CN115209749A

CN115209749A - Sidestream smoke removal device and control method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN115209749A
Application number: CN202180019071.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 韩承奎; 金宰贤; 金台宪
Original assignee: KT&G Corp
Current assignee: KT&G Corp
Priority date: 2020-10-27
Filing date: 2021-09-15
Publication date: 2022-10-18
Also published as: WO2022092563A1; JP2023512651A; KR102571395B1; KR20220056283A; EP4094595A1; US20230145757A1; JP7513351B2; EP4094595A4

Abstract

A sidestream smoke removal apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. A sidestream smoke removal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include: a housing having a smoking space formed therein; an article insertion part at one end of the housing and formed with an opening for inserting a smoking article into the smoking space; an ignition portion for igniting a smoking article inserted into the smoking space; a sidestream smoke treatment section for treating sidestream smoke generated from a smoking article inserted into the smoking space; and a cutting section. The cutting part provides a cutting function for the smoking articles inserted into the smoking space, thereby ensuring a fire extinguishing function which is convenient and safe to use.

Description

Sidestream smoke removal device and control method thereof

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a sidestream smoke removal apparatus and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a sidestream smoke removing apparatus capable of further improving convenience and safety in use by providing a safe fire extinguishing function to a smoking article, and a control method performed in the apparatus.

Background

A sidestream smoke removal device is a smoking assistance device developed for the purpose of reducing hand odor and removing (purifying) sidestream smoke (or the like). Sidestream smoke removal devices typically have an enclosed smoking space and a sidestream smoke removal unit, and a user may smoke by inserting a cigarette into the smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device.

However, most of the sidestream smoke removal devices proposed so far are not provided with a fire extinguishing unit. Therefore, the user of the device experiences the inconvenience of having to directly remove the cigarette for fire suppression after smoking is over, and errors in the fire suppression process may result in burns or fires.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved

A technical problem to be solved by some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a sidestream smoke removal apparatus and a control method performed in the apparatus, which can further improve convenience of use and safety by providing a safe fire extinguishing function for a smoking article.

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions.

Means for solving the problems

The sidestream smoke removal apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure for solving the above technical problems may include: a housing having a smoking space formed therein; an article insertion part which is positioned at one end of the outer shell and is provided with an opening for inserting the smoking articles into the smoking space; an ignition portion for igniting the smoking article inserted into the smoking space; a sidestream smoke treatment section for treating sidestream smoke generated from a smoking article inserted into the smoking space; and a cutting part for providing a cutting function for the smoking articles inserted into the smoking space.

In some embodiments, a push button is provided on an outer surface of the housing, and the cutting part may be configured to cut the inserted smoking article when an external force is applied to the push button.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion may be configured to cut the inserted smoking article when an external force twisting the outer shell is applied to the outer shell.

In some embodiments, the cut-off portion may be configured to cut off the inserted smoking article when an external force that expands or contracts the outer shell is applied to the outer shell.

In some embodiments, the cutting part may include a plurality of cutting blades and be formed with an opening, and the cutting part may be configured to cut the smoking article when the plurality of cutting blades are retracted in a state where the inserted smoking article passes through the opening.

In some embodiments, the cutting part includes a plurality of cutting blades and is formed with an opening, and the cutting part may be configured to cut the smoking article when the plurality of cutting blades move in a state where the inserted smoking article passes through the opening. At this time, as the plurality of cutting blades move, an overlapping area between the plurality of cutting blades may increase, and the size of the opening may decrease.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion may be provided at a fixed position and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article.

In some embodiments, the cut-off portion may be configured to be movable.

In some embodiments, the sidestream smoke treatment portion may include a filter member for filtering the sidestream smoke and an exhaust fan for exhausting the filtered sidestream smoke.

In some embodiments, a vent hole into which external air flows may be formed in the housing.

In some embodiments, the sidestream smoke removal device may further comprise: a temperature sensor arranged to measure a temperature in the vicinity of a downstream end of a smoking material portion constituting the inserted smoking article; and a control unit for detecting the end of smoking based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, a cutting section for cutting a smoking article may be provided inside the sidestream smoke removal device. The cut-off portion can provide a fire extinguishing function that is convenient and safe to use at a time desired by a user by cutting off the smoking article in combustion to prevent further combustion, and can minimize the risk of burns due to carelessness of the user (e.g., the risk of burns due to carelessness when directly extinguishing a fire) and the risk of fire.

In addition, the vent hole and the exhaust fan can be properly controlled according to the smoking progress, so that the smoking satisfaction of the user can be improved.

Further, when the end of smoking is detected, an automatic fire extinguishing function may be performed. Therefore, the risk of fire and burn due to the carelessness of the user can be further minimized.

The effects of the technical idea according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

Drawings

Fig. 1-4 are schematic diagrams illustrating a sidestream smoke removal device and various modifications of some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a sidestream smoke removal device having a fire extinguishing function for illustrating some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6-8 are schematic diagrams illustrating various modes of operation of a sidestream smoke removal device having fire suppression functionality according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 and 10 are schematic views for explaining a cutting structure of a cutting part according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 11 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a method of controlling a sidestream smoke removal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 12 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a control method of a sidestream smoke removal device of some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a current smoking location determination according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages, features and methods of accomplishing the same of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below, and may be realized in various forms different from each other, and the following embodiments are only intended to complete the technical idea of the present disclosure and fully inform the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, and the technical idea of the present disclosure is defined by the scope of the claims.

