A side-stream smoke removal device including a HEPA filter

Abstract

A sidestream smoke removal device includes a housing in which a smoking space is defined, a product insertion portion positioned on one end of the housing and having an open area through which a smoking article is inserted into the smoking space, and a sidestream smoke treatment portion positioned at a distance from an upstream end of the smoking article inserted into the smoking space and configured to treat sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article. The sidestream smoke treatment portion includes a filter including a pleated HEPA filter capable of filtering the sidestream smoke, and a ventilator configured to allow the sidestream smoke to be discharged through the filter. The sidestream smoke removal device using the pleated HEPA filter achieves superior functionality in terms of removal rate and durability of the sidestream smoke, while achieving a flow suitable for smoking in the sidestream smoke removal device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a sideflow smoke removal device including a HEPA filter. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a sideflow smoke removal device including a pleated HEPA filter capable of filtering sideflow smoke.

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0148382, filed on November 2, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, as stated herein. Background Technology

[0003] Cigarette smoke can be classified into mainstream smoke delivered to the mouth through a cigarette filter and sidestream smoke emitted into the air without a filter.

[0004] A sideflow smoke remover is a smoking accessory designed to reduce cigarette smoke odor on the hands, remove (or purify) sideflow smoke, etc. Sideflow smoke removers typically define an enclosed smoking space and include a sideflow smoke remover. Users can smoke by inserting a cigarette into the smoking space within the sideflow smoke remover.

[0005] To improve the functionality of sideflow smoke removal devices, a filter is needed that can effectively remove the large amounts of sideflow smoke generated during smoking. Specifically, sideflow smoke removal devices require a filter that offers excellent deodorization performance for large amounts of sideflow smoke while remaining compact in size. In this regard, the inventors have completed this invention through continuous research into such a filter.

[0006] Reference List

[0007] Patent documents

[0008] Patent document 1: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0307165. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues

[0010] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a sideflow smoke removal device including a filter capable of effectively removing sideflow smoke.

[0011] Technical solutions

[0012] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a sideflow smoke removal device is provided, comprising: a housing defining a smoking space; an article insertion portion positioned at one end of the housing and having an opening region through which a smoking article is inserted into the smoking space; and a sideflow smoke treatment portion positioned at a distance from an upstream end of the smoking article inserted into the smoking space and configured to treat sideflow smoke generated from the smoking article.

[0013] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the sideflow smoke treatment section may include: a filter including a pleated HEPA filter capable of filtering sideflow smoke; and a fan configured to allow sideflow smoke to be discharged through the filter.

[0014] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the pleated HEPA filter may conform to the vertical internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device at the location where the pleated HEPA filter is applied.

[0015] As one embodiment of this disclosure, a pleated HEPA filter may include a base layer and a filter layer.

[0016] As one embodiment of this disclosure, one or both surfaces of the base layer may be coated with a filter layer.

[0017] As one embodiment of this disclosure, when a filter layer is coated on one surface of the base layer, the base layer can be positioned to face the inserted smoking article.

[0018] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the number of ridges defined by the corrugated portion of the pleated HEPA filter may be equal to or greater than 5 and less than 30.

[0019] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the height of each of the ridges defined by the corrugated portion of the pleated HEPA filter may be equal to or greater than 5 mm and less than 25 mm.

[0020] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the pleated HEPA filter can be rated from H11 to H13.

[0021] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the pleated HEPA filter may be two or more stacked pleated HEPA filters applied to the sideflow smoke treatment section.

[0022] As one embodiment of this disclosure, when the ventilator is operating in the side-flow smoke removal device, the gas flow rate through the filter can range from 0.8 L / min to 3.0 L / min.

[0023] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the vertical internal cross-sectional area of ​​the side-flow smoke removal device can be in the range of 100 mm². 2 Up to 2500mm 2 .

[0024] As one embodiment of this disclosure, the vertical section of the sideflow smoke removal device can be divided between the ventilator and the filter, and the exposed filter can be attached to and detached from the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0025] Beneficial effects

[0026] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a sideflow smoke removal device using a pleated HEPA filter can achieve superior functionality in terms of sideflow smoke removal rate and durability, while obtaining a suitable flow rate for smoking in the sideflow smoke removal device. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a sideflow smoke removal device in which a smoking article is applied, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the illustrative drawings. It should be understood that the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or similar parts throughout the drawings. In the description of the embodiments, detailed descriptions of parts or functions will be omitted when it is determined that the description may make the subject matter of some embodiments of this disclosure unclear.

