# US 12,108,802 B2 · Aerosol generating device and method for controlling same

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- Number: US 12,108,802 B2
- Document ID: US12108802B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/530,261
- Filed: 2021-11-18
- Published: 2022-03-10
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-30
- Assignees: Kt&G Corporation
- Applicants: Kt&G Corporation
- Inventors: Hun Il Lim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12108802B2

## CPC

- A24F 40/51: Arrangement of sensors
- A24B 15/167: in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
- A24D 1/20: Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
- A24D 3/17: Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
- A24F 15/01: specially adapted for simulated smoking devices or cigarettes therefor (battery charging means structurally associated with the case A24F40/95)
- A24F 40/40: Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
- A24F 40/42: Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/44: Wicks
- A24F 40/46: Shape or structure of electric heating means
- A24F 40/485: Valves; Apertures
- A24F 40/50: Control or monitoring
- A24F 40/53: Monitoring, e.g. fault detection
- A24F 40/57: Temperature control
- A24F 40/60: Devices with integrated user interfaces
- A24F 40/65: Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means
- A24F 40/90: Arrangements or methods specially adapted for charging batteries thereof
- A24F 40/95: structurally associated with cases
- F21V 3/00: Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses (with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506)
- F21V 5/00: Refractors for light sources (characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504)
- G02B 19/0009: {having refractive surfaces only}
- G02B 19/0061: {the light source comprising a LED}
- H05B 1/0227: {Applications}
- H05B 3/20: Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional [2D] plane, e.g. plate-heater (H05B3/62, H05B3/68, H05B3/78, H05B3/84 take precedence)
- H05B 3/54: flexible
- H05B 6/06: Control, e.g. of temperature, of power
- H05B 6/108: {for heating a fluid}
- H05K 1/0203: {Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence)}
- H05K 1/0277: {Bendability or stretchability details (H05K1/038, H05K3/4691 take precedence)}
- H05K 1/148: {Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means}
- H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components
- A24F 40/10: Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/20: Devices using solid inhalable precursors
- A24F 40/30: Devices using two or more structurally separated inhalable precursors, e.g. using two liquid precursors in two cartridges
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- H05K 2201/012: Flame-retardant; Preventing of inflammation
- H05K 2201/0154: Polyimide
- H05K 2201/10219: Thermoelectric component
- A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06)
- A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
- A24D: CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes: a case into which a cigarette is to be inserted; a cap detachably coupled to a top portion of the case; a cover configured to slide on a top surface of the cap so as to open or close a cigarette insertion hole; a first sensor configured to sense whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed; and a controller configured to determine whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed based on a signal sensed by the first sensor and set an operational mode of the aerosol generating device as an ON mode or an OFF mode based on a result of the determining.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aerosol generating device comprising:
a case into which a cigarette is to be inserted;
a cap detachably coupled to a top portion of the case;
a cover configured to move on a top surface of the cap, thereby opening or closing a cigarette insertion hole;
a first sensor configured to sense whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed;
a heater arranged in the case and configured to heat the cigarette inserted into the case;
a button; and
a controller configured to determine whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed based on a signal sensed by the first sensor,
characterized in that the controller is configured to:
determine whether the button is pressed as a first input for a predetermined first time period based on the cigarette insertion hole being open, and
control power to be supplied to the heater such that the heater is pre-heated in response to the first input, wherein power is not supplied to the heater in response to the button being pressed when the cigarette insertion hole is closed such that pre-heating is not performed when the cigarette insertion hole is closed,
wherein the controller is further configured to perform a reset operation of the aerosol generating device based on a second input received via the button for a predetermined second time period.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aerosol generating device of claim 1, further comprising:
a second sensor configured to sense whether or not the cigarette is inserted into the case;
a vaporizer detachably coupled to the case and configured to accommodate a liquid composition and, while being coupled to the case, transmit aerosol, which is generated by heating the liquid composition, to the cigarette; and
a battery configured to supply power to the controller, the heater, and the vaporizer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The aerosol generating device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to,
when the cigarette insertion hole is open, electrically connect the battery to the heater and the vaporizer, and activate the second sensor to sense whether or not the cigarette is inserted into the case.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The aerosol generating device of claim 3, wherein,
when the cigarette insertion hole is open, the controller is further configured to determine whether or not the cigarette is inserted into the case based on a signal sensed by the activated second sensor, and
in response to determining that the cigarette is inserted into the case, control power to be supplied to the heater via the battery such that the heater is pre-heated to a predetermined temperature.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The aerosol generating device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to
when the cigarette insertion hole is closed, electrically disconnect the battery from the heater and the vaporizer, block the input received through the button, and block a signal sensed by the second sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein,
when the cigarette insertion hole is closed, the controller is further configured to activate functions related to booting of the aerosol generating device, and the functions related to booting comprise at least one of a clock function, a real time clock (RTC) function, and an interrupt function for standing by for the signal sensed by the first sensor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein
the first sensor comprises an ON/OFF switch configured to generate an ON signal when the cover moves to open the cigarette insertion hole and generate an OFF signal when the cover moves to close the cigarette insertion hole.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The aerosol generating device of claim 2, wherein
the second sensor comprises at least one of a Hall sensor configured to sense a change in a magnetic field generated from a metal material included in the cigarette, a mechanical switch configured to sense a physical change occurring when the cigarette is inserted, an infrared sensor configured to sense approaching of the cigarette, and an optical sensor configured to sense a pattern printed on a surface of the cigarette.