Aerosol Generator

By integrating a control switch into a movable assembly within the aerosol generating device, the device achieves miniaturization and simplifies operations by eliminating the need for a separate control switch on the main body, enhancing user experience.

JP2026504582APending Publication Date: 2026-02-05SHENZHEN MERIT TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025546603
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-02-21
Filing Date
2023-11-28
Publication Date
2026-02-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Aerosol generating devices face challenges in miniaturization due to the need for a control switch on the device body, which occupies space and hinders compact design.

Method used

Integrating a control switch into a movable assembly that can switch between positions, allowing the generation of trigger signals without occupying space in the main body, and using an electrical connection member to transmit these signals to the controller.

Benefits of technology

Enables miniaturization of the aerosol generating device by eliminating the need for a control switch on the main body, simplifying operations, and enhancing user experience through a more streamlined control process.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The aerosol generating device (100) includes a main body (10), a movable assembly (30), and an electrical connection member (50). The main body (10) is provided with a cavity (11) and a loading hole (13), the cavity (11) communicates with the outside world via the loading hole (13), and the cavity (11) is used to load an aerosol generating matrix (200). The movable assembly (30) is attached to the main body (10) and is switchable between a first position and a second position of the main body (10).
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of patent application number 202320328843.9, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on February 21, 2023, the entire text of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application relates to the technical field of atomization, and more particularly to aerosol generating devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol generators are small devices that can generate aerosols by acting on an aerosol-generating matrix using heat not burning (HNB) technology. Specifically, aerosol generators typically heat the aerosol-generating matrix to a temperature that is sufficient to generate an aerosol but not so high that it burns, so that the aerosol-generating matrix does not burn but instead generates an aerosol that can be inhaled by a user.

[0003] Currently, aerosol generating devices are typically provided with a cover to keep the inside of the device body clean and prevent foreign matter from entering the device body. This cover is provided on the device body and is used to close or open the loading hole for loading the aerosol generating matrix. The aerosol generating device may also be provided with a control switch that is used to start the operation of other devices provided in the device body. Because the control switch is typically provided on the device body, it occupies space on the device body and does not contribute to the miniaturization of the aerosol generating device. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide an aerosol generating device that solves at least the problem of how to achieve miniaturization of the aerosol generating device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present application includes a main body, a movable assembly, and an electrical connection member. The main body has a cavity and a loading hole, and the cavity is connected to the outside via the loading hole and is used to load an aerosol generating matrix. The movable assembly is attached to the main body and is switchable between a first position and a second position of the main body. When the movable assembly is in the first position, the movable assembly blocks the loading hole, and when the movable assembly is in the second position, the movable assembly opens the loading hole. The movable assembly includes a control switch that generates a trigger signal when triggered. When the movable assembly is in the first position or the second position of the main body, the electrical connection member is electrically connected to both the control switch and a controller within the main body and is used to transmit the trigger signal to the controller.

[0006] In some embodiments, when the movable assembly is in a first position on the body, the control switch is triggered to generate a first trigger signal, and when the movable assembly is in a second position on the body, the control switch is triggered to generate a second trigger signal, and the controller is used to perform various controls based on the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal.

[0007] In some embodiments, the movable assembly is attached to a top of the body and is capable of sliding along the top of the body to reach a first position on the body or a second position on the body.

[0008] In some embodiments, the movable assembly is at least partially housed in an upper portion of the body.

[0009] In some embodiments, an upper portion of the body is at least partially housed within the movable assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments, the movable assembly is removably mounted to a plurality of positions on an upper portion of the body, the plurality of positions including a first position on the body and a second position on the body.

[0011] In some embodiments, the movable assembly includes a support member, an operating member, and the control switch, the support member and the operating member are coupled to each other and together form a housing chamber, the control switch is housed in the housing chamber, the operating member is exposed to the outside of the main body and is used for user operation, the support member and / or the operating member abuts against the top of the main body, and when the operating member is operated, the operating member triggers the control switch.

[0012] In some embodiments, the support member and the operating member are of unitary construction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the support member and the operating member are separate structures.

[0014] In some embodiments, the control switch includes a circuit board and a trigger member, the circuit board including opposing first and second sides, the first side being closer to the interior of the body than the second side, the circuit board being attached to the operating member, the trigger member being on the first side, and the trigger member and a bottom wall of the support member facing each other with a gap therebetween or facing each other with contact therebetween.

[0015] In some embodiments, the control switch includes a circuit board and a trigger member, the circuit board including opposing first and second sides, the first side being closer to the interior of the body than the second side, the circuit board being attached to the support member, the trigger member being on the second side, and the trigger member and the operating member having upper walls that face each other with a gap therebetween or that face each other with contact therebetween.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control switch includes a circuit board and a trigger member, the circuit board including opposing first and second sides, the first side being closer to the interior of the body than the second side, the circuit board being attached to the operating member, the trigger member being on the first side, and the trigger member and a bottom wall of the support member facing each other with a gap therebetween or facing each other with contact therebetween.