In attaching reference numerals to components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even if they are represented in different drawings. In the description of the present disclosure, detailed descriptions of related known art configurations and functions may be omitted when it is considered that the gist of the present disclosure is obscured.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used as meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Also, unless explicitly defined otherwise, terms commonly used in dictionaries have to be interpreted as having a meaning that is ideal or overly formal. The terminology used in the following embodiments is for the purpose of describing the embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. In this specification, a single form also includes a plurality of forms unless the context specifically indicates otherwise.

Further, in describing the components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another component, and the nature, order, sequence, or the like of the related components are not limited by the terms. It should be appreciated that if a component is described as being "connected," "coupled," or "linked" to another component, it can mean that the component is not only directly "connected," "coupled," or "linked" to the other component, but also indirectly "connected," "coupled," or "linked" via a third component.

The terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this disclosure, specify the presence of stated components, steps, acts, and/or elements, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, acts, and/or elements.

First, some terms used in various embodiments of the present disclosure will be clarified.

In the following embodiments, "smoking article" may refer to any article that may be smoked or that may provide a smoking experience, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobaccos (expanded tobaccos), reconstituted tobaccos (reconstituted tobaccos), or tobacco substitutes. For example, smoking articles may include smokable articles such as cigarettes, cigars (cigar) and cigarillos (cigrilo).

In the following embodiments, "smoking material" may refer to the generation of smoke (smoke) and/or aerosol (aerosol) or a material used for smoking. For example, the smoking material may comprise a tobacco material. For example, tobacco material may include tobacco lamina, tobacco stem or material processed therefrom, and the like. As more specific examples, the tobacco material may include shredded tobacco leaves, shredded reconstituted tobacco, cut filler, cut rolled stem, reconstituted tobacco leaves, and the like. However, it is not limited thereto.

In the following embodiments, "upstream" or "upstream direction" may refer to a direction away from the mouth of the user, and "downstream" or "downstream" may refer to a direction close to the mouth of the user. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" may be used to describe the relative positions of the elements making up the smoking article. For example, in the smoking article 30 illustrated in fig. 1 and the like, the filter unit is located at a position downstream or in the downstream direction of the smoking substance section, and the smoking substance section is located at a position upstream or in the upstream direction of the filter unit.

In the following embodiments, "longitudinal direction" may refer to a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the smoking article.

In the following embodiments, "suction" may refer to inhalation (inhalation) of a user, which may refer to a condition of being inhaled into an oral cavity, a nasal cavity, or a lung of the user through a mouth or a nose of the user.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sidestream smoke removal device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, the drawings of fig. 1 and the like show a state where the smoking article 30 is inserted.

As shown in fig. 1, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 includes a casing 11, a product insertion portion 12, a rear cover 13, a heat insulating portion 14, a temperature sensor 20, an ignition portion 15, a sidestream smoke treatment portion 16, a mesh net 17, a display portion 19, and a control portion 18. However, fig. 1 only shows components related to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains may appreciate that other general components may be included in addition to those shown in FIG. 1. For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a battery (not shown in the figures) for supplying power to the electrical components (e.g., the control portion 18, the display portion 19, etc.). Furthermore, some of the components shown in figure 1 may not be essential components of the sidestream smoke removal apparatus 1. That is, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be implemented in the form of some of the components that are omitted from illustration. For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may not include the display 19. Next, each component of the side-stream smoke removing device 1 will be explained.

The outer housing 11 may form a smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device 1 and may form at least a part of the external appearance of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. Although the housing 11 in fig. 1 refers to the side wall of the sidestream smoke removal device 1, the housing 11 may refer to all appearance forming structures including the product insertion portion 12, the rear cover 13, and the heat insulating portion 14. In order to ensure the durability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 and to minimise the risk of breakage, the housing 11 is preferably made of a strong material.

In some embodiments, a ventilation hole 111 may be formed in the outer case 11 so that external air can smoothly flow into the smoking space. The ventilation holes 111 may allow the inflow of outside air during smoking to promote combustion of the smoking article 30, thereby greatly enhancing the smoking function of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. Although one ventilation hole 111 is illustrated as being formed in the housing 11 in fig. 1, the number of ventilation holes 111 may be plural. In addition, the formation position, size, interval, etc. of the vent holes 111 may be designed in various ways. Whether or not to open or close the vent hole 111 and/or the degree of opening or closing of the vent hole 111 may also be controlled by the control section 18, which will be described later with reference to fig. 11.

Second, the article insertion portion 12 may be located at one end (e.g., an upper end) of the outer housing 11 and may form an opening for inserting the smoking article 30. A user may insert a smoking article 30 into the smoking space of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 through the article insert 12. In order to prevent heat inside the smoking space from being discharged to the outside, the article insert 12 is preferably made of a heat insulating material. Further, in order to prevent the inserted smoking article 30 from shaking, the article insertion portion 12 preferably has a holder structure capable of holding the smoking article 30.

In some embodiments, the article insert 12 may have a structure that enables adjustment of the size of the opening. For example, the product insertion portion 12 may have a structure that tightens or loosely enlarges the opening by manual operation. As another example, the article insert 12 may be configured to automatically constrict the opening to fit the smoking article 30. As a more specific example, the article insertion portion 12 is controlled by the control portion 18, and the control portion 18 may control the article insertion portion 12 to tighten the opening when insertion of the smoking article 30 is detected by a sensor or user input (e.g., a button press) is received. According to the present embodiment, by adjusting the size of the opening to fit the smoking article 30, it is possible to prevent a sloshing phenomenon of the smoking article 30 and improve the support stability. Furthermore, the usage of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be increased as smoking articles of various sizes may be inserted.