[0029] Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” “A,” “B,” “(a),” and “(b)” may be used herein to describe components of this disclosure. Each of these terms is not intended to define the nature, order, sequence, or number of components, but only to distinguish the corresponding component from other components. When a component is referred to as “connected, linked, or joined to” another component, it should be interpreted that not only can the component be “connected, linked, or joined to” another component, but the component and the other component can also be “connected, linked, or joined” to each other through other components.

[0030] When a first component is included in a first embodiment and a second component having the same function as the first component is included in a second embodiment, the second component may be described using the same name as the first component. Unless otherwise stated, a description of one embodiment may be applicable to other embodiments, and specific descriptions of overlapping scope will be omitted.

[0031] In this document, the term "smoking articles" may refer to any product that can be smoked or any product that can simulate smoking, regardless of whether it is based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, puffed tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. For example, smoking articles may include products that can be smoked, such as cigarettes, cigars, or mini cigars.

[0032] In this document, the term "smoking material" can refer to materials that generate smoke and / or aerosols or are used for smoking. For example, smoking material can include tobacco material. Tobacco material can include, for example, tobacco leaf fragments, tobacco plant stems, or materials processed from at least one of these materials. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, tobacco material can include, but is not limited to, tobacco leaf dust, reconstituted tobacco dust, expanded tobacco shreds, expanded tobacco midribs, reconstituted tobacco leaves, etc.

[0033] In this document, the term "upstream" or "upstream direction" can refer to a direction away from the smoker's oral cavity, and the term "downstream" or "downstream direction" can refer to a direction towards the smoker's oral cavity. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" can be used to describe the relative positions of components of a smoking article. For example, in... Figure 1 In the smoking product 2 shown, the filter section is located downstream or in the downstream direction of the smoking material section, and the smoking material section is located upstream or in the upstream direction of the filter section.

[0034] In this document, the term "longitudinal direction" may refer to the direction that matches the longitudinal axis of the smoking product or the sideflow smoke removal device, and the term "vertical direction" refers to the direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the smoking product or the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0035] In this article, the term "inhalation" refers to the user's inhalation. Inhalation is an instance where air or smoke is inhaled into the user's mouth, nasal cavity, or lungs through the user's mouth or nose.

[0036] In the following, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] This disclosure relates to a sideflow smoke removal device, and is intended to provide a sideflow smoke removal device including a filter capable of effectively capturing sideflow smoke generated during smoking. In this document, to better understand the sideflow smoke removal device, illustrative examples of sideflow smoke removal devices are provided. Figure 1According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 includes a housing 11, an article insertion portion 12, and a sideflow smoke treatment portion 16. The sideflow smoke removal device 1 may also include a rear cover portion 13, a heat insulation portion 14, an ignition portion 15, a mesh portion 17, a control portion 18, a display portion 19, and a temperature sensor 20. In addition to these components, it may also include common components generally known to those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. For example, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may also include a battery (not shown) to provide power to electrical components (e.g., the control portion 18, the display portion 19, etc.). Furthermore, Figure 1 Some of the components shown may not be essential components of the sideflow smoke removal device 1. In other words, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may be configured to omit some of the illustrated components. For example, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may be configured to omit components such as the temperature sensor 20 and the display portion 19. The corresponding components of the sideflow smoke removal device 1 will be described below.

[0038] The housing 11 can define a smoking space within the sideflow smoke removal device 1, and at least defines a portion of the exterior of the sideflow smoke removal device 1. Although in Figure 1 The housing 11 is illustrated as a sidewall of the sideflow smoke removal device 1, but the housing 11 may be defined as the entire external structure including the article insertion portion 12, the rear cover portion 13, and the heat insulation portion 14. The housing 11 may be formed of a robust material to provide durability to the sideflow smoke removal device 1 and reduce the possibility of damage to the sideflow smoke removal device 1.

[0039] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the housing 11 may have a vent A through which air can smoothly enter the smoking space. The vent A promotes combustion of the smoking product 2 by allowing air to enter during smoking, thereby significantly improving the smoking performance of the side-flow smoke removal device 1. Although Figure 1 An example was given using a single vent A formed in the housing 11, but multiple vents A can also be provided. Furthermore, the position, size, and spacing of the vents A can be designed in various ways. Whether the vents A are opened or closed, and / or the degree to which the vents A are opened / closed, can be controlled by the control unit 18.