[0017] In some embodiments, the control switch includes a circuit board and a trigger member, the circuit board including opposing first and second sides, the first side being closer to the interior of the body than the second side, the circuit board being attached to the operating member, the trigger member being on the second side, and the trigger member and a bottom wall of the operating member facing each other with a gap therebetween or facing each other with contact.

[0018] In some embodiments, a through hole is provided in the bottom wall of the support member, and the electrical connection member includes an elastic ejector connector, the ejector connector is attached to the main body, and an ejector of the ejector connector extends into the accommodating chamber through the through hole and is electrically connected to the circuit board.

[0019] In some embodiments, a through hole is provided in the bottom wall of the support member, and the electrical connection member includes a flexible circuit board or a conductor, one end of which is housed within the main body and the other end of which extends into the housing chamber through the through hole and is electrically connected to the circuit board.

[0020] In some embodiments, a through hole is provided in the bottom wall of the support member, and the electrical connection member includes a conductive elastic piece, one end of which is within the main body and the other end of which extends into the accommodating chamber through the through hole and is electrically connected to the circuit board. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] In the aerosol generating device of the present embodiment, a control switch is built into the movable assembly, and the trigger signal generated by the control switch is transmitted to a controller inside the main body via an electrical connection member, thereby controlling the operating state of the aerosol generating device. Since there is no need to provide a control switch in the main body, the aerosol generating device does not occupy space in the main body and contributes to miniaturization of the aerosol generating device.

[0022] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present application. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and be readily understood from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective schematic view of an assembly of an aerosol generating device according to some embodiments of the present application. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to some embodiments of the present application; FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of part IV of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to some other embodiments of the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic view of part VII of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to some further embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present application clearer and easier to understand, specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In order to facilitate a full understanding of the present application, many specific details are set forth in the following description. However, the present application can be implemented in many ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the content of the present application, so the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0025] In the description of this application, the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "longitudinal direction," "lateral direction," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are intended only to facilitate and simplify the description of this application. They do not indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements have a specific orientation or must be configured or operate in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be construed as limiting this application.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or the number of technical features depicted. Thus, a feature qualified by "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one feature. In the present description, "plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless otherwise expressly specified.

[0027] In this application, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "attach," "couple," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrally formed connection. They may be mechanical or electrical connections. They may be direct connections, indirect connections via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two elements, or an interactive relationship between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood by those skilled in the art depending on the context.

[0028] Unless otherwise expressly defined and limited, in this application, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact with each other, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact with each other via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is taller than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is shorter than the second feature.

[0029] It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed" or "mounted" to another element, it may be directly attached to the other element, or intermediate elements may be present. When an element is described as being "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, or intermediate elements may also be present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "up," "down," "left," "right," and similar terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply the only embodiment.

[0030] Aerosol generating devices are typically provided with a cover to keep the inside of the aerosol generating device body clean and prevent foreign matter from entering the body. This cover is provided on the body and is used to close or open the loading hole for loading the aerosol generating matrix. The aerosol generating device also has a control switch that is used to start the operation of other devices within the body. Because the control switch is typically provided on the body, it occupies space on the body and does not contribute to the miniaturization of the aerosol generating device. To solve this problem, an embodiment of the present application provides an aerosol generating device 100 (see FIG. 1 ).

[0031] 1, 2, 5, and 8, an aerosol generating device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application includes a main body 10, a movable assembly 30, and an electrical connection member 50. The main body 10 is provided with a cavity 11 and a loading hole 13. The cavity 11 communicates with the outside via the loading hole 13, and the cavity 11 is used to load an aerosol generating matrix 200. The movable assembly 30 is attached to the main body 10 and is switchable between a first position of the main body 10 and a second position of the main body 10. When the movable assembly 30 is in the first position, the movable assembly 30 blocks the loading hole 13, and when the movable assembly 30 is in the second position, the movable assembly 30 opens the loading hole 13. The movable assembly 30 incorporates a control switch 35 for generating a trigger signal when triggered. When the movable assembly 30 is in the first position of the main body 10 or the second position of the main body 10, the electrical connection member 50 is electrically connected to both the control switch 35 and the controller 60 in the main body 10, and the electrical connection member 50 is used to send a trigger signal to the controller 60.

[0032] The aerosol-generating device 100 is configured to generate an aerosol by applying resistance heating, electromagnetic heating, microwave heating, laser irradiation, infrared irradiation, ultrasonic waves, mechanical vibration, or the like to the aerosol-generating matrix 200. For example, the aerosol-generating device 100 generates an aerosol by irradiating the aerosol-generating matrix 200 with infrared rays to heat it. The aerosol may be visible or invisible, such as vapor (e.g., gaseous particulate matter that is normally liquid or solid at room temperature), or droplets of gas or condensed vapor. In this specification, the term "aerosol" includes aerosol generated when the aerosol-generating matrix 200 in a heated aerosol-generating product is heated, and aerosol generated when the aerosol-generating matrix 200 in a combustible smoking product is combusted.

