Sidestream smoke removal device including a plasma ion filter

Abstract

A sidestream smoke removal device is provided, comprising: a housing having a smoking space formed therein; an article insertion section located at one end of the housing and forming an opening for inserting a smoking article into the smoking space; and a sidestream smoke treatment section located spaced apart from the upstream end of the smoking article inserted into the smoking space and treating sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article. The sidestream smoke treatment section includes a plasma ion filter that generates plasma ions using a high-voltage electrode, and an exhaust fan that exhausts sidestream smoke through the plasma ion filter. The sidestream smoke removal device according to one embodiment of the present invention achieves significantly superior sidestream smoke removal rate and odor removal effect without significantly reducing flow rate after application of the filter.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sidestream smoke removal device including a plasma ion filter, and more particularly to a sidestream smoke removal device including a plasma ion filter that generates plasma ions by a high-voltage electrode.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0148383 dated November 2, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0003] Tobacco smoke produced by smoking can be divided into mainstream smoke, which passes through a cigarette filter and is delivered to the mouth, and side stream smoke, which does not pass through a filter and is produced in the atmosphere.

[0004] A sidestream smoke removal device is a type of smoking aid designed for the purpose of reducing finger odor, removing (purifying) sidestream smoke, etc. The sidestream smoke removal device usually includes an internally sealed smoking space and a sidestream smoke removal means, and a user can insert a cigarette into the smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device and smoke.

[0005] In order to improve the functionality of the sidestream smoke removal device, a filter that can effectively remove a large amount of sidestream smoke generated during smoking is required. In particular, in the case of a sidestream smoke removal device, a filter that is not large in size but has excellent deodorizing power even against a large amount of sidestream smoke is required, and the present inventor has completed the present invention after continuous research on this matter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication US2019 / 0307165 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] To provide a sidestream smoke removing device including a filter capable of effectively removing sidestream smoke. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention,

[0009] A sidestream smoke removal device is provided, comprising: a housing having a smoking space formed therein; an article insertion section located at one end of the housing and forming an opening for inserting a smoking article into the smoking space; and a sidestream smoke treatment section located spaced apart from the upstream end of the smoking article inserted into the smoking space and treating sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sidestream smoke treatment device includes a plasma ion filter that generates plasma ions by a high-voltage electrode, and an exhaust fan that allows the sidestream smoke to be exhausted through the plasma ion filter.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode is positioned so as to protrude 1 mm to 10 mm from the top surface of the plasma ion filter.

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention, the plasma ion filter includes two electrodes, the electrodes being spaced apart by at least 25 mm.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrodes are positioned at a distance of 50 mm or more from the downstream end of the sidestream smoke removal device.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrodes have pointed ends.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the electrode has one or more ends with a protruding electrode centered around a pillar.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrodes have needle-shaped or brush-shaped protruding portions.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the plasma ion filter includes a circuit for applying a voltage to an electrode, and a plate for protecting the circuit on an upper surface of the circuit, and an electrode connected to the circuit protrudes through a hole in the plate.

[0018] In one embodiment of the invention, a passage for sidestream smoke to pass through is formed above the plate.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, the circuit applies 3V to 5V to the electrodes.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention, the electrodes are boosted to 5,000V to 7,000V at the protruding electrode ends. Effect of the Invention

[0021] A sidestream smoke removal device according to one embodiment of the present invention uses a plasma ion filter as a filter, and thus can achieve significantly superior sidestream smoke removal rate and odor removal effect without significantly reducing the flow rate after application of the filter. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a sidestream smoke removal device to which a smoking article according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a plasma ion filter according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a plasma ion filter according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a plasma ion filter according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is an image showing a schematic diagram of a needle-shaped electrode according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is an image showing a schematic diagram of a brush-shaped electrode according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, the specific examples will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. When assigning reference numerals to components in each drawing, attention should be paid to the fact that the same components are assigned the same numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed in different drawings. In addition, when describing the specific examples, if it is determined that a detailed description of such known configurations or functions would hinder understanding of the specific examples, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0024] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of specific examples. These terms are merely intended to distinguish the components from other components, and do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components. When a component is described as being "coupled," "connected," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but that other components may also be "coupled," "connected," or "connected" between each component.