The smoking article 30 may be formed of a downstream filter portion and a smoking material portion joined to an upstream end of the filter portion. However, the detailed structure of the smoking article 30 may be freely varied. The filter portion may include a filter substance capable of filtering the aerosol, and the smoking substance portion may include a smoking substance. Examples of smoking articles 30 may include, but are not limited to, a combustion cigarette, and smoking articles 30 may include any article that produces sidestream smoke when smoking.

Second, a rear cap 13 may be located at the other end (e.g., lower end) of the housing 11 and serve as a cover for the sidestream smoke removal device 1. A gas discharge passage may be formed in the rear cover 13 so that the sidestream smoke treated (purified) by the sidestream smoke treatment section 16 is discharged to the outside. For example, a gas discharge passage such as a micro hole or the like may be formed in the rear cover 13.

Secondly, the heat insulating part 14 is made of a material having low thermal conductivity, so that heat inside the smoking space can be prevented from being discharged to the outside. The thermal insulation 14 is provided on the outer surface of the housing 11 to serve to pre-prevent the risk of burns due to internal heat when the user's body comes into contact with the sidestream smoke removal apparatus 1 (e.g. when holding the apparatus 1 for smoking).

Secondly, a temperature sensor 20 may be provided in the smoking space to measure the temperature of a smoking article 30 inserted in the smoking space. The number, shape, arrangement position, arrangement interval, and the like of the temperature sensors 20 may be designed in various ways, which may differ according to embodiments.

As shown in fig. 1, a temperature sensor 20 may be provided to measure the temperature near the downstream end of the smoking substance portion. In this case, it is possible to accurately judge whether smoking is over using only the temperature sensor 20 without an additional monitoring module, which can be understood to utilize the fact that smoking is over typically when the smoking material portion is completely combusted. For example, the control section 18 may determine that smoking is ended when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 is a reference value or more (for example, when the current smoking position reaches the downstream end of the smoking material section), or when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 increases and then decreases to a reference value or less (for example, when the combustion force becomes weak at the downstream end of the smoking material section).

In some other embodiments, multiple temperature sensors 20 may be disposed at different locations from one another within the smoking space. For example, as illustrated in figure 2, a plurality of temperature sensors 20-1, 20-2 may be provided in the length direction of the smoking article 30. Alternatively, a plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be disposed at positions opposite to each other. Although two temperature sensors 20-1, 20-2 are illustrated in fig. 2, the number of temperature sensors 20 may be three or more. In this case, the temperature sensors 20 may be arranged at the same interval or at different intervals. When a plurality of temperature sensors 20 are used, the progress of smoking (for example, smoking progress) can be monitored more accurately, and various kinds of monitoring information can be obtained as follows.

In some examples, the onset of smoking may be detected (judged) by a temperature sensor (e.g., 20-2) disposed near the upstream end of the smoking material portion. For example, the control unit 18 may determine that smoking is started when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor (e.g., 20-2) is equal to or higher than a reference value.

In some examples, the smoking progress (e.g., current smoking (burning) location) of the smoking article 30 may be judged by comparing the measured temperatures of a plurality of temperature sensors (e.g., 20-1, 20-2) arranged in the length direction. This example will be described in detail later with reference to fig. 12 and 13.

In some examples, a plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be provided at positions opposite to each other with reference to the inserted smoking article 30, or may be provided in the circumferential direction of the smoking article 30 in the smoking space (for example, four temperature sensors 20 may be arranged at intervals of 90 degrees). In this case, the degree of inclination (shaking) of the smoking article 30 can be judged by comparing the measured temperatures of the plurality of temperature sensors 20. For example, when the measured temperature of a particular temperature sensor is higher than the measured temperatures of the other temperature sensors, the control section 18 may determine that the smoking article 30 inserted in the direction of the particular temperature sensor is tilted. Alternatively, the control section 18 may determine that the inserted smoking article 30 is shaking when the fluctuation in the measured temperature of the plurality of temperature sensors 20 is equal to or greater than a reference value.

In some other embodiments, a temperature sensor 20 having an elongated body may be disposed in the smoking space. For example, an elongate temperature sensor 20 may be provided along the length of the smoking article 30. The temperature sensor 20 according to this embodiment may be implemented such that a first portion of the elongate body may measure the temperature of a first corresponding portion of the smoking substance portion constituting the smoking article 30, and a second portion may measure the temperature of a second corresponding portion of the smoking substance portion. The specific implementation method can be any method. In this case, the progress of smoking may be monitored based on the measured temperature of a particular portion of the elongate body. For example, the control section 18 may determine the smoking progress of the smoking article 30 by comparing the measured temperatures of various portions of the elongate body as described above.

In some other embodiments, the temperature sensor 20 may be provided based on a combination of the above-described embodiments.

Secondly, an ignition portion 15 may be provided in the smoking space to ignite the smoking article 30 inserted into the smoking space. The ignition portion 15 may be controlled by the control portion 18 and the ignition function may be performed by a manual operation of a user. The number, shape, arrangement, etc. of the ignition portions 15 may be designed in various ways, which may vary according to embodiments.

In some embodiments, the ignition portion 15 may be disposed in a fixed position. Specifically, as shown in fig. 1 and the like, the ignition portion 15 may be provided to ignite the vicinity of the upstream end of the inserted smoking article 30. In this case, the defect rate at the time of manufacture can be minimized due to the simplified structure of the sidestream smoke removal device 1.