[0033] The aerosol-generating matrix 200 is a plant leaf product that can generate an aerosol when processed and heated. The aerosol-generating matrix 200 can be fully solid or semi-solid. If the aerosol-generating matrix 200 is fully solid, it can be made by processes such as roll pressing, slurrying, die casting, and extrusion. The aerosol-generating matrix 200 can have a cylindrical structure like a cigarette, or it can have a sheet, strip, or block structure. In this application, the aerosol-generating matrix 200 will be described as having a cylindrical structure as shown in FIG. 1.

[0034] In the aerosol generation device 100 according to the embodiment of the present application, the control switch 35 is built into the movable assembly 30, and a trigger signal generated by the control switch 35 is transmitted to the controller 60 in the main body 10 via the electrical connection member 50. This allows the controller 60 to control other devices in the main body 10 based on the trigger signal. This eliminates the need for the control switch 35 in the main body 10, thereby avoiding space occupancy in the main body 10 and contributing to the miniaturization of the aerosol generation device 100. Here, the other devices include, but are not limited to, a battery, a heater, a reminder, and the like. For example, the controller 60 can control the battery to start or stop power supply and control the battery power based on the trigger signal; the controller 60 can control the heater to start or stop heating and control the heating mode based on the trigger signal; and the controller 60 can further control the reminder to display the number of puffs of the aerosol generation device 100, the remaining number of puffs of the aerosol generation device 100, the remaining battery charge, etc.

[0035] When the movable assembly 30 is in a first position on the main body 10, the control switch 35 is triggered to generate a first trigger signal. When the movable assembly 30 is in a second position on the main body 10, the control switch 35 is triggered to generate a second trigger signal. The controller 60 is used to perform various controls based on the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal. For example, the controller 60 is used to control the battery to start supplying power based on the first trigger signal, and to control the battery to stop supplying power based on the second trigger signal. As a further example, the controller 60 is used to control the heater to start heating based on the first trigger signal, and to control the battery to stop supplying power based on the second trigger signal. As another example, the controller 60 is used to control a reminder to display the remaining battery power based on the first trigger signal, and to control the heater to start heating based on the second trigger signal. Thus, when the movable assembly 30 is in the first position, i.e., the loading hole 13 is blocked by the movable assembly 30, and the movable assembly 30 is operated (e.g., pressed once), the control switch 35 is triggered to generate a first trigger signal, and the controller 60 controls the reminder to display the remaining battery level based on the first trigger signal. The user can determine from the display whether the remaining battery level meets the needs for puffing. If it does, the movable assembly 30 moves to the second position, i.e., the loading hole 13 is opened by the movable assembly 30, and the user can place the aerosol-generating matrix 200 into the cavity 11 through the loading hole 13. At this time, when the movable assembly 30 is operated again (e.g., pressed twice), the control switch 35 is triggered again to generate a second trigger signal, and the controller 60 controls the heater to start heating based on the second trigger signal, causing the aerosol-generating matrix 200 to generate an aerosol that the user inhales.

[0036] Furthermore, when using a conventional aerosol generating device for inhalation, the user opens the cover, loads an aerosol-generating matrix into the main body through the loading hole, and then moves a finger to trigger the control switch on the main body to control and activate other devices in the aerosol generating device. Controlling the other devices requires operating two different devices, for example, a cover located outside the operating main body and a control switch on the main body, making the operation process very cumbersome. In the aerosol generating device 100 of the present embodiment, the control switch 35 is built into the movable assembly 30, and the movable assembly 30 is designed to be switchable between a first position and a second position on the main body 10. In this way, the process of controlling the other devices includes the following: Operate the movable assembly 30 in the second position to open the loading hole 13, allowing the aerosol-generating matrix 200 to be loaded into the main body 10 through the loading hole 13, and then operate the movable assembly 30 again to trigger the control switch 35 and generate a trigger signal. When the trigger signal is sent to the controller 60 through the electrical connection member 50, the controller 60 can control, activate, and operate other devices within the main body 10 based on the trigger signal. As a result of comparison, the operation process is performed only on the movable assembly 30, which is the same device as a whole, so the operation process is simpler and the use experience is relatively better.

[0037] The aerosol generating device 100 will be further described below with reference to the drawings.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 2, 5, and 8, the main body 10 has a generally cylindrical structure, and may house devices such as a battery (not shown), a controller 60, a heating element (not shown), and a heater (not shown). The cross-sectional shape of the outer contour of the main body 10 may include, but is not limited to, a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, a triangle, a regular polygon, or other irregular polygon. This specification only describes the case where the main body 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure, i.e., the cross-sectional shape of the outer contour of the main body 10 is rectangular. In some embodiments, the main body 10 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as a metal or alloy material such as copper or aluminum, which can quickly dissipate heat generated by the elements within the main body 10 and improve the overall appearance of the aerosol generating device 100. In other embodiments, the main body 10 may be made of other thermally conductive materials, such as ceramics or highly thermally conductive plastics.

