CN118019469A - Inhaler comprising a photoplethysmography sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

The inhaler comprises: a wand provided with a chamber configured to receive a capsule containing powder, a puncture opening into the chamber; a holder including an insertion groove into which the rod is inserted; a piercing member disposed in the insertion slot and configured to pierce the capsule through the piercing hole when the wand is inserted into the insertion slot; a vibrating member configured to provide vibration to the piercing member; a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor configured to measure a biological signal of a user of the inhaler; and a controller configured to control operation of the inhaler.

Description

Inhaler comprising a photoplethysmography sensor

Technical Field

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to inhalers.

Background

Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative products that overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, an inhaler (inhaler) is a device for allowing a user to inhale a liquid or gas containing a composition such as a medicine through the oral or nasal cavity.

Such devices have a chamber containing an inhalable composition which eventually moves from the chamber via a channel to the oral or nasal cavity where it can be inhaled by the user.

What has been described above is what the inventors have learned or learned during the development of the disclosure and should not be construed as essential to the general knowledge of the technology disclosed before filing the application.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

For inhalers using powdered compositions, non-electronic inhalers according to the related art have to rely on the breath of the user to inhale the powder. At this time, the amount of powder discharged from the inhaler may vary according to the amount of lung breath of the user, and if the amount of lung breath of the user does not reach a certain level, the inhaler cannot be used.

To solve this problem, there is a need for an inhaler that allows a user with a weak lung respiration to inhale smoothly and allows an average user to control the state of powder to be released individually.

Technical proposal for solving the problems

According to an embodiment, an inhaler comprises: an insertion slot extending in a first direction and configured to receive a rod for smoking; a piercing member disposed in the insertion groove and configured to crush a capsule included in the stick member when the stick member is inserted into the insertion groove; a vibrating member configured to provide vibration to the piercing member; a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor configured to measure a biological signal of a user of the inhaler; and a controller configured to control operation of the inhaler.

The PPG sensor may be provided on the inhaler to closely conform to at least a portion of the user's hand when the user holds the inhaler with the hand.

The controller may be configured to: when the inhaler is powered on, a first biosignal of the user is generated with the PPG sensor.

The controller may be configured to: when the vibrator stops vibrating, a second biosignal of the user is generated using the PPG sensor.

The controller may be configured to: generating a powder inhalation result indicative of a difference between the first biological signal and the second biological signal, and outputting the powder inhalation result.

The inhaler may further comprise a suction sensor that senses airflow within the wand, and the controller may be configured to: the detection result is received from the suction sensor, and the vibration of the vibrating member is controlled.

The inhaler may further comprise a sub-vibrator configured to provide vibrations to the stick.

The inhaler may further include an elastic member disposed in the insertion groove, the elastic member being pressurized by the stick member when the stick member is inserted, and the sub-vibration member may be configured to provide vibration to the chamber of the stick member through the elastic member.

The sub-vibrating member may be configured to vibrate the rod-like member in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction.

The sub-vibrating member may be configured to vibrate the rod-like member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

The wand may comprise: a chamber, the chamber housing the capsule and being arranged such that, upon insertion of the wand, the chamber is located in the insertion slot; a suction nozzle disposed on a side opposite to the chamber; an airflow channel providing fluid communication between the chamber and the suction nozzle; and a mesh disposed between the airflow passage and the chamber.

The wand may further comprise: a puncture through which the piercing member passes to burst the capsule; and a sealing member configured to seal the piercing hole and to be broken by the piercing member when the rod member is inserted into the insertion groove.

The wand may comprise: a puncture through which the piercing member passes to burst the capsule; and a door configured to selectively open and close the puncture.

The inhaler may further comprise: an insertion detection sensor configured to detect whether the rod is inserted into the insertion groove; and a door hinge configured to open and close the door. The controller is configured to receive a detection result from the insertion detection sensor and control the door hinge to open and close the door based on the detection result.

In a method of outputting a powder inhalation result performed by an inhaler according to an embodiment, the inhaler includes: an insertion groove which accommodates a rod for smoking; a piercing member disposed in the insertion groove, and configured to crush a capsule included in the stick member when the stick member is inserted into the insertion groove; a vibrating member configured to provide vibration to the piercing member; a PPG sensor configured to measure a biological signal of a user of the inhaler; and a controller configured to control operation of the inhaler. The method may comprise the steps of: generating a first biosignal of a user with a PPG sensor when the inhaler is powered on; generating a second biosignal of the user with the PPG sensor when the vibrating member stops vibrating; generating a powder inhalation result indicative of a difference between the first biological signal and the second biological signal; and outputting the powder inhalation result.

Advantageous effects of the invention

According to an embodiment, the inhaler may provide the user with a powder inhalation result.

The effects of the inhaler according to an embodiment are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an inhaler according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an inhaler according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3a is a schematic view showing a state in which a stick is partially inserted into a holder according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3b is a schematic view showing a state in which the stick is completely inserted into the holder in the inhaler according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4a is a schematic diagram showing the interior of an inhaler according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4b is a schematic diagram showing the interior of the inhaler according to an embodiment.

Fig. 5a is a cross-sectional view of a wand according to one embodiment.

Fig. 5b is a cross-sectional view of a wand according to another embodiment.