In some other embodiments, the ignition portion 15 may be designed and implemented to be movable. The specific implementation method can be any method. For example, the ignition portion 15 may be implemented to be moved in the length direction by a manual operation of a user or a control of the control portion 18. In some examples, the control section 18 may move the ignition section 15 to the upstream end of the smoking article 30 in response to detecting insertion of the smoking article 30. According to the present embodiment, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be universally applicable to smoking articles having various lengths, thereby enabling a significant increase in the usage rate of the sidestream smoke removal device 1.

Secondly, a sidestream smoke treatment section 16 may be provided in the smoking space to perform various treatments on sidestream smoke generated from an inserted smoking article 30. For example, the sidestream smoke treatment section 16 may be located between the inserted smoking article 30 and the rear cover 13 to perform the function of purifying sidestream smoke. Further, the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 may perform an exhaust function to smoothly discharge the purified sidestream smoke to the outside. However, the detailed structure and manner of action of the sidestream smoke treatment section 16 may be designed in a variety of ways, which may vary depending on the embodiment.

In some embodiments, as shown, the sidestream smoke treatment section 16 may be provided comprising a filter member 161 and an exhaust fan 162. The filter member 161 may perform a function of purifying the side stream smoke, and the exhaust fan 162 may perform a function of exhausting the side stream smoke. For example, the exhaust fan 162 may suck the side stream smoke toward the filter member 161 side by rotation and smoothly discharge the side stream smoke passing through the filter member 161 to the outside. The operation of the exhaust fan 162 may be controlled by the control portion 18, which will be described later with reference to the drawings such as fig. 11.

Secondly, a mesh net 17 may be provided between the sidestream smoke treatment section 16 and the rear cover 13 to act as a safety net. For example, the mesh net 17 may prevent certain objects (e.g., some pieces of the filter portion 161, etc.) inside the smoking space from escaping in the direction of the rear cover 13.

Second, the display part 19 may be located at an outer surface of the housing 11 to display various types of information under the control of the control part 18. For example, the display section 19 may display information on smoking progress, device information, smoking history information, user information, and the like. Here, for example, the information on the smoking progress may include smoking progress information (any information on smoking progress, such as smoking progress, current smoking location, remaining number of puffs, smoking time, remaining smoking time, etc.), puff information (all information on puff events, such as number of puffs, puff length, puff interval, puff intensity, whether a puff is in progress, etc.), and the like, but is not limited thereto. For example, the device information may include information such as a power state, whether a fault occurs, and a battery state (e.g., remaining power, whether charging is required, etc.), but is not limited thereto. The smoking history information may include, but is not limited to, the number of accumulated smoking times, and the like.

The display unit 19 is provided with a visual display unit such as an LED display, and can visually display the various information. However, the specific display unit thereof may be freely changed.

Next, the control unit 18 may control the overall operation of the sidestream smoke removal apparatus 1. For example, the control unit 18 may control the operation of the exhaust fan 162, the operation of the display unit 19, and the operation of other components included in the sidestream smoke removal apparatus 1. Furthermore, the control section 18 may determine the progress of smoking of the smoking article 30 and may determine whether the sidestream smoke removal device 1 is in an operable state by confirming the status of each of the components of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. The detailed operation method of the control section 18 will be described in detail later with reference to fig. 11 to 13.

The control section 18 may be implemented by at least one processor (processor). The processor may be implemented by a plurality of logic gate arrays, or may be implemented by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that the control unit 18 may be implemented by other types of hardware.

Although the example in fig. 1 is illustrated in which the control portion 18 is located outside the casing 11 of the sidestream smoke removal apparatus 1, this is merely for convenience of understanding, and the position where the control portion 18 is provided may be freely changed. For example, to prevent malfunction due to external impact, the control portion 18 may be provided at a specific position within the housing 11.

On the other hand, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further comprise a module providing audible and/or tactile output. For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further comprise a speaker, a vibration module, etc. In this case, the control section 18 may provide the user with various information by further using the above-described modules illustrated.

Also, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 3, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may comprise a resilient support 21, the resilient support 21 being arranged to resiliently support the upstream end of an inserted smoking article 30. The resilient support portion 21 may comprise an extensible and contractible resilient body, such as a spring, and may be arranged to contract in the insertion direction as the smoking article 30 is inserted. For example, the elastic support portion 21 is provided in the longitudinal direction in the smoking space, and is contracted in the insertion direction by the insertion force of the smoking article 30 to support the smoking article 30, whereby the support stability and ignition stability of the smoking article 30 can be improved.

In the previous embodiment, the ignition portion 15 is combined with the resilient support 21, as shown, and the ignition portion 15 may be arranged to abut the upstream end of the smoking article 30 as the smoking article 30 is inserted. In this case, since the ignition portion 15 supports the upstream end of the smoking article 30 together with the elastic support portion 21 and performs an ignition function, ignition stability can be further improved, and also ignition performance can be improved. In this example, the portion of the lighting portion 15 immediately adjacent the upstream end of the smoking article 30 may have a sharply protruding shape (e.g. needle-like). In this case, at least a portion of the ignition portion 15 extends through the upstream end of the smoking article 30 as the smoking article 30 is inserted, and therefore the smoking article 30 can be more stably supported upon ignition, whereby the support stability and ignition stability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved.

Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 4, a support portion 22 for supporting a side of a smoking article 30 may also be provided in the smoking space of the sidestream smoke removal device 1. For example, as shown, a plurality of supports 22 may be provided to support the sides of the first and second spots of smoking articles 30. In order to support a specific spot of the smoking article 30, a plurality of support portions 22 may be provided in the circumferential direction of the smoking article 30 (for example, four support portions 22 may be provided at intervals of 90 degrees), or one support portion 22 may be provided in a ring shape. As described above, the number, arrangement, shape, etc. of the supporting portions 22 may be designed and implemented in various ways.

Also, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further comprise a cut-off (23 in fig. 5). The cut-off portion 23 can provide a convenient and safe fire extinguishing function at a time desired by a user by cutting off the smoking article 30 in combustion to prevent further combustion, and can minimize the risk of burns due to carelessness of the user (e.g., the risk of burns due to carelessness when directly extinguishing a fire) and the risk of fire. The present embodiment will be described in detail later with reference to the drawings below in fig. 5.

Thus far, the structure and various variations of a sidestream smoke removal device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to fig. 1 to 4. As described above, information on the progress of smoking can be provided through the plurality of temperature sensors 20 and the display part 19, and the support stability and ignition stability of the smoking article 30 can be improved through the elastic support part 22 and/or the support part 23. Therefore, the convenience of use of the convection smoke removing device 1 can be improved, and the satisfaction of the user can be improved.

Hereinafter, a sidestream smoke removal device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings below in fig. 5. However, for the sake of clarity of the present disclosure, the description of the contents overlapping with those of fig. 1 to 4 will be omitted.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a sidestream smoke removal device 1 having a fire extinguishing function for illustrating some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 5, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may comprise a cut-out 23, the cut-out 23 providing a fire extinguishing function by means of cutting off an inserted smoking article 30. However, the arrangement form, the operation method, and/or the cutting structure of the cutting portion 23 may be designed in various ways.

First, the arrangement form of the cutting portion 23 may be variously designed as follows.

In some examples, the cut-off portion 23 may be provided at a fixed location and configured to cut off a particular part of an inserted smoking article 30. For example, the cutting portion 23 may be fixedly provided at a position where it is possible to cut between the filter portion and the smoking material portion. In this case, a safe fire extinguishing function can be ensured regardless of the current smoking (burning) position of the smoking article 30, and the structure of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can also be simplified.

In some other examples, the cut-off portion 23 may be configured to be movable. For example, the cut-off portion 23 may be configured to be moved by an external force of a user (manual operation), or may be configured to be moved under the control of the control portion 18. As a more specific example, the cut-off portion 23 may be automatically moved by the control portion 18 to the vicinity of the current smoking (burning) position of the smoking article 30. As for the method of the control section 18 determining the current smoking (burning) position of the smoking article 30, the description of fig. 13 is referred to.

Next, the operation method of the cutting unit 23 may be variously designed as follows.

Further, in some examples, as illustrated in fig. 6, the push button 24 may be provided on an outer surface of the housing 11. Also, the cutting portion 23 may be configured to operate when an external force F is applied to the push button 24 (i.e., when the user presses the button 24). For example, the cutting section 23 may be configured to mechanically interlock with the push button 24, thereby cutting the smoking article 30 by an external force F applied to the push button 24. Alternatively, the cutting portion 23 may be electrically interlocked with the control portion 18, and the control portion 18 may operate the cutting portion 23 in response to the external force F of the push button 24.

In some other examples, as illustrated in fig. 7, the cut-off portion 23 may be configured to act when an external force F that twists the housing 11 is applied to the housing 11. For example, the cutting portion 23 may be configured to mechanically interlock with the housing 11 so as to cut the smoking article 30 by an external force F that twists the housing 11 (e.g., a case where the housing 11 is held with both hands and rotated in the opposite direction). Alternatively, the cutting portion 23 may be electrically interlocked with the control portion 18, and the control portion 18 may operate the cutting portion 23 in response to the torsional external force F.

In some other examples, as illustrated in fig. 8, the cut-off portion 23 may be configured to act when an external force F1 that extends the housing 11 or an external force F2 that contracts the housing 11 is applied to the housing 11. For example, the cut-off portion 23 may be configured to mechanically interlock with the housing 11, thereby cutting off the smoking article 30 by an external force F1 that extends the housing 11 (e.g., a case where the housing 11 is held with both hands and pulled in the opposite direction) or an external force F2 that contracts the housing 11 (e.g., a case where the housing 11 is held with both hands and pushed in the opposite direction). Alternatively, the cutting portion 23 may be electrically interlocked with the control portion 18, and the control portion 18 may operate the cutting portion 23 in response to the external force F1 of the expansion or the external force F2 of the contraction described above.

Next, the cutting structure of the cutting section 23 may be variously designed as follows.

In some examples, as illustrated in fig. 9, the cutoff portion 23-1 may include a plurality of

cutoff blades

231, 232, and may include an opening formed near the center for the smoking article 30 to pass through. For example, it may be designed that the smoking article 30 passes through the opening of the cut-out 23-1 as the smoking article 30 is inserted into the smoking space. Further, the severing portion 23-1 may be configured to sever the smoking article 30 as the deployed plurality of severing

blades

231, 232 retract. The plurality of cutting

blades

231, 232 may be disposed in a circumferential direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise direction) of the opening, and the number thereof may be freely changed. Such a cut-out structure of the cut-out portion 23-1 can be understood to be similar to the folding structure of the folding basket.