[0040] The article insertion portion 12 may be located at one end (e.g., downstream side) of the housing 11 and have an opening area through which the smoking article 2 will be inserted. The user can insert the smoking article 2 into the smoking space of the side-flow smoke removal device 1 through the article insertion portion 12. To prevent heat dissipation from the interior of the smoking space, the article insertion portion 12 may be formed of a heat-insulating material. Furthermore, to prevent the inserted smoking article 2 from shifting, the article insertion portion 12 may have a retaining structure capable of holding the smoking article 2.

[0041] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the article insertion portion 12 may have a size-adjustable structure. For example, the article insertion portion 12 may have a structure by means of which the opening area can be tightened or loosened by manual operation. In another example, the article insertion portion 12 may be configured to automatically tighten the opening area to meet the requirements of the smoking article 2. In a more specific example, the article insertion portion 12 is controlled by a control portion 18. When the control portion 18 detects the inserted smoking article 2 using a sensor or receives user input (e.g., by pressing a button), the control portion 18 can control the article insertion portion 12 to reduce the opening area. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, since the size of the opening area is adjusted to conform to the smoking article 2, shaking of the smoking article 2 can be prevented, and the support stability of the smoking article 2 can be improved. Furthermore, smoking articles 2 of various sizes can be inserted into the sideflow smoke removal device 1, and therefore, the usability of the sideflow smoke removal device 1 can be improved.

[0042] The smoking article 2 may include an upstream filter section and a smoking material section in contact with the upstream end of the filter section. The specific structure of the smoking article 2 can be varied. The filter section may include a filter material capable of filtering smoke, and the smoking material section may include smoking material. Examples of the smoking article 2 may be, but are not limited to, a burning cigarette. The smoking article 2 may include any article that generates sideflow smoke during smoking.

[0043] The sideflow smoke treatment component 16 is positioned at a distance from the upstream end of the smoking article 2 inserted into the smoking space, and the sideflow smoke treatment component 16 can perform various treatment functions related to the sideflow smoke generated from the smoking article. For example, the sideflow smoke treatment component 16 can be positioned between the inserted smoking article 2 and the rear cover portion 13 to perform a purification function for the sideflow smoke. In addition, the sideflow smoke treatment component 16 can perform a ventilation function to promote the emission of purified sideflow smoke. Here, the specific structure and operating system of the sideflow smoke treatment component 16 can have various designs and can vary depending on the implementation.

[0044] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, the sideflow smoke treatment unit 16 may include a filter 16A and a fan 16B. The filter 16A performs a sideflow smoke purification function by filtering sideflow smoke, while the fan 16B performs a sideflow smoke discharge function. For example, the fan 16B may rotate to draw sideflow smoke toward the filter 16A and allow the sideflow smoke passing through the filter 16A to be properly discharged. The operation of the fan 16B may be controlled by a control unit 18.

[0045] Filter 16A may include a pleated HEPA filter. In this document, the term "pleated HEPA filter" refers to a HEPA filter in which the sheet-like elements of the HEPA filter are pleated in a zigzag direction to form one or more ridges (i.e., portions protruding relative to a surface). The term "HEPA filter" refers to a "high-efficiency particulate air filter" configured to remove airborne particles, wherein the term "particulate" refers to tiny particles generally having a size of about 0.3 μm. The material of the HEPA filter may be any material commonly known to those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains (e.g., polypropylene), and there are no specific limitations.

[0046] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a pleated HEPA filter includes a base layer and a filter layer. The base layer and filter layer are distinguished based on the durability of the materials. The base layer has better durability than the filter layer, while the filter layer has better functionality as a filter than the base layer. The base layer is a nonwoven paper made by a spunbond process, while the filter layer is a discontinuous fiber made by a meltblown process. One or both surfaces of the base layer may be coated with the filter layer. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the filter layer is coated on one surface of the base layer, the base layer is positioned facing an inserted smoking article. Since the gas containing side-flow smoke produced by the combustion of the smoking article has a higher temperature than room temperature, positioning the base layer, which has excellent durability, opposite the smoking article can be advantageous in terms of the overall durability and functionality of the filter.

[0047] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a pleated HEPA filter is applied to conform to the vertical internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device at the location where the pleated HEPA filter is applied. This means that the pleated HEPA filter is sized sufficiently to contact the inner surface of the sideflow smoke removal device. Therefore, gases containing sideflow smoke generated by the combustion of smoking products are not allowed to move toward the fan without passing through the pleated HEPA filter.