Fig. 6 shows an inhaler comprising a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor according to an embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a method of outputting a powder inhalation result according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description

In selecting terms used in the embodiments, general terms that are widely used at present are selected in consideration of their functions in the present disclosure. However, the terms may also vary according to the intention, precedent, new technology, etc. of the practitioner in the art. Furthermore, the applicant of the present disclosure may also arbitrarily select a term in a specific case, and the meaning of the term will be explained in detail in the corresponding part of the detailed description. Accordingly, the terms used in the present disclosure do not simply refer to the names of the terms, but should be defined according to the meaning of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure.

It will be understood that when a portion "comprises" a certain element, it is intended that other elements may be included without special mention and vice versa, and is not meant to exclude other elements. In addition, terms such as "unit", "module", and the like described in the specification may refer to a unit for processing at least one function or operation, and the unit may be implemented as hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

In this specification, when an expression such as "at least one of" or the like occurs before an enumerated component, not every component enumerated is modified, but all components enumerated are modified. For example, "at least one of a, b, or c" and "at least one of a, b, and c" refer to the following cases: comprising a; comprising b; comprising c; comprising a and b; comprising a and c; comprising b and c; or a, b and c.

In various embodiments, "suction" refers to inhalation by a user, which refers to the situation where the user inhales an aerosol through the mouth or nose to the user's mouth, nasal cavity, or lungs.

In an embodiment, the inhaler may include a body (or holder) configured to support a cartridge (or stick) configured to house a capsule containing the composition. The cartridge may be detachably coupled to the body. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. The cartridge may be formed integrally or assembled integrally with the body and the cartridge may be secured to the body so as not to be detached by the user. The cartridge may be mounted on the body with the capsule housed therein. But is not limited thereto. For example, powder or a capsule containing powder may be injected into the interior of the cartridge in a state in which the cartridge is coupled to the body.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present disclosure. The present disclosure may be embodied in the form of an inhaler according to the various embodiments described above, or may be practiced or embodied in different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an inhaler 100 according to an embodiment.

Referring to fig. 1, an inhaler 100 according to an embodiment may include at least one of the following: a controller 110, a sensing unit 120, an output unit 130, a battery 140, a heater 150, a user input unit 160, a memory 170, a communication unit 180, and a driving unit 190.

The internal structure of the inhaler 100 is not limited to that shown in fig. 1. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that some of the components shown in fig. 1 may be omitted or other components may be added depending on the different designs of the inhaler 100.

In an embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may sense a state of the inhaler 100 or a state around the inhaler 100 and transmit the sensed information to the controller 110 (or the processor). The controller 110 may control the operation of other components of the inhaler 100 based on the sensed information.

For example, the controller 110 may perform various functions based on the sensing result of the sensing unit 120, such as controlling the operation of the heater 150, controlling the driving unit 190 by judging whether a stick (e.g., stick 210 in fig. 2) or a capsule (e.g., capsule 232 in fig. 3 a), a cartridge, a cigarette, etc., are inserted, or displaying a notification, etc., through the output unit 130.

In an embodiment, the sensing unit 120 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 122, an insertion detection sensor 124, an aspiration sensor 126, or a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor 128. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

In an embodiment, the temperature sensor 122 may sense the temperature at which the heater 150 is heated. The inhaler 100 may include a separate temperature sensor to sense the temperature of the heater 150, or the heater 150 itself may be used as the temperature sensor. Or the temperature sensor 122 may be disposed around the battery 140 to monitor the temperature of the battery 140.

In an embodiment, the insertion detection sensor 124 may detect insertion and/or removal of a wand (e.g., wand 230 of fig. 2) or a capsule (e.g., capsule 232 of fig. 3a and 3 b). For example, the insertion detection sensor 124 may include at least one of a membrane sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistance sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, and an infrared sensor, and the insertion detection sensor 124 may sense a signal change when the stick or capsule is inserted and/or removed.

In an embodiment, the puff sensor 126 may sense a user's puff based on various physical changes in the airflow path or airflow channel. For example, the puff sensor 126 may sense a user's puff based on any one of a temperature change, a flow (flow) change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

In an embodiment, PPG sensor 128 may include a first end for outputting a signal to a user's body and a second end for receiving a signal output to the user's body. For example, PPG sensor 128 may include multiple elements that are physically separated to transmit and receive signals. As another example, PPG sensor 128 may be configured such that elements for transmitting and receiving signals are physically combined into a single component. For example, PPG sensor 128 may measure basic information for determining functional substance activity level, pressure level, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure index.

In an embodiment, in addition to the above-mentioned sensors, the sensing unit 120 may further include at least one of the following: temperature/humidity sensors, barometric sensors, magnetic sensors (acceleration sensor), acceleration sensors (acceleration sensor), gyroscopic sensors, position sensors (e.g., global Positioning System (GPS)), proximity sensors, and Red Green Blue (RGB) sensors (e.g., illuminance sensors). Since the function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from the name by those of ordinary skill in the art, a detailed description is omitted.

In an embodiment, the output unit 130 may output status information about the inhaler 100 and provide the output information to the user. The output unit 130 may include at least one of a display 132, a haptic 134, or a sound output 136. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. When the display portion 132 and the touch panel are provided in a stacked mechanism to form a touch screen, the display portion 132 can be used not only as an output device but also as an input device.