In some other examples, as illustrated in fig. 10, the cutoff portion 23-2 may include a plurality of

cutoff blades

231, 232, and may include an opening formed near the center for the smoking article 30 to pass through. For example, it may be designed such that the smoking article 30 passes through the opening of the cut-out 23-2 as the smoking article 30 is inserted into the smoking space. Further, the cutting section 23-2 may be configured to cut the smoking article 30 as the plurality of cutting blades 233, 234 move in a direction to reduce the opening (i.e., a direction to reduce the size of the opening). The plurality of cutting blades 233, 234 may be disposed in a circumferential direction of the opening (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise direction), and may be designed to increase an overlapping area between the plurality of cutting blades 233, 234 as moving in a direction to decrease the opening, and the number of the cutting blades 233, 234 may be freely changed. Such a cut-off structure of the cut-off portion 23-2 can be understood to be similar to the aperture structure of the camera.

In some other examples, the cut portion 23 may have a cutting structure different from the above-described structure.

The various examples described so far may be combined in various forms to realize the cut portion 23. For example, the cutting unit 23 may be implemented to be movable by a manual operation of a user, having a cutting structure illustrated in fig. 9, as illustrated in fig. 7.

Thus far, a sidestream smoke removal device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to fig. 5 to 10. As described above, by providing the cut-off portion 23 as the fire extinguishing unit, it is possible to provide a fire extinguishing function that is convenient and safe to use at a time desired by the user, and it is possible to minimize the risk of burns due to carelessness of the user (e.g., the risk of burns due to carelessness when directly extinguishing a fire) and the risk of fire. Thus, the ease of use and safety of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be greatly improved.

Hereinafter, a control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings below fig. 11.

Each step of the control method to be described below may be performed by the control section (e.g., 18) of the sidestream smoke removal device (e.g., 1). Further, each step of the above-described control method may be realized by one or more instructions executed by the control section. The above-described control method can be applied to various types of sidestream smoke removal apparatuses, but for ease of understanding, the description will be continued assuming that the above-described control method is performed in the sidestream smoke removal apparatus 1 illustrated in fig. 1 to 10. Therefore, in the following description, when the subject of the specific operation is omitted, it can be understood that the specific operation is executed by the control unit 18 of the illustrated apparatus 1.

Fig. 11 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a control method of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present disclosure, and some steps may of course be added or deleted as necessary.

As shown in fig. 11, the control method may start from step S10 of detecting the start of smoking. The onset of smoking can be detected in a number of ways during this step.

In some embodiments, the control section 18 may detect the onset of smoking by receiving a user input (e.g., a button input, etc.) that actuates the ignition section 15. Alternatively, the control unit 18 may recognize the start of smoking by receiving a user input (e.g., a button input) requesting the start of smoking and operate the ignition unit 15.

In some other embodiments, the control section 18 may detect the start of smoking in response to a determination that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 is the reference value or more. At this time, for example, the temperature sensor 20 may be arranged to measure the temperature in the smoking space in the vicinity of the upstream end of the smoking article 30.

In step S20, the control section 18 may open (e.g., partially open, fully open) the ventilation holes 111 in response to detecting the start of smoking. This is because the external air flowing in through the ventilation holes 111 can promote combustion of the smoking article 30. Further, the control portion 18 may activate the exhaust fan 162. This is because the sidestream smoke generated in smoking can be smoothly discharged with the operation of the exhaust fan 162.

On the other hand, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control section 18 may control the ventilation holes 111 and the exhaust fan 162 based on a smoking event of a user while smoking a cigarette. However, the specific control method may be various.

In some examples, the control section 18 may adjust the degree of opening and closing of the vent holes 111 according to the suction event. Specifically, the control section 18 may further open the vent hole 111 at the time of suction, and less open the vent hole 111 at the time of non-suction. In this case, since the outside air flows in more smoothly at the time of smoking, the combustion of the smoking article 30 can be further promoted. In addition, the problem of leakage of uncleaned sidestream smoke through the vent 111 during non-draw times may be mitigated. For reference, since a large amount of sidestream smoke is not generated at the time of smoking and an airflow path for inflow of gas through the ventilation hole 111 is formed, a problem of sidestream smoke leakage does not occur even if the ventilation hole 111 is opened.

In some other examples, the control portion 18 may act (rotate) the exhaust fan 162 in the reverse direction when suctioning, and act (rotate) the exhaust fan 162 in the forward direction when not suctioning. Here, the forward direction may refer to a rotational direction in which the sidestream smoke is drawn toward the side of the filter member 161, and the reverse direction may refer to a reverse rotational direction thereof. In this case, the flow of air is concentrated toward the upstream tip side of the smoking article 30 at the time of smoking to promote combustion, while the sidestream smoke is drawn in the direction of the filter member 161 at the time of non-smoking so as to be smoothly discharged.

In some other examples, the control section 18 may adjust the degree of opening and closing of the vent holes 111 and/or the rotation speed of the exhaust fan 162 according to information about the suction event (e.g., suction intensity, suction interval, suction length, etc.). For example, the control portion 18 may further open the ventilation hole 111 when the intensity of suction is increased, the length of suction is increased, or the suction interval is shortened. In the opposite case, the control portion 18 may open the vent hole 111 less. This is because when the smoking article 30 is not burning smoothly, there is a high possibility that the smoking intensity increases. Alternatively, when the suction strength is increased, the suction length is increased, or the suction interval is shortened, the control portion 18 may increase the rotation speed of the exhaust fan 162 (i.e., the reverse rotation speed) at the time of suction. In the opposite case, the control portion 18 may decrease the rotation speed of the exhaust fan 162.

