EP4646118A1

EP4646118A1 - Inhalation device and method of operating an inhalation device

Info

Publication number: EP4646118A1
Application number: EP24700189.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Layth Sliman BOUCHUIGUIR; Pier Paolo MONTICONE
Original assignee: JT International SA
Current assignee: JT International SA
Priority date: 2023-01-05
Filing date: 2024-01-03
Publication date: 2025-11-12
Also published as: JP2026500049A; WO2024146895A1; CN120379558A; KR20250115444A

Abstract

An inhalation device (10) has a heater (14), which is adapted to receive a consumable and has an opening (16), and an electric port (18), wherein a cover (20) is provided, which is adapted to engage the port and to cover (20) the opening (16). In a method of operating an inhalation device (10) having a heater (14), which is adapted to receive a consumable and has an opening (16), and an electric port (18), a cover (20) covers the opening (16) and engages the port.

Description

Inhalation Device and Method of Operating an Inhalation Device

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an inhalation device such as a device for heating a consumable like a tobacco stick .

BACKGROUND

Several types of inhalation or aerosol generating devices are known and continuously replace traditional cigarettes . Such devices usually have a body with a recess for receiving a consumable , such as a stick having an aerosol generating substance , which may comprise tobacco . Before and after use it is generally desirable to cover the recess . Further, it is usually necessary to frequently clean the recess , since this constitutes , or is surrounded by a heater adapted to heat the consumable . I f such frequent cleaning is missed, the amount and/or taste of generated aerosol might be of an unexpected type . Moreover, heating is usually powered electrically by means of a battery provided in the device , which needs to be charged . Consequently, such devices also have an electric port .

In this context , CN 217446675 U is related to an aerosol generating device having a substantially U-shaped cover adapted to cover both an opening at a top face thereof as well as an electric port provided on a side surface . Similar devices are known from CN 212488461 U and WO 2022128585 Al .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above , there remains a need for an inhalation device provided with a minimum si ze and ef ficient operations for covering the opening, recharging, and possibly cleaning . This obj ect is solved by means of the inhalation device of claim 1 .

Accordingly, the inhalation device described herein has a heater adapted to receive a consumable and having an opening . The device further has an electric port , and a cover is provided so as to engage the port and to cover the opening . In other words , the electric port is essentially used to engage and consequently retain the cover, which is further adapted to cover the opening . In other words , the port will have the additional function, apart from receiving the plug of a charging device , of retaining the cover whenever charging is not necessary, and the device is not used, so that covering the opening is desirable . This will imply that the opening and the electric port are in close proximity and are , as preferred, provided on one and the same side surface of the inhalation device which can generally be described as a cuboid with rounded edges . In particular, the device can be elongate , and the surface having the opening and the electric port can be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof , as described in more detail with reference to the drawings .

The design implied by the above-described arrangement will essentially allow to design the entire device around the battery, which is the largest single component of the device and therefore has a signi ficant influence on the design of the device . Consequently, designing the device around the battery allows the si ze of the device as a whole to be reduced to a minimum . Moreover, it improves ef ficiency during manufacture and contributes to the reduction in si ze , when the already present electric port is additionally used for engaging the cover . The electric port can be a USB port . Further, particularly protects the heater, which can also be called an oven, especially from dirt , dust , water and damage . Finally, covering both the opening and the electric port by one and the same , leads to a pleasant outer appearance , as this can be more seamless . In particular, the cover may advantageously have a slidable or pivotable portion for covering and exposing the opening, while the cover is still engaged in the electric port and preferably covers the same . Consequently, when the electric port is not in use , the outer appearance of the device is improved by "hiding" the electric port . This may contribute to preventing electrostatics from entering the electrical port .

Preferred embodiments are described in the further claims .

It is expected to provide a well- functioning cover, when this is adapted to be held in a closed and/or open position, which can for example be ef fected by a magnet . As mentioned above , the cover may also comprise a slidable and/or pivotable portion . In this case , it will provide advantages , i f the slidable and/or pivotable portion is adapted to be held in a closed and/or open state as described above .

Cleaning of the device can be facilitated, i f the cover has a UV light source adapted to emit light to at least a portion of the opening . The UV light will thus be emitted onto at least part of the inner, essentially cylindrical surface of the heater and will ef fect photocatalysis there . The inner surface of the heater will in this case advantageously be coated with a photocatalytic material , so that photocatalysis is carried out in the material and ef ficient cleaning of the inner surface of the heater is enabled . Such a UV light may reduce the necessity or opportunities at which the user manually cleans the device .

In order to facilitate use of the device , when it is desired to expose the opening, the cover, particularly the slidable and/or pivotal portion thereof can be provided so as to be driven by a motor, such as a linear or rotary motor .

In this context , operation of the motor can be adapted to the desired movement of the slidable and/or pivotable portion by means of at least one gear provided between the motor and the mentioned portion .

It further contributes to a comparably small and ef ficient device , i f the mentioned motor and/or a controller is integrated in the cover .

The cover can further comprise a cleaning device adapted to clean a hollow, in particular the inner surfaces of the heater . Such a cleaning device can for example be an elongated brush, and the above-mentioned controller can be adapted to control the above-mentioned motor and/or the cleaning device .