In one embodiment, the display 132 may visually provide information about the inhaler 100 to a user. For example, the information about the inhaler 100 may include various information, such as information about at least one of: the charge/discharge state of the battery 140 of the inhaler 100, the warm-up state of the heater 150, the insertion/removal state of the stick or capsule, the use-restricted state of the inhaler 100 (e.g., abnormality is detected), and the vibration state of the driving unit 190, and the display part 132 may output the information to the outside. The display part 132 may be a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light emitting display panel (OLED), or the like. The display 132 may also be a Light Emitting Diode (LED) device.

In one embodiment, the haptic 134 may convert the electrical signal to mechanical or electrical stimulation to provide the user with information about the inhaler 100 by way of touch. For example, the haptic 134 may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electro-stimulation device.

In one embodiment, the sound output 136 may provide information about the inhaler 100 to the user by sound. For example, the sound output section 136 may convert an electric signal into a sound signal and output the sound signal to the outside.

In one embodiment, the battery 140 may provide the power required for operation of the inhaler 100. The battery 140 may be powered to cause the heater 150 to heat.

In an embodiment, the battery 140 may provide the power required for operation to other components in the inhaler 100 (e.g., the sensing unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, the communication unit 180, or the drive unit 190). The battery 140 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 140 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

In an embodiment, the heater 150 may receive power from the battery 140 to heat the aerosol-generating substance. Although not shown in fig. 1, the inhaler 100 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a Direct Current (DC) to direct current (DC/DC) converter) that converts power of the battery 140 and supplies the power to the heater 150. When the inhaler 100 generates an aerosol using induction heating, the inhaler 100 may further include a direct current to Alternating Current (AC) (DC/AC) converter to convert the direct current of the battery 140 into alternating current.

In one embodiment, the controller 110, the sensing unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, the communication unit 180, and the driving unit 190 may receive power from the battery 140 to implement functions. Although not shown in fig. 1, the inhaler 100 may further include a power conversion circuit, such as a Low Dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies the power to the respective components.

In one embodiment, heater 150 may be made of any suitable resistive material. For example, suitable resistive materials may be metals or metal alloys including titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nickel chromium, and the like. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. Also, the heater 150 may be implemented as a metal heating wire (wire), a metal heating plate (plate) provided with a conductive trace (track), a ceramic heating element, or the like. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, the heater 150 may be an induction heater. For example, the heater 150 may comprise a base that generates heat by a magnetic field applied by a coil, thereby heating the aerosol-generating substance.

In an embodiment, the heater 150 may include a plurality of heaters. For example, the heater 150 may comprise a first heater for heating the aerosol-generating substance and a second heater for heating the liquid.

In an embodiment, the user input unit 160 may receive information input by a user or output information to a user. For example, the user input unit 160 may include a keyboard (key pad), a DOME switch (dot switch), a touch pad (e.g., a touch capacitive type, a piezoresistive type, an infrared inductive type, a surface ultrasonic wave conductive type, an overall tension measuring type, a piezoelectric effect type, etc.), a scroll wheel switch, etc. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. In addition, although not shown in fig. 1, the inhaler 100 may further include a connection interface (connection interface) such as a universal serial bus (universal serial bus, USB) interface, through which information can be transmitted and received by connection with other external devices, or the battery 140 can be charged.

In one embodiment, the memory 170 is hardware that stores various data processed by the inhaler 100, and the memory 170 may store data processed by the controller 110 and data to be processed. The memory 170 may include at least one storage medium of a flash memory type (flash memory type) memory, a hard disk type (HARD DISK TYPE) memory, a multimedia card micro (multimedia card micro type) memory, a card type memory (e.g., SD or xD memory, etc.), a random access memory (random access memory, RAM), a static random access memory (static random access memory, SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (ELECTRICALLY ERASABLE PROGRAMMABLE READ-only memory, EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (programmable read-only memory, PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk.

In one embodiment, the memory 170 may store, among other things, the operating time of the inhaler 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and data relating to the user's smoking pattern.

In an embodiment, the communication unit 180 may include at least one component that communicates with other electronic devices. For example, the communication unit 180 may include a short-range wireless communication unit 182 and a wireless communication unit 184.

In an embodiment, the short-range wireless communication unit (short-RANGE WIRELESS communication unit) 182 may include a bluetooth communication unit, a bluetooth low energy (Bluetooth Low Energy, BLE) communication unit, a near field communication unit (Near FieldCommunication unit), a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an infrared data (INFRARED DATA Association, irDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit, and an ant+ communication unit. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

In an embodiment, wireless communication unit 184 may include, for example, a cellular network communication portion, an internet communication portion, a computer network (e.g., a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN)) communication portion, and so forth. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. The wireless communication unit 184 may use subscription user information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) to confirm and authenticate the inhaler 100 within the communication network.

In an embodiment, the drive unit 190 may include various drive means to assist the user in performing a pumping action using the inhaler 100. For example, the driving unit 190 may include a vibrator 191 to assist the inhaler 100 in delivering powder.

In one embodiment, the vibrating member 191 may be an electronic vibrator. Upon application of a voltage (e.g., an alternating voltage), the vibrator 191 may vibrate in response to the voltage. The embodiment is not limited thereto and the driving unit 190 may further include a motor, a shaft, a plurality of pinions, or a hydraulic device, etc.