[0048] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the vertical internal cross-sectional area of ​​the side-flow smoke removal device is 100 mm². 2Up to 2500mm 2 Within a certain range. The interior of the sideflow smoke removal device is determined based on the location where the pleated HEPA filter is applied, and the pleated HEPA filter is applied based on the vertical internal cross-sectional area. The vertical internal cross-sectional area of ​​the sideflow smoke removal device can have various shapes, such as circular or polygonal. A quadrilateral shape may be advantageous for the interior of the sideflow smoke removal device to ensure that the parallel pleated HEPA filters are uniformly arranged in the vertical or horizontal direction. The shape and size of the vertical cross-section of the portion of the sideflow smoke removal device using the pleated HEPA filter may differ from the vertical cross-section of the portion of the sideflow smoke removal device using a smoking product. Considering the removal rate of sideflow smoke by the filter, the shape and size of the vertical cross-section of this portion of the sideflow smoke removal device using the pleated HEPA filter can be adjusted. Specifically, the vertical internal cross-sectional area of ​​the sideflow smoke removal device can be equal to or greater than 100 mm². 2 200mm 2 300mm 2 400mm 2 500mm 2 or 600mm 2 , and equal to or less than 2500mm 2 The vertical internal cross-sectional area can also be equal to or greater than 100 mm². 2 or less than 2500mm 2 300mm or greater 2 or less than 2500mm 2 500mm or greater 2 or less than 2500mm 2 or equal to or greater than 600mm 2 or less than 2500mm 2 Below the above range, the filter may be too thick to achieve its functionality. Above the above range, it is not advisable from the perspective of reducing the size of the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0049] A pleated HEPA filter is configured such that the sheet-like elements of the HEPA filter are pleated along a zigzag direction to form one or more ridges (i.e., portions protruding relative to a surface). The ridges can be formed parallel at a constant distance, and their number and height can be adjusted as needed. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the number of ridges formed by the corrugated portions of the pleated HEPA filter is equal to or greater than 5 and less than 30. Specifically, the number of ridges can be equal to or greater than 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, and less than 30, or equal to or less than 28, 26, 24, 22, or 20. The number of ridges can also be equal to or greater than 5 and less than 30, equal to or greater than 7 and less than 24, or equal to or greater than 10 and less than 20. Below these ranges, the sideflow smoke removal performance of the filter may be reduced. Above these ranges, the gas flow rate through the filter may be insufficient.

[0050] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the height of the ridges formed by the corrugated portion of the pleated HEPA filter is equal to or greater than 5 mm and less than 25 mm. Specifically, the height of the ridges can be equal to or greater than 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm, and less than 25 mm, or equal to or less than 24 mm, 23 mm, 22 mm, 21 mm, or 20 mm. The height of the ridges can also be equal to or greater than 5 mm and less than 25 mm, equal to or greater than 7 mm and equal to or less than 22 mm, or equal to or greater than 10 mm and equal to or less than 20 mm. Below these ranges, the sideflow smoke removal performance of the filter may be reduced. Above these ranges, the gas flow rate through the filter may be insufficient.

[0051] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the pleated HEPA filter can be classified from H11 to H13. HEPA filters can be classified according to their ability to filter particles of 0.3 μm size. For example, HEPA filters can be classified according to European standards such as EN1822-1:2009 derived from ISO 29436. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the HEPA filter is preferably selected from H11 grade filters capable of removing 95% of 0.3 μm particles to H13 grade filters capable of removing 99.97% of 0.3 μm particles. Below this range, the sideflow smoke removal performance of the filter may decrease. Above this range, the gas flow rate through the filter may be insufficient.

[0052] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the sideflow smoke removal performance of the filter is insufficient, two or more stacked pleated HEPA filters can be applied to the sideflow smoke treatment section to compensate for the insufficient sideflow smoke removal performance of the filter. However, stacked advanced pleated HEPA filters are not desirable because the permeability of the stacked filter structure may be significantly reduced.

[0053] In the sideflow smoke removal performance of a sideflow smoke removal device, the filter plays a crucial role. When a filter is repeatedly used, its functionality may degrade. Therefore, the filter can be designed to be replaceable or washable. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the sideflow smoke removal device can be designed such that a vertical section is divided between the fan and the filter. Therefore, the exposed filter can be attached to a portion of the sideflow smoke removal device and can be detached from it. Separation and attachment / detachment can be achieved using means generally known in the art to which this disclosure pertains. For example, the housing 11 can be provided with threads for separation and attachment / detachment.

