Inhalation device

Abstract

The inhalation device (1) is configured to generate vapour and / or aerosol for inhalation by a user and includes an oven (11) arranged to receive a quantity of aroma-releasing medium, a power source (12) for supplying power to the oven to heat the aroma-releasing medium and thereby generate vapour and / or aerosol, a controller (13), a body housing the oven, the power source and the controller, the oven having an opening (14) provided therein to allow at least a quantity of aroma-releasing medium to be inserted into the oven, and a cover arrangement (16) including a cover lid (161) arranged to at least partially close the opening and a driver (162) arranged to move the cover lid between an open position and a closed position, the controller being configured to determine that the opening should be closed and to control the driver to move the cover lid towards the closed position.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to inhalation devices, preferably small, portable devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to inhalation devices in the form of electronic cigarettes, cigalikes, e-cigarettes, vape inhalers and related devices. [Background technology]

[0002] In the art, there are several types and styles of inhalation devices that serve a wide range of purposes, including medical and therapeutic applications, as well as recreational and recreational devices such as electronic cigarettes. Such devices can generate an inhalation medium (aerosol, vapor, etc.) by heating a substance to release particles and / or droplets into the surrounding air for inhalation. For this purpose, the inhalation device may have an oven, i.e., a heatable enclosure, arranged to receive a quantity of the aroma-releasing medium. A power source can provide power to the oven to heat the medium and generate the vapor and / or aerosol.

[0003] Existing inhalation devices are often cartridge-type solutions, where a cartridge or stick contains the aroma releasing medium and can be removably inserted into the oven of the device through an opening. Once the cartridge or stick has been used, i.e. depleted after all or a certain part of the inserted aroma releasing medium has been released, it can be removed and replaced by another one. For this replacement, access to the oven is usually provided by the aforementioned opening that allows the insertion and removal of the cartridge or stick. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The possibility of inserting, removing and replacing objects in the oven of the inhalation device, however, not only brings advantages in terms of flexibility, efficiency, reliability and freedom of operation to the user, but also may entail some risks and disadvantages: the free insertion of objects and materials into the oven also entails the risk of inappropriate materials or objects entering the oven. Such inappropriate objects may cause malfunctions and / or other reliability problems and risks during the use or operation of the inhalation device. To this end, the prior art already provides means to close the oven and to prohibit access to it in some situations. However, such solutions still do not take into account efficiency, operation and reliability in many aspects.

[0005] There is therefore a need for an improved inhalation device which improves the overall operating aspects of the inhalation device when allowing or preventing access to several parts of the device, in particular to replaceable cartridges or sticks etc. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such an improved inhalation device which makes it possible to ameliorate the shortcomings of the conventional solutions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above mentioned disadvantages are overcome by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cover arrangement includes an oven arranged to receive a quantity of aroma-emitting medium, a power source for supplying power to the oven to heat the aroma-emitting medium to generate vapour and / or aerosol, a controller, a body housing the oven, the power source and the controller and having an opening in the oven to allow a quantity of aroma-emitting medium to be inserted into the oven, a cover lid arranged to at least partially close the opening, and a drive unit arranged to move the cover lid between open and closed positions, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the opening should be closed and to control the drive unit to move the cover lid towards the closed position.

[0008] To facilitate a better understanding of the concept of the present invention, several embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an inhalation device according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic diagram showing further details of an inhalation device according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of an inhalation device focusing on the external appearance according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing details of a drive unit of the inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an inhalation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, an inhalation device 1 is shown that is generally configured to generate vapor and / or aerosol to be inhaled by a user. For example, such an inhalation device can be realized as an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette, cigar-like, etc.) that allows a user to inhale vapor and / or aerosol generated from an aroma releasing medium or vapor / aerosol source.

[0011] For this purpose, the inhalation device 1 comprises an oven 11 arranged to receive a quantity of aroma releasing medium, for example in the form of a cartridge, capsule or stick, or generally in the form of a replaceable consumable item 100. Said oven 11 is thus arrangeable to receive and accommodate a replaceable article (consumable) via an opening 14, the replaceable item 100 holding said quantity of aroma releasing medium. The oven 11 may further comprise an induction heating arrangement adapted to detect the presence of the quantity of aroma releasing medium by a change in AC or frequency response characteristics.