In one embodiment, the controller 110 may control the overall operation of the inhaler 100. In one embodiment, the controller 110 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as a plurality of arrays of logic gates, or as a combination of a general purpose microprocessor and a memory having stored therein a program executable by the microprocessor. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processor may be other forms of hardware.

In one embodiment, the controller 110 may control the temperature of the heater 150 by controlling the power supply of the battery 140 to the heater 150. For example, the controller 110 may control the power supply by controlling the switching of the switching element between the battery 140 and the heater 150. In another example, the direct heating circuit may control power to the heater 150 according to a control command of the controller 110.

In one embodiment, the controller 110 may analyze the sensing result of the sensing unit 120 and control the subsequent process. For example, the controller 110 may control the power supplied to the heater 150 according to the result sensed by the sensing unit 120, thereby turning on or off the heater 150 or the driving unit 190.

For another example, the controller 110 may control the amount of power supplied to the heater 150 and the time for which power is to be supplied according to the sensing result of the sensing unit 120 so that the heater 150 may be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature.

In an embodiment, the controller 110 may control the output unit 130 according to the result sensed by the sensing unit 120. For example, when the number of times of suction counted by the suction sensor 126 reaches a preset number of times, the controller 110 may inform the user that the inhaler 100 will stop through at least one of the display portion 132, the haptic portion 134, and the sound output portion 136. For another example, the suction sensor 126 may sense a suction state of a user, and the controller 110 may control driving of the vibrator 191 using the driving unit 190 based on the sensed suction state.

In one embodiment, the controller 110 may control the power supply time and/or the power supply amount to the heater 150 according to the state of the stick or capsule sensed by the sensing unit 120.

An embodiment may be implemented as a storage medium including computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the computer and includes volatile (volatile) media, nonvolatile (non-volatile) media, and removable (removable) media, non-removable (non-removable) media. Furthermore, computer readable media may include computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media (computer storage medium) includes all volatile/nonvolatile and removable/non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instruction instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, other data related to a modulated data signal (modulateddata signal) such as a program module or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an inhaler 200 according to an embodiment.

Referring to fig. 2, an inhaler 200 according to an embodiment may include a holder 210 and a stick 230, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the inhaler 200 may refer to a holder 210 that does not include a stick 230. The wand 230 may be integrally formed with the holder 210. Or the wand 230 (e.g., a cigarette) may be detached from the holder 210. Hereinafter, the terms "inhaler" and "holder" are used interchangeably.

In an embodiment, the retainer 210 may be cylindrical or polygonal. The holder 210 may have an insertion groove 215 formed therein into which the rod 230 is inserted, and the rod 230 may be inserted into the insertion groove 215 in a first direction (e.g., -Y direction).

In an embodiment, the retainer 210 may include a first face 211, a second face 212, and a side face 213. The first face 211 may have an insertion groove 215 formed therein, and the second face 212 may be the opposite face to the first face 211. The side 213 may be formed between the first face 211 and the second face 212.

In an embodiment, the insertion slot 215 may be configured as a groove formed on the first face 211.

For example, the insertion groove 215 may have a shape extending along a length direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) of the holder 210. The rod 230 may be inserted into the holder 210 in a direction in which the insertion groove 215 extends in the holder 210 (e.g., -Y direction, hereinafter referred to as "first direction").

In one embodiment, an inflow port (not shown) may be formed between the outside of the holder 210 and the insertion groove 215 for the air outside the holder 210 to flow into the insertion groove 215.

Although not shown in the figures, the interior of the holder 210 may house the various components of the inhaler 200. For example, the holder 210 may house at least one of a controller (e.g., the controller 110 of fig. 1), at least one sensor (e.g., the sensing unit 120 of fig. 1), and a battery (e.g., the battery 140 of fig. 1).

In an embodiment, the rod 230 may be formed in a cylindrical shape or a polygonal column shape, and may have a size and shape that can be inserted into the insertion groove 215 of the holder 210. The stick 230 may contain a powder P therein.

In one embodiment, one end of the wand 230 may be provided with a suction nozzle 231. For example, the suction nozzle 231 may be disposed at an end opposite to the other end inserted into the insertion groove 215. The user may inhale air by applying negative pressure to the stick 230. For example, the user may have the mouthpiece 231 contained in his or her mouth to inhale the powder P, or inhale air or aerosol containing the powder P.

Fig. 3a and 3b are schematic views showing the inside of the area a shown in fig. 2. Specifically, fig. 3a shows a state in which the rod 230 is inserted (partially inserted) into the insertion groove 215 of the holder 210, and fig. 3b shows a state in which the rod 230 is substantially completely inserted into the insertion groove 215 of the holder 210.

Referring to fig. 3a and 3b, the inhaler 200 according to an embodiment may include at least one of a piercing member 220, an elastic member 225, a chamber 233, and a piercing hole 234.

In one embodiment, the wand 230 may include a chamber 233 to accommodate the bladder 232. The cavity 233 may correspond to a partial region of the stick 230 inserted into the insertion groove 215. The cavity 233 may be a space for receiving or storing the capsule 232, or may be a space that limits movement of the capsule 232.