[0025] Components having a common function to those included in one specific example will be described using the same names in other specific examples. Unless otherwise specified, the description of one specific example is applicable to other examples, and detailed description will be omitted to the extent that it overlaps.

[0026] As used herein, the term "smoking article" refers to any product that can be smoked or that can provide a smoking experience, whether based on tobacco, a tobacco derivative, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or a tobacco substitute. For example, the smoking article can include smokable products such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos.

[0027] As used herein, the term "smoking material" refers to a material that produces smoke and / or aerosol or is used for smoking. For example, the smoking material may include tobacco material. The tobacco material may include, for example, tobacco pieces, tobacco stems, or materials processed therefrom. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tobacco material may include ground tobacco leaves, ground reconstituted tobacco, expanded shredded tobacco, expanded midrib, and flat leaves, but is not limited thereto.

[0028] In this specification, the term "upstream" or "upstream direction" means a direction away from the mouth of a user, and the term "downstream" or "downstream direction" means a direction toward the mouth of a user. The terms are used to describe the relative positions of elements constituting a smoking article. For example, in the smoking article 2 of FIG. 1, the filter portion is located downstream or downstream of the smoking material portion, and the smoking material portion is located upstream or upstream of the filter portion.

[0029] As used herein, the term "longitudinal direction" means a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of a smoking article or sidestream smoke removal device, and the term "perpendicular direction" means a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a smoking article or sidestream smoke removal device.

[0030] As used herein, the term "puff" refers to inhalation by a user, where inhalation refers to the act of drawing in air through the user's mouth or nose into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs.

[0031] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The present invention relates to a sidestream smoke removal device, and aims to provide a sidestream smoke removal device including a filter capable of effectively collecting sidestream smoke generated during smoking. In this specification, FIG. 1 is provided to provide an exemplary sidestream smoke removal device for understanding the sidestream smoke removal device. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 includes a housing 11, an article insertion section 12, and a sidestream smoke processing section 16. The sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a back cover 13, a heat insulating section 14, an ignition section 15, a mesh net 17, a control section 18, a display section 19, and a temperature sensor 20, and may further include components that are common to ordinary engineers in the art in addition to the above configuration. For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a battery (not shown) for supplying power to electrical components (e.g., the control section 18, the display section 19, etc.). In addition, some of the components shown in FIG. 1 may not be essential components of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. That is, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be realized in a form in which some of the illustrated components are omitted. For example, the sidestream smoke elimination device 1 may be realized in a form in which components such as the temperature sensor 20 and the display 19 are omitted. Each component of the sidestream smoke elimination device 1 will be described below.

[0033] The housing 11 can form a smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device 1, and can form at least a part of the exterior of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. Although Fig. 1 shows the housing 11 as referring to the side wall of the sidestream smoke removal device 1, the housing 11 may refer to the entire exterior forming structure including the article insertion section 12, the back cover 13, and the heat insulating section 14. In order to ensure the durability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 and minimize the risk of damage, the housing 11 is preferably made of a strong material.

[0034] According to a specific example of the present invention, a vent hole A may be formed in the housing 11 so that outside air can smoothly flow into the smoking space. The vent hole A can promote the combustion of the smoking article 2 by allowing outside air to flow in during smoking, and this can greatly improve the smoking function of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which one vent hole A is formed in the housing 11, the number of vent holes A may be multiple. In addition, the formation position, size, interval, etc. of the vent hole A can be variously designed. The presence or absence of opening and / or the degree of opening and closing of the vent hole A may be controlled by the control unit 18.

[0035] The article insertion part 12 is located at one end (e.g., the downstream side) of the housing 11 and can form an opening for inserting the smoking article 2. A user can insert the smoking article 2 into the smoking space in the sidestream smoke removal device 1 through the article insertion part 12. In order to block heat from being released from inside the smoking space to the outside, the article insertion part 12 is preferably made of a heat insulating material. Also, in order to prevent the inserted smoking article 2 from shaking, the article insertion part 12 is preferably made of a holder structure that can support the smoking article 2.

