Patent Publication Number: US-2021186111-A1

Title: Apparatus for detecting smoke concentration and electronic atomization device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the foreign priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 201911326063.5, filed on Dec. 20, 2019 in the National Intellectual Property Administration of China, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of detecting a smoke concentration, and in particular to an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration and an electronic atomization device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Detecting the mist of an atomized liquid may be an essential operation for various types of devices in the art. For example, when a user is using an inhaler for medical administration by inhalation, the medicine to be inhaled by the user may be quantified. User&#39;s health may be affected if an excessive amount of the medicine or an insufficient amount of the medicine is inhaled. Taking an electronic atomization device as another example, the user may experience a better taste when an amount of smoke after atomization is controlled appropriately. Controlling an amount of the smoke of the atomized liquid may be achieved by detecting a concentration of the smoke. 
     Concentration of the smoke of the atomized liquid may be detected by an optical signal transceiver, and the optical signal transceiver may directly contact the smoke. However, the smoke may coagulate on or adhere to the optical signal transceiver, thereby affecting the accuracy of the optical signal transceiver receiving an optical signal, such that a result of the detection may have a relatively large error. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration includes a shell, an air channel tube, a signal transmitter and a signal receiver. The shell defines a receiving chamber. The air channel tube is received in the receiving chamber, and the air channel tube defines an air channel. The signal transmitter and the signal receiver are received in the receiving chamber. At least one of the signal transmitter and the signal receiver is arranged out of the air channel. The signal transmitter and the signal receiver are configured to work cooperatively to detect a concentration of smoke in the air channel. 
     According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration includes a shell, a tube, and a signal transceiver assembly. The shell defines a receiving chamber. The tube is received in the receiving chamber and defines an air channel. Air and smoke may be capable of being received in and flow through the air channel. The signal transceiver assembly is received in the receiving chamber and includes a signal transmitter and a signal receiver. The signal transceiver assembly is arranged out of the air channel, and the signal transceiver assembly is configured to detect a concentration of the smoke in the air channel. 
     According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic atomization device includes an atomizer and an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration. The apparatus includes a shell, a tube, and a signal transceiver assembly. The shell defines a receiving chamber. The tube is received in the receiving chamber and defines an air channel. Air and smoke may be capable of being received in and flow through the air channel. The signal transceiver assembly is received in the receiving chamber and includes a signal transmitter and a signal receiver. The signal transceiver assembly is arranged out of the air channel, and the signal transceiver assembly is configured to detect a concentration of the smoke in the air channel. The atomizer is received in the receiving chamber and communicates with the air channel. The atomizer is configured to generate the smoke and transfer the smoke to the air channel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to illustrate technical solutions of embodiments of the present disclosure, drawings required for illustrating the embodiments may be described in brief. Obviously, the following drawings show only some embodiments of the present disclosure. Other drawings may be obtained by any ordinary skilled person in the art without making creative work. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view from a front of an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view from a side of an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view from a front of an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view from a front of an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Technical solutions of embodiments of the present disclosure may be clearly and comprehensively described by referring to the drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of, but not all of, the embodiments of the present disclosure. Any other embodiments obtained by an ordinary skilled person in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without any creative work should also be within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Terms of “first” and “second” in the present disclosure may be used for describing, but do not indicate or imply relevant significance of a feature or the number the feature. The term of “a plurality of” in the present disclosure refers to at least two, such as two, three, and the like, unless otherwise specified. Further, terms of “include”, “have”, and any form of the terms indicate non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, a method, a system, a product, or a device including a set of operations or units is not limited to the listed operations or units, but alternatively includes operations or units that not listed herein. Alternatively, other operations or units inherently included in the process, in the method, in the system, in the product, or in the device may be included. The term of “and/or” indicates a correlated relationship between objects, and three relationships may be included. For example, A and/or B may indicate three situations, i.e., only A is existed, A and B are existed at the same time, and only B is existed. Further, the character “/” in the present disclosure may indicate an object in front of the character “or” an object after the character. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration is provided and includes a shell  100 , a signal transmitter  210 , and a signal receiver  310 . The shell  100  may define a receiving chamber. An air channel tube  110  may be received in the receiving chamber and define an air channel  111 . Smoke may be received in or flow through the air channel  111 . The signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be received in the receiving chamber. At least one of the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be arranged out of the air channel  111 , i.e., may not be received in the air channel  111 . In a process of detecting a concentration of smoke in the air channel  111 , the signal transmitter  210  may be configured to generate a signal, and the signal receiver  310  may be configured to receive a signal. That is, the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may work cooperatively to detect the concentration of smoke received in the air channel  111 . 
