Aerosol generation device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an aerosol generation device capable of operating highly accurately on the basis of a puff action by a user. [Solution] Provided is an aerosol generation device comprising: a cylindrical accommodation section which is open at one end in the longitudinal direction; a first sensor which is provided in the vicinity of an opening at the one end of the accommodation part; a second sensor which is provided closer to the other end side opposite to the one end than the first sensor and which outputs a state inside the accommodation section; and a control unit that performs control on the basis of outputs of the first sensor and the second sensor.

Description

Aerosol generating device

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device.

[0002] Aerosol generating devices that generate aerosols with added flavors are widely popular. Users can enjoy the flavors imparted to the aerosols by inhaling the aerosols generated by the aerosol generating device. The operation of a user inhaling an aerosol is referred to as a puff or a puffing operation.

[0003] Examples of devices classified as aerosol generating devices include, for example, devices used in place of so-called cigarette papers such as heated tobacco and e-cigarettes, as well as nebulizers used for medical purposes. Note that a heated tobacco is an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating a substrate containing an aerosol source, and an e-cigarette is a type of aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by atomizing an aerosol source in liquid form.

[0004] In recent years, in aerosol generating devices, various operations have been studied to be controlled triggered by detecting a puff operation by a user. For example, in Patent Document 1 below, when an airflow exceeding a threshold value is detected inside the aerosol generating device by a sensor, it is described that it is determined that a puff has been performed by the user and the power supply of the aerosol generating device is turned on.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-533502

[0006] However, in the aerosol generating device described in Patent Document 1, when a change in sensor values similar to those during a puff is detected outside a puff due to an unexpected factor, it may be misrecognized that a puff has been performed. Therefore, in the aerosol generating device described in Patent Document 1, the user may perform an operation unintended due to a misrecognition of a puff.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved aerosol generating device capable of detecting a puff operation by a user with high accuracy and operating based on the detection result.

[0008] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating device is provided, comprising: a cylindrical housing with one end in the longitudinal direction open; a first sensor provided near the opening at one end of the housing; a second sensor provided on the other end opposite to the first sensor and outputting the internal state of the housing; and a control unit that performs control based on the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor. For example, when a puffing action is detected by only one sensor, it becomes difficult to determine whether the output from that sensor is due to the puffing action or to an unexpected factor. Therefore, by providing a plurality of sensors, including the first and second sensors, the aerosol generating device can use one of the sensors to detect the unexpected factor itself or to detect a situation in which the unexpected factor is unlikely to occur. Accordingly, according to this configuration, an aerosol generating device is provided that can detect a user's puffing action with high accuracy and operate based on the detection result.

[0009] The first sensor may output when the user's body approaches the opening of the housing. A puff detected at a time when the user's body is not detected approaching the opening of the housing is likely to be a false detection. In other words, a puff detected at a time when the user's body is detected approaching the opening of the housing can be considered a normal output and not a false detection. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can detect the puffing action with high accuracy by utilizing the user's body approaching the opening of the housing, which is a preliminary action for the user to perform puffing.

[0010] If the first sensor detects the approach of the body, power may be supplied to the second sensor. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can reduce the power consumption of the second sensor. Furthermore, since there is no output from the second sensor while no preliminary action of the puff is detected, the possibility of false detection of the puff can be reduced.

[0011] The aerosol generator may further include a first shield provided between the first sensor and the housing, separating the first sensor from the housing. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can prevent aerosols present in the internal space from affecting the output of the first sensor. The first shield can also protect the first sensor from noise that may be introduced from inside or outside the aerosol generator.

[0012] The aerosol generator further comprises a second shield provided to cover the second sensor, and the first shield and the second shield may be provided as an integrated unit. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can provide the first shield and the second shield in a simpler configuration, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and reducing dimensions and / or weight.

[0013] The first sensor may be of a different type from the second sensor. Each sensor has a tendency to be vulnerable to certain disturbance factors and resistant to other disturbance factors depending on its type. In other words, if the first and second sensors are of the same type, it may become vulnerable to certain disturbance factors. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can ensure redundancy and / or robustness against misjudging the puffing action by the user by combining the outputs of the first and second sensors of different types. In this specification, the first and second sensors of different types may represent sensors of different model numbers, or sensors with different detection principles.

[0014] The aerosol generator may further include a shutter that opens and closes the opening of the housing, and the first sensor may output the opening and closing of the opening by the shutter. For example, the opening and closing of the opening by the shutter may be detected by outputting the presence of the shutter from the first sensor only when the shutter is closed. In such a configuration, the first sensor may be configured not to output the presence of the shutter when the shutter is open. On the other hand, when the shutter is open, the user can perform puffing. Therefore, by using a first sensor that does not output the presence of the shutter when the shutter is open to improve the detection accuracy of the puffing action, the aerosol generator can reduce the number of sensors installed. More specifically, the aerosol generator can use the first sensor when it does not output the presence of the shutter to detect the preliminary action of puffing, which is the approach of the user's body to the opening of the housing.

