EP4223158A1

EP4223158A1 - Aerosol generation system and charging box

Info

Publication number: EP4223158A1
Application number: EP21874394.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jingfu LONG; Zhongli XU; Yonghai LI
Original assignee: Shenzhen FirstUnion Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shenzhen FirstUnion Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-09-30
Filing date: 2021-09-26
Publication date: 2023-08-09
Also published as: EP4223158A4; WO2022068734A1; CA3197646A1; US20240023636A1; CN213819843U

Abstract

This application discloses an aerosol-generation system, including at least one atomization device, including an atomizer for atomizing an aerosol-generation substrate to generate an aerosol and an airflow sensor, where the atomization device includes at least one airflow detection port in airflow communication with the airflow sensor; and a charging box, including a housing; and a holder located in the housing, where at least one opening and an accommodating cavity in communication with the opening are defined on the holder, and at least a part of the atomization device is capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening, where an air discharging channel is provided on the holder, and the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device is accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening. By providing the air discharging channel, false start-up of the atomization device when being inserted into the charging box can be prevented.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 2020222233955, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on September 30, 2020 and entitled "AEROSOL-GENERATION SYSTEM AND CHARGING BOX", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the field of e-cigarettes, and in particular, to an aerosol-generation system and a charging box.

BACKGROUND

Many atomization devices (such as an e-cigarette or another electronic nicotine delivery system) are formed by two main components (an atomizer and a power supply apparatus). A typical atomizer generally has a function of accommodating a liquid substrate, which includes a reservoir for accommodating a liquid and an atomization element for atomizing the liquid. The atomization element is generally implemented as a resistive heater such as a heating wire coil. The power supply apparatus generally includes a battery for supplying power to the atomization element and a control portion for controlling output power of the battery. In existing products, the power supply apparatus generally further includes an airflow sensor. During operation, the power supply apparatus may activate the atomizer to work by detecting when a user performs inhalation on an inhaler through an airflow sensor, for example, to control the battery to supply power to the atomization element. This activation causes the atomization element to atomize a small amount of liquid from the reservoir, and an aerosol is generated and then inhaled by the user together with an airflow.
A typical atomization device is not portable due to size limitations, so it is often used together with a charging box. The charging box provides charging and endurance for the atomization device. The known problem is that when the atomization device is placed in the charging box, a gas in a cavity is often compressed to trigger a sensor of the atomization device, causing false start-up of the atomization device.

SUMMARY

A technical problem to be resolved in this application is to overcome the deficiencies of the related art, and provide an aerosol-generation system and a charging box for avoiding false start-up of an atomization device.
To resolve the foregoing technical problem, this application provides an aerosol-generation system, including:

at least one atomization device, including an atomizer for atomizing an aerosol-generation substrate to generate an aerosol and an airflow sensor, where the atomization device includes at least one airflow detection port in airflow communication with the airflow sensor; and
a charging box, including:
- a housing; and
- a holder located in the housing, where at least one opening and an accommodating cavity in communication with the opening are defined on the holder, and at least a part of the atomization device is capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening, where
- an air discharging channel is provided on the holder, and the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device is accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening.