     According to the present disclosure, at least one of the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may not be received in the air channel  111  defined by the air channel tube  110 , so that the smoke may not coagulate on or adhere to the signal transmitter  210  and/or the signal receiver  310 , the signal may be detected more accurately, and an error of a detection result may be reduced. 
     Further, a recess  112  may be defined in the air channel tube  110 . To be specific, the recess  112  may be defined by an outer surface of the air channel tube  110  being recessed inwardly. In the present embodiment, two recesses  112  may be opposite to each other. The signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be received in the two recesses  112 , respectively. An exposed surface of the signal transmitter  210  and an exposed surface of the signal receiver  310  may align with the outer side of the air channel tube  110 . A bottom wall of the recess  112  may be made of transparent material, such as transparent plastics, glass, and the like. 
     In other embodiments, the air channel tube  110  may be made of non-transparent material. The signal transmitter  210  and/or the signal receiver  310  may be arranged at an end of the air channel tube  110 , such that at least a part of the signal transmitter  210  and/or the signal receiver  310  may not directly contact the smoke in the air channel tube  110 . In this way, a reduced amount of smoke may coagulate or adhere to the signal transmitter  210  and/or the signal receiver  310 . 
     In the present embodiment, the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be arranged out of the air channel  111 . The signal transmitter  210  may be an optical signal transmitter, and the signal receiver  310  may be an optical sensor. In other embodiments, the smoke concentration may be detected by image detection or by other means, which will not be limited by the present disclosure. 
     In the present embodiment, an angle between a signal transmission line of the signal transmitter  210  (not shown in the figure) and a signal receiving line of the signal receiver  310  may be in a range of 0° to 180°, such as 0°, 45°, or 180°. In other words, a first connection line may be between the signal transmitter  210  and a central axis of the air channel  111  along a signal transmission direction, and a connection line may be between the signal receiver  310  and the central axis of the air channel  111  along a signal receiving direction. An angle between the first connection line and the second connection line may be in a range of 0° to 180°, such as 0°, 45°, or 180°. 
     In the present embodiment, the angle between signal transmission line of the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiving line of the signal receiver  310  may be 180°. The signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be disposed at two opposite sides of the air channel tube  111 . 
     In the present embodiment, as the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  are received in the recess  112 , a thickness of the bottom wall of the recess may be less than a thickness of the other part of the air channel tube  110 . In this way, an influence on the optical signal may be reduced, further improving accuracy of the detection. 
     In the present embodiment, at least a part of an inner side of the air channel tube  110  may be arranged with an isolation layer (not shown in the figure) to prevent the smoke from adhering. For example, an inner side of the wall of the recess  112  facing the air channel  111  may be arranged with the isolation layer. The isolation layer may be made of hydrophobic and lipophobic material. As the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be precise elements, receiving the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  in the air channel  111  and coating the hydrophobic and lipophobic isolation layer onto the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may significantly increase manufacturing costs. In the present embodiment, the isolation layer may be coated onto the inner side of the air channel tube  110  to reduce the manufacturing costs. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a shell  100 , a signal transmitter  220  and a signal receiver  320 . Structures of the shell  100 , the signal transmitter  220  and the signal receiver  320  may be similar to structures of the shell, the signal transmitter and the signal receiver of the above embodiment, which will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. In the present embodiment, the signal transmitter  220  may be arranged to extend through the air channel tube  110  to directly contact the smoke in the air channel. The signal receiver  320  may not be received in the air channel  111 , but received in the recess  112  in the air channel tube  110 . The bottom wall of the recess  112  may be made of transparent material. 