[0015] The shutter may be provided such that it covers the first sensor when the opening is closed, but does not cover the first sensor when the opening is open. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can significantly reduce the shutter-derived component in the output of the first sensor when the opening is open, and the first sensor can detect preparatory actions of the puff, such as the approach of the user's body.

[0016] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating device is provided, comprising: a cylindrical housing with one end in the longitudinal direction open; a first sensor that outputs the approach of a user's body to the opening of the housing; a second sensor that outputs the internal state of the housing; and a control unit that performs control based on the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor. With this configuration, an aerosol generating device is provided that can detect a user's puffing action with high accuracy and operate based on the detection result.

[0017] The first sensor may be an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration applied to the aerosol generator. With this configuration, the aerosol generator can detect the acceleration when the user moves the aerosol generator for puffing, and thus can detect the user's action to perform puffing. In other words, the user's action of moving the aerosol generator can be considered a preliminary action for puffing.

[0018] As described above, the present invention provides an aerosol generating device that can detect puffing actions by the user with high accuracy and operate based on the detection results.

[0019] This is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an aerosol generator. This is a schematic diagram focusing on the peripheral configuration of the housing section of the aerosol generator. This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which a stick-type substrate is moving in the aerosol generator shown in Figure 2. This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the user is performing suction in the aerosol generator shown in Figure 2. This is a graph illustrating an example of determining puffing by the user from the signal output of the first sensor and the signal output of the second sensor. This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the aerosol generator according to the first embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the aerosol generator according to the second embodiment. This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the aerosol generator according to the third embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing the partial configuration of the aerosol generator according to the third embodiment.

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0021] <1. Outline Configuration> The aerosol generator is a device that generates aerosols that are inhaled by the user.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, the schematic configuration of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the schematic configuration of the aerosol generating apparatus 100.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the aerosol generator 100 includes, for example, a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a storage unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a heating unit 121, a storage unit 140, and a heat insulation unit 144. Any of these components may be omitted or integrated with other components. For example, the communication unit 115 may be omitted, the storage unit 114 may be integrated with the control unit 116, and the communication unit 115 may be integrated with the control unit 116.

[0024] The power supply unit 111 supplies power to each component of the aerosol generator 100 based on control by the control unit 116. The power supply unit 111 is composed of a battery that stores power. For example, the power supply unit 111 may be composed of a rechargeable battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery.

[0025] The sensor unit 112 acquires various information about the aerosol generator 100 using various sensors. For example, the sensor unit 112 may acquire values ​​that change in response to user inhalation using pressure sensors such as condenser microphones, flow sensors, or temperature sensors. As another example, the sensor unit 112 may acquire information input from the user using input devices such as buttons or switches. The various information acquired by the sensor unit 112 is used by the control unit 116 to control the operation of the aerosol generator 100.

[0026] The notification unit 113 notifies the user of various information. The notification unit 113 is composed of, for example, a light-emitting device that emits light, a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that emits sound, or a vibration device that vibrates.

[0027] The memory unit 114 stores various information for the operation of the aerosol generator 100. The memory unit 114 is composed of a non-volatile storage medium such as flash memory.

[0028] The communication unit 115 is a communication interface capable of performing communication in accordance with any wired or wireless communication standard. The communication unit 115 may be a communication interface compliant with a communication standard such as Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy®), NFC (Near Field Communication), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area).

[0029] The control unit 116 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and control unit, and controls the overall operation of the aerosol generator 100 according to various programs. The control unit 116 may be composed of electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), or a microprocessor, or it may be composed of a combination of these electronic circuits and peripheral circuits.

[0030] The housing section 140 has an internal space 141, and houses the stick-shaped substrate 150 while holding a portion of it in the internal space 141. Specifically, the housing section 140 has an opening 142 that communicates the internal space 141 to the outside, and houses the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 from the opening 142. For example, the housing section 140 may be a cylindrical body with the opening 142 and bottom 143 as its bottom surface, defining a columnar internal space 141. An air passage is connected to the housing section 140 to supply air to the internal space 141. An air inlet, which is the air entrance to the air passage, is located, for example, on the side of the aerosol generating device 100. An air outlet, which is the air exit from the air passage to the internal space 141, is located, for example, on the bottom 143. Instead of and / or in conjunction with the air inlet holes located on the side of the aerosol generator 100, the gap between the housing portion 140 near the opening 142 and the stick-type substrate 150 may function as an air inlet. The housing portion 140 may be made of, for example, ceramics or PEEK (PolyEtherEtherKetone).