Preferably, the accommodating cavity is defined, by the holder, into a shape matching at least a part of an outer surface of the atomization device.
Preferably, the airflow detection port is located on the at least a part of the atomization device capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
Preferably, the air discharging channel includes a pore or a notch formed on the holder, and the pore or the notch is adjacent to a bottom of the accommodating cavity opposite to the opening.
Preferably, a first conductive contact member and a second conductive contact member at least partially extending to an inside of the accommodating cavity are provided on the holder, and the pore or the notch is located close to the first conductive contact member or the second conductive contact member.
Preferably, the holder includes a first holder and a second holder on which the opening is defined, the second holder is connected to an end of the first holder away from the opening, and defines the accommodating cavity together with the first holder, and the pore or the notch is defined on the second holder.
Preferably, the air discharging channel includes a plurality of grooves recessed at an inner wall of the accommodating cavity, and the grooves extend from a position close to the bottom of the accommodating cavity to the opening.
Preferably, the charging box further includes a cover body pivotally connected to the housing, the cover body has a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening, and a cavity for accommodating a part of the atomization device that is not accommodated in the accommodating cavity is defined on the cover body.
Preferably, the charging box further includes a keeping mechanism for keeping the cover body at the first position or the second position.
This application further provides an embodiment of a charging box for use together with an atomization device. The charging box includes: a housing; and a holder located in the housing, where at least one opening and an accommodating cavity in communication with the opening are defined on the holder, and at least a part of the atomization device is capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening, where an air discharging channel is provided on the holder, and the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device is accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening.
Beneficial effects of this application are as follows: In the charging box in this application, an air discharging channel is provided, where the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device is accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening. By arranging the air discharging channel, false start-up of the atomization device when being inserted into the charging box can be avoided, thereby improving user experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments are exemplarily described with reference to the corresponding figures in the accompanying drawings, and the descriptions are not to be construed as define the embodiments. Components in the accompanying drawings that have same reference numerals are represented as similar components, and unless otherwise particularly stated, the figures in the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol-generation system according to some embodiments of this application;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an open state of a cover body of a charging box in an aerosol-generation system according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an internal structure of an aerosol-generation system according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an atomization device according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an internal structure of an atomization device according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 6 is a diagram of construction of an atomization box in an atomization device according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 7 is a diagram of internal construction of a charging box according to an embodiment of this application;
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a keeping mechanism on a charging box according to an embodiment of this application; and
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a keeping mechanism on a charging box from another perspective according to an embodiment of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For ease of understanding of this application, this application is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementations. It should be noted that, when a component is expressed as "being fixed to" another component, the component may be directly on the another component, or one or more intermediate components may exist between the component and the another component. When one component is expressed as "being connected to" another component, the component may be directly connected to the another component, or one or more intermediate components may exist between the component and the another component. The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", and similar expressions used in this specification are merely used for an illustrative purpose.
Unless otherwise defined, meanings of all technical and scientific terms used in this specification are the same as that usually understood by a person skilled in the technical field to which this application belongs. Terms used in this specification of this application are merely intended to describe objectives of the specific implementations, and are not intended to limit this application. A term "and/or" used in this specification includes any or all combinations of one or more related listed items.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, this application provides an embodiment of an aerosol-generation system 10. The aerosol-generation system 10 includes a charging box 100 and at least one atomization device 200a/200b placed inside the charging box 100. The charging box 100 includes a housing 101 and a holder 105 arranged in the housing 101, at least one opening and an accommodating cavity are defined on the holder 105, and the opening is configured to receive the atomization device 200a/200b so that the atomization device 200a/200b is at least partially accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
In this embodiment, an end surface of the holder 105 is provided with an opening 106a and an opening 106b with a same size, the accommodating cavity includes two accommodating cavities for respectively accommodating the atomization device 200a and the atomization device 200b. The atomization device 200a and the atomization device 200b are merely partially accommodated in the accommodating cavities, and a part of the atomization device 200a and a part of the atomization device 200b are exposed from the opening 106a and the opening 106b.
As shown in FIG. 1, the entire charging box 100 extends in an axial direction and is constructed as a flat shape. The housing 101 includes upper and lower end surfaces 1012, one of the end surfaces is located on a cover body 102, and the other end surface 1012 is provided with a charging interface 107. Two opposite side surfaces 1011 extending in an axial direction extend between the two end surfaces 1012 of the housing 100, and at least one of the side surfaces 1011 and at least one of the end surfaces 1012 are flat, so that the aerosol-generation system may be placed on its side or vertically on a table. When the aerosol-generation system is placed vertically, the housing 100 has a height ranging from 70 mm to 80 mm, for example, 73 mm; a width ranging from 45 mm to 55 mm, for example, 50 mm; and a thickness ranging from 20 mm to 25 mm, for example, 24 mm. A consumer may operate a box of such size and open an upper cover with one hand.