In an embodiment, the capsule 232 may contain a powder P. The powder P may be a tobacco extract in the form of small particles, or the powder P may be a composition or functional substance including a pharmacological substance such as caffeine, taurine, aspirin, sedative, hypnotic, bronchodilator, vaccine, or a substance such as free nicotine substance, nicotine salt (nicotine salt). However, this is merely an example, and the powder P within the capsule 232 may be replaced with a combination of liquid, gas, or a portion thereof.

In one embodiment, the puncture 234 may be an opening formed in the wand 230 to provide fluid communication between the chamber 233 and the outside. The piercing hole 234 may be formed at a side of the stick 230 facing the insertion groove 215, preferably at a region facing the piercing member 220. The diameter of the piercing hole 234 may be greater than or equal to the diameter of the piercing member 220.

In an embodiment, the wand 230 may include an airflow channel 235 to provide fluid communication of the chamber 233 to a suction nozzle (e.g., suction nozzle 231 in fig. 2). The air flow passage 235 may be a flow path for air containing the powder P to flow, and a mesh 236 may be provided between the air flow passage 235 and the chamber 233.

In one embodiment, the mesh 236 may allow powder P and air to pass through, and the mesh 236 may restrict the passage of the capsule 232 or other foreign matter. Or the mesh 236 may filter out a portion of the powder P or prevent the powder P from agglomerating. For example, the diameter of individual holes of mesh 236 may be 5 micrometers (μm).

In one embodiment, when the capsule 232 is ruptured, at least a portion of the powder P inside the capsule 232 is released into the cavity 233. When the user sucks air in the stick 230 with the mouthpiece 231, the powder P moves to the mouthpiece 231 through the airflow passage 235 through the mesh 236, and is finally sucked by the user.

In one embodiment, the wand 230 may be a disposable article that can be replaced with a new wand 230 after the powder P has been exhausted. Or the wand 230 may be reusable. After the powder P is exhausted, the capsule 232 or the powder P is refilled for continued use.

In an embodiment, the piercing member 220 may be disposed in the insertion groove 215 and may protrude in a direction (e.g., +y direction) from the insertion groove 215 toward the rod 230. Piercing member 220 may rupture capsule 232. For example, when the wand 230 is inserted into the insertion slot 215 in a first direction (e.g., the-Y direction), at least a portion of the piercing member 220 may extend through the piercing aperture 234 and into the interior of the chamber 233 of the wand 230, whereby the piercing member 220 may partially squeeze the capsule 232.

In one embodiment, the piercing member 220 may have a sharp or pointed tip. For example, the piercing member 220 may be a needle (needle) or a spike (stick). The tip of the piercing member 220 may burst a partial region of the capsule 232 to form a hole in the capsule 232. The capsule 232 may release the powder P into the cavity 233 through the aperture ruptured by the piercing member 220.

The elastic member 225 according to an embodiment may be disposed in the insertion groove 215. When the rod 230 is inserted into the insertion groove 215, the elastic member 225 is compressively deformed (e.g., compressed) by the rod 230. When the elastic member 225 is deformed, the elastic member 225 may press the rod 230 in a direction opposite to the first direction (e.g., a +y direction) by an elastic force. The elastic member 225 may include a coil spring capable of applying elastic force.

Fig. 4a is a schematic diagram illustrating the interior of an inhaler 200 according to an embodiment.

Referring to fig. 4a, an inhaler 200 according to an embodiment may include a vibrating member 250 (e.g., vibrating member 191 of fig. 1).

In one embodiment, when the capsule 232 is ruptured by the piercing member 220, a hole is formed in the capsule 232 in communication with the chamber 233, and at least a portion of the powder P within the capsule 232 is released into the chamber 233 through the hole. The powder P released into the cavity 233 is transferred to the airflow passage 235 through the mesh 236 and sequentially passes through the airflow passage 235 and the mouthpiece (e.g., the mouthpiece 231 of fig. 2) for inhalation by the user.

In one embodiment, the amount of powder P inhaled by the user will vary depending on different parameters associated with the powder P released from the capsule 232 (e.g., the amount of powder P released per unit time, the density of powder P in the air passing through the air flow channel 235, or the degree of diffusion of the released powder P).

In an embodiment, the use of the vibrator 250 to control the amount of powder P released from the capsule 232 per unit time (hereinafter referred to as "release amount of powder P") may enable the inhaler 200 to provide the powder P to a user according to the user's condition, use environment, or user preference.

In one embodiment, the vibrator 250 may provide vibration to the piercing member 220. Or the vibrator 250 may directly or indirectly vibrate at least one of the capsule 232, the powder P, or the chamber 233. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, an example of the inhaler 200 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the vibrator 250 vibrates the piercing member 220.

In one embodiment, the vibrating member 250 may be an electronic vibrator that generates vibration when a voltage (e.g., an ac voltage) is applied. However, in practice, embodiments are not limited thereto and the vibrating member 250 may have different structures and configurations capable of providing vibrations to the piercing member 220.

In an embodiment, vibrator 250 may assist in releasing powder P of capsule 232 by applying vibration to piercing member 220. When the vibration member 250 vibrates the piercing member 220, the size of the hole formed in the capsule 232 may become large, or the vibration may be transmitted to the capsule 232 or the powder P, thereby increasing the release amount of the powder P.