[0031] The stick-type base material 150 includes a base material portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152. The base material portion 151 includes an aerosol source. The aerosol source includes flavoring components derived from tobacco or non-tobacco. The aerosol source may be a liquid such as a polyhydric alcohol (glycerin or propylene glycol, etc.) or water containing flavoring components, or it may be a solid. If the aerosol generating device 100 is a medical inhaler such as a nebulizer, the aerosol source may include a drug. When the stick-type base material 150 is held in the housing portion 140, at least a part of the base material portion 151 is housed in the internal space 141, and at least a part of the mouthpiece portion 152 protrudes from the opening 142. When the user puts the mouthpiece portion 152 protruding from the opening 142 in their mouth and inhales, air flows into the internal space 141 via an air passage (not shown) and reaches the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the base material portion 151.

[0032] The heating unit 121 generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol source, thereby atomizing it. In the example shown in Figure 1, the heating unit 121 is configured in a film-like form and is positioned to cover the outer circumference of the housing unit 140. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111, heating the base material portion 151 of the stick-type base material 150 from the outer circumference. This generates an aerosol from the stick-type base material 150. For example, power supply to the heating unit 121 may be started when the sensor unit 112 detects the start of suction by the user or the input of predetermined information by the user. Subsequently, power supply to the heating unit 121 may be stopped when the sensor unit 112 detects the end of suction by the user or the input of predetermined information by the user. Furthermore, if the sensor unit 112 can detect the insertion and removal of the stick-type base material 150 from the housing unit 140, power may be supplied to the heating unit 121 from the power supply unit 111 based on the detection of insertion of the stick-type base material 150 into the housing unit 140. Furthermore, the heating unit 121 may stop supplying power from the power supply unit 111 based on the detection of the removal of the stick-shaped substrate 150 from the housing unit 140.

[0033] The heat insulating section 144 prevents or reduces heat transfer from the heating section 121 to other components. For example, the heat insulating section 144 is made of a vacuum insulating material or an aerogel insulating material.

[0034] The above describes an example configuration of the aerosol generator 100. However, the aerosol generator 100 is not limited to the above configuration and can take on a variety of configurations as exemplified below.

[0035] For example, the heating element 121 may be configured in the shape of a blade or a pin and positioned to protrude from the bottom 143 of the housing 140 into the internal space 141. In this case, the blade-shaped or pin-shaped heating element 121 is inserted into the base material portion 151 of the stick-shaped base material 150 and heats the base material portion 151 of the stick-shaped base material 150 from the inside. As another example, the heating element 121 may be positioned to cover the bottom 143 of the housing 140. Furthermore, as yet another example, the heating element 121 may be composed of a combination of at least two of the following: a first heating element covering the outer circumference of the housing 140, a second heating element in the shape of a blade or a pin, or a third heating element covering the bottom 143 of the housing 140.

[0036] For example, the housing section 140 may include an opening / closing mechanism such as a hinge that opens and closes a part of the outer shell forming the internal space 141. By opening the outer shell of the housing section 140, the internal space 141 can be opened to the outside, and the stick-shaped base material 150 can be inserted into the internal space 141. In such a case, the heating section 121 may be provided at the insertion point of the stick-shaped base material 150 in the housing section 140, and may heat the stick-shaped base material 150 while pressing it.

[0037] Furthermore, the means for atomizing the aerosol source is not limited to heating by the heating unit 121. For example, the means for atomizing the aerosol source may be the heat generated by the susceptor through induction heating. In such a case, the aerosol generator 100 has at least an electromagnetic induction source, such as a coil that generates a magnetic field, instead of the heating unit 121, and the susceptor is inductively heated by the magnetic field generated from the electromagnetic induction source. The susceptor that generates heat through induction heating may be provided in the aerosol generator 100 or may be included in the stick-type substrate 150.

[0038] <2. Detailed Configuration> The detailed configuration of the aerosol generator 100 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram focusing on the surrounding configuration of the housing section 140 of the aerosol generator 100. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the stick-type substrate 150 has moved in the aerosol generator 100 shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which suction by user U has been performed in the aerosol generator 100 shown in Figure 2.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the housing section 140 is a cylindrical body with an opening 142 at one end in the longitudinal direction, as described above, and is equipped with a first sensor 160 and a second sensor 170 on the side surface of the cylindrical body. The aerosol generator 100 can generate aerosol A by heating a stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 of the housing section 140 with a heating section 121 (not shown). Furthermore, the aerosol generator 100 can detect the user's puffing action with high accuracy in the control unit 116 by combining the output of the first sensor 160 and the output of the second sensor 170. As the housing section 140 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 are as described above, their explanation is omitted here.

