 may be disposed
around the
wick 56.
[58] Meanwhile, the ceramic material, which is a porous material, may
absorb and retain
the liquid 1. The ceramic wick 56 is advantageous in that the wick 56 is
capable of
being used repeatedly and has a longer replacement period, compared to an
existing
cotton or silica wick. In this example of the present disclosure in which the
wick 56 is
mounted in the main body 50, a ceramic wick 56 is used, thereby resolving
incon-
venience caused by frequent replacement.
[59] The heater 57 may be formed as a wire through which electricity flows.
The heater
57 may be wound several times around the wick 56. The heater 57 may heat the
liquid
absorbed into the wick 56. The heater 57 may extend into the mounting space 58
to be
connected to the battery 100 and the controller 90. The heater 57 may be
supplied with
power from the battery 100.
[60] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-sectional view of
FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 5, the lateral wall 422 comprises a first extended portion
422a, a
second extended portion 422b, and a connection portion 422c. The side wall 511
of the
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base 51 may comprise a close contact portion 511a.
[61] The connection portion 422c of the lateral wall 422 may
connect the first extended
portion 422a and the second extended portion 422b. The first extended portion
422a
and the second extended portion 422b may extend in the longitudinal direction
of the
lateral wall 422. When the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50, the
first
extended portion 422a may he disposed inside of the base 51. When the
cartridge 40 is
mounted to the main body 50, the second extended portion 422b may be disposed
outside of the base 51. The connection portion 422c may extend in a direction
per-
pendicular to the longitudinal direction of the circumferential surface 422.
For
example, the connection portion 422c may extend in a direction orthogonal to
the lon-
gitudinal direction of the lateral wall 422.
[621 The close contact portion 511a may be disposed at a position
facing the wick 56. The
close contact portion 511a and come into contact with the first extended
portion 422a.
A thickness of the close contact portion 511a may increase in a direction from
one end
of the side wall 511 toward the facing surface 513. A thickness W1 of the
close contact
portion 511a at a position adjacent to the one end of the wide wall 511 may be
smaller
than a thickness W2 of the close contact portion 511a at a position adjacent
to the
facing surface 513. When the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50, the
container 42 may be in close contact with the wick 56 via the close contact
portion
511a.
[63] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the medium 41 and the wick 56
according to an em-
bodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 6, the medium 41 may
have a
plurality of holes 411. After passing through the holes 411 of the medium 41,
the
liquidl may be absorbed into the wick 56. The medium 41 and the wick 56 may
have
shapes corresponding to each other. The medium 41 and the wick 56 may face
each
other. The medium 41 and the wick 56 may have different sizes. The wick 56 may
have a larger size than the medium 41. A portion of the wick 56 may protrude
into the
column 52. The heater 57 may be wound several times around a protruding
portion of
the wick 56.
[64] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a portion of the aerosol generating
device 1 according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating
pressure
values measured by the coupling detection sensor 61 according to an embodiment
of
the present disclosure.
[65] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, when the cartridge 40 is mounted to the
main body 50,
the bottom surface 423 of the container 42 may press the coupling detection
sensor 61.
When the cartridge 40 is separated from the main body 50, the coupling
detection
sensor 61 may be restored. When the coupling detection sensor 61 is pressed
against
the bottom surface 423 of the container 42, the coupling detection sensor 61
may
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measure pressure values according to a pressed degree. The coupling detection
sensor
61 may transmit information on the measured pressure values to the controller
90.
[66] When the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50 at ti, the
coupling detection
sensor 61 is pressed against the bottom surface 423 of the container 42, such
that a
pressure value measured by the coupling detection sensor 61 may increase. When
the
cartridge 40 is separated from the main body 50 at t2, a pressed degree of the
coupling
detection sensor 61 that is pressed against the bottom surface 423 of the
container 42
decreases, such that a pressure value measured by the coupling detection
sensor 61
may decrease.
[67] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the aerosol
generating
device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to
FIG. 9, the
method of controlling the aerosol generating device 1 may comprise powering on
the
aerosol generating device 1 (Si).
[68] The method of controlling the aerosol generating device 1 may comprise
detecting
coupling between the cartridge 40 and the main body 50 (S2). The coupling
detection
sensor 61 may detect coupling between the cartridge 40 and the main body 50.
The
detecting of coupling (S2) may comprise detecting by the coupling detection
sensor 61
(S21) and detecting based on a resistance value of the heater 57 (S22), which
will be
described in detail below.
[69] The method of controlling the aerosol generating device 1 may comprise
determining
whether the heater is activated (S3). After coupling between the cartridge 40
and the
main body 50 is detected, it is detected whether the heater 57 is activated.
For example,
the controller 90 may detect whether power is supplied to the heater 57. In
this manner,
aerosols may be generated and inhaled after the cartridge 40 is mounted to the
main
body 50, such that it is possible to determine whether the aerosol generating
device 1 is
activated.