As shown in FIG. 2, the charging box 100 includes a cover body 102. The cover body 102 is pivotally connected to the housing 101, and the cover body 102 has a first position for closing the openings 106a and 106b and a second position for opening the openings 106a and 106b relative to the housing 101. Specifically, the charging box 100 includes a hinge mechanism 103, and the cover body 102 is rotatably connected to a side of the housing 100 by the hinge mechanism 103. The cover body 102 includes a housing 1021 and a cover body holder 1022. A cavity 1023 is provided on the cover body holder 1022, and the cavity 1023 is configured to accommodate a part of the atomization device that is not accommodated in the accommodating cavity when the cover body 102 is located at the first position, that is, accommodating an exposed suction nozzle portion of the atomization device.
With reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, the accommodating cavity 105b is defined, by the holder 105, into a shape matching at least a part of an outer surface of the atomization device 200b. After the atomization device 200b is inserted into the accommodating cavity 105b, a relatively small gap exists between the outer surface of the atomization device 200b and a surface of an inner wall, so that the entire aerosol-generation system 10 has a relatively small volume. An air discharging channel is provided on the holder 105, and the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity 105b with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity 105b to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device 200b is accommodated in the accommodating cavity 105b from the opening 106.
As one of embodiments, the air discharging channel includes a pore 108 or a notch formed on the holder 105, the pore 108 or the notch is adjacent to a bottom of the accommodating cavity 105b opposite to the opening 106b, and the pore 108 penetrates a solid portion of the holder 105 and a circuit board on the holder and is in communication with the outside through the charging interface 104. The charging interface 107 may be a USB interface, such as a TYPE-C charging interface. The atomization device includes an airflow sensor, and the atomization device includes at least one airflow detection port in airflow communication with the airflow sensor. When the atomization device is inserted into the accommodating cavity 105b, air in the accommodating cavity 105b can be discharged to the outside through the pore 108 at the bottom, thereby preventing excessive air that is not discharged in time from entering the atomization device from the airflow detection port and triggering the airflow sensor to cause false start-up of the atomization device.
As a preferred embodiment, a first conductive contact member 151 and a second conductive contact member 152 at least partially extending to an inside of the accommodating cavity 105b are provided on the holder 105, and the pore 108 or the notch is located close to the first conductive contact member 151 or the second conductive contact member 151. The first conductive contact member 151 and the second conductive contact member 152 are set to be elastically retractable and capable of extending to the accommodating cavity 105b. The atomization device may abut against the first conductive contact member 151 and the second conductive contact member 152 to make the first conductive contact member 151 and the second conductive contact member 152 contract, thereby ensuring good conductive contact.
As a preferred embodiment, the holder 150 includes a first holder 1051 and a second holder 1052 on which the openings 106a and 106b are defined, the second holder 1052 is connected to an end of the first holder 1051 away from the opening, and defines the accommodating cavity 105b together with the first holder 1051, and the pore 108 or the notch is defined on the second holder 1052. The pore 108 or the notch may alternatively be provided in an inner side wall of the second holder 1052, and the number is not limited to one. In this embodiment, the accommodating cavity includes the first accommodating cavity 105a and the second accommodating cavity 105b arranged side by side and defined in the holder 105, and a depth of the first accommodating cavity 105a along an axial direction of the charging box 100 is greater than a depth of the second accommodating cavity 105b. In addition, a first power supply 109 is defined on the first holder 1051.
As shown in FIG. 7, as another embodiment of the air discharging channel, the air discharging channel includes a plurality of grooves 108b recessed at an inner wall of the accommodating cavity 105b, and the grooves 108b extend from a position close to the bottom of the accommodating cavity 105b to the opening 106b.
As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6, this application provides an embodiment of an atomization device 200b, where an atomization device 200a may be a component of the atomization device 200b. The atomization device 200b includes an atomization box 200a with a substrate cavity 212 and a main apparatus 200, the atomization box 200a includes an atomizer 300 for atomizing an aerosol-generation substrate, and the main apparatus 200 has a second power supply 110 for supplying power to the atomizer 300. The main apparatus 200 has a cavity 204, and an electrode 207 and a magnetic member 208 are arranged in the cavity 204. A part of the atomization box 200a can be inserted into the cavity 204. Two electrodes 215 of the atomization box 200a are made of an iron magnetic material and coated with a conductive coating. The magnetic member 208 absorbs the electrodes 215 and makes the electrodes 215 be in conduction with the electrode 207, so that the atomization box 200a is kept in the cavity 204. It is to be understood that, the atomization device may alternatively be integrally constructed.
An air inlet 201 and an indicator light display port 202 for displaying a smoking state are further provided on a housing of the main apparatus 200. The indicator light display port 202 displays an internal LED light through a micro-hole. A first electrical contact point 203a, a second electrical contact point 203b, and a third electrical contact point 203c are arranged side by side on an end portion of the atomization device 200b, and the first electrical contact point 203a and the third electrical contact point 203c are symmetrically arranged relative to the second electrical contact point 203b. In this way, the atomization device 200b may be inserted into the charging box from the front and back orientations with an axial rotation of 180 degrees, and is kept in contact with the two conductive contact members in the charging box.
The atomization device 200b includes an airflow sensor 205, an airflow detection port 206, and an airflow detection port 256. The airflow detection port 256 is in communication with an aerosol inhalation channel 213 in the atomization box 200a from a side of the airflow sensor 205, and the airflow detection port 206 is in communication with the outside. Therefore, when a user smokes, a negative pressure is generated in the aerosol inhalation channel 213, the airflow sensor 205 senses a pressure difference between two sides by the airflow detection port 206 and the airflow detection port 256 so as to generate a trigger signal to start up the atomization device.