Nevertheless , also the device itsel f can have a controller configured to control the heater thereof . Such a controller can further be configured to control the UV light source and/or the motor and/or the cleaning device . A dedicated controller for the UV light source is then no longer needed . Further, any controller provided in the device or the cover can be used to exchange data between the device and the cover .

Moreover, the device can further have a power source , to which the UV light source and/or the motor and/or the cleaning device are electrically connected via the electric port , so that the mentioned components can be powered by power supplied from the power source via the electric port . I f the heater is powered by power supplied from the power source , a dedicated power supply for the UV light source and/or the motor and/or the cleaning device is no longer needed .

As already indicated above , it is preferred with regard to the architecture of the device as a whole , that the opening of the heater and the electric port are positioned at the same face of the inhalation device .

A complete inhalation system as described herein comprises the inhalation device and at least one cover . Preferably more than one cover is provided, in which one cover may merely engage the electric port and cover the opening, and another cover may engage the electric port with a plug adapted to charge the device , and/or may additionally cover the opening in a state , in which a cleaning device is inserted into the heater, so that charging and cleaning can be ef fected in parallel . In particular, whereas the opening of the heater may be at a top of the device immediately before use , it may be at the bottom, when the device is charged and/or cleaned as mentioned above . In this case , the cover can additionally perform the function of a support which can for example be based on the surface of a table , and the device can be put on the support with the opening at the lower side as described above . Further, concerning the provision of more than one cover, this allows the user to customi ze or individuali ze the device as a whole by providing one or more covers with di f ferent colors , designs and/or similar characteristics . In any case , there is at least one single cover, which both engages the port and covers the opening .

The method of operating an inhalation device and its preferred embodiments essentially correspond to preferred embodiments of the device as detailed above . In particular, any features mentioned above or below with regard to the device or the system only are equally applicable to the method, and vice versa .

In this context , the cleaning device can advantageously be controlled so as to be operated only, when a battery of the device is charged beyond a predetermined value . This avoids the battery running low due to cleaning being ef fected, although it might soon be desired to use the device for vaping . When the cover engages the port and covers the opening, the number of heating cycles heating the consumable since the last cleaning may be less than a predetermined number. In other words, there may not be a need for cleaning yet. Therefore, operation of the cleaning device may be prohibited to save battery. Such a prohibition may be performed by the controller. For example, the predetermined number may be one. In other words, only when at least one heating cycle (or a different, appropriate and predetermined amount of heating cycles) has been performed, cleaning may be admitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a side and a top view of the inhalation device,

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of parts shown in Fig. 1,

Figs. 3 to 10 show further embodiments of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

As shown in figure 1, the device 10 is essentially elongate and has in its lower part in accordance with the orientation of figure 1 a battery 12 which corresponds to approximately half of the size of the device 10 as a whole. Instead of and/or in addition to the battery 12, another power source (e.g., capacitor or fuel cell) can be employed. In the upper part thereof, an oven or heater 14 is provided, which has an opening 16, into which a consumable, not shown, can be inserted. The heater 14 may include a resistive heater and/or an induction heater. The heater 14 covers, in the direction from left to right in figure 1, approximately half of the device 10 as a whole , and the remaining hal f for example accommodates a printed circuit board and any necessary connections and control components between the battery 12 and the heater 14 . As can be seen in figure 1 , the opening 16 of the oven 14 is provided at the , according to figure 1 , upper surface of the device 10 , and this , in a novel manner, also applies to an electric port 18 , such as an USB port connected to and preferably mounted on the above-mentioned printed circuit board . The USB port may include a USB type-C receptacle . The mentioned upper surface is essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate device 10 , and signi ficantly smaller than the other side surfaces thereof , which are essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis .

As can be seen in figure 2 , the cover 20 according to the invention engages the electric port 18 and preferably covers same as a consequence , and further covers the opening 16 . In the embodiment shown, the cover 20 is essentially formed as a plate or disc with a suitable extension 22 engaging the port 18 by being inserted into same . Consequently, the length of the extension 22 is suf ficient to provide engagement with the port 18 so as to retain the cover 20 and is , at the same time , short enough to allow the cover 22 to tightly cover the opening 16 so that for example dirt , dust , or water cannot enter same . As can also be seen in figure 2 , the heater 14 and the electric port 18 extend essentially parallel and essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis .

As shown in figure 3 , the cover 20 can have a slidable portion 24 , which can be held in the closed position shown in figure 3 by means of a magnet 26 . In order to indicate a further possible modi fication, arrow B in figure 3 indicates a pivoting movement by portion 24 in this case constituting a pivotable portion . Pivoting would in this case be ef fected about a hinge provided between the right part of the cover 20 and the portion 24 , essentially at the left side thereof in figure 3 . Also in this case , a magnet 26 can be provided to keep the portion 24 in the closed position, and a further magnet can be provided at the right side of figure 3 , in order to keep the portion 24 in the open position . This second magnet is also applicable to the embodiment shown in figures 3 and 4 , in which the portion 24 is slidable .