PO] When the heater 57 is not activated after the cartridge 40
is mounted to the main
body 50, the controller 90 may not comprise a preceding coupling operation
between
the cartridge 40 and the main body 50 in a total number of coupling times.
When the
heater 57 is activated after the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50,
the
controller 90 may comprise the preceding coupling operation between the
cartridge 40
and the main body 50 in the total number of coupling times.
[71] The method of controlling the aerosol generating device 1 may comprise
calculating
the total number of coupling times (S4). The total number of coupling times
may refer
to a total number of times that the cartridge 40 is coupled to the aerosol
generating
device 1. The controller 90 may cumulatively calculate the total number of
coupling
times.
[72] For example, if the coupling detection sensor 61 detects that the
number of times of
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coupling between the cartridge 40 and the main body 50 is five, the controller
90 may
calculate the total number of coupling times to be five. Then, if the coupling
detection
sensor 61 further detects that the number of times of coupling between the
cartridge 40
and the main body 50 is five, the controller 90 may calculate the total number
of
coupling times to be 10.
[73] The method of controlling the aerosol generating device 1 may comprise
comparing
the calculated total number of coupling times with a predetermined reference
total
number of coupling times (S5). The controller 90 may compare the total number
of
coupling times, which is cumulatively calculated, with the predetermined
reference
total number of coupling times stored in the memory 91. The controller 90 may
determine whether the total number of coupling times, which is cumulatively
calculated, is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference total
number of
coupling times stored in the memory 91.
[74] For example, if the calculated total number of coupling times is 10,
and the prede-
termined reference total number of coupling times is 9, the controller 90 may
determine, based on magnitude comparison, that the calculated total number of
coupling times is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference total
number of
coupling times.
[75] For example, if the calculated total number of coupling times is 8,
and the prede-
termined reference total number of coupling times is 9, the controller 90 may
determine, based on magnitude comparison, that the calculated total number of
coupling times is less than the predetermined reference total number of
coupling times.
[76] If the calculated total number of coupling times is greater than or
equal to the prede-
termined reference total number of coupling times, the controller 90 may
determine
that it is required to replace the heater 57. If the calculated total number
of coupling
times is less than the predetermined reference total number of coupling times,
the
controller 90 may determine that it is not required to replace the heater 57.
[77] The method of controlling the aerosol generating device 1 may comprise
informing
that it is required to replace the heater 57 (S6). Upon determining that it is
required to
replace the heater 57, the controller 90 may provide information about the
need to
replace the heater 57 to the outside of the aerosol generating device 1.
[78] For example, upon determining that it is required to replace the
heater 57, the
controller 90 may visually inform that it is required to replace the heater 57
through the
display 71. Upon determining that it is required to replace the heater 57, the
controller
90 may tactually inform that it is required to replace the heater 57 through
the haptic
unit 72. Upon determining that it is required to replace the heater 57, the
controller 90
may aurally inform that it is required to replace the heater 57 through the
sound output
unit 73.
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[79] Referring to FIG. 10, the detecting of coupling (S2) may comprise
detecting coupling
by the coupling detection sensor 61 (S21). The detecting of coupling by the
coupling
detection sensor 61 may comprise detecting a pressure variation by the
coupling
detection sensor 61 (S211), comparing the detected pressure variation with a
prede-
termined reference pressure variation (S212), and determining that the
cartridge 40 and
the main body 50 are coupled (S213).
[80] Referring to FIG. 11, the detecting of coupling (S22) may comprise
detecting
coupling based on a resistance value of the heater 57 (S22).
[81] The detecting of coupling based on the resistance value of the heater
57 (S22) may
comprise detecting a resistance variation of the heater 57 (S221), comparing
the
detected resistance variation with a predetermined reference resistance
variation
(S222), and determining that the cartridge 40 and the main body 50 are coupled
(S223).
[82] When the cartridge 40 is mounted to the main body 50, the liquid 1
contained in the
container 42 may be absorbed into the wick 56 through the medium 41. The
heater 57
is wound around the wick 56 and in contact with the wick 56, such that the
resistance
value of the heater 57 may be changed by the liquid absorbed into the wick 56.
The
controller 90 may detect coupling between the cartridge 40 and the main body
50
based on the resistance value of the heater 57 which is detected by the
resistance
detection sensor 64.
[83] For example, by detecting current values applied to the heater 57 with
respect to the
same voltage, the controller 90 may detect the resistance value of the heater
57. By
comparing a resistance variation of the heater 57 with a resistance variation
stored in
the memory 91, the controller 90 may detect whether the cartridge 40 and the
main
body 50 are coupled.
[84] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device l'
according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure. In the aerosol generating device l'
according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure, a stick 10' may be inserted into a
column 52'.