[0054] The fan 16B can be used to ventilate sideflow smoke. In this respect, the fan 16B can rotate to draw sideflow smoke generated by the combustion of the smoking article 2 toward the fan 16B. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the fan 16B draws ambient gas at a flow rate of 2 L / min to 5 L / min, particularly at a flow rate of 2.5 L / min to 4.5 L / min, and more particularly at a flow rate of 3 L / min to 4 L / min. However, when the fan 16B is applied to a sideflow smoke removal device, the gas is delivered through limited spaces such as the internal space of the sideflow smoke removal device and the flow channels of the filter. Therefore, it is difficult to generate a flow or gas with the same flow rate using the fan 16B. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the ventilator 16B is operating in the sideflow smoke removal device 1, the flow rate of the gas passing through the filter 16A is adjusted to 0.8 L / min to 3.0 L / min, particularly to 0.9 L / min to 2.5 L / min, and more particularly to 1.0 L / min to 2.0 L / min. Below these ranges, the gas flow within the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may be unsatisfactory, thereby reducing the removal rate of sideflow smoke and adversely affecting the combustion of the smoking product 2. Above these ranges, the sideflow smoke may remain in the filter for a very short time, and the filter's capture functionality may be degraded.

[0055] The rear cover 13 is positioned at the other end (e.g., the upstream end) of the housing 11, and the rear cover 13 can serve as a cover for the sideflow smoke removal device 1. The rear cover 13 may have a gas discharge channel through which the sideflow smoke processed (purified) by the sideflow smoke treatment component 16 can be discharged. For example, the rear cover 13 may be provided with a gas discharge channel, such as a fine hole.

[0056] The heat insulation component 14 may be formed of a low thermal conductivity material to prevent heat from being emitted from inside the smoking space. Since the heat insulation component 14 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 11, it can prevent the risk of burns caused by the internal heat of the sideflow smoke removal device 1 when the user's body comes into contact with the sideflow smoke removal device 1 (e.g., when the user holds the sideflow smoke removal device 1 to smoke).

[0057] Temperature sensors 20 can be installed within the smoking space to measure the temperature of the smoking product 30 inserted into the smoking space. The number, shape, installation position, and installation distance of the temperature sensors 20 can be designed differently and can vary depending on the implementation method.

[0058] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, temperature sensor 20 can be configured to measure the temperature at the downstream end near the portion of the smoking material. In this case, temperature sensor 20 alone can accurately determine whether smoking has ended without the need for additional monitoring modules. This is understandable considering that smoking generally ends when the smoking material is fully burned. For example, control unit 18 can determine that smoking has ended when the temperature measured by temperature sensor 20 is equal to or higher than a reference temperature (e.g., the smoking position has now reached the downstream end of the smoking material) or when the temperature measured by temperature sensor 20 decreases to equal to or lower than the reference temperature after rising (e.g., the heat of combustion decreases at the downstream end of the smoking material).

[0059] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be disposed at different locations within the smoking space. The plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be disposed along the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 30. Alternatively, the plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be disposed at positions opposite to each other. Here, the distances between the temperature sensors 20 may be the same or different. When using a plurality of temperature sensors 20, the progress of smoking (e.g., the degree of progress of smoking) can be monitored more accurately, and various monitoring information described below can be obtained.

[0060] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the start of smoking can be detected (determined) by a temperature sensor disposed near the upstream end of the smoking material portion. For example, when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a reference temperature, the control unit 18 can determine that smoking has started. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the degree of smoking progress (e.g., the current position of smoking (or combustion)) of the smoking article 2 can be determined by comparing the temperatures measured by multiple temperature sensors disposed in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article.

[0061] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, multiple temperature sensors 20 may be arranged in positions opposite to each other in the circumferential direction of the inserted smoking article 2 or within the smoking space (e.g., four temperature sensors 20 may be arranged at 90° intervals). In this case, the degree of tilting (wobbling) of the smoking article 2 can be determined by comparing the temperatures measured by the multiple temperature sensors 20. For example, when the temperature measured by a particular temperature sensor is higher than the temperature measured by other temperature sensors, the control unit 18 may determine that the inserted smoking article 2 is tilted in the direction of the particular temperature sensor. Alternatively, when the temperature measured by the multiple temperature sensors 20 becomes equal to or higher than a reference temperature, the control unit 18 may determine that the inserted smoking article 2 is wobbling.

[0062] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, a temperature sensor 20 having an elongated body can be disposed within a smoking space. For example, the elongated temperature sensor 20 can be disposed in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 2. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the temperature sensor 20 can be configured such that a first portion of the elongated body measures the temperature of a first corresponding portion of the smoking material portion of the smoking article 2, and a second portion of the elongated body measures the temperature of a second corresponding portion of the smoking material portion of the smoking article 2. The temperature sensor can be specifically constructed in any manner. In this case, the smoking progress can be monitored based on the temperature measured by a specific portion of the elongated body. For example, the control unit 18 can determine the degree of smoking progress of the smoking article 2 by measuring the temperature measured by the corresponding portion of the elongated body.