[0012] Alternatively or additionally, the oven 11 may include resistive and / or radiant heating arrangements, and the presence of a consumable may still be detected by observing the temperature curve as the oven is operated, taking into account the expected temperature behavior for the appropriate thermal capacity.

[0013] The inhalation device 1 further includes a power supply 12 that provides power to the oven 11 to generate vapor and / or aerosol by heating an aroma releasing medium in a consumable 100 that is at least partially inserted into the oven 11. Additionally, the inhalation device 1 preferably includes a controller 13 configured to provide all of the desired and necessary functionality, including controlling the operation of the inhalation device 1, providing an interface to a user of the inhalation device 1, controlling the supply of power to the oven 11 to obtain a desired temperature, performing safety controls, and any one of the other functions described or referenced in this disclosure.

[0014] The inhalation device 1 also comprises a body 1 housing all suitable elements, in particular an oven 11, a power supply 12 and a controller 13. The body further provides an opening 14 in said oven 11 so that a quantity of aroma releasing medium can be inserted into said oven 11, for example by inserting the above-mentioned consumable 100. Said opening can in particular provide access to a cabinet or cell 15 capable of at least partially receiving and holding the consumable 100 during operation. A cover arrangement 16 is further arranged and comprises a cover lid 161 arranged to at least partially close said opening 14 and a drive 162 arranged to move said cover lid 161 between an open position and a closed position.

[0015] In an embodiment of the invention, the controller 13 is configured to determine that the opening 14 should be closed and to control the drive 162 to move the cover lid 161 towards the closed position. For example, the inhalation device 1 may include for this purpose a sensor 17 arranged in the vicinity of the cabinet 15 to detect either the presence or absence of the consumable 100 in the cabinet 15. In a way, the presence sensor can thus be arranged to detect that a certain amount of aroma releasing medium is present in the oven. In addition to this, the presence sensor can also be used to detect the amount of (remaining) aroma releasing medium or the type of consumable, i.e. the type of aroma in the cartridge or stick.

[0016] For example, if the sensor 17 provides an output to the controller 13 indicating that the consumable 100 is not present, the controller 13 can control the actuator 162 to move the top cover 161 towards the closed position. As a result, the inhalation device 1 becomes safer and more reliable when the inhalation device 1 is not in use, since no inappropriate objects can enter the cabinet 15 and even the oven 11. For example, inappropriate or inadvertent insertion of inappropriate objects including dust, metal particles, etc., which may cause adverse effects during use, can be effectively avoided.

[0017] 2A shows a further schematic diagram of an inhalation device according to a further embodiment of the present invention. In particular, the inhalation device 1 may include a sensor 163 arranged to detect at least a general position of said cover lid 161 and provide a corresponding position signal to the controller 13. The controller 13 may then be configured to determine that the opening 14 should be closed based on the position signal.

[0018] In particular, the control can determine a state in which the opening 14 is at least partially open, and at the same time, if the controller 13 can determine that the inhalation device 1 is not actively being used, for example because there are no consumables present in the cabinet, or no consumables have been inserted, or the consumables have been removed, then the opening 14 should be closed by moving the lid 161 towards the open position.

[0019] The corresponding information can be obtained, for example, by the (optional) sensor 17 described in relation to Fig. 1, a specific response of the oven (lack of an induction signature or thermal response from any consumable), or a general operating sequence by the user. Furthermore, the controller 13 may be configured to determine that it is not possible to close the opening based on the position signal. For example, the controller 13 may control the actuator 162 to move the cover lid 161 towards the closed position in response to an attempt to close the opening 14, but may recognize that the consumable 100 is inserted by not observing a corresponding movement from the sensor 163. In this situation, the controller determines that the opposite situation exists and the cover is not closed. The controller 13 may thus be configured to determine that it is not possible to close the opening 14 if the position signal indicates that the cover lid 161 is in an unclosed state after a first predetermined time span (X) has elapsed since the actuator 162 was controlled to move the cover lid 161 towards the closed position.