[0036] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the article insertion part 12 has a structure that allows the size of the opening to be adjusted. For example, the article insertion part 12 has a structure that allows the opening to be tightened or loosely expanded by manual operation. As another example, the article insertion part 12 may be configured to automatically tighten the opening according to the smoking article 2. As a more specific example, the article insertion part 12 may be controlled by the control part 18, and the control part 18 may control the opening of the article insertion part 12 to be tightened when the control part 18 detects the insertion of the smoking article 2 by a sensor or receives an input from a user (e.g., a button push). According to one embodiment of the present invention, the size of the opening is adjusted according to the smoking article 2, thereby preventing the smoking article 2 from shaking and improving the support stability. Furthermore, since smoking articles 2 of various sizes can be inserted, the usability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be improved.

[0037] The smoking article 2 is composed of a filter section located downstream and a smoking material section that is in contact with the upstream end of the filter section. However, the detailed structure of the smoking article 2 can be changed as much as desired. The filter section can include a filter material capable of filtering smoke, and the smoking material section can include smoking material. An example of the smoking article 2 is a combustible cigarette, but is not limited thereto, and the smoking article 2 can include any article that generates sidestream smoke when smoked.

[0038] The sidestream smoke treatment device 16 is located apart from the upstream end of the smoking article 2 inserted into the smoking space, and can perform various treatments on the sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article. For example, the sidestream smoke treatment device 16 is located between the inserted smoking article 2 and the back cover 13, and can perform a purification function on the sidestream smoke. The sidestream smoke treatment device 16 can also perform an exhaust function to efficiently exhaust the purified sidestream smoke to the outside. However, the detailed structure and operation method of the sidestream smoke treatment device 16 can be designed in various ways, which differ depending on the specific example.

[0039] According to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 is configured to include a filter 16A and an exhaust fan 16B. The filter 16A filters the sidestream smoke to perform a purification function for the sidestream smoke, and the exhaust fan 16B performs an exhaust function for the sidestream smoke. For example, the exhaust fan 16B can rotate to draw the sidestream smoke to the filter 16A side, and smoothly exhaust the sidestream smoke that has passed through the filter 16A to the outside. The operation of the exhaust fan 16B can be controlled by the control unit 18.

[0040] The filter 16A may include a plasma ion filter. Here, the term "plasma ion filter" refers to a filter having a function of generating plasma ions and removing sidestream smoke, which may be generated during smoking, by using the plasma ions. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plasma ion filter breaks down gas components such as moisture (H2O) in the vicinity by using electrical energy generated by boosting a voltage applied to an electrode to a high voltage, thereby generating plasma ions having free radicals. Such plasma ions have a function of removing sidestream smoke, which may be generated during smoking. In the present invention, the plasma ion filter is not particularly limited as long as it is a filter that can achieve a desired functionality by using plasma ions.

[0041] The electrode may be positioned to protrude from the top surface of the plasma ion filter that provides a large amount of electrical energy capable of generating the plasma ions. Such a structure is advantageous for boosting the voltage applied from the end of the protruding electrode. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode is positioned to protrude from the top surface of the plasma ion filter by 1 mm to 10 mm, specifically 2 mm to 9 mm, and more specifically 3 mm to 8 mm. The protrusion of the electrode within the above range is not only advantageous for boosting the voltage, but also enables plasma ions to be generated to cover the entire flow path of gas including sidestream smoke.

[0042] The plasma ion filter may include one or more electrodes E. When two or more electrodes E are included, the electrodes E may be spaced apart from each other since the functionality of plasma ion generation may be reduced due to interference between the electrodes. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plasma ion filter may include two electrodes E, and may be spaced apart from each other by 25 mm or more, 26 mm or more, 27 mm or more, 28 mm or more, 29 mm or more, or 30 mm or more. Here, the distance W between the electrodes E is measured based on the center of the electrodes, and is indicated by W in Figs. 2 to 4. If the distance is less than the above range, the electrodes are difficult to boost to a high voltage, and plasma ions are not easily generated.

[0043] Since the plasma ions generated by the high voltage electrode contain free radicals that are highly reactive, it is preferable that the electrode is located at a certain distance from the user's mouth. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode may be located at a distance of 50 mm or more, 52 mm or more, 54 mm or more, 56 mm or more, 58 mm or more, or 60 mm or more based on the downstream end of the sidestream smoke removal device. Here, the distance based on the downstream end of the sidestream smoke removal device means that even if a smoking article is inserted into the sidestream smoke removal device, the user places his / her mouth on the smoking article to smoke, so that the user's mouth is located at the same position as the downstream end of the sidestream smoke removal device or further downstream, thereby ensuring a sufficient distance between the user's mouth and the electrode. Since the plasma ions are highly reactive, most of them react quickly near the high voltage electrode, and the generated material is also highly viscous, so the above distance alone may be sufficient.