[0063] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the temperature sensor 20 may be configured based on a combination of the above embodiments.

[0064] The ignition part 15 can be disposed within the smoking space to ignite the smoking product 2 inserted into the smoking space. The ignition part 15 can be controlled by the control unit 18 and can perform the ignition function in response to manual operation by the user. The number, shape, and placement of the ignition parts 15 can be designed differently and can vary depending on the implementation method.

[0065] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the ignition part 15 can be positioned at a fixed location. Specifically, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the ignition portion 15 can be configured to ignite the upstream end or a portion adjacent to the upstream end of the inserted smoking article 2. In this case, the structure of the side-flow smoke removal device 1 can be simplified, thereby minimizing the manufacturing defect rate.

[0066] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the ignition portion 15 can be designed and configured to be movable. The ignition portion 15 can be specifically configured in any manner. For example, the ignition portion 15 can be configured to move longitudinally under the manual operation of a user or under the control of the control unit 18. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the control unit 18 can move the ignition portion 15 towards the upstream end of the smoking article 2 in response to detection of the smoking article 2. In this case, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 can be universally applied to smoking articles 2 of various lengths, thereby significantly improving the usability of the sideflow smoke removal device 1.

[0067] The mesh portion 17 can be disposed between the side-flow smoke treatment portion 16 and the rear cover portion 13 to serve as a safety net. For example, the mesh portion 17 can prevent specific objects (e.g., fragments of filter 16A) within the smoking space from moving toward the rear cover portion 13.

[0068] The display portion 19 can be located on the outer surface of the housing 11 to display various information under the control of the control portion 18. For example, the display portion 19 can display information about the smoking progress, information about the device, smoking history information, and information about the user. Here, information about the smoking progress can include, but is not limited to, information about the smoking progress itself (e.g., all information about the smoking progress, such as the degree of progress, the current position of the smoke, the remaining number of puffs, the smoking time, the remaining smoking time, etc.) and puffing information (e.g., all information about puffing events, such as the number of puffs, the puff length, the puff interval, the puff intensity, whether the user is puffing, etc.). The device can include information such as power status, malfunctions, battery status (e.g., battery charging status, the necessity of charging, etc.), but is not limited to these. Smoking history information can include, but is not limited to, the cumulative number of cigarettes smoked.

[0069] Display section 19 can intuitively display various types of information using a visual display device, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) display. The specific form of the display device can be modified in various ways.

[0070] The control unit 18 can control the overall operation of the sideflow smoke removal device 1. For example, the control unit 18 can control the operation of the ventilator 16B, the display unit 19, or other components of the sideflow smoke removal device 1. Furthermore, the control unit 18 can monitor the smoking progress of the smoking product 2. The control unit 18 can determine whether the sideflow smoke removal device 1 is operational by reviewing the status of each component of the sideflow smoke removal device 1.

[0071] The control section 18 can be implemented as at least one processor. The processor can be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates or a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains that the control section 18 can be implemented as another type of hardware.

[0072] Despite Figure 1 In this illustration, the control component 18 is shown positioned outside the housing 11 of the sideflow smoke removal device 1, but this is for simplicity only, and the control component 18 can be positioned in various other locations. For example, the control component 18 can be positioned in a specific location inside the housing 11.

[0073] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may also include a module configured to provide sound and / or tactile output. For example, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may also include a speaker, a vibration module, etc. In this case, the control unit 18 can utilize the aforementioned modules to provide various types of information to the user.

[0074] Furthermore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, a cutting section may be provided within the smoking space. The cutting section can cut the smoking article 2 during combustion to prevent further combustion. In this way, a safe extinguishing function can be provided at the user's desired time, and the risk of burns due to user carelessness (e.g., the risk of burns due to carelessness when the user extinguishes the cigarette themselves) and fire hazards are minimized. The cutting section can be implemented and designed differently herein.

[0075] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the cutting portion can be positioned in a fixed location and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article 2. For example, the cutting portion can be fixedly positioned where the filter 16A and the smoking material portion are cut apart from each other. In this case, a safe fire extinguishing function can be ensured regardless of the current smoking (combustion) position of the smoking article 2, and the structure of the sideflow smoke removal device 1 is simplified.

[0076] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the cutting portion can be configured to be movable. For example, the cutting portion can be configured to be moved by external force (e.g., manual operation) by a user and to be moved under the control of the control portion 18. As a more specific example, the cutting portion can be automatically moved by the control portion 18 to a position adjacent to the current smoking (combustion) position of the smoking article 2.