As shown in FIG. 6, the atomization box 200a includes a box body 210 and a suction nozzle cover 211 covering an end of the box body 210, and the suction nozzle cover 211 has an inhalation port 214. The substrate cavity 212 storing the aerosol-generation substrate is formed in the box body 210, and the atomizer 300 is installed in the atomization box 200a. The atomizer 300 preferably includes a heating element 301 and a liquid guide element 302, and the liquid guide element 302 is preferably made of a microporous substrate or fiber. A substrate injection port 216 and a blocking member for opening or closing the substrate injection port are arranged on the atomization box 200a.
It is to be understood that, the aerosol-generation substrate may be a liquid that may include a liquid including a tobacco-containing substance with a volatile tobacco flavor component, or may be a liquid that includes a non-tobacco substance. For example, the liquid may include water, a solvent, ethanol, a botanical extract, fragrances, a flavoring agent, or a vitamin mixture. The fragrances may include, but not limited to menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, and various fruit aroma components. The flavoring agent may include ingredients that can provide a plurality of scents or flavors to the user. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the liquid may include an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerine and propylene glycol.
As a preferred implementation, the blocking member includes a rigid body 217 that can be partially inserted into the substrate injection port 216 and a flexible body 218 surrounding an inserted part of the rigid body 217, such as silicone, and the flexible body 218 is used for sealing the substrate injection port 216. An end of the rigid body 217 is limited and fixed between the box body 210 and the suction nozzle cover 211, and the other end is suspended. In addition, the rigid body 217 includes a weak portion 2171, and the weak portion 2171 may be bent so that the inserted part of the rigid body 217 is pulled out, thereby opening the substrate injection port 216.
As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the charging box 100 includes a first indicator 130, configured to indicate power of the first power supply 109; and a controller located on a main circuit board, where the main circuit board is located between the holder 105 and a shading sheet 140, the controller is configured to control the first indicator 130 to be started up to indicate the power of the first power supply 109 in a case that the cover body 102 is located at the second position, and to control the first indicator 130 to be shut down in a case that the cover body 102 is located at the first position. The first indicator 130 may be a display device such as an LED or a display screen. In this embodiment, the first indicator 130 includes at least three LED lights for displaying different levels of power, such as 30%, 60%, and 90% or more.
A position sensor is further arranged in the housing 101, and the position sensor is configured to sense whether the cover body 102 is at the first position or the second position. As a preferred implementation, in this embodiment, the position sensor includes a Hall sensor 170 installed on the holder 105 or the housing 101, and a magnet 160 movable with a position of the cover body 102 is arranged on the cover body 102. It is to be understood that, the position sensor may alternatively be a photoelectric switch or a micro-touch switch. A second indicator 131 is further arranged in the housing 101. The second indicator 131 is configured to indicate a charging state of the atomization device 200 charged by the first power supply 109. For example, the second indicator 131 displays a red and blinking mark to indicate a charging state and displays a green mark to indicate a fully-charged state. Contrary to control logic of the first indicator, the controller is configured to start up the second indicator 131 in a case that the cover body 102 is located at the first position.
The charging box 100 further includes a keeping mechanism for keeping the cover body 102 at the first position or the second position. The keeping mechanism provides resistance to prevent the cover body 102 from rotating from the first position towards the second position, or prevent the cover body from rotating from the second position towards the first position. The keeping mechanism may be a torsion spring or another elastic mechanism. Preferably, the cover body 102 has a biased position between the first position and the second position. The biased position is constructed in a manner that the cover body 102 rotates from the first position to the biased position to resist against the resistance, and is driven to rotate from the biased position to the second position after passing the biased position.
In this embodiment, the keeping mechanism includes a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element 182b located on the cover body 102, and a third magnetic element and a fourth magnetic element 184b located on the holder 105. The first magnetic element and the third magnetic element are adjacent to the hinge mechanism 103 and constructed to repel each other, and the second magnetic element and the fourth magnetic element are away from the hinge mechanism 103 and constructed to attract each other. Two first magnetic elements exist, including a first magnetic element 181a and a first magnetic element 181b; and two third magnetic elements exist, including a third magnetic element 183a and a third magnetic element 183b. The charging box 100 further includes a pair of magnetic elements, that is, a magnetic element 182a located on the cover body 102 and a magnetic element 184a located on the holder, both of which provide magnetic attraction retention, and the magnetic element 184a is located between the third magnetic element 183a and the third magnetic element 183b.
The first indicator 130 includes at least one LED, and the housing 101 is made of a light-transmitting material. The first indicator 130 is visible from outside through the housing 101 when started up, and the first indicator 130 is invisible from outside when turned off. The shading sheet 140 is arranged between the housing 101 and the holder 105, and a window 1401 is provided on the shading sheet 140. The first indicator 130 and the second indicator 131 are positioned in the window 1401. The shading sheet 140 may provide the LED light source that transmits only through the window 1401 from the housing 101.
It should be noted that, the specification of this application and the accompanying drawings thereof illustrate preferred embodiments of this application. However, this application may be implemented in various different forms, and is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. These embodiments are not intended to be an additional limitation on the content of this application, and are described for the purpose of providing a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the content disclosed in this application. Moreover, the foregoing technical features are further combined to form various embodiments not listed above, and all such embodiments shall be construed as falling within the scope of this application. Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art may make improvements or modifications according to the foregoing description, and all the improvements and modifications shall fall within the protection scope of the attached claims of this application.