[0039] Specifically, the main body 10 includes a bottom 15 and a top 17 that face each other. In one embodiment, the bottom 15 of the main body 10 is sealed, thereby providing a sealed loading space for components mounted within the main body 10 and protecting these components from water, dust, impact, etc., thereby extending the service life of the aerosol generation device 100. In another embodiment, the bottom 15 of the main body 10 may be provided with functional openings, such as an air intake port, a charging port, a data card slot, etc. While the bottom 15 of the main body 10 can still protect the components within the main body 10 from water, dust, impact, etc., providing functional openings in the bottom 15 of the main body 10 expands the functionality of the aerosol generation device 100, such as charging and storage functions, thereby meeting the current market requirement for multifunctional aerosol generation devices 100.

[0040] 2, 3, 6, and 8, the loading hole 13 is provided in the upper portion 17 of the main body 10, the cavity 11 is provided inside the main body 10, and the cavity 11 is in communication with the outside via the loading hole 13. Specifically, in one embodiment, a groove 151 is provided in the upper portion 17 of the main body 10, and the loading hole 13 is provided at a bottom 1511 of the groove 151. The groove 151 may be used to accommodate at least a portion of the structure of the movable assembly 30. In this manner, the overall height of the aerosol generating device 100 can be reduced. In another embodiment, the groove 151 shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 8 is not provided in the upper portion 17 of the main body 10. In this case, the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 includes an upper surface that covers the internal structure of the main body 10, and the loading hole 13 opens to the upper surface of the main body 10.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 1 , the cavity 11 is provided inside the main body 10 and is used to load the aerosol-generating matrix 200. The cavity 11 communicates with a loading hole 13, allowing a user to place the aerosol-generating matrix 200 into the cavity 11 through the loading hole 13. The structural shape of the cavity 11 defines the aerosol-generating matrix 200 in accordance with the structural shape of the aerosol-generating matrix 200. For example, if the aerosol-generating matrix 200 has a cylindrical structure, the cavity 11 is also cylindrical, e.g., the cross section of the cavity 11 is circular. If the aerosol-generating matrix 200 has a rectangular sheet structure, the cavity 11 is also rectangular, e.g., the cross section of the cavity 11 is rectangular. As a further example, when the aerosol-generating matrix 200 is placed in the cavity 11, the aerosol-generating matrix 200 and the inner wall of the cavity 11 may be pressed against each other or may leave a gap.

[0042] 2, 5, and 8, in some embodiments, the movable assembly 30 is attached to the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 and can slide along the upper portion 17 to reach a first position or a second position of the main body 10. Here, the first position may be a first range covering multiple position points on the main body 10 or a specific first position point on the main body 10. When the movable assembly 30 is in the first range or the specific first position point, the loading hole 13 is blocked by the movable assembly 30. Similarly, the second position may be a second range covering multiple position points on the main body 10 or a specific second position point on the main body 10. When the movable assembly 30 is in the second range or the specific second position point, the movable assembly 30 opens the loading hole 13, i.e., the movable assembly 30 exposes the entire loading hole 13. Here, "blocking" includes complete blocking but may also include partial blocking, as long as the cavity 11 is sealed to some extent. The term "open" includes complete openness, but may also include partial openness, as long as the user can place the aerosol-generating matrix 200 in the cavity 11 through the loading hole 13. Therefore, there are no particular restrictions on how open or closed the loading hole 13 should be, and this can be determined by the user.

[0043] In another embodiment, the movable assembly 30 may be switched between the first position and the second position by rotating relative to the main body 10, or the movable assembly 30 may be switched between the first position and the second position by rotating and sliding relative to the main body 10, but is not limited thereto.

[0044] Specifically, in some embodiments, the movable assembly 30 is at least partially housed within the upper portion 17 of the main body 10. In this case, with continued reference to FIGS. 2, 5, and 8, a groove 151 is provided in the upper portion 17 of the main body 10, a loading hole 13 is provided at a bottom 1511 of the groove 151, and the movable assembly 30 is at least partially housed within the groove 151. In one example, the movable assembly 30 is completely housed within the groove 151. In another example, a portion of the structure of the movable assembly 30 is housed within the groove 151, and another portion extends outside the groove 151 and protrudes relative to the upper surface 171. Regardless of whether the movable assembly 30 is completely housed within the groove 151 or partially housed within the groove 151, the provision of the groove 151 allows the overall height of the aerosol generation device 100 to be reduced. Furthermore, when the size of groove 151 matches the size of movable assembly 30, groove 151 acts as a guide during the sliding movement of movable assembly 30, allowing movable assembly 30 to slide stably within groove 151 and preventing movable assembly 30 from shifting and becoming stuck. Of course, in other embodiments, a first guide member may be further provided on the inner wall of groove 151, and in this case, a second guide member may be provided on movable assembly 30, and the second guide member and the second guide member may cooperate to act as a guide during the sliding movement of movable assembly 30.