[0044] The plasma ion filter includes a circuit for applying a voltage to the electrodes, and a plate on the upper surface of the circuit for protecting the circuit. The electrodes are connected to the circuit and protrude through holes in the plate. In Figs. 2 to 4, a circle surrounding electrode E represents such a hole. A flow path through which sidestream smoke passes is formed on the upper part of the plate. In the case of other filters, in order to ensure the functionality of the filter, the flow path may narrow when passing through the filter portion, resulting in a significant decrease in flow rate. However, unlike this, the plasma ion filter can maintain high functionality as a filter due to highly reactive plasma ions even when the flow path is almost open.

[0045] The plasma ion filter according to an embodiment of the present invention can be manufactured in various forms. The plasma ion filter basically has electrodes located on the upstream side of the filter, and the structure can be changed depending on the arrangement of the electrodes. In consideration of the functionality of the filter, it is preferable to arrange the electrodes at two corners on the upstream side, and in this case, the two electrodes must maintain a certain distance as described above, and the structure can be changed taking this into consideration. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plasma ion filter can have a form as shown in Figs. 2 to 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the downstream width of the filter may be maintained to be the same as the upstream width, and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the downstream width of the filter may be maintained narrower in consideration of the thickness of the smoking article.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the protruding end of the electrode is sharp. By having the sharp end of the electrode, a high voltage is collected at the end of the electrode. The protruding electrode of the electrode may have one or more ends centered on one pillar. When the electrode has one or more ends, the specific surface area of ​​the electrode exposed to the flow path is increased, which may be more advantageous for generating plasma ions. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the protruding portion of the electrode is needle-shaped or brush-shaped. The needle-shaped portion may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, and the brush-shaped portion may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the circuit applies 3V to 5V, specifically 3.5V to 5V, more specifically 4V to 5V to the electrode. The voltage applied to the electrode in this manner can be boosted to 5,000V to 7,000V at the end of the protruding electrode. The boosted high voltage electrode can generate plasma ions including highly reactive free radicals by encountering the gas flowing through the gas flow path.

[0048] The back cover 13 is located at the other end (e.g., the upstream side) of the housing 11 and can function as a cover of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. A gas exhaust passage may be formed in the back cover 13 so that the sidestream smoke treated (purified) by the sidestream smoke treatment device 16 can be exhausted to the outside. For example, the back cover 13 may be formed with a gas exhaust passage such as a fine hole.

[0049] The heat insulating part 14 is made of a material with low thermal conductivity and can prevent heat from being released from inside the smoking space to the outside. The heat insulating part 14 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 11, and can prevent the risk of burns caused by internal heat when the user's body comes into contact with the sidestream smoke removal device 1 (for example, when holding the device 1 to smoke).

[0050] The temperature sensor 20 is disposed in the smoking space to measure the temperature of the smoking article 30 inserted in the smoking space. The number, shape, arrangement position, arrangement interval, etc. of the temperature sensor 20 can be variously designed, and this varies depending on the specific example.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the temperature sensor 20 is arranged to measure the temperature near the downstream end of the smoking material portion. In this case, it is possible to accurately determine whether smoking has ended using only the temperature sensor 20 without an additional monitoring module, which can be understood as utilizing the fact that smoking usually ends when the smoking material portion is completely burned. For example, the control unit 18 can determine that smoking has ended when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 is equal to or higher than a reference value (e.g., when the current smoking position has reached the downstream end of the smoking material portion) or when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 increases and then decreases to or below a reference value (e.g., when the burning power at the downstream end of the smoking material portion becomes weak).

[0052] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of temperature sensors 20 are arranged at different positions in a smoking space. The plurality of temperature sensors 20 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 30. Alternatively, the plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be arranged at positions facing each other. In this case, the arrangement intervals of the temperature sensors 20 may be the same or different. When a plurality of temperature sensors 20 are used, the smoking progress state (e.g., the degree of smoking progress) can be monitored more accurately, and various monitoring information can be obtained as follows.