In some other examples, the control section 18 may perform control based on a combination of the above examples.

In the above-described embodiment, the method by which the control portion 18 detects suction may be various. For example, the control portion 18 may detect suction according to a change in temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20. Specifically, when the degree of temperature change is the reference value or more (for example, when the combustion temperature of the smoking article 30 rises instantaneously), the control section 18 may recognize that smoking has occurred. This may be understood as the phenomenon of combustion accelerating at the upstream end of the smoking article 30 when smoking is used. Further, the control section 18 may determine the suction strength according to the degree of temperature change. For example, the control unit 18 may determine that the suction intensity is stronger as the degree of temperature change is larger, and the control unit 18 may determine that the suction intensity is weaker as the degree of temperature change is smaller.

In step S30, the control unit 18 may detect the end of smoking. In this step, the manner in which the control section 18 detects the smoking end may be various, and may be different according to the embodiment.

In some embodiments, the control section 18 may detect the end of smoking based on the measured temperature of the temperature sensor 20. At this time, for example, the temperature sensor 20 may be disposed near the downstream end of the smoking substance part of the smoking article 30. For example, the control section 18 may determine that smoking has ended when the measured temperature of the temperature sensor 20 is equal to or higher than a reference value or when the measured temperature increases and then decreases.

In some other embodiments, the control 18 may detect the end of a puff based on the elapsed time after the puff begins, a puff event, etc. For example, the control section 18 may determine that smoking has ended when a predetermined time has elapsed after smoking has started, when the number of puffs is a reference value or more, or when no puff has been detected for a predetermined time or more after the most recent puff.

In some other embodiments, a smoking end condition may be set. For example, the smoking termination condition may be set according to the number of puffs, smoking elapsed time, and the like. In this case, the control section 18 may determine smoking end in response to a preset smoking end condition being satisfied.

In step S40, the control part 18 may perform the automatic fire extinguishing function in response to detecting the end of smoking. In this step, the manner in which the control unit 18 performs the automatic fire extinguishing function may be various.

In some embodiments, the control portion 18 may close the vent 111 and stop the action of the exhaust fan 162. In this case, since the inflow of outside air is blocked by closing the ventilation holes 111, the smoking article 30 can naturally extinguish a fire due to oxygen deficiency.

In some other embodiments, the control portion 18 may close the vent holes 111 and activate the exhaust fan 162 to stop or continue activating the exhaust fan 162 after a predetermined time. In this case, inflow of outside air is blocked by closing the ventilation holes 111, and inside air is discharged to the outside by the exhaust fan 162, so that the smoking article 30 can naturally extinguish a fire.

In some other embodiments, the control portion 18 may also perform an automatic fire extinguishing function by actuating the cut-off portion 23.

In some other embodiments, the control portion 18 may perform the automatic fire extinguishing function based on a combination of the above-described embodiments. For example, the control section 18 may perform the automatic fire extinguishing function by a first fire extinguishing process of closing the ventilation holes 111 and stopping the operation of the exhaust fan 162 and a second fire extinguishing process of cutting off the inserted smoking articles 30 by the cutting section 23. In this case, the first fire extinguishing process and the second fire extinguishing process may be performed regardless of the order.

On the other hand, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control section 18 may actuate the exhaust fan 162 in the forward direction (i.e., the inhalation direction) for a predetermined time in response to detecting the end of smoking. In this case, smoking by-products such as soot are collected in the vicinity of the filter member 161 by the exhaust fan 162, so that the interior of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be cleaned more easily. In some examples, the control 18 may adjust the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 162 according to the degree of depletion of the smoking article 30. For example, when the smoking article 30 is completely exhausted, there are more byproducts, and thus the control 18 may rotate the exhaust fan 162 faster, and in the opposite case, may rotate the exhaust fan 162 slower. The degree of depletion of the smoking article 30 can be determined from the number of puffs, smoking elapsed time, current smoking location (see fig. 13), and the like.

Thus far, a control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been explained with reference to fig. 11. According to the above method, the ventilation holes 111 and the exhaust fan 162 can be appropriately controlled according to the smoking progress, so that the user's satisfaction with the apparatus can be improved. Further, the automatic fire extinguishing function is performed at the end of smoking, so that the risk of fire and burn due to user carelessness can be minimized.

Hereinafter, a control method according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to fig. 12. However, for the sake of clarity of the present disclosure, a description of contents overlapping with the control method illustrated in fig. 11 will be omitted.

Fig. 12 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating a control method of some other embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present disclosure, and some steps may of course be added or deleted as necessary.

As shown in fig. 12, the control method may start from step S110 of detecting the start of smoking. In this step, the control unit 18 may display an indication notifying the start of smoking on the display unit 19. For further explanation of this step, reference may be made to step S10 illustrated in fig. 11.

In step S120, the control section 18 may monitor the smoking progress. Here, the smoking progress may include all situations related to smoking such as smoking progress and smoking event.