[0045] In some other embodiments, the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 is at least partially housed within the movable assembly 30. In other words, the movable assembly 30 is fitted to the upper portion 17 of the main body 10. In one example, the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 may still have a groove 151, with the loading hole 13 opening at a bottom 1511 of the groove 151. In this case, the first partial structure of the movable assembly 30 is housed within the groove 151, and the second partial structure of the movable assembly 30 extends out of the groove 151 to cover the upper portion 17 of the main body 10, with a gap between the first partial structure and the second partial structure, and opposing side walls of the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 extending into the gap to guide the movable assembly 30 to slide along the upper portion 17 of the main body 10. In another example, the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 does not have a groove 151, and the loading hole 13 opens to an upper surface 171 of the main body 10. In this case, the first partial structure of the movable assembly 30 is similar to a bottle cap structure, and opposing sides of the first partial structure are directly fitted into opposing side walls of the upper part 17 of the main body 10, guiding the movable assembly 30 to slide stably along the upper part 17 of the main body 10. The second partial structure of the movable assembly 30 is located on the side of the first partial structure opposite the upper surface 171 of the main body 10, i.e., the second partial structure of the movable assembly 30 protrudes from the first partial structure, and during the sliding movement of the movable assembly 30, the second partial structure is grasped by the user and contributes to sliding the movable assembly 30.

[0046] In some other embodiments, the movable assembly 30 may be removably attached to the upper portion 17 of the body 10 at multiple positions, including a first position on the body 10 and a second position on the body 10. The terms "first position" and "second position" have the same meanings as those described above and will not be described in detail here. The means for removably attaching the movable assembly 30 to the upper portion 17 of the body 10 may include, but are not limited to, engagement, a threaded connection, and a combination of both. If the movable assembly 30 is initially in the first position and blocks the loading hole 13, when it is necessary to open the loading hole 13 and load an aerosol-generating matrix 200 (shown in FIG. 1 ), the user may remove the movable assembly 30 from the first position on the body 10 and then attach it to the second position on the body 10. Similarly, if the movable assembly 30 is initially in the second position to open the loading hole 13, when the user has completed loading the aerosol-generating matrix 200 (shown in FIG. 1) and is closing the loading hole 13 to perform suction, the user may remove the movable assembly 30 from the second position on the main body 10 and then attach it to the first position on the main body 10.

[0047] 2, 5, and 8, in some embodiments, the movable assembly 30 includes a support member 31, an operating member 33, and a control switch 35. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, the support member 31 and the operating member 33 are coupled to each other to form a housing 34, and the control switch 35 is housed in the housing 34. The operating member 33 is exposed to the outside of the main body 10 and can be operated by a user. The support member 31 and / or the operating member 33 abut against the top 17 of the main body 10, and when the operating member 33 is operated, the operating member 33 triggers the control switch 35. Examples of "operation" by a user include, but are not limited to, pressing (single pressing, multiple pressing, etc.), touching, toggling from a first position or a second position to both sides, etc.

[0048] In some examples, the support member 31 and the operating member 33 are integrally formed. This allows the support member 31 and the operating member 33 to be coupled relatively firmly, making them less likely to separate, and ensuring that the movable assembly 30 slides more stably along the upper part 17 of the main body 10. In other examples, the support member 31 and the operating member 33 are separate structures, and the support member 31 and the operating member 33 may be coupled to each other by a detachable or non-detachable connection to form the receiving chamber 34. When the support member 31 and the operating member 33 are detachably connected, the control switch 35 can be easily removed and replaced if damaged. When the support member 31 and the operating member 33 are non-detachably connected, the support member 31 and the operating member 33 are coupled relatively firmly, making them less likely to separate, ensuring that the movable assembly 30 slides more stably along the upper part 17 of the main body 10.

[0049] 2, 5 and 8, a through-hole 315 is provided in the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31, and the through-hole 315 penetrates the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31, and the through-hole 315 is used to pass the electrical connection member 50. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, when the support member 31 and the operating member 33 have a separate structure and are combined with each other, the operating member 33 may be fitted into the side wall 313 of the support member 31 to form the accommodating chamber 34, or the support member 31 may be fitted into the side wall 333 of the operating member 33 to form the accommodating chamber 34.

[0050] 2, 5, and 8, the control switch 35 includes a circuit board 351 and a trigger member 353 provided on the circuit board 351. The circuit board 351 may be a rigid circuit board, a flexible circuit board, or a rigid-flex circuit board. The circuit board 351 includes opposing first and second sides 3511 and 3513, with the first side 3511 being closer to the interior of the main body 10 than the second side 3513.

[0051] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the circuit board 351 is attached to the support member 31 .