[0077] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the cutting portion can be operated by a user by pressing a button provided on the outside of the housing 11, twisting the housing 11, stretching or compressing the housing 11 in the longitudinal direction, etc. The cutting portion may have a structure that mechanically cooperates with the housing 11 to perform the illustrated operation, or the cutting portion may be implemented such that the control portion 18 operates the cutting portion according to the illustrated operation.

[0078] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the sideflow smoke removal device 1 may include one or more support portions capable of supporting the side surface of an inserted smoking article 2, such that the smoking article 2 inserted into the sideflow smoke removal device 1 can be stably supported.

[0079] Invention Model

[0080] The constructions and associated effects of this disclosure will be described in more detail below. However, it should be understood that the examples are provided to illustrate this disclosure more specifically, and the scope of this disclosure is by no means limited thereto.

[0081] Example

[0082] Example 1

[0083] Created with Figure 1 A side-flow smoke removal device (with a square internal cross-section of 50mm × 50mm) was used, and a smoking article (a product obtained from KT&G) was placed inside the side-flow smoke removal device. When applied to conform to the internal cross-section of the side-flow smoke removal device, a pleated HEPA filter (H13 grade, structure: a filter layer formed on a single surface of a spunbond substrate using a melt-blown method, available from Clean & Science) with a thickness of approximately 2mm was used as the filter positioned upstream of the smoking article. A fan capable of achieving a flow rate of 3.5L / min in an open space without a filter was used as the fan positioned upstream of the filter.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that a pleated HEPA filter with 10 ridges, each 5 mm high, was used as the filter to conform to the internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0086] Example 3

[0087] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that a pleated HEPA filter with five ridges, each 10 mm high, was used as the filter to conform to the internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0088] Example 4

[0089] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that a pleated HEPA filter with 20 ridges, each 5 mm high, was used as the filter to conform to the internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0090] Example 5

[0091] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that an H11-grade HEPA filter was used as the filter. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0092] Example 6

[0093] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that two stacked H11-grade HEPA filters were used as filters. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0094] Example 7

[0095] A side-flow smoke removal device identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured, except that a HEPA filter with a filter layer also formed on the opposite surface of the spunbond base of the HEPA filter by melt-blowing was used as the filter. The same smoking article as in Example 1 was placed within the side-flow smoke removal device.

[0096] Comparison Example 1

[0097] A side-flow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that a pleated HEPA filter was used as the filter in application to conform to the internal cross-section of the side-flow smoke removal device. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the side-flow smoke removal device.

[0098] Comparison Example 2

[0099] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that a pleated HEPA filter with 30 ridges, each 10 mm high, was used as the filter to conform to the internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0100] Comparison Example 3

[0101] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that a pleated HEPA filter with 20 ridges, each ridge being 25 mm high, was used as the filter to conform to the internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0102] Comparison Example 4

[0103] A sideflow smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was fabricated, except that two stacked H13 HEPA filters were used as filters. The same smoking product as in Example 1 was placed inside the sideflow smoke removal device.

[0104] Experimental Example

[0105] Experimental Example 1

[0106] Each of the smoking articles inserted into the sideflow smoke removal devices according to Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 was ignited and burned for 10 minutes by driving a ventilator. The flow rate and removal rate of the sideflow smoke were evaluated based on the emitted gas, and the results are illustrated in Table 1 below. The sideflow smoke removal rate is a comparative evaluation result obtained from the corresponding sideflow smoke removal devices on the basis of a device without a filter. The flow rate was measured using a mass flow meter 4043H obtained from TSI Corporation, and the sideflow smoke removal rate was measured using a smoking machine (SM) 405SV obtained from Cerulean Corporation.

[0107] Experimental Example 2

[0108] Smoking products were inserted into the side-flow smoke removal devices according to Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4, respectively, and ignited. Smoking was performed using a smoking device (RM20, available from Heinr Borgwaldt GmbH). The smoking device was designed to allow for eight inhalations of each smoking product. When one smoking product was finished, it was replaced with another. If combustion ceased before the smoking device had been used for eight inhalations, the number of smoking products smoked was calculated. The number of continuously smoked smoking products was evaluated and illustrated in Table 1 below.

[0109] [Table 1]

[0110]

[0111] According to Table 1 above, compared with using a non-pleated HEPA filter (Comparative Example 1), using a pleated HEPA filter as the filter (Example 1) has superior performance in terms of sideflow smoke removal rate and smoking continuity, while obtaining a suitable flow rate for smoking.

