Aerosol-generating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12376622-B2
Application number	US-202217907934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2022
Priority date	Feb 8, 2021
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. The aerosol-generating device of the present disclosure includes a cartridge, which includes an inner wall defining an insertion space into which a stick is inserted and a chamber formed between the inner wall and an outer wall to store an aerosol-generating substance, a wick, which is disposed adjacent to one end of the insertion space, which is elongated so as to be connected to the chamber, and which has formed therein a hollow portion, a heater, which is configured to heat the wick, and a probe member, which is elongated such that at least a portion thereof is disposed in the insertion space. When the stick is inserted into the insertion space, the at least the portion of the probe member is inserted into the stick.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol-generating device comprising:
a cartridge including an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the inner wall defines an insertion space configured to accommodate insertion of a stick, and wherein a chamber configured to store an aerosol-generating substance is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall;
a wick comprising a hollow portion and disposed at an end of the insertion space;
a heater configured to heat the wick; and
an elongated probe member positioned such that at least a portion of the probe member protrudes into the insertion space,
wherein the at least the portion of the probe member is configured to be inserted into the stick when the stick is inserted into the insertion space, and
wherein the probe member is disposed in the hollow portion of the wick.

2. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the probe member has a pointed tip.

3. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the wick has a hollow cylindrical shape.

4. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the probe member is spaced apart from an inner surface of the hollow portion of the wick.

5. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an elongated isolation member disposed in the hollow portion in the wick, wherein the isolation member comprises a hollow portion,
wherein a diameter defined by an outer surface of the isolation member is smaller than a diameter defined by an inner surface of the hollow portion of the wick, and
wherein the probe member is disposed in the hollow portion in the isolation member.

6. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the wick includes porous ceramic.

7. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater is disposed between an inner surface of the hollow portion of the wick and an outer surface of the wick.

8. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater includes a coil having a shape of a spiral that surrounds the hollow portion of the wick and extends in a longitudinal direction of the wick.

9. An aerosol-generating device comprising:
a cartridge including an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the inner wall defines an insertion space configured to accommodate insertion of a stick, and wherein a chamber configured to store an aerosol-generating substance is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall;
a wick comprising a hollow portion and disposed at an end of the insertion space;
a heater configured to heat the wick;
an elongated probe member positioned such that at least a portion of the probe member protrudes into the insertion space; and
a controller configured to determine a state of the stick based on a capacitance detected near the probe member based on a current flowing through the probe member,
wherein the at least the portion of the probe member is configured to be inserted into the stick when the stick is inserted into the insertion space.

10. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine that the stick has been inserted into the insertion space based on the detected capacitance exceeding a first reference value; and
determine that the stick inserted into the insertion space is spent based on the detected capacitance exceeding a second reference value greater than the first reference value.

11. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to perform control to interrupt supply of power to the heater based on a determination that the stick is spent.

Assignees

• Kt & G Corp

Inventors

• Lee Jongsub
• Kim Minkyu
• Park Jueon
• Cho Byungsung

Classifications

• A24F40/51 Primary

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F40/44

  Wicks · CPC title

• A24F40/465

  specially adapted for induction heating · CPC title

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/65

  Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means · CPC title