[0052] 3 and 4, in one example, the circuit board 351 is placed on the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31, and the trigger member 353 is located on the second side 3513 of the circuit board 351 and faces the top wall 331 of the operating member 33. In this case, the trigger member 353 and the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 may be spaced apart, or may be in contact with each other, but no force is generated between them. When the operating member 33 is operated (e.g., pressed), the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 deforms to a certain extent and transmits the received force to the trigger member 353, and when the trigger member 353 receives the force, it is triggered and generates a trigger signal. Here, the trigger member 353 and the upper wall 331 of the operating member 33 are spaced apart, which requires a larger pressing force to be applied to the operating member 33 to trigger the trigger member 353, preventing the trigger member 353 from being accidentally triggered when a user's finger accidentally presses the operating member 33 during the sliding operation of the movable assembly 30. Although the trigger member 353 and the upper wall 331 of the operating member 33 are in contact, no force is generated between them, which allows the trigger member 353 to be triggered with a relatively small pressing force once the sliding operation is complete, thereby increasing the speed at which a trigger signal is generated and further improving the control sensitivity of the controller 60 (see FIG. 2 ).

[0053] In another example, the circuit board 351 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be spaced apart, the circuit board 351 may be coupled to the side wall 313 of the support member 31, and the trigger member 353 may be located on a first side 3511 of the circuit board 351 and face the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31. In this case, the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be spaced apart, or the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be in contact with each other but no force is generated between them. When the operating member 33 is operated (e.g., pressed down), the operating member 33 deforms to a certain extent and transmits the received force to the circuit board 351. When the circuit board 351 receives the force, it moves the trigger member 353 toward the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 until the trigger member 353 comes into contact with the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 and is triggered by the force, thereby generating a trigger signal. Here, the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 are spaced apart, which requires a larger pressing force to be applied to the operating member 33 to trigger the trigger member 353, preventing the trigger member 353 from being accidentally triggered when a user's finger accidentally presses the operating member 33 during the sliding operation of the movable assembly 30. Although the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 come into contact, no force is generated between them. Therefore, once the sliding operation is completed, the trigger member 353 can be triggered with a relatively small pressing force, which increases the speed at which a trigger signal is generated and further improves the control sensitivity of the controller 60 (see FIG. 2 ).

[0054] In a further example, the circuit board 351 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be spaced apart, the circuit board 351 may be coupled to the side wall 313 of the support member 31, and the trigger member 353 may be located on a second side 3513 of the circuit board 351 and face the top wall 331 of the operating member 33. In this case, the trigger member 353 and the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 may be spaced apart or may be in contact with each other, but no force is generated between them. When the operating member 33 is operated (e.g., pressed), the operating member 33 deforms to a certain extent and transmits the received force to the trigger member 353, and the trigger member 353 is triggered when it receives the force and generates a trigger signal. Here, the trigger member 353 and the upper wall 331 of the operating member 33 are spaced apart, which requires a greater pressing force to be applied to the operating member 33 to trigger the trigger member 353, preventing the trigger member 353 from being accidentally triggered when a user's finger accidentally presses the operating member 33 during the sliding operation of the movable assembly 30. Although the trigger member 353 and the upper wall 331 of the operating member 33 come into contact, no force is generated between them. Therefore, once the sliding operation is completed, the trigger member 353 can be triggered with a relatively small pressing force, which increases the speed at which the trigger signal is generated and further improves the control sensitivity of the controller 60.

[0055] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the circuit board 351 is attached to the operating member 33.

[0056] 5 to 7, in one example, the circuit board 351 is placed on the top wall 331 of the operating member 33, and the trigger member 353 is located on a first side 3511 of the circuit board 351 and faces the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31. In this case, the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be spaced apart, and the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be in contact with each other but no force may be generated between them. When the operating member 33 is operated (e.g., pressed down), the operating member 33 moves the trigger member 353 toward the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 until the trigger member 353 comes into contact with the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31, receives a force, and is triggered, thereby generating a trigger signal. Here, the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 are spaced apart, which requires a larger pressing force to be applied to the operating member 33 to trigger the trigger member 353, preventing the trigger member 353 from being accidentally triggered when a user's finger accidentally presses the operating member 33 during the sliding operation of the movable assembly 30. Although the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 come into contact, no force is generated between them. Therefore, once the sliding operation is completed, the trigger member 353 can be triggered with a relatively small pressing force, which increases the speed at which the trigger signal is generated and further improves the control sensitivity of the controller 60.

[0057] In another example, the circuit board 351 and the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 may be spaced apart, the circuit board 351 may be coupled to the side wall 333 of the operating member 33, and the trigger member 353 may be located on a first side 3511 of the circuit board 351 and face the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31. In this case, the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be spaced apart, or the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 may be in contact with each other but no force is generated between them. When the operating member 33 is operated (e.g., pressed down), the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 deforms to a certain extent and transmits the received force to the circuit board 351. When the circuit board 351 receives the force, it moves the trigger member 353 toward the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 until the trigger member 353 comes into contact with the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 and is triggered by the force, thereby generating a trigger signal. Here, the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 are spaced apart, which requires a larger pressing force to be applied to the operating member 33 to trigger the trigger member 353, preventing the trigger member 353 from being accidentally triggered when the user's finger accidentally presses the operating member 33 during the sliding operation of the movable assembly 30. Although the trigger member 353 and the bottom wall 311 of the support member 31 come into contact, no force is generated between them. Therefore, once the sliding operation is completed, the trigger member 353 can be triggered with a relatively small pressing force, which increases the speed at which the trigger signal is generated and further improves the control sensitivity of the controller 60.