The vibrating member 250 of an embodiment vibrates the piercing member 220 in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the rod-like member 230 is inserted into the holder 210, i.e., a first direction (e.g., -Y direction).

In one embodiment, the powder P located or residing between the capsule 232 and the piercing member 220 may be effectively released when the vibrating member 250 vibrates in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction. In addition, since the large diameter of the piercing hole 234 is not required to secure the vibration space of the piercing member 220, the powder P can be prevented from escaping from the stick member 230 through the piercing hole 234. In addition, the vibration of the vibration member 250 may be mainly transmitted to the piercing member 220 and the capsule 232, and the vibration transmitted to the rod 230 or the holder 210 may be reduced or prevented.

The vibration member 250 of an embodiment may cause the piercing member 220 to vibrate in a direction (e.g., an X-Z plane direction) substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the rod-like member 230 is inserted into the holder 210, i.e., substantially perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., -Y direction). Vibrations of piercing member 220 may be transmitted to capsule 232 and facilitate release of powder P by causing capsule 232 to vibrate.

At this time, the piercing member 220 may increase the size of the hole, or the piercing member 220 may secure a space between the capsule 232 and the piercing member 220 to release the powder P more effectively. In addition, the capsule 232 may repeatedly collide with the chamber 233 by vibration, thereby further increasing the release amount of the powder P.

The vibrating member 250 of an embodiment may vibrate the piercing member 220 in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The vibrator 250 may cause the capsule 232 to vibrate in three dimensions through the piercing member 220, which may further increase the release amount of the powder P compared to a simple one-way repetitive motion.

In different embodiments, the inhaler 200 may need to reduce or increase the amount or release rate of the powder P released from the capsule 232 depending on various factors such as the amount of breath of the user or the preference of the user. It may be difficult to meet the needs of different environments and different users with only a fixed size aperture to control.

For example, if the holes are excessively large, the powder P is released in a large amount in a short time, resulting in irregular or large increase in the density of the powder P inhaled by the user. Conversely, if the orifice is too small, it is difficult to release the powder P, and a user with a low lung respiration may have difficulty inhaling the powder P. According to an embodiment, the vibrator 250 may control the powder P to be effectively released from the capsule 232 by providing vibrations to the capsule 232.

The inhaler 200 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure forms a relatively small-sized hole in the capsule 232 through the piercing member 220, and controls the density of the powder P inhaled by the user by controlling the release amount of the powder P released from the capsule 232 per unit time through the vibrating member 250.

Fig. 4b is a schematic diagram showing the interior of the inhaler 200 according to an embodiment.

Referring to fig. 4b, the inhaler 200 according to an embodiment may include a sub-vibrator 255 (e.g., vibrator 191 of fig. 1).

In describing fig. 4b, repeated description of the inhaler 200 will be omitted.

In one embodiment, the sub-vibrator 255 may provide vibrations to the chamber 233. The sub-vibrator 255 may assist the powder P released into the chamber 233 to move into the air flow passage 235 by directly or indirectly vibrating the chamber 233. Or the sub-vibrator 255 may assist the vibrator 250 to facilitate release of the powder P from the capsule 232.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 4b, the sub-vibrator 255 may be coupled to the elastic member 225 and provide vibration to the cavity 233 through the elastic member 225. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the sub-vibrator 255 may have a different structure to transmit vibration to the cavity 233. For example, the sub-vibrator 255 may be directly connected to the rod 230, or the sub-vibrator 255 may be disposed on the holder 210 to apply an impact to the rod 230.

In an embodiment, the chamber 233 may provide kinetic energy to the powder P within the chamber 233 by vibration. The powder P can be uniformly dispersed and moved with the air flow by the vibration of the chamber 233. In addition, vibrations of the chamber 233 may be transferred to the bladder 232. The sub-vibrator 255 may facilitate the release of the powder P by vibrating the capsule 232.

The sub-vibrator 255 of an embodiment may cause the chamber 233 to vibrate in a direction (e.g., +/-Y direction) substantially parallel to the direction in which the rod 230 is inserted into the holder 210, i.e., a first direction (e.g., the-Y direction). At this time, the elastic member 255 can assist and strengthen the vibration of the sub-vibrator 255. At this time, when the chamber 233 vibrates in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction, the powder P remaining on the bottom surface of the chamber 233 can be effectively moved, and it is not necessary to enlarge the opening of the insertion groove 215 for the vibration of the chamber 233.

The sub-vibrator 255 of an embodiment may vibrate the chamber 233 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., the X-Z plane direction) in which the rod 230 is inserted into the holder 210. At this time, the chamber 233 may repeatedly strike the capsule 232 and effectively induce the release of the powder P. In this case, when the chamber 233 vibrates in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the powder P may be uniformly dispersed in a substantially horizontal direction of the chamber 233.

The sub-vibrator 255 of one embodiment may vibrate the chamber 233 in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The sub-vibrator 255 causes the chamber 233 to vibrate in three dimensions, which further increases the amount of release of the powder P than a simple one-way repetitive motion.

In an embodiment, a processor (e.g., the controller 110 of fig. 1) may acquire information related to driving the inhaler 200 from different types of sensors (e.g., the sensing unit 120 of fig. 1), and the processor may change various factors such as the number of vibrations, the vibration intensity, and the vibration time of the vibrator 250 and/or the sub-vibrator 255 based on the acquired information, and may control the vibrations of the vibrator 250 and/or the sub-vibrator 255, respectively.