[0020] In corresponding embodiments, the controller may therefore be configured to stop moving the cover lid 161 towards the closed position and / or control the drive unit 162 to move the cover lid 161 towards the open position if it determines that it is not possible to close the opening. The controller may then again be configured to determine that the opening 14 should be closed, for example after a predetermined second time span (Y), and to control the drive unit 162 to move the cover lid 161 towards the closed position after the predetermined second time span has elapsed. The latter second time span may start with stopping the movement of the cover lid 161 towards the closed position or the movement of the cover lid 161 towards the open position.

[0021] In a sense, the controller 13 may be configured to control the actuator 162 to move the cover lid 161 towards the open position if it determines that it is not possible to close the opening 14, and to retry to move the cover lid 161 towards the closed position after a further predetermined time has elapsed. In general, the controller 13 can determine that the consumable (stick) is still present in the oven because the lid does not move despite activating the actuator. The lid is held in the open position for X seconds (in the sense of the above-mentioned predetermined first time span), and then repeated until a user input or a closed door position is detected after a hold time of Y seconds (in the sense of the above-mentioned predetermined second time span).

[0022] In Fig. 2B a further schematic diagram of an inhalation device according to a further embodiment of the invention is shown. As above, this embodiment provides a sensor 163' arranged to detect at least the approximate position of said cover lid 161 and provide a corresponding position signal to the controller 13. Said sensor 163' may be a magnetic sensor, preferably a Hall sensor, such that the cover lid 161 may be provided with a magnetic element 164 which interacts with said magnetic sensor 163'.

[0023] The cover arrangement 16 may further comprise a cam 165 capable of rotating about its own axis and thus actuating the lid 161 between the closed and open positions. The cam 165 may then be actuated by means of a motor or a geared motor. In general, the drive 162 may thus comprise a motor and a cam that mechanically interacts with said lid. Furthermore, said cam may comprise a magnet arranged in an eccentric position that acts as a magnetic element that interacts with one of the above-mentioned magnetic sensors. At this point, it is noted that the above-mentioned elements of the drive are also shown in FIG. 4.

[0024] 3 shows a schematic diagram of an inhalation device according to a further embodiment of the present invention. The diagram focuses on the external appearance of the inhalation device, while internal parts, elements and functions may be provided as described elsewhere in this disclosure. In this embodiment, the inhalation device 1 further includes an operating element 21 that allows a user to interact with the inhalation device 1.

[0025] For example, the operating element 21 may include a key, switch, sensor, touch sensor, etc. that may be activated by a user by appropriate pressing and / or contact. The operating element 21 may be configured to internally provide an activation signal to the controller 13, which may then determine that the opening 14 should be closed. The determination is then further based on the activation signal from the operating element 21. For example, the user may activate the operating element 21 to indicate that the consumable 100 is not inserted and / or that the inhalation device 1 should be turned off.

[0026] In general, the controller 13 may be configured to determine that the opening 14 should be closed further based on an actuation signal indicating that the inhalation device 1 has not been used for a predefined time. In particular, the operating element 21 may be activated during use or in preparation for actual use. However, if such activation does not occur for some predefined time (e.g. Z seconds), it may be assumed that the user is clearly not using the inhalation device 1 and the controller may place the device in a non-operational state which may include closing of the opening.

[0027] The inhalation device 1 may further include an indicator 22, generally in the sense of a user interface or as part of the user interface, that may be employed to signal any information or feedback to the user. Specifically, the indicator 22 may be used to prompt the user to open the opening 14 in response to a determination by the controller 13 that the cover lid 161 cannot be closed, as described elsewhere in this disclosure. For example, the indicator may include a finely tuned operable light source (e.g., a monochromatic or multi-colored LED) that includes a prominent or colored blinking light to attract the user's attention. A blinking or flashing red light typically indicates a malfunction or a condition that may generally require the user's attention and / or intervention.

[0028] In Fig. 4, a schematic diagram of the details of the drive in an inhalation device according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. In particular, the elements of the drive and the cover arrangement are shown in more detail in the context of each embodiment. The cover arrangement may thus further comprise a cam 165 capable of rotating around the drive shaft of the drive, which is in the form of a geared motor 166. As a result, the eccentric of the cam 165 moves along a diameter circle R and engages in the respective grooves or guides, thereby moving the lid between the closed and open positions. In this embodiment, the drive thus comprises a geared motor 166 and said cam 165, which mechanically interact with said cover lid. Furthermore, said cam 165 comprises a magnet 167 in an eccentric position, which acts as a magnetic element interacting with one of said magnetic sensors. In this way, the cover arrangement, and thus the entire inhalation device, can be implemented with a geared motor in a low-cost but reliable and compact manner.