[0053] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the start of smoking is detected (determined) by a temperature sensor disposed near the upstream end of the smoking material portion. For example, the control unit 18 can determine that smoking has started when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a reference value. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the degree of smoking progress of the smoking article 2 (e.g., the current smoking (combustion) position) can be determined by comparing the temperatures measured by multiple temperature sensors disposed in the longitudinal direction.

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present invention, multiple temperature sensors 20 are arranged in positions facing each other with respect to the inserted smoking article 2 as a reference, or are arranged in the circumferential direction of the smoking article 2 within the smoking space (for example, four temperature sensors 20 are arranged at 90 degree intervals). In this case, the measured temperatures of the multiple temperature sensors 20 can be compared to determine the degree of tilt (vibration) of the smoking article 2. For example, if the measured temperature of a specific temperature sensor is higher than that of other temperature sensors, the control unit 18 can determine that the smoking article 2 inserted in the direction of the specific temperature sensor is tilted. Alternatively, if the measured temperatures of the multiple temperature sensors 20 fluctuate by more than a reference value, the control unit 18 can determine that the inserted smoking article 2 is vibrating.

[0055] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a temperature sensor 20 having an elongated body is disposed in a smoking space. For example, the elongated temperature sensor 20 is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 2. The temperature sensor 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be realized such that a first portion of the elongated body can measure the temperature of a first corresponding portion of the smoking material portion constituting the smoking article 2, and a second portion can measure the temperature of a second corresponding portion of the smoking material portion. Any specific implementation method may be used. In this case, the smoking progress is monitored based on the measured temperature of a specific portion of the elongated body. For example, the control unit 18 can compare the measured temperatures of each portion of the elongated body to determine the smoking progress of the smoking article 2.

[0056] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor 20 may be arranged based on a combination of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0057] The ignition unit 15 is disposed in the smoking space and can ignite the smoking article 2 inserted in the smoking space. The ignition unit 15 is controlled by a control unit 18, and may perform an ignition function by a manual operation of a user. The number, shape, arrangement, etc. of the ignition unit 15 can be variously designed, which differs depending on the embodiment.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ignition unit 15 is disposed at a fixed position. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the ignition unit 15 is disposed so as to be able to ignite the vicinity of the upstream end of the inserted smoking article 2. In this case, the structure of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 is simplified, and the defective rate during manufacturing can be minimized.

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ignition unit 15 can be designed and implemented to be movable. Any specific implementation method may be used. For example, the ignition unit 15 can be implemented to move in the longitudinal direction by manual operation by a user or by control of the control unit 18. In an embodiment of the present invention, the ignition unit 15 can be moved to the upstream end of the smoking article 2 in response to the control unit 18 detecting the insertion of the smoking article 2. In this case, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be universally applied to smoking articles 2 of various lengths, and the usability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved.

[0060] The mesh net 17 is disposed between the sidestream smoke treatment device 16 and the back cover 13 and can function as a safety net. For example, the mesh net 17 can prevent a specific object (e.g., a piece of the filter 16A) in the smoking space from escaping toward the back cover 13.

[0061] The display unit 19 is located on the outer surface of the housing 11 and can display various information under the control of the control unit 18. For example, the display unit 19 can display information on smoking progress, device information, smoking history information, user information, etc. Here, the information on the smoking progress can include, but is not limited to, smoking progress information (e.g., all information related to smoking progress, such as smoking progress level, current smoking position, remaining puff count, smoking time, remaining smoking time, etc.), puff information (e.g., all information related to puff events, such as puff count, puff length, puff interval, puff strength, whether or not puffing is in progress, etc.). The device information can include, but is not limited to, information such as power supply state, whether or not there is a malfunction, battery state (e.g., remaining battery level, whether or not charging is required, etc.), etc. The smoking history information can include, but is not limited to, the cumulative number of cigarettes smoked, etc.

[0062] The display unit 19 can visually display the various information by being provided with a visual display means such as an LED display, although the specific display means can be changed as desired.