For example, the controller 110 may receive information about the airflow inside the wand 230 via a suction sensor (e.g., suction sensor 126 in FIG. 1). When the air flow is insufficient, the controller 110 may increase the vibration intensity or the vibration number of the vibrator 250 and/or the sub-vibrator 255 to increase the release amount of the powder P.

In addition, the controller 110 receives a separate input signal from a user input unit (e.g., the user input unit 160 of fig. 1) or a communication unit (e.g., the communication unit 180 of fig. 1), and the controller 110 may control the vibration of the vibrator 250 and/or the sub-vibrator 250 based on the received signal.

For example, the controller 110 may control the vibration of the vibrator 250 and/or the sub-vibrator 255 according to various factors such as the amount of lung respiration of the user, user preference, or use environment. The inhaler 200 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can help a user inhale the powder P smoothly and can be customized by the user.

Fig. 5a is a cross-sectional view of a wand 230 according to one embodiment and fig. 5b is a cross-sectional view of a wand 230 according to another embodiment. Specifically, fig. 5a and 5b are sectional views of partial areas of the rod 230 separated from the holder 210, respectively.

Referring to fig. 5a and 5b, the wand 230 may include at least one of a seal 237 or a door 238.

As shown in fig. 5a, a seal 237 may seal the puncture 234. The seal 237 is broken by the piercing member 220 when the stick 230 is inserted into the insertion slot 215. For example, the wand 230 may be disposable. Or the wand 230 may be reusable and the seal 237 and bladder 232 may be replaced after being ruptured for continued use.

In one embodiment, the seal 237 may protect the chamber 233 from water or foreign objects entering the chamber 233 during manufacture and transport of the wand 230. In addition, the seal 237 may limit the area of the piercing member 220 that pierces the piercing hole 234 to prevent the powder P from being released to the outside of the stick 230 through the piercing hole 234.

As shown in fig. 5b, a door 238 may selectively open and close the puncture 234. The door 238 may be opened before or simultaneously with the insertion of the stick 230 into the insertion slot 215. Door 238 may be moved by door hinge 239.

For example, door hinge 239 may push door 238 in a substantially parallel direction (e.g., in an X-Z plane direction) and move the door, or tilt door 238 in a substantially vertical direction (e.g., in a +/-Y direction).

In one embodiment, door 238 may be opened when inhaler 200 is in use or ready for use, and door 238 may be closed when inhaler 200 is not in use. The door 238 may protect the chamber 233 from water or foreign matter entering the chamber 233 during manufacture and transportation of the wand 230. The spent or pierced capsule 232 in the chamber 233 can also be replaced by a door 238.

In an embodiment, a processor (e.g., the controller 110 of fig. 1) may acquire information about the coupling of the wand 230 from different types of sensors (e.g., the sensing unit of fig. 1) and control the driving of the door hinge 239 based on the acquired information.

For example, the controller 110 may detect whether the stick 230 has been inserted or is being inserted into the insertion slot 215 by using an insertion detection sensor (e.g., the insertion detection sensor 124 of fig. 1), and may open the door 238 by controlling the door hinge 239 so that the piercing member 220 may pass through the piercing hole 234. Or the user may manually open and close door 238. For example, the user may manually open and close the door 238, or the inhaler 200 may include a separate switch (not shown) connected to the door 238 such that the user may operate the switch to open or close the door 238.

Fig. 6 shows an inhaler comprising a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor according to an embodiment.

According to an embodiment, the inhaler 200 described above with reference to fig. 2 may comprise a PPG sensor 260. For example, the PPG sensor 260 in the inhaler 200 may be positioned to closely conform to at least a portion of the user's hand when the user holds the inhaler 200 with the hand. The PPG sensor 260 may include a first end that outputs a signal to the user's body and a second end that receives the signal output to the user's body. In fig. 6, although PPG sensor 260 includes multiple elements for transmitting and receiving signals that are physically separated, in different embodiments, the elements for transmitting and receiving signals in PPG sensor 260 may be physically combined into a single component.

According to an embodiment, PPG sensor 260 may measure basic information for determining functional substance activity level, pressure level, heart rate, oxygen saturation and blood pressure index.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a method of outputting a powder inhalation result according to an embodiment.

Steps 710 through 740 may be performed by an inhaler (e.g., inhaler 100 in fig. 1 or inhaler 200 in fig. 2).

In step 710, when the inhaler is energized, a controller of the inhaler (e.g., controller 110 in fig. 1) may generate a first biosignal of the user using a PPG sensor (e.g., PPG sensor 128 in fig. 1 or PPG sensor 260 in fig. 6). The controller may generate the first biological information based on the first biological signal. For example, the biological information may include various biological information such as oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiogram, or skin moisture content.

According to an embodiment, after performing step 710, the user may inhale the powder P through the inhaler. For example, to enable a user to easily inhale the powder P in a capsule (e.g., capsule 232 in fig. 2), the inhaler may vibrate a vibrator (vibrator 191 in fig. 1 or vibrator 250 in fig. 2).