[0040] The first sensor 160 may, for example, be a sensor provided near the opening 142 of the housing section 140. Specifically, the first sensor 160 may be a sensor provided near the opening 142 of the housing section 140 that detects the approach of a user's body (e.g., mouth) to the opening 142. For example, the first sensor 160 may be a proximity sensor that detects the approach of an object to the first sensor 160, such as a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor or an image sensor), or an ultrasonic sensor.

[0041] The first sensor 160 may, in other examples, be a sensor that detects the user's action to perform puffing (hereinafter also referred to as a preparatory action). For example, the first sensor 160 may be a resistance sensor provided on the mouthpiece 152. In this case, the first sensor 160 can detect the contact between the user's lips and the mouthpiece 152 as a change in the resistance value of the mouthpiece 152, and thus can detect the user's action to perform puffing. Alternatively, the first sensor 160 may be configured such that when the stick-type base material 150 is inserted into the housing 140, an electrical contact is established between it and the control unit 116, and the output as a resistance sensor is input to the control unit 116. Alternatively, the first sensor 160 may be configured such that when the stick-type base material 150 is inserted into the housing 140 and the user's lips come into contact with the mouthpiece 152, an electrical contact is established between it and the control unit 116, and the output as a resistance sensor is input to the control unit 116. Furthermore, for example, the first sensor 160 may be a sensor that detects the displacement of the stick-shaped base material 150 caused by contact between the user's lips and the mouthpiece 152. In addition, for example, the first sensor 160 may be an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration applied to the aerosol generator 100. In such a case, the first sensor 160 can detect the acceleration of the movement when the user brings the aerosol generator 100 to their mouth for puffing, and thus can detect the action taken by the user to perform puffing. If the first sensor 160 is an acceleration sensor, the output from the first sensor 160 may also be used for mode transitions of the aerosol generator 100 or for receiving user input. In such a case, the total number of sensors mounted on the aerosol generator 100 can be reduced.

[0042] The second sensor 170 may, for example, be located on the bottom 143 side of the first sensor 160 and output the state of the internal space 141 of the housing 140. Specifically, the second sensor 170 may be a capacitive sensor or an ultrasonic sensor that detects parameters within the internal space 141 that change depending on the amount of aerosol A generated from the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141. In this case, the second sensor 170 can detect inhalation by the user from the decrease in the amount of aerosol A due to suction or from the flow of aerosol A. Alternatively, the second sensor 170 may be an airflow sensor, a pressure sensor, or a microphone sensor that detects changes in airflow or pressure within the internal space 141. In this case, the second sensor 170 can detect inhalation by the user from the change in airflow when the user inhales aerosol A.

[0043] The second sensor 170 may, as an example, be a temperature sensor, current sensor, or voltage sensor that detects changes in the output of the heating unit 121 that heats the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141. Alternatively, if the means for heating the stick-shaped substrate 150 is the heat generated by the susceptor due to induction heating, the second sensor 170 may be a magnetic sensor that detects the fluctuating magnetic field used for induction heating. In such a case, the second sensor 170 can detect suction by the user from the change in the output of the heating unit 121 that heats the stick-shaped substrate 150 whose temperature has decreased due to the user's suction of aerosol A.

[0044] Here, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 moves within the internal space 141, the state within the internal space 141 changes. When the second sensor 170 is a capacitance sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an air flow sensor, a pressure sensor, a microphone sensor, or the like, such movement of the stick-shaped substrate 150 may become noise and an unexpected factor that may cause false detection of performance. In particular, when the second sensor 170 is a capacitance sensor, the distance between the electrode for measuring capacitance and the stick-shaped substrate 150 changes due to the movement of the stick-shaped substrate 150 within the internal space 141. Therefore, before and after the stick-shaped substrate 150 moves within the internal space 141, the calibration and consistency of the output from the second sensor 170 may become impossible.

[0045] In order to heat the stick-shaped substrate 150 well, it is preferable that no gap occurs between the stick-shaped substrate 150 and the inner wall of the housing portion 140. Therefore, ideally, it is not assumed that the stick-shaped substrate 150 moves within the internal space 141 as shown in FIG. 3. However, even if no gap occurs between the stick-shaped substrate 150 and the inner wall of the housing portion 140 when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted into the internal space 141, the size of the stick-shaped substrate 150 may become smaller due to the decrease in the aerosol source contained in the substrate portion 151 as it is heated. In such a case, the inventor has found that a gap occurs between the stick-shaped substrate 150 and the inner wall of the housing portion 140. Also, such a gap may occur when the user moves the stick-shaped substrate 150 during heating. The present invention was conceived by the inventor in view of the above circumstances.