[0063] The control unit 18 can generally control the operation of the sidestream smoke elimination device 1. For example, the control unit 18 can control the operation of the exhaust fan 16B, the operation of the display unit 19, and the operation of other components included in the sidestream smoke elimination device 1. The control unit 18 can also determine the progress of smoking of the smoking article 2, and can check the state of each component of the sidestream smoke elimination device 1 to determine whether the sidestream smoke elimination device 1 is in an operable state.

[0064] The control unit 18 can be realized by at least one processor. The processor may be realized by an array of a large number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. In addition, a person of ordinary skill in the art can obviously understand that the control unit 18 may be realized by other forms of hardware.

[0065] 1 shows the control unit 18 located outside the housing 11 of the sidestream smoke removal device 1, this is merely for the sake of convenience, and the location of the control unit 18 may be changed as desired. For example, the control unit 18 may be located at a specific position within the housing 11 to prevent failure due to external impact.

[0066] Meanwhile, in one embodiment of the present invention, the sidestream smoke elimination device 1 may further include a module for providing an auditory and / or tactile output. For example, the sidestream smoke elimination device 1 may further include a speaker, a vibration module, etc. In this case, the control unit 18 may provide various information to the user by further using the exemplified modules.

[0067] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, a cutting part is further disposed within the smoking space. The cutting part cuts the smoking article 2 during burning to prevent additional burning, thereby providing a safe fire extinguishing function at a time desired by the user, and minimizing the risk of burns (e.g., the risk of burns due to carelessness when directly extinguishing a fire) and the risk of fire that may occur due to carelessness of the user. However, the method of realizing the cutting part can be designed in various ways.

[0068] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cutting unit is arranged at a fixed position and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article 2. For example, the cutting unit is fixedly arranged at a position where it can cut between the filter 16A and the smoking material portion. In this case, a safe extinguishing function can be ensured regardless of the current smoking (burning) position of the smoking article 2, and the structure of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be simplified.

[0069] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cutting unit is configured to be movable. For example, the cutting unit may be configured to be moved by an external force (manual operation) of a user, and may be configured to be moved under the control of the control unit 18. As a more specific example, the cutting unit may be automatically moved by the control unit 18 to the vicinity of the current smoking (burning) position of the smoking article 2.

[0070] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cutting unit can be operated by a user pressing a push button provided on the outer surface of the housing 11, twisting the housing 11, or longitudinally extending or contracting the housing 11. The cutting unit may have a structure mechanically interlocked with the housing 11 so as to be operated by the above-exemplified actions, and the control unit 18 may be realized to operate the cutting unit by the above-exemplified actions.

[0071] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may include one or more support parts capable of supporting the sides of the inserted smoking article 2 so that the smoking article 2 introduced into the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be stably supported. EXAMPLES

[0072] Hereinafter, the configuration and effects of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples and comparative examples. However, these examples are provided to more specifically explain the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0073] [Example] <Example 1> A sidestream smoke removal device (internal cross section: 30 mm x 20 mm square) in the form shown in FIG. 1 was manufactured, and a smoking article (KT&G product) was placed inside. As a filter located upstream of the smoking article, a plasma ion filter (length: 31 mm, thickness: 8.5 mm, plasma ion generator by GWELL Korea Co., Ltd.) having a width of 30 mm corresponding to the horizontal length of the internal cross section of the sidestream smoke removal device was used, and the three faces of the plasma ion filter were placed so as to contact the internal surface of the sidestream smoke removal device. Two electrodes were introduced at two corners on the upper surface of the plasma ion filter located at the farthest point in the longitudinal direction from the smoking article, spaced apart by 2 mm in the width direction and the length direction, respectively. The electrodes were needle-shaped electrodes located so as to protrude 5 mm vertically from the upper surface of the plasma ion filter. The diameter of the thickest part in the vertical cross section of the needle-shaped electrode was 1 mm. In addition, as an exhaust fan located upstream of the filter, a fan capable of achieving a flow rate of 2.0 L / min in an open space without a filter was used.

[0074] <Example 2> A sidestream smoke removal device identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured, except that in the plasma ion filter, brush-shaped electrodes were used instead of needle-shaped electrodes. The same smoking article as that of Example 1 was placed inside.

[0075] <Comparative Example 1> A sidestream smoke removal device identical to that in Example 1 was manufactured, except that no plasma ion filter was used. The same smoking article as in Example 1 was placed inside.