As can be seen in figure 4 , when the slidable portion 24 is in the open position, the cover is still engaged in the electric port 18 so as to cover same and expose only the opening 16 of the heater 14 . In figure 4 , the sliding movement of the slider portion 24 so as to expose the opening 16 is indicated by arrow A.

Figure 5 shows a modi fication of the embodiment of figures 3 and 4 , in which the cover 20 , in particular the slidable portion 24 thereof , is additionally provided with a UV light source 28 for emitting light into the heater 14 and particularly onto at least a part of its internal surfaces . This will advantageously cooperate with the inner surfaces of the heater being coated with photocatalytic material so as to ef fect photocatalysis which will facilitate cleaning of the inner surfaces of the heater 14 .

Figure 6 shows another modi fication, in which the cover 20 further comprises a controller 30 and a motor 32 for moving the slidable portion 24 . In order to transmit the motor movement to the slidable portion 24 , one or more gears as indicated by 34 can be provided . Further, the motor 32 can either be a linear or a rotary motor and can be powered by electric energy received from the battery 12 of the device via the electric port 18 . In other words , the electric port 18 is in this case not only used for charging the battery 12 , but the energy stored in the battery 12 can be used to power the motor 32 and, as should be mentioned additionally, also the UV light source 28 in the embodiment of figure 5 . I f the device 10 includes a charger IC, the USB On-The-GO function of the charger IC may be used to output power from the electric port 18 .

As indicated by the embodiment shown in figure 7 , the controller 28 does not necessarily have to be provided in the cover 20 , but a controller provided in the device itsel f can be used for controlling the motor 32 and/or the UV light source 28 and/or a cleaning device 36 shown in figure 8 .

Figure 8 shows the controller 30 provided in the cover 20 , but similar as figure 7 compared to figure 6 , the controller can also be provided in the device 10 itsel f , which advantageously makes the cover 20 smaller . Nevertheless , the embodiment of figure 8 further comprises a cleaning motor 38 which can, like the motor 32 , be powered and/or controlled via the electric port 18 . In the embodiment shown, the cleaning device 36 is an elongate brush which has a suitable si ze to contact the inner surfaces of the heater 14 so as to clean same .

As finally shown in figure 9 , the cover can also be formed as a support , which can be placed on an even surface allowing the device 10 , as shown in figure 10 to be placed on the cover 20 acting as a support essentially upside down as compared to the orientation shown in figures 1 to 8 . In this manner, the brush 36 can be inserted into the heater, and a kind of plug 14 of a charging device provided in the cover 20 can be inserted into the electric port 18 as additionally indicated in figure 10 in order to clean and charge the device 10 at the same time .

Claims

1. An inhalation device (10) having a heater (14) , which is adapted to receive a consumable and has an opening (16) , and an electric port (18) , wherein a cover (20) is provided, which is adapted to engage the port and to cover the opening (16) .

2. The inhalation device (10) of claim 1, wherein the cover (20) and/or a slidable and/or pivotable portion (24) thereof is adapted to be held in a closed and/or open position, e.g. by a magnet (26) .

3. The inhalation device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (20) has a UV light source (28) adapted to emit light to at least a portion of the opening (16) .

4. The inhalation device (10) of one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the slidable and/or pivotable portion (24) is driven by a motor (32) , such as a linear or rotary motor (32) .

5. The inhalation device (10) of claim 4, wherein at least one gear (34) is provided between the motor (32) and the slidable and/or pivotable portion (24) .

6. The inhalation device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor (32) and/or a controller (30) is integrated in the cover (20) .

7. The inhalation device (10) of one of preceding claims, wherein the cover (20) has a cleaning device (36) adapted to clean a hollow of the heater (14) .

8. The inhalation device (10) of one of claims 3 to 7, further having a controller (30) configured to control the heater ( 14 ) , wherein the controller (30) is also configured to control the UV light source (28) and/or the motor (32) and/or the cleaning device (36) .

9. The inhalation device (10) of one of claims 3 to 8, further having a power source (12) , wherein the UV light source (28) and/or the motor (32) and/or the cleaning device (36) is electrically connected to the electric port (18) ; and the UV light source (28) and/or the motor (32) and/or the cleaning device (36) is powered by power supplied from the power source (12) via the electric port (18) .

10. The inhalation device (10) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the opening (16) and the port are positioned at the same face of the inhalation device (10) .

11. An inhalation system comprising the inhalation device (10) of one of the preceding claims and more than one cover (20) .

12. A method of operating an inhalation device (10) having a heater (14) , which is adapted to receive a consumable and has an opening (16) , and an electric port (18) , in which a cover (20) covers the opening (16) and engages the port.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at the least a portion of the cover (20) is slid and/or pivoted and preferably driven by a motor (32) , such as a linear or rotary motor (32) .

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the device (10) further comprises a cleaning device (36) adapted to clean a hollow of the heater (14) and/or a UV light source (28) , and the cleaning device (36) and/or the UV light source (28) and/or the motor (32) is controlled by a controller (30) integrated in the device (10) or the cover (20) .

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cleaning device (36) is controlled so as to be operated only when a battery of the device (10) is charged beyond a predetermined value.