[0046] In the aerosol generation device 100 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 116 combines the output of the first sensor 160 and the output of the second sensor 170 to determine the puff operation by the user and perform control based on the determination result. Specifically, when the control unit 116 detects from the first sensor 160 an operation for performing a puff by the user, such as the approach of the user's body to the opening 142, and also detects from the second sensor 170 a change in the state of the internal space 141 due to the user sucking the aerosol A, it may be determined that the puff operation by the user has been performed, and control based on the determination result may be performed. For example, as control based on the determination result, the control unit 116 may count the number of puff operations by the user, or perform feedback control on the heating unit 121 or the like with the puff operation by the user as a trigger.

[0047] The aerosol generation device 100 can detect a plurality of different changes caused by the puff operation by the user with each of the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170. Therefore, the control unit 116 can more accurately determine the puff operation by the user by taking the logical product of the outputs of each of the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170.

[0048] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the first sensor 160 may detect the mouth of the user U biting the suction port portion 152. The second sensor 170 may detect a change in the amount of the aerosol A in the internal space 141 accompanying the suction of the aerosol A from the suction port portion 152. According to this, the control unit 116 can determine the puff operation by the user using a plurality of different changes in the approach of the mouth of the user U to the suction port portion 152 and the suction of the aerosol A by the user.

[0049] More specifically, the control unit 116 may determine the puff operation by the user based on the signal outputs from each of the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170 shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a graph diagram for explaining an example of determining a puff by the user from the signal output of the first sensor 160 and the signal output of the second sensor 170. <00001As shown in Figure 5, for example, suppose a signal output S1 is obtained from the first sensor 160 and a signal output S2 is obtained from the second sensor 170. The signal output S1 obtained from the first sensor 160 is a signal that detects the approach of an object (i.e., the mouth of user U) to the first sensor 160 which is located near the opening 142. The control unit 116 determines that the time interval D1 between the inflection point of the rising peak and the inflection point of the falling peak in the signal output S1 is the time interval in which the user put the mouthpiece 152 in their mouth. The signal output S2 obtained from the second sensor 170 is a signal that detects a change in the state inside the internal space 141 due to the user's inhalation of aerosol A. The control unit 116 determines that the time interval D2 between the inflection point of the rising peak and the inflection point of the falling peak in the signal output S2 is the time interval in which the user inhaled aerosol A.

[0051] Here, the control unit 116 can determine that the time interval T in which the time interval D1 in which the user held the mouthpiece 152 in their mouth and the time interval D2 in which the aerosol A was inhaled overlaps is the time interval in which the user actually performed the puffing action. On the other hand, the control unit 116 can determine that the time interval D2 that does not overlap with the time interval D1 in which the user held the mouthpiece 152 in their mouth is a signal peak caused by a reason other than the user's puffing action, and therefore is not a time interval in which the user performed the puffing action.

[0052] It is desirable that the first sensor 160 is a sensor that can obtain a signal output S1 whose peak rises faster than the peak rise of the signal output S2 obtained from the second sensor 170. That is, if the second sensor 170 is a sensor that detects the inhalation of aerosol A by the user, it is desirable that the first sensor 160 is a sensor that detects the approach of the user U's mouth before the second sensor 170 detects the inhalation of aerosol A by the user. With this, the control unit 116 can turn on power to the second sensor 170 after the first sensor 160 detects the approach of the user U's mouth, thereby reducing the power consumption of the second sensor.

[0053] Furthermore, it is more desirable that the first sensor 160 is a sensor that can obtain a signal output S1 whose peak falls later than the peak falling of the signal output S2 obtained from the second sensor 170. That is, if the second sensor 170 is a sensor that detects the inhalation of aerosol A by the user, it is desirable that the first sensor 160 detects that the user U has moved away from the sensor after the second sensor 170 has finished detecting the inhalation of aerosol A by the user.

[0054] However, the timing of the peak decline of the first sensor 160 is not particularly limited, as long as the peak rises faster than the peak rise of the signal output S2 obtained from the second sensor 170. For example, the control unit 116 may determine that a predetermined time interval after the peak of the signal output S1 output from the first sensor 160 rises is the time interval in which an action for the user to perform puffing is detected. In such a case, the control unit 116 can determine that the time interval in which the predetermined time interval after the peak of the signal output S1 rises and the time interval in which aerosol A was inhaled by the signal output S2 overlap is the time interval in which the user actually performed the puffing action.