[0076] [Experimental Example] Smoking articles inserted into the sidestream smoke removal devices according to Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 were lit, and the exhaust fan was driven to burn the articles for 10 minutes. Based on the gas exhausted, the flow rate, sidestream smoke removal rate, and odor removal effect were evaluated, and the results are shown in Table 1 below. The plasma ion filter was driven with an input power supply of 4.5 V and a current consumption of 20 mA. The sidestream smoke removal rate and odor removal effect were the results of a comparative evaluation based on a device (Comparative Example 1) in which the filter was removed from each sidestream smoke removal device. The flow rate was measured using a Mass Flow Meter 4043H device made by TSI, and the sidestream smoke removal rate was measured using an SM (Smoking Machine) 405 SV device made by Cerulan. The odor removal effect was evaluated by a panel of 20 expert evaluation members at 2 m 2 In a room of 100cm in size, smoking articles that were not fitted with a sidestream smoke removal device were lit and burned to allow the user to recognize the smell of sidestream smoke from the smoking article itself, and then the nose was ventilated, and in another room of the same size, smoking articles that were fitted with each of the above-mentioned sidestream smoke removal devices were lit and burned to allow the user to recognize the smell of sidestream smoke, and a comparative evaluation was conducted. The evaluation was based on a total of 7 points, with a score of 1 to 3 being "inadequate," between 3 and 5 being "good," between 5 and 6 being "excellent," and between 6 and 7 being "very excellent." [Table 1]

[0077] As shown in Table 1, when a plasma ion filter is used as a filter, the flow rate is maintained while extremely excellent results are obtained in terms of sidestream smoke removal rate and odor removal effect. In particular, when a brush-type electrode is used, the surface area that can come into contact with sidestream smoke is increased, and the sidestream smoke removal rate and odor removal effect are further improved.

[0078] Although the embodiments have been described above by way of limited examples and drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made from the above description, for example, the techniques described may be performed in a different order than described, and / or the components of the systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. described may be combined or combined in a different manner than described, or may be replaced or substituted with other components or equivalents, while still achieving suitable results. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1: Sidestream smoke removal device 2: Smoking articles 11: Housing 12: Item insertion section 13: Back cover 14: Insulation section 15: Ignition part 16: Sidestream smoke treatment unit 16A: Filter 16B: Exhaust fan 17: Mesh net 18: Control unit 19: Display section 20: Temperature sensor A: Vent hole E: Plasma ion filter electrode W: Distance between electrodes

Claims

1. A sidestream smoke removal device, comprising: The sidestream smoke removal device comprises: A housing having a smoking space formed therein; an article insertion portion located at one end of the housing and forming an opening for inserting a smoking article into the smoking space; a sidestream smoke treatment unit located apart from an upstream end of the smoking article inserted into the smoking space, for treating sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article, The sidestream smoke treatment device includes: A plasma ion filter that generates plasma ions by a high voltage electrode, the plasma ion filter having a downstream width that is narrower than an upstream width; and an exhaust fan that allows sidestream smoke to be exhausted through the plasma ion filter, The plasma ion filter includes two of the high voltage electrodes, a circuit connected to the high voltage electrodes for applying a voltage, and a plate on an upper surface of the circuit for protecting the circuit; The two high voltage electrodes are positioned at a distance of 25 mm or more; The high voltage electrode is located at a distance of 50 mm or more from the downstream end of the sidestream smoke removal device. A sidestream smoke removal device, wherein the high-voltage electrode is in the shape of a brush and includes a plurality of tip portions that protrude from one point on the upper surface of the plasma ion filter, pass through holes in the plate, and are spaced apart from each other.

2. 2. The sidestream smoke removal device according to claim 1, wherein the high voltage electrode is positioned so as to protrude from an upper surface of the plasma ion filter by 1 mm to 10 mm.

3. 3. The sidestream smoke removal device according to claim 2, wherein the high voltage electrode has a pointed end.

4. 2. The sidestream smoke removal device according to claim 1, wherein a flow path for sidestream smoke to pass through is formed above the plate.

5. 2. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1, wherein the circuit applies 3 to 5 volts to the high voltage electrode.

6. 6. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 5, wherein the high voltage electrode is boosted to 5,000 to 7,000 V at the protruding electrode end.

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