For example, the powder P may be a fine powder having a size of 1 μm to 5 μm, and the powder P inhaled by the user may be immediately absorbed into the user's body through the user's lungs. Since the powder P is immediately absorbed by the user's body, the user can immediately feel the effect of the powder P. For example, if the powder P is a functional powder, the effect of the function may be immediately exhibited.

In step 720, the controller of the inhaler may generate a second biosignal of the user using the PPG sensor when the inhalation of the powder P is stopped or the vibration of the vibrator is stopped. For example, the controller may generate the second biological information based on the second biological signal.

In step 730, the controller of the inhaler may generate a powder inhalation result based on the first biological signal and the second biological signal.

According to an embodiment, the powder inhalation result may be a difference between the first biological information and the second biological information represented by a numerical value. For example, the generated powder inhalation result may be a difference in at least one of functional substance activity level, pressure level, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure index.

According to an embodiment, a graphic may be used to display the difference between the first biological information and the second biological information as a result of powder inhalation. For example, when the target measurement item is changing in the forward direction, a smiling face graphic effect or a sunny day graphic effect may be generated as a powder inhalation result. In another example, if the target measurement item changes negatively, a crying face graphical effect or a raining graphical effect may be generated as a powder inhalation result.

According to an embodiment, when measuring a plurality of items, a powder inhalation result may be generated for each measurement item.

In step 740, the inhaler controller may output a powder inhalation result. For example, the controller may output the powder inhalation result through a display (e.g., display 132 in fig. 1). For another example, the controller may transmit information related to the powder inhalation result to a user terminal (e.g., a smart phone) which is directly or indirectly connected to the inhaler through a communication unit (e.g., the communication unit 180 of fig. 1), and the powder inhalation result may be output through a display portion of the user terminal.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the illustrated techniques were performed in a different order and/or if components in the illustrated systems, architectures, devices or circuits were combined in a different manner and/or replaced by other components or equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations, other examples, and equivalents of the claims are to be construed as being included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims (15)

1. An inhaler, comprising:

An insertion slot extending in a first direction and configured to receive a rod for smoking;

A piercing member disposed in the insertion groove, and configured to burst a capsule included in the stick when the stick is inserted into the insertion groove;

A vibrating member configured to provide vibration to the piercing member;

A photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor configured to measure a biological signal of a user of the inhaler; and

A controller configured to control operation of the inhaler.

2. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the PPG sensor is disposed on the inhaler so as to be in close contact with at least a portion of the user's hand when the user holds the inhaler with the hand.

3. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to: the first biosignal of the user is generated with the PPG sensor when the inhaler is energized.

4. An inhaler according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to: generating a second biological signal of the user with the PPG sensor when vibration generated by the vibrating member ceases.

5. The inhaler of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to:

generating a powder inhalation result indicative of a difference between the first biological signal and the second biological signal; and

And outputting the powder inhalation result.

6. The inhaler of claim 1, further comprising:

a suction sensor configured to sense an air flow within the wand,

Wherein the controller is configured to receive a sensing result from the suction sensor and control the vibration of the vibrating piece.

7. The inhaler of claim 1, further comprising:

a sub-vibrator configured to provide vibration to the rod.

8. The inhaler of claim 7, further comprising:

An elastic member disposed in the insertion groove, and pressurized by the rod member when the rod member is inserted,

Wherein the sub-vibrator is configured to provide vibration to the rod-like member through the elastic member.

9. The inhaler of claim 7 wherein the sub-vibrator is configured to vibrate the wand in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction.

10. The inhaler of claim 7 wherein the sub-vibrator is configured to vibrate the wand in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the stick comprises:

A chamber accommodating the capsule and arranged to be located in the insertion slot when the wand is inserted;

a suction nozzle disposed on a side opposite to the chamber;

An airflow channel providing fluid communication between the chamber and the suction nozzle; and

A mesh disposed between the airflow passage and the chamber.

12. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the stick comprises:

A puncture hole through which the piercing member passes to burst the capsule; and

A seal configured to seal the puncture hole, and to be ruptured by the puncture member when the rod-like member is inserted into the insertion groove.

13. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the stick comprises:

A puncture hole through which the piercing member passes to burst the capsule; and

A door configured to selectively open and close the puncture.

14. The inhaler of claim 13, further comprising:

An insertion detection sensor configured to detect whether the stick is inserted into the insertion groove; and

A door hinge configured to open and close the door,

Wherein the controller is configured to: receiving a detection result from the insertion detection sensor, and controlling the door hinge to open and close the door based on the detection result.

15. A method of outputting a powder inhalation result, the method being performed by an inhaler,

Wherein the inhaler comprises:

an insertion slot configured to receive a rod for smoking;

A piercing member disposed in the insertion groove, and configured to burst a capsule included in the stick when the stick is inserted into the insertion groove;

A vibrating member configured to provide vibration to the piercing member;

A photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor configured to measure a biological signal of a user of the inhaler; and

A controller configured to control operation of the inhaler, and

Wherein the method comprises the following steps:

generating a first biosignal of the user with the PPG sensor when the inhaler is energized;

Generating a second biological signal of the user with the PPG sensor when the vibration generated by the vibrating member ceases;

generating a powder inhalation result indicative of a difference between the first biological signal and the second biological signal; and

And outputting the powder inhalation result.