[0055] Furthermore, it is desirable that the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170 are different types of sensors that detect different physical phenomena. For example, the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170 may experience noise in their output, complete loss of output, or abnormal output due to malfunctions such as contamination of the sensing part (e.g., electrodes). However, if the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170 are sensors that utilize different physical phenomena, it is unlikely that a single malfunction will cause abnormalities in both the first sensor 160 and the second sensor 170 simultaneously. Therefore, the control unit 116 can prevent the user from misjudging the puffing action by combining the outputs of the different types of first sensor 160 and second sensor 170. In addition, the control unit 116 can detect abnormalities in the first sensor 160 or the second sensor 170 at an early stage.

[0056] In the example shown in Figure 5, output signals S1 and S2 have the same sign (both are positive signals), but the present invention is not limited to this example. Output signals S1 and S2 may have different signs (one is a positive signal and the other is a negative signal). Even in such cases, it is easy for those skilled in the art to determine in the same way the time interval D1 in which the user held the mouthpiece 152 in their mouth and the time interval D2 in which the aerosol A was aspirated.

[0057] Furthermore, the output signal S1 may be configured to have a value (signal) while the user U's mouth is approaching, or it may be configured to have a value (signal) only while the user U's mouth is approaching the opening 142 and while it is moving away from the opening 142. Even with such a configuration, it is easy for a person skilled in the art to define a time interval D1 between these values.

[0058] <3. Examples of Implementation> (3.1. First Example of Implementation) Referring to Figure 6, a first example of implementation of the aerosol generating device 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the aerosol generating device 200 according to the first example of implementation.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6, the aerosol generating apparatus 200 according to the first embodiment is equipped with a first capacitance sensor 160A as the first sensor 160 and a second capacitance sensor 170A as the second sensor 170.

[0060] The first capacitance sensor 160A includes a measuring electrode 161 provided near the opening 142 of the housing 140. The first capacitance sensor 160A can detect the approach of the user's body to the electrode 161 by detecting a change in capacitance when the user's body enters the electric field generated by the electrode 161. Therefore, the first capacitance sensor 160A can detect the approach of the user's body to the electrode 161 as an action performed by the user to perform puffing.

[0061] The second capacitance sensor 170A includes a first electrode 171 and a second electrode 172 for measurement, which are provided spaced apart from each other on the side surface of the housing 140. The second capacitance sensor 170A can detect the state of the internal space 141 (i.e., the amount of aerosol A present in the internal space 141, etc.) by detecting changes in capacitance between the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172. Therefore, the second capacitance sensor 170A can detect a decrease in the amount of aerosol A present in the internal space 141 as inhalation of aerosol A by the user.

[0062] In the aerosol generating device 200 according to the first embodiment, a first shield 163 is provided between the electrode 161 of the first capacitance sensor 160A and the internal space 141 of the housing 140. The aerosol generating device 200 can prevent aerosol A present in the internal space 141 from affecting the output of the first capacitance sensor 160A by electromagnetically separating the electrode 161 of the first capacitance sensor 160A and the internal space 141 with the first shield 163.

[0063] The first shield 163 is a barrier made of a conductor. For example, the first shield 163 may be made of a metal film such as copper or aluminum connected to ground. The size and shape of the first shield 163 are not particularly limited as long as it can block the effects of electrostatic induction from the internal space 141 of the housing 140.

[0064] The aerosol generating device 200 according to the first embodiment can detect the user's approach to the opening 142 of the user's body using the first capacitance sensor 160A, and can also detect the user's inhalation of aerosol A using the second capacitance sensor 170A. Therefore, the aerosol generating device 200 according to the first embodiment can determine the user's puffing action with greater accuracy by combining the output of the first capacitance sensor 160A and the output of the second capacitance sensor 170A.

[0065] Furthermore, the aerosol generating device 200 according to the first embodiment can prevent the aerosol A present in the internal space 141 from affecting the output of the first capacitance sensor 160A by the first shield 163.

[0066] (3.2. Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the aerosol generating apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the aerosol generating apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment.

[0067] As shown in Figure 7, the aerosol generating apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment is equipped with a first capacitance sensor 160A as the first sensor 160 and a second capacitance sensor 170A as the second sensor 170.

[0068] The first capacitance sensor 160A includes a measuring electrode 161 provided near the opening 142 of the housing 140. The first capacitance sensor 160A can detect the approach of the user's body to the electrode 161 by detecting a change in capacitance when the user's body enters the electric field generated by the electrode 161. Therefore, the first capacitance sensor 160A can detect the approach of the user's body to the electrode 161 as an action performed by the user to perform puffing.