Claims

An aerosol-generation system, comprising:
at least one atomization device, comprising an atomizer for atomizing an aerosol-generation substrate to generate an aerosol and an airflow sensor, wherein the atomization device comprises at least one airflow detection port in airflow communication with the airflow sensor; and

a charging box, comprising:
a housing; and

a holder located in the housing, wherein at least one opening and an accommodating cavity in communication with the opening are defined on the holder, and at least a part of the atomization device is capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening, wherein

an air discharging channel is provided on the holder, and the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device is accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 1, wherein the accommodating cavity is defined, by the holder, into a shape matching at least a part of an outer surface of the atomization device.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 2, wherein the airflow detection port is located on the at least a part of the atomization device capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 1, wherein the air discharging channel comprises a pore or a notch formed on the holder, and the pore or the notch is adjacent to a bottom of the accommodating cavity opposite to the opening.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 4, wherein a first conductive contact member and a second conductive contact member at least partially extending to an inside of the accommodating cavity are provided on the holder, and the pore or the notch is located close to the first conductive contact member or the second conductive contact member.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the holder comprises a first holder and a second holder on which the opening is defined, the second holder is connected to an end of the first holder away from the opening, and defines the accommodating cavity together with the first holder, and the pore or the notch is defined on the second holder.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 1, wherein the air discharging channel comprises a plurality of grooves recessed at an inner wall of the accommodating cavity, and the grooves extend from a position close to the bottom of the accommodating cavity to the opening.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 1, wherein the charging box further comprises a cover body pivotally connected to the housing, the cover body has a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening, and a cavity for accommodating a part of the atomization device that is not accommodated in the accommodating cavity is defined on the cover body.
The aerosol-generation system according to claim 8, wherein the charging box further comprises a keeping mechanism for keeping the cover body at the first position or the second position.
A charging box for use together with an atomization device, the charging box comprising:
a housing; and

a holder located in the housing, wherein at least one opening and an accommodating cavity in communication with the opening are defined on the holder, and at least a part of the atomization device is capable of being accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening, wherein

an air discharging channel is provided on the holder, and the air discharging channel is configured to communicate the accommodating cavity with the outside, to discharge air in the accommodating cavity to the outside in time in a process that the at least a part of the atomization device is accommodated in the accommodating cavity from the opening.