[0058] In a further example, the circuit board 351 and the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 may be spaced apart, the circuit board 351 may be coupled to a side wall 333 of the operating member 33, and the trigger member 353 may be located on a second side 3513 of the circuit board 351 and face the top wall 331 of the operating member 33. In this case, the trigger member 353 and the top wall 331 of the operating member 33 may be spaced apart or may be in contact with each other, but no force is generated between them. When the operating member 33 is operated (e.g., pressed), the operating member 33 deforms to a certain extent and transmits the received force to the trigger member 353, and the trigger member 353 is triggered when it receives the force and generates a trigger signal. Here, the trigger member 353 and the upper wall 331 of the operating member 33 are spaced apart, which requires a larger pressing force to be applied to the operating member 33 to trigger the trigger member 353, preventing the trigger member 353 from being accidentally triggered when a user's finger accidentally presses the operating member 33 during the sliding operation of the movable assembly 30. Although the trigger member 353 and the upper wall 331 of the operating member 33 are in contact, no force is generated between them, so that once the sliding operation is completed, the trigger member 353 can be triggered with a relatively small pressing force, which increases the speed at which the trigger signal is generated and further improves the control sensitivity of the controller 60.

[0059] 2, 5 and 8, one end of the electrical connection member 50 is located inside the main body 10, and the other end extends from the through-hole 315 into the accommodating chamber 34 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 351.

[0060] The provision of the electrical connection members 50 corresponding to the through holes 315 includes the corresponding number of electrical connection members 50 and the corresponding number of through holes 315, and also the corresponding positions of the electrical connection members 50 and the corresponding positions of the through holes 315. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 , 5 , and 8 , when the movable assembly 30 slides along the upper portion 17 of the main body 10 to reach the first position of the main body 10 or the second position of the main body 10, the number of through holes 315 is two and the number of electrical connection members 50 is also two. The extension directions of the respective through holes 315 are the same as the sliding direction of the movable assembly 30. In this way, when the movable assembly 30 slides from the first position to the second position, the electrical connection members 50 can slide within the through holes 315, thereby ensuring that the electrical connection members 50 are always electrically connected to the circuit board 351 throughout the entire sliding process of the movable assembly 30.

[0061] In another embodiment, when the movable assembly 30 can be detachably attached to the first position and the second position of the main body 10 as described above, two through holes 315 are defined as one set, and the main body 10 is provided with two sets of through holes 315, a first set of through holes 315 and a second set of through holes 315. In this case, two electrical connection members 50 are defined as one set, and there are also two sets of electrical connection members 50, a first set of electrical connection members 50 and a second set of electrical connection members 50. The electrical connection members 50 of each set are inserted into the corresponding set of through holes 315. When the movable assembly 30 is in the first position, the first set of electrical connection members 50 pass through the first set of through holes 315 and are electrically connected to the circuit board 351, and the second set of electrical connection members 50 pass through the second set of through holes 315 but are not electrically connected to the circuit board 351. When the movable assembly 30 is in the second position, the second set of electrical connection members 50 pass through the second set of through-holes 315 and are electrically connected to the circuit board 351, and the first set of electrical connection members 50 pass through the first set of through-holes 315 but are not electrically connected to the circuit board 351. In this way, the movable assembly 30 is electrically connected to the electrical connection members 50 even when the movable assembly 30 is in the first position of the main body 10 or the second position of the main body 10.

[0062] 2 and 4, in one embodiment, the electrical connection member 50 includes an elastic ejector connector 51. The ejector connector 51 is attached to the main body 10 and includes a main body 511 and an ejector 513. The main body 511 is housed within the main body 10, and the ejector 513 is attached to the main body 511 so as to be able to expand and contract. The ejector 513 of the ejector connector 51 extends into the housing chamber 34 through a through-hole 315 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 351. The circuit board 351 of the movable assembly 30 presses against the ejector 513, while the ejector 513 is constantly subjected to a thrust from inside the main body 511, which causes the ejector 513 to tend to move toward the movable assembly 30, so that regardless of whether the movable assembly 30 is in the first position, the second position, sliding from the first position to the second position, or sliding from the second position to the first position, the circuit board 351 of the movable assembly 30 is always in contact with the ejector 513, thereby achieving electrical connection.