[0029] Advantages of embodiments of the present invention may include any one of the following: A suction device may be provided that reliably prevents inappropriate objects from entering the oven or heating cabinet; Further, a suction device may be provided that does not require detection means to determine if a consumable (stick) has been placed in the oven, but instead references the oven door position to ascertain whether a consumable is still present in the oven; More specifically, the controller may determine that no consumable stick is present in the oven if the door moves to the closed position within a predetermined number of seconds after door closure is activated.

[0030] Although detailed embodiments have been described, these are intended to enhance the understanding of the invention defined by the independent claims and should not be considered as limiting the invention.

Claims

1. 1. An inhalation device configured to generate a vapor and / or aerosol for inhalation by a user, comprising: an oven positioned to receive a quantity of the aroma releasing medium; a power source for supplying power to the oven to heat the aroma releasing medium to generate the vapor and / or aerosol; A controller; a body housing the oven, the power source, and the controller, the body having an opening in the oven to allow a quantity of aroma releasing medium to be inserted into the oven; a cover arrangement including a cover lid arranged to at least partially close the opening, and a driver arranged to move the cover lid between open and closed positions; Including, The controller is configured to determine that the opening should be closed and to control the driver to move the cover lid toward the closed position. Inhalation device.

2. a sensor arranged to detect at least a general position of the cover lid and provide a corresponding position signal to the controller; the controller is configured to determine that the opening should be closed based on the position signal.

2. An inhalation device according to claim 1.

3. the sensor is a magnetic sensor, preferably a Hall sensor; the cover lid includes a magnetic element that interacts with the magnetic sensor; 3. An inhalation device according to claim 2.

4. and further comprising an operating element that allows a user to interact with the inhalation device; the operating element providing an operating signal; the controller is configured to determine that the opening should be further closed based on the operation signal. The inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the operation signal being indicative of use of the inhalation device; the controller is configured to determine that the opening should be further closed based on the operation signal indicating that the inhalation device has not been used for a predetermined period of time.

5. An inhalation device according to claim 4.

6. the controller is configured to determine that the opening cannot be closed based on the position signal. The inhalation device according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. The controller is configured to determine that the opening cannot be closed when the position signal indicates that the cover lid is not closed after a first predetermined time period starting from controlling the driver to move the cover lid toward the closed position has elapsed. The inhalation device according to any one of claims 2 to 6.

8. When the controller determines that it is impossible to close the opening, Stopping the movement of the cover lid toward the closed position, or Moving the cover lid toward the open position and configured to control the driver so that 8. An inhalation device according to claim 7.

9. The controller: Stopping the movement of the cover lid towards the closed position; or Moving the cover lid toward the open position. and controlling the driver to determine again that the opening should be closed and to move the cover lid toward the closed position after a second predetermined time period starting from has elapsed.

9. An inhalation device according to claim 8.

10. The controller is configured to control the driver to move the cover lid toward the open position when it is determined that the opening cannot be closed, and to retry moving the cover lid toward the closed position after a further predetermined time has elapsed.

7. An inhalation device according to claim 6.

11. and an indicator that prompts a user to release the opening in response to a determination by the controller that the cover lid cannot be closed. An inhalation device according to any one of claims 6 to 10.

12. the driver includes a motor and a cam in mechanical interaction with the cover lid; A magnet is provided at an eccentric position of the cam. An inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. and a presence sensor positioned to detect the presence of a quantity of aroma releasing medium within the oven. An inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. the oven is positioned to receive and house an exchangeable item through the opening; An inhalation device according to any preceding claim, wherein the replaceable article holds the quantity of aroma releasing medium. [Preferably cartridges, capsules, sticks, ...].

15. the oven including an induction heating arrangement adapted to detect the presence of a quantity of aroma releasing medium by a change in an AC response characteristic; An inhalation device according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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