[0069] The second capacitance sensor 170A has a first electrode 171 and a second electrode 172 for detection, which are provided on the side surface of the housing 140 spaced apart from each other. The second capacitance sensor 170A can detect the state of the internal space 141 (i.e., the amount of aerosol A present in the internal space 141, etc.) by detecting changes in capacitance between the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172. Therefore, the second capacitance sensor 170A can detect a decrease in the amount of aerosol A present in the internal space 141 as inhalation of aerosol A by the user.

[0070] In the aerosol generating apparatus 300 according to the second embodiment, a first shield 163 is provided between the electrode 161 of the first capacitance sensor 160A and the internal space 141 of the housing 140. The first shield 163 is made of a conductor and can electromagnetically separate the electrode 161 of the first capacitance sensor 160A from the internal space 141. For example, the first shield 163 may be made of a metal film such as copper or aluminum connected to ground. The size and shape of the first shield 163 are not particularly limited as long as it can block the effects of electrostatic induction from the internal space 141 of the housing 140.

[0071] Furthermore, in the aerosol generating device 300 according to the second embodiment, the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 of the second capacitance sensor 170A are electromagnetically separated from the first capacitance sensor 160A by being covered by the second shield 173. Specifically, the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 of the second capacitance sensor 170A are covered by the second shield 173 in areas other than those facing the internal space 141. This makes it possible for the aerosol generating device 300 to prevent the first capacitance sensor 160A or the body of an approaching user from affecting the output of the second capacitance sensor 170A.

[0072] The second shield 173 is a barrier made of a conductor. For example, the second shield 173 may be made of a metal film such as copper or aluminum connected to ground. The size and shape of the second shield 173 are not particularly limited as long as it can block the effects of electrostatic induction from sides other than those facing the internal space 141 of the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172.

[0073] Furthermore, the first shield 163 and the second shield 173 may be provided as an integrated unit. That is, the first shield 163 and the second shield 173 may be provided continuously from the opening 142 side to the bottom 143 side of the housing 140 so as to separate the electrode 161 of the first capacitance sensor 160A from the internal space 141 and cover the first electrode 171 and the second electrode 172 of the second capacitance sensor 170A. According to this, the aerosol generator 300 can be formed with a simpler configuration for the first shield 163 and the second shield 173, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0074] The aerosol generating device 300 according to the second embodiment can detect the user's approach to the opening 142 of the user's body using the first capacitance sensor 160A, and can also detect the user's inhalation of aerosol A using the second capacitance sensor 170A. Therefore, the aerosol generating device 300 according to the second embodiment can determine the user's puffing action with higher accuracy by combining the output of the first capacitance sensor 160A and the output of the second capacitance sensor 170A.

[0075] Furthermore, the aerosol generating device 300 according to the second embodiment can prevent the aerosol A present in the internal space 141 from affecting the output of the first capacitance sensor 160A using the first shield 163, and can also prevent the first capacitance sensor 160A, etc. from affecting the output of the second capacitance sensor 170A using the second shield 163.

[0076] (3.3. Third Embodiment) A third embodiment of the aerosol generating apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the aerosol generating apparatus 400 according to the third embodiment. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a partial configuration of the aerosol generating apparatus 400 according to the third embodiment.

[0077] As shown in Figure 8, the aerosol generating device 400 according to the third embodiment comprises a housing 102 provided with an opening 142 that communicates with a housing 140, and a shutter 106 that opens and closes the opening 142 by sliding along the outer shape of the housing 102.

[0078] The housing 102 houses the various components of the aerosol generator 400. Inside the housing 102 are the aforementioned housing section 140, control unit 116, power supply unit 111, sensor unit 112, notification unit 113, storage unit 114, and communication unit 115.

[0079] The shutter 106 is provided on the surface of the housing 102 where the opening 142 exists. The shutter 106 opens and closes the opening 142 by moving along the outer shape of the housing 102 between a first position that covers the opening 142 and a second position that does not cover the opening 142. In the example shown in Figure 8, the position where the shutter 106 is located is the second position.

[0080] The aerosol generating device 400 according to the third embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, includes a capacitance sensor 160B as the first sensor 160, which is provided near the opening 142. The capacitance sensor 160B can detect the approach of user U's body to the capacitance sensor 160B by detecting the change in capacitance when user U's body enters the electric field generated by the capacitance sensor 160B.