[0063] 5 to 7, in another embodiment, the electrical connection member 50 includes a flexible circuit board 53 or a conductor 55, one end of which is housed in the main body 10 and the other end of which extends into the housing chamber 34 through the through-hole 315 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 351. Both the flexible circuit board 53 and the conductor 55 have a predetermined flexibility, so that the flexible circuit board 53 and the conductor 55 are electrically connected to the controller 60 and the circuit board 351 whether the movable assembly 30 is in the first position, the second position, or sliding from the first position to the second position or sliding from the second position to the first position.

[0064] 8 , in yet another embodiment, the electrical connection member 50 includes a conductive elastic piece 57, one end of which is located within the main body 10 and the other end of which extends into the accommodating chamber 34 through the through-hole 315 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 351. The conductive elastic piece 57 may be made of a material that is conductive and has a predetermined elasticity, such as a metal such as copper or stainless steel, or a highly elastic conductive plastic. In one embodiment, a first end of the conductive elastic piece 57 is in close contact with the bottom 1511 of the groove 151, and an opposing second end of the conductive elastic piece 57 extends into the accommodating chamber 34 through the through-hole 315 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 351. Due to the elastic force of the conductive elastic piece 57 itself, the second end tends to move toward the movable assembly 30, so that regardless of whether the movable assembly 30 is in the first position, the second position, sliding from the first position to the second position, or sliding from the second position to the first position, the circuit board 351 of the movable assembly 30 is always in contact with the second end of the conductive elastic piece 57, thereby achieving electrical connection.

[0065] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the above-described embodiments are described. However, all combinations of these technical features, unless inconsistent, should be considered within the scope of this specification. Furthermore, other embodiments may be derived from the above-described embodiments, allowing for structural and logical substitutions and modifications without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0066] The above examples only represent some embodiments of the present application, and the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but this should not be understood as limiting the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art may make some modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present application, and all of these fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be governed by the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, comprising: a body having a cavity and a loading hole, the cavity communicating with the outside via the loading hole, the body being used to load an aerosol-generating matrix; a movable assembly attached to the body and switchable between a first position and a second position on the body, the movable assembly including a control switch configured to block the loading hole when in the first position and to open the loading hole when in the second position, and to generate a trigger signal when triggered; An aerosol generating device characterized in that it includes an electrical connection member electrically connected to the control switch and a controller in the main body when the movable assembly is in a first position of the main body or a second position of the main body, and used to transmit the trigger signal to the controller.

2. The aerosol generating device described in claim 1, characterized in that when the movable assembly is in a first position of the main body, the control switch is triggered to generate a first trigger signal, and when the movable assembly is in a second position of the main body, the control switch is triggered to generate a second trigger signal, and the controller is used to perform various controls based on the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal.

3. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, characterized in that the movable assembly is attached to the top of the body and can slide along the top of the body to reach a first position of the body or a second position of the body.

4. The aerosol generating device of claim 3, wherein the movable assembly is at least partially housed in the upper part of the main body, and / or the upper part of the main body is at least partially housed within the movable assembly.

5. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the movable assembly is removably attached to a plurality of positions on the upper portion of the main body, the plurality of positions including a first position on the main body and a second position on the main body.

6. The movable assembly includes a support member, an operating member, and the control switch, the support member and the operating member are coupled to each other and together form a storage chamber, the control switch is stored in the storage chamber, the operating member is exposed to the outside of the main body and is used for operation by a user, the support member and / or the operating member abuts against the top of the main body, and when the operating member is operated, the operating member triggers the control switch, characterized in that:

7. the control switch includes a circuit board and a trigger member, the circuit board having opposing first and second sides, the first side being closer to an interior of the body than the second side; The circuit board is attached to the support member, the trigger member is on the first side, and the trigger member and the bottom wall of the support member face each other with a gap therebetween or face each other and contact each other; or The circuit board is attached to the support member, the trigger member is on the second side, and the trigger member and the upper wall of the operating member face each other with a gap therebetween or face each other and contact each other, or The circuit board is attached to the operating member, the trigger member is on the first side, and the trigger member and the bottom wall of the support member face each other with a gap therebetween or face each other and contact each other, or The aerosol generating device described in claim 6, characterized in that the circuit board is attached to the operating member, the trigger member is on the second side, and the trigger member and the bottom wall of the operating member face each other with a gap between them or face each other with contact.

8. The aerosol generating device described in claim 7, characterized in that a through hole is provided in the bottom wall of the support member, the electrical connection member includes an elastic ejector connector, the ejector connector is attached to the main body, the ejector of the ejector connector extends into the storage chamber through the through hole, and is electrically connected to the circuit board.

9. The aerosol generating device described in claim 7, characterized in that a through hole is provided in the bottom wall of the support member, and the electrical connection member includes a flexible circuit board or a conductor, one end of which is housed in the main body and the other end of which extends into the housing chamber through the through hole and is electrically connected to the circuit board.

10. The aerosol generating device described in claim 7, characterized in that a through hole is provided in the bottom wall of the support member, and the electrical connection member includes a conductive elastic piece, one end of which is within the main body and the other end of which extends into the storage chamber through the through hole and is electrically connected to the circuit board.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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