Aerosol-generating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12588704-B2
Application number	US-202117799613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2021
Priority date	Dec 21, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. The aerosol-generating device of the present disclosure includes a first container configured to accommodate an aerosol-generating substance, a heater configured to heat the aerosol-generating substance, a second container configured to be rotatable about a rotating shaft thereof and including a plurality of partitioned chambers, a first sensor configured to output a signal indicating rotation of the second container, at least one output device configured to output a message, and a controller. The controller outputs a message regarding at least one of arrangement or usage of the plurality of chambers through the at least one output device based on a signal received from the first sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
a first container configured to accommodate an aerosol-generating substance; a heater configured to heat the aerosol-generating substance of the first container; a second container configured to be rotatable with respect to the first container about a rotating shaft and comprising a plurality of partitioned chambers each configured to accommodate a medium therein; a first gear coupled with the second container; a second gear configured to be engaged with the first gear so as to rotate; at least one sensor comprising a first sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to rotation of the second container; at least one output device configured to output information; and a controller configured to output information via the at least one output device regarding at least one of arrangement or usage of the plurality of partitioned chambers based on a signal received from the at least one sensor, wherein the first sensor is a rotating rotary switch mounted coaxially with the second gear.

2 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine whether the plurality of partitioned chambers are located at preset correct positions based on the signal received from the first sensor of the at least one sensor, based on the plurality of partitioned chambers being located at the preset correct positions, output information via the at least one output device regarding usage of at least one of the plurality of partitioned chambers, and based on the plurality of partitioned chambers not being located at the preset correct positions, output a first error message via the at least one output device.

3 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 2 , wherein when the plurality of partitioned chambers are located at the preset correct positions, an aerosol generated in the first container is able to pass through one chamber of the plurality of partitioned chambers and remaining chambers other than the one chamber are sealed.

4 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
based on the plurality of partitioned chambers being located at the preset correct positions, determine an application chamber of the plurality of partitioned chambers through which an aerosol generated in the first container is able to pass, and output an individual message regarding usage of the application chamber via a first output device of the at least one output device.

5 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one sensor comprises a second sensor configured to sense inhalation by a user, wherein the controller is configured to: based on inhalation by the user being sensed by the second sensor in a state in which a first chamber of the plurality of partitioned chambers determined to be the application chamber, update usage of the first chamber, and based on the inhalation by the user ending, output the individual message regarding the updated usage of the first chamber via the first output device.

6 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 5 , wherein, based on the updated usage of the first chamber being greater than or equal to a preset reference, the controller is configured to output a first ending message indicating that the first chamber is unusable via a second output device of the at least one output device, wherein the second output device is different the first output device.

7 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 6 , wherein, based on usage of each of the plurality of partitioned chambers being greater than or equal to the preset reference, the controller is configured to output a second ending message indicating that all of the plurality of partitioned chambers are unusable via the second output device.

8 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
based on a change of the application chamber from a first chamber to a second chamber of the plurality of chambers, output the individual message regarding usage of the second chamber via the first output device, and output a universal message via the first output device indicating usage of all of the plurality of partitioned chambers after output of the individual message.

9 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a housing having a reception space formed therein to allow a cartridge comprising at least one of the first container or the second container to be inserted thereinto; and a cartridge detection sensor configured to sense mounting of the cartridge, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a first chamber of the plurality of partitioned chambers as the application chamber based on a signal received from the first sensor when mounting of the cartridge is sensed by the cartridge detection sensor, output the individual message regarding usage of the first chamber via the first output device, and output a universal message regarding usage of all of the plurality of partitioned chambers via the first output device after output of the individual message.

10 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 9 , wherein, based on demounting of the cartridge being sensed by the cartridge detection sensor, the controller is configured to output a second error message indicating demounting of the cartridge via the first output device.

11 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein, based on rotation of the second container being sensed by the first sensor, the controller is configured to output a message via the at least one output device indicating rotation of the second container.

12 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 11 , wherein the message indicates a change in positions of the plurality of partitioned chambers according to a direction in which the second container is rotated.

13 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of partitioned chambers are arranged around the rotating shaft of the second container.

Assignees

• Kt & G Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A24F40/51

  Arrangement of sensors · CPC title

• A24F40/57

  Temperature control · CPC title

• A24F40/46

  Shape or structure of electric heating means · CPC title

• G08B5/22

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• A24F40/53

  Monitoring, e.g. fault detection · CPC title