[0081] Furthermore, the capacitance sensor 160B is positioned so that it is covered by the shutter 106 when the shutter 106 is in the first position, and not covered by the shutter 106 when the shutter 106 is in the second position. As a result, the capacitance sensor 160B can detect the position of the shutter 106 by detecting the change in capacitance accompanying the movement of the shutter 106. Therefore, the capacitance sensor 160B can detect whether the shutter 106 is in the first position that closes the opening 142, or in the second position that opens the opening 142. More specifically, the output of the capacitance sensor 160B can take at least three values: a value indicating that the shutter 106 is in the first position that closes the opening 142, a value indicating that the shutter 106 is in the second position that opens the opening 142 and the user U's body is not approaching, and a value indicating that the shutter 106 is in the second position that opens the opening 142 and the user U's body is approaching.

[0082] The aerosol generator 400 may reduce power consumption when aerosols are not being generated by putting the other components into a sleep state when the capacitive sensor 160B detects that the shutter 106 is in a first position that closes the opening 142. Alternatively, the aerosol generator 400 may transition the other components from a sleep state to an active state when the capacitive sensor 160B detects that the shutter 106 is in a second position that opens the opening 142.

[0083] The aerosol generating device 400 according to the third embodiment can detect the opening and closing of the opening 142 by the shutter 106, and the approach of the user U's body to the opening 142, using the capacitive sensor 160B. Therefore, since the aerosol generating device 400 according to the third embodiment can detect multiple events with a single capacitive sensor 160B, it is possible to reduce the number of sensors that are installed.

[0084] Furthermore, the aerosol generating device 400 according to the third embodiment can similarly detect the opening and closing of the shutter 106 and the approach of the user's body even when using other proximity sensors such as an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor other than the capacitive sensor 160B described above.

[0085] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these will naturally also be understood to fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0086] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention: (1) An aerosol generating device comprising: a cylindrical housing with one end in the longitudinal direction open; a first sensor provided near the opening at one end of the housing; a second sensor provided on the other end opposite to the first sensor and outputting the internal state of the housing; and a control unit that performs control based on the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor. (2) The aerosol generating device according to (1), wherein the first sensor outputs the approach of a user's body to the opening of the housing. (3) The aerosol generating device according to (2), wherein when the approach of the body is output by the first sensor, power is supplied to the second sensor. (4) The aerosol generating device according to any one of (1) to (3), further comprising a first shield provided between the first sensor and the housing to separate the first sensor and the housing. (5) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (4), further comprising a second shield provided to cover the second sensor, wherein the first shield and the second shield are provided as an integrated unit. (6) The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the first sensor is a sensor of a different type from the second sensor. (7) The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6), further comprising a shutter for opening and closing the opening of the housing, wherein the first sensor outputs the opening and closing of the opening by the shutter. (8) The aerosol generating apparatus according to (7), wherein the shutter is provided to cover the first sensor when the opening is closed, and not cover the first sensor when the opening is open. (9) An aerosol generating device comprising: a cylindrical housing having one end in the longitudinal direction open; a first sensor that outputs the approach of a user's body to the opening of the housing; a second sensor that outputs the internal state of the housing; and a control unit that performs control based on the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor. (10) The aerosol generating device according to (9), wherein the first sensor is an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration applied to the aerosol generating device.

[0087] 100, 200, 300, 400 Aerosol Generator 102 Housing 106 Shutter 116 Control Unit 121 Heating Unit 140 Housing Unit 141 Internal Space 142 Opening 143 Bottom 150 Stick-shaped Substrate 151 Substrate Unit 152 Suction Port 160 First Sensor 160A First Capacitive Sensor 163 First Shield 170 Second Sensor 170A Second Capacitive Sensor 173 Second Shield A Aerosol U User

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device comprising: a cylindrical housing with one end in the longitudinal direction open; a first sensor provided near the opening at one end of the housing; a second sensor provided on the other end opposite to the first sensor and outputting the internal state of the housing; and a control unit that performs control based on the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor.

2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor outputs the approach of the user's body to the opening of the housing.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein power is supplied to the second sensor when the first sensor outputs an indication of the approach of the body.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a first shield provided between the first sensor and the housing, which separates the first sensor and the housing.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a second shield provided so as to cover the second sensor, wherein the first shield and the second shield are provided as an integrated unit.

6. The aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first sensor is a sensor of a different type from the second sensor.

7. An aerosol generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a shutter for opening and closing the opening of the housing section, wherein the first sensor outputs the opening and closing of the opening by the shutter.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the shutter is provided such that it covers the first sensor when the opening is closed, and does not cover the first sensor when the opening is open.

9. An aerosol generating device comprising: a cylindrical housing with one end in the longitudinal direction open; a first sensor that outputs the approach of a user's body to the opening of the housing; a second sensor that outputs the internal state of the housing; and a control unit that performs control based on the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor.

10. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first sensor is an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration applied to the aerosol generating apparatus.

Images