In some embodiments, the control section 18 may accurately judge the smoking progress (or current smoking (burning) position) of the smoking article 30 by comparing the measured temperatures of a plurality of temperature sensors 20 disposed at different positions. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, it is assumed that a plurality of temperature sensors 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 are disposed lengthwise in the smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device 1. At this time, the control part 18 may determine the current smoking location and the smoking progress of the smoking article 30 by comparing the measured temperatures of the first temperature sensor 20-1, the second temperature sensor 20-2, and the third temperature sensor 20-3. For example, when the measured temperature of the first temperature sensor 20-1 is the lowest, the measured temperature of the second temperature sensor 20-2 is lower than the measured temperature of the third temperature sensor 20-3, and the measured temperature of the third temperature sensor 20-3 is the highest, the control section 18 may determine that the current smoking position of the smoking article 30 is between the second temperature sensor 20-2 and the third temperature sensor 20-3 and closer to the third temperature sensor 20-3. At this time, the control part 18 may determine that the current smoking location is closer to the third temperature sensor 20-3 as the temperature difference between the second temperature sensor 20-2 and the third temperature sensor 20-3 is larger.

In step S130, the control unit 18 may display the monitoring information on the display unit 19. However, the type of monitoring information and its specific display manner may be designed in various ways.

In some embodiments, the control section 18 may display information on the smoking progress through the display section 19. For example, the control section 18 may control the display section 19 to display a representation (e.g., an object in the shape of a cigarette) indicating the smoking article 30 (or the progress of smoking), and the length of the representation is reduced as smoking progresses. As another example, the control unit 18 may control the display unit 19 to display a display area (for example, LED lighting area/section) indicating the progress of smoking on the display unit 19, and the size of the display area (for example, the number of LED lighting areas/sections) may be changed as smoking progresses. In this case, the size of the presentation area may increase or decrease as smoking progresses.

In some other embodiments, the control 18 may display information about the aspiration event via the display 19. For example, the control section 18 may display the number of aspirations. As another example, the control section 18 may display a representation indicating that suctioning is being performed in response to the detection of suctioning.

In step S140, the control unit 18 may detect that smoking is finished. In this step, the control unit 18 may display an indication indicating the end of smoking on the display unit 19. For further explanation of this step, reference may be made to step S40 illustrated in fig. 11.

On the other hand, when the end of smoking is detected, the control section 18 performs the automatic fire extinguishing function, and may display an indication indicating automatic fire extinguishing through the display section 19, and may display an indication indicating completion of automatic fire extinguishing when automatic fire extinguishing is completed.

Heretofore, a control method according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure has been explained with reference to fig. 12 to 13. According to the above method, information on the smoking progress can be displayed through the display section 19. Thus, the user can confirm the progress of smoking in real time via the display unit 19, and the ease of use of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved.

A part of the technical idea of the present disclosure, which has been described so far with reference to fig. 1 to 13, may be implemented as computer readable codes on a computer readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be, for example, a removable storage medium (CD, DVD, blu-ray disc, USB memory device, removable hard disk) or a fixed storage medium (ROM, RAM, computer-equipped hard disk). The computer program recorded in the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted to another computing apparatus via a network such as the internet, installed in the other computing apparatus, and used in the other computing apparatus.

In the above, even if it is described that all components constituting the embodiments of the present disclosure are combined as a single unit or combined to act as a single unit, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiments. That is, all components may be selectively combined to act in more than one manner within the scope of the present disclosure.

Acts are illustrated in a particular order in the figures and should not be construed as requiring that acts be performed in the particular order illustrated or in a sequential order, or that all acts illustrated be performed, to achieve desirable results. Multitasking and parallel processing may also be advantageous in certain situations. In particular, the separation of various structures in the embodiments described above is not to be understood as necessarily requiring such separation, and it is to be understood that the described program components and systems can be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that other embodiments may be implemented without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present disclosure. It is therefore to be understood that the above described embodiments are illustrative in all respects, and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the appended claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be included within the scope of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A sidestream smoke removal device, comprising:

a housing having a smoking space formed therein;

an article insertion part which is positioned at one end of the outer shell and is provided with an opening for inserting the smoking article into the smoking space;

an ignition portion for igniting the smoking article inserted into the smoking space;

a sidestream smoke treatment section for treating sidestream smoke generated from a smoking article inserted into the smoking space; and

and a cutting part which provides a cutting function for the smoking articles inserted into the smoking space.

2. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the outer surface of the shell is provided with a push type button,

the cutting unit is configured to cut the inserted smoking article when an external force is applied to the push button.

3. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the cutting unit is configured to cut the inserted smoking article when an external force for twisting the housing is applied to the housing.

4. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the cutting part is configured to cut the inserted smoking article when an external force for expanding or contracting the outer shell is applied to the outer shell.

5. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the cutting part comprises a plurality of cutting blades and is provided with an opening,

the cutting section is configured to cut the smoking article when the plurality of cutting blades are retracted in a state where the inserted smoking article passes through the opening.

6. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the cutting section is configured to cut the smoking article when the plurality of cutting blades move in a state where the inserted smoking article passes through the opening,

as the plurality of cutting blades move, an overlapping area between the plurality of cutting blades increases, and the size of the opening decreases.

7. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the cutting part is provided at a fixed position and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article.

8. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the cutting portion is movably disposed.

9. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the sidestream smoke treatment unit includes a filter member for filtering the sidestream smoke, and an exhaust fan for exhausting the filtered sidestream smoke.

10. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

the housing is formed with a vent hole into which outside air flows.

11. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor arranged to measure a temperature in the vicinity of a downstream end of a smoking substance section constituting the inserted smoking article; and

and a control unit for detecting the end of smoking based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

12. The sidestream smoke removal device of claim 1,

a vent hole for allowing external air to flow in is formed in the housing,

the sidestream smoke treatment section includes an exhaust fan for exhausting the sidestream smoke,

and a control unit for closing the vent hole and stopping the operation of the exhaust fan in response to the detection of the end of smoking.