Electrically operated smoking device including a compact system for identifying smoking articles in the device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11166494-B2
Application number	US-201615735688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2016
Priority date	Aug 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

There is provided an electrically operated smoking device configured to receive a smoking article, the device including a housing defining a cavity configured to at least partially receive the smoking article; and a sensing system configured to detect indicia on the smoking article, the sensing system being disposed on a periphery of the cavity and including a light source, an image detector, and a plurality of microlenses disposed on the image detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrically operated smoking device configured to receive a smoking article, the device comprising:
a housing defining a cavity configured to at least partially receive the smoking article; and
a sensing system configured to detect indicia on the smoking article, the sensing system being disposed on a periphery of the cavity and comprising a light source, an image detector, and a plurality of microlenses disposed on the image detector,
wherein the plurality of microlenses are arranged in a one-dimensional array, and
wherein the one-dimensional array is arranged to extend in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the cavity.

2. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the light source and the image detector are both mounted on the printed circuit board.

3. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 2 , further comprising a support structure fixed to the printed circuit board, wherein the microlenses are held in the support structure.

4. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the cavity is cylindrical and has an open end through which the smoking article is received and a base at an opposite end to the open end, and
wherein the sensing system is disposed on a surface of the cavity between the open end of the cavity and the base.

5. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , further comprising an opaque shield disposed between the light source and the image detector.

6. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

7. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

8. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitters disposed on either side of the array of microlenses.

9. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to compare image data from the image detector with stored image data.

10. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control a supply of power to an aerosol-generating element dependent on an outcome of a comparison between the image data from the image detector and the stored image data.

11. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sliding receptacle configured to receive the smoking article and being movable towards an open end of the cavity for removal of the smoking article, wherein the sliding receptacle comprises an aperture positioned to allow for light from the light source to reach the smoking article.

12. The electrically operated smoking device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing system is positioned adjacent a curved external surface of the smoking article.

13. A smoking system, comprising:
a smoking article; and
an electrically operated smoking device configured to receive the smoking article, the device comprising:
a housing defining a cavity configured to at least partially receive the smoking article; and
a sensing system configured to detect indicia on the smoking article, the sensing system being disposed on a periphery of the cavity and comprising a light source, an image detector, and a plurality of microlenses disposed on the image detector,
wherein the plurality of microlenses are arranged in a one-dimensional array, and
wherein the one-dimensional array is arranged to extend in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the cavity.

14. The smoking system according to claim 13 , wherein the smoking article comprises indicia on an outer surface of the smoking article.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Gimkiewicz Christiane
• Eckert Rolf
• Franzi Edoardo
• Hasler David
• Stanley Ross

Classifications

• G02B3/005

  arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A24F40/20

  Devices using solid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/50 Primary

  Control or monitoring · CPC title

• A24F40/51

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F40/40

  Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts · CPC title