[85] The aerosol generating device l' illustrated in FIG. 12 has the same
configuration as
the aerosol generating device 1 illustrated in FIG. 4, except the mouthpiece
10 and the
column 52'. Accordingly, redundant description thereof will be omitted.
[86] A user may inhale the generated aerosols through the stick 10'. A
stopper 200, which
serves to fix the position of the stick 10' inserted into the column 52', may
be formed
on the inside of the column 52'. The stick 10' inserted into the column 52'
may be
supported by the stopper 200. A plurality of stoppers 200 may be formed on the
inside
of the column 52.
[87] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 12, an aerosol generating device 1 according
to an em-
bodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a main body 50 having a power
source
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100; a wick 56 disposed in the main body 50; a heater 57 disposed in the main
body
50, connected to the power source 100, and heating the wick 56; a container 42
de-
tachably coupled to the main body 50 and having a storage space 424 in which
an
aerosol generating material 1 is contained; a medium 41 having a first end 412
connected to the storage space 424 and a second end 413 coming into contact
with the
wick 56, so as to transfer the aerosol generating material Ito the wick 56; a
sensor 61
disposed in the main body 50 to be connected to the power source 100 and
configured
to detect a coupling of the container 42 to the main body 50; and a controller
90
configured to determine whether to replace the heater 57 based on a total
number of
times of coupling between the container 42 and the main body 50 which is
sensed by
the sensor 61.
1881 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure,
the controller 90 may be
configured to: calculate the total number of coupling times by calculating a
sum total
of the number of times of coupling between the main body 50 and the container
42
which is sensed by the first sensor 61; and to determine whether to replace
the heater
57 by comparing the total number of coupling times with a predetermined
reference
total number of coupling times.
[89] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the aerosol
generating
device 1 may further comprise an output unit 70 configured to provide
information on
whether to replace the heater 57 to an outside, wherein in response to the
total number
of coupling times exceeding the predetermined reference number of coupling
times,
the controller 90 may provide the information on whether to replace the heater
57
through the output unit 70.
[90] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, when the
heater 57 is not
activated after the first sensor 61 detects coupling between the container 42
and the
main body 50, the controller 90 may not comprise the number of coupling times,
which
is detected by the first sensor 61, in the total number of coupling times.
[91] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the main
body 50 may
comprise a base 51 on which the container 42 is mounted, wherein the first
sensor 61 is
disposed at the base 51 to come into contact with the container 42 mounted to
the main
body 50.
[92] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first
sensor 61 is a
pressure sensor coming into contact with the container 42 to measure a
pressure value,
wherein the controller may detect coupling between the main body 50 and the
container 42 by comparing a pressure variation, detected by the first sensor,
with a pre-
determined reference pressure value.
[93] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the main
body 50 may
comprise a protrusion 512 protruding from the base 51, and the container 52
may
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comprise a groove 425 which is formed on an outer surface thereof and into
which the
protrusion 512 is inserted.
[94] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first
sensor 61 may
protrude toward the container 42 to come into contact with the outer surface
of the
container 42.
[95] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the medium
41 may be
provided at one side of the container 42 and may be disposed between the
storage
space 424 and the wick 56.
[96] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the
container 42 may
comprise a lateral wall 422 which is elongated and defines the storage space
424,
wherein the medium 41 may be disposed on the lateral wall 422.
1971 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure,
the main body 50 may
comprise a flow space 522 formed in the main body 50, extending outside of the
lateral
wall 422 in a longitudinal direction of the lateral wall 422, and allowing a
periphery of
the wick 56 to communicate with an outside.
[98] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the wick 56
may be
partially exposed outside of the main body 50.
[99] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the aerosol
generating
device 1 may further comprise a second sensor 64 configured to measure a
resistance
value of the heater 57, wherein the heater 57 may comprise a wire coming into
in
contact with the wick 56, wherein the controller 90 may detect coupling
between the
main body 50 and the container 42 by comparing a resistance variation of the
heater
57, which is detected by the second sensor 64, with a predetermined reference
re-
sistance value.
[100] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, when the
container 42 is
separated from the main body 50, the controller 90 may stop operation of the
heater 57.
[1011 Certain embodiments or other embodiments of the disclosure
described above are not
mutually exclusive or distinct from each other. Any or all elements of the
embodiments
of the disclosure described above may be combined with another or combined
with
each other in configuration or function.
[102] For example, a configuration "A" described in one embodiment of the
disclosure and
the drawings and a configuration "B" described in another embodiment of the
disclosure and the drawings may be combined with each other. Namely, although
the
combination between the configurations is not directly described, the
combination is
possible except in the case where it is described that the combination is
impossible.
[103] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number
of il-
lustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other
modi-
fications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will
fall
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within the scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly,
various
variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or
arrangements
of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the
drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications
in the
component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those
skilled in the art.
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