Cleaning device and aerosol-generating system including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12075846-B2
Application number	US-202017268990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cleaning device and an aerosol-generating system including the same. Since the cleaning device according to an embodiment may receive electrical energy wirelessly from the aerosol-generating device, the cleaning device may operate without an internal battery or a wired power connection. Therefore, a weight of the cleaning device and its manufacturing cost may be reduced, and a user does not need to charge the cleaning device regularly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cleaning device used to clean an aerosol—generating device comprising a main coil for heating a heater, the cleaning device comprising:
a power receiver configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy from the aerosol-generating device;
a power converter configured to convert the electrical energy received by the power receiver to mechanical energy; and
a cleaning member configured to clean the aerosol-generating device by the mechanical energy,
wherein the power receiver includes a sub-coil configured to generate a current that is induced by the main coil.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the power converter includes a motor.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1 , further comprising: a sub-insertion groove; and a blocking member arranged to surround the sub insertion groove and to be surrounded by the sub-coil,
wherein the sub-coil is configured to be arranged to surround the sub insertion groove.

4. An aerosol-generating system comprising:
an aerosol-generating device comprising:
a battery;
a power transmitter configured to heat a heater by receiving power from the battery; and a controller configured to control the power supplied from the battery to the power transmitter; and
a cleaning device comprising:
a power receiver configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy from the power transmitter;
a power converter configured to convert the electrical energy received by the power receiver to mechanical energy; and
a cleaning member configured to clean the aerosol-generating device by the mechanical energy,
wherein the power transmitter includes a main coil for heating the heater, and
wherein the power receiver includes a sub-coil configured to generate a current that is induced by the main coil.

5. An aerosol-generating system comprising:
an aerosol-generating device comprising:
a battery;
a power transmitter configured to receive power from the battery; and a controller configured to control the power supplied from the battery to the power transmitter; and
a cleaning device comprising:
a power receiver configured to wirelessly receive electrical energy from the power transmitter;
a power converter configured to convert the electrical energy received by the power receiver to mechanical energy; and
a cleaning member configured to clean the aerosol-generating device by the mechanical energy
wherein
the power transmitter includes a main coil,
the power receiver includes a sub-coil configured to generate a current induced by the main coil,
the aerosol-generating system operates in a cleaning mode when the aerosol-generating device and the cleaning device are combined, and operates in a normal mode when the aerosol-generating device and the cleaning device are separated from each other, and
the controller controls the power such that a current having a first frequency flows through the main coil in the cleaning mode and a current having a second frequency flows through the main coil in the normal mode.

6. The aerosol-generating system of claim 5 , wherein the aerosol-generating device further includes a heater configured to be inductively heated by the main coil.

7. The aerosol-generating system of claim 5 , wherein the first frequency is identical to the second frequency.

8. The aerosol-generating system of claim 6 , wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency.

9. The aerosol-generating system of claim 8 , wherein
the current having the first frequency transmits electrical energy to the sub-coil such that the cleaning member operates, and
the current having the second frequency causes the main coil to inductively heat the heater.

10. The aerosol-generating system of claim 6 , wherein
the aerosol-generating device further includes a main insertion groove in which the heater is arranged and the cleaning device is inserted,
the cleaning device further includes a sub insertion groove into which the heater is inserted,
the main coil is arranged to surround the main insertion groove, and
the sub-coil is arranged to surround the sub insertion groove.

11. The aerosol-generating system of claim 10 , wherein the cleaning device further includes a blocking member arranged between the main coil and the heater while the aerosol-generating device and the cleaning device are combined, such that a magnetic field generated by the main coil is blocked by the blocking member.

12. The aerosol-generating system of claim 6 , wherein the heater is heated at a lower temperature in the cleaning mode than in the normal mode.

13. The aerosol-generating system of claim 10 , wherein
the cleaning mode includes a cleaning standby mode in which the cleaning member does not operate and a cleaning execution mode in which the cleaning member operates,
the aerosol-generating device further includes a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure applied against a bottom of the main insertion groove, and
the controller switches from the cleaning standby mode to the cleaning execution mode when the detected pressure is equal to or greater than a reference pressure.

Assignees

• Kt & G Corp

Inventors

• Park Sang Kyu

Classifications

• B08B1/34

  rotating about an axis parallel to the surface · CPC title

• B08B1/54

  using mechanical tools · CPC title

• B08B1/145

  Swabs · CPC title

• B08B1/12

  Brushes · CPC title

• A24F9/06

  for stems, e.g. brushes, needles, strings · CPC title