[0112] When adjusting the number of ridges formed by the pleats in the pleated HEPA filter, significant improvements were observed in the removal rate of sideflow smoke and the continuity of smoking when the number of ridges was 5 (Example 3), 10 (Example 2), and 20 (Example 1), while achieving a suitable flow rate for smoking. However, when the number of ridges was 30 (Comparative Example 2), a suitable flow rate was not obtained, making smoking difficult.

[0113] When adjusting the height of the ridges formed by the pleats in the pleated HEPA filter, significant improvements were observed in the removal rate of sideflow smoke and the continuity of smoke intake when the ridge height was 5 mm (Example 4) and 10 mm (Example 1), while achieving a suitable flow rate for smoke intake. However, when the ridge height was 25 mm (Comparative Example 3), a suitable flow rate was not obtained, making smoke intake difficult.

[0114] Significant results were obtained when H11 grade (Example 5) HEPA filters were selected instead of H13 grade (Example 1) HEPA filters. However, when two stacked H11 grade HEPA filters were used (Comparative Example 4), adequate flow rate was not achieved, making smoke extraction difficult. In contrast, with H13 grade HEPA filters, significant improvements were achieved in flow rate, sideflow smoke removal rate, and smoke extraction continuity when spunbond filter layers were formed on both sides (Example 7).

[0115] Figure Labels

[0116] Sideflow smoke removal device

[0117] 2: Smoking products

[0118] 11: Shell

[0119] 12: Insertion part of the product

[0120] 13: Back cover

[0121] 14: Thermal insulation section

[0122] 15: Ignition part

[0123] 16: Sideflow smoke treatment section

[0124] 16A: Filter

[0125] 16B: Ventilation fan

[0126] 17: Mesh section

[0127] 18: Control Section

[0128] 19: Display section

[0129] 20: Temperature sensor

[0130] A: Vent hole.

Claims

1. A sideflow smoke removal device, the sideflow smoke removal device comprising: A housing having a smoking space defined within the housing; The product insertion portion is positioned at one end of the housing and has an opening area through which the smoking product is inserted into the smoking space; as well as A sideflow smoke treatment section is positioned at a distance from the upstream end of the smoking article inserted into the smoking space, and the sideflow smoke treatment section is configured to treat the sideflow smoke generated from the smoking article. The side-flow smoke treatment section includes: A filter comprising a pleated HEPA filter capable of filtering the sideflow smoke, the pleated HEPA filter comprising a base layer and a filter layer coated on one or both surfaces of the base layer, the base layer having superior durability to the filter layer, wherein the base layer is a nonwoven fabric produced by a spunbond process, the filter layer is a discontinuous fiber produced by a meltblown process, and the base layer is positioned facing the inserted smoking article when one surface of the base layer is coated with the filter layer; and A ventilator, the ventilation mechanism causing the sideflow smoke to pass through the filter and be discharged. The number of ridges defined by the corrugated portion of the pleated HEPA filter is equal to or greater than 5 and equal to or less than 20. The height of each ridge defined by the corrugated portion of the pleated HEPA filter is equal to or greater than 5 mm and equal to or less than 10 mm. Specifically, when the pleated HEPA filter is an H11 grade filter capable of removing 95% of 0.3 μm particles, two pleated HEPA filters are used stacked on top of each other; and when the pleated HEPA filter is an H13 grade filter capable of removing 99.97% of 0.3 μm particles, the filter layer is coated on both surfaces of the base layer.

2. The side-flow smoke removal device according to claim 1, wherein, The pleated HEPA filter is applied to conform to the vertical internal cross-section of the sideflow smoke removal device at the location where the pleated HEPA filter is applied.

3. The side-flow smoke removal device according to claim 1, wherein, The pleated HEPA filter includes two or more stacked pleated HEPA filters applied to the sideflow smoke treatment section.

4. The side-flow smoke removal device according to claim 1, wherein, When the ventilator is operating in the side-flow smoke removal device, the gas flow rate through the filter ranges from 0.8 L / min to 3.0 L / min.

5. The side-flow smoke removal device according to claim 2, wherein, The sideflow smoke removal device has a range of approximately 100 mm. 2 Up to 2500 mm 2 The vertical internal cross-sectional area.

6. The side-flow smoke removal device according to claim 1, wherein, The vertical section of the sideflow smoke removal device is divided between the ventilator and the filter, and the exposed filter is configured to be able to attach to and detach from the sideflow smoke removal device.

Images