     In other embodiments, the air channel tube  110  may further define a through hole along a thickness direction of the air channel tube. The signal transmitter  220  may not be received in the air channel  111 , but received in the recess  112 , whereas the signal receiver  320  may be arranged to extend through the through hole to directly contact the smoke in the air channel  111 . The present disclosure does not limit which one of the signal transmitter  220  and the signal receiver  320  is received in the recess. 
     According to the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration provided in the present disclosure, the signal transmitter  210  or the signal receiver  310  may not be received in the air channel  111  defined by the air channel tube  110 . At least one recess  112  may be defined on the outer side of the air channel tube  110 . At least one of the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be received in the at least one recess  112 . The bottom wall of the recess  112  may be made of transparent material, such that the smoke may not easily coagulate or adhere to the signal transmitter  210  or the signal receiver  310 . The signal may be detected more accurately, and the error of the detection result may be reduced. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , an apparatus for detecting smoke concentration according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a shell  100  and a signal transceiver  230 . A structure of the shell  100  may be similar to that in the above embodiment, which will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. In the present embodiment, the signal transceiver  230  may be referred to as one element integrating the signal transmitter  220  and the signal receiver  320 . The signal transceiver  230  may include a signal transmission portion  231  and a signal receiving portion  232 . In this way, the angle between a signal transmission line and a signal receiving line may be 0°. A recess  112  may be defined on an outer surface of the air channel tube  110 . The signal transceiver  230  may be received in the recess  112 , but may not be configured to extend through the air channel tube  110 . A bottom wall of the recess  112  may be made of transparent material. 
     According to the present embodiment, the signal transceiver  230  may be arranged out of the air channel  111  defined by the air channel tube  110  of the shell  100 , and the bottom wall of the recess  112  may be made of transparent material. In this way, the smoke may not easily coagulate or adhere to the signal transceiver  230 , the signal may be detected more accurately, and the error of the detection result may be reduced. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an electronic atomization device may be provided and include an atomizer  400  and the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration. A structure of the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration is shown in the above embodiments and will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The atomizer  400  may be arranged in the shell  100  and may communicate with the air channel  111 , enabling generated smoke to flow to the air channel  111 . The apparatus for detecting smoke concentration may be configured to detect the concentration of the smoke in the air channel  111 . 
     In the present embodiment, the shell  100  further defines an air inlet  120  and an air outlet  130 . The air may flow through the air inlet  120  to an inside of the shell  100 . The air may further flow through the atomizer  400  to drive the smoke to flow through the air channel  111  and the air outlet  130  to reach an external of the device. 
     In the present embodiment, the electronic atomization device may further include a processor, an air flow meter  600 , an indicator  700 , and a battery  800 . The processor  500 , the air flow meter  600 , and the battery  800  may be received in the receiving chamber defined by the shell  100 . The indicator  700  may be arranged on the shell  100 . The processor  500  may be connected to the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration, the atomizer  400 , the air flow meter  600 , the indicator  700 , and the battery  800 . The air flow meter  600  may be configured to detect a velocity of air flowing through the air inlet  120 . The processor  500  may be configured to receive smoke concentration information sent from the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration and the velocity of air detected by the air flow meter  600 . The indicator  700  may be configured to indicate an amount of smoke consumed by the atomizer or an amount of smoke remaining in the air channel. 
     In the present embodiment, the indicator  700  may be a display. In other embodiments, the indicator  700  may be an indicating lamp, a voice indicator, a vibrator, a signal transmitter, and the like, which will not be limited by the present disclosure. 
     In the present embodiment, the processor  500  may be configured to calculate the amount of smoke consumed at a particular time point or within a particular time range based on the smoke concentration information sent from the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration and the velocity of air detected by the air flow meter  600 . In this way, an amount of smoke remaining in the air channel may be calculated based on the amount of smoke consumed at the particular time point or within the particular time range. Further, an amount smoke to be generated by the atomizer  400  may be adjusted based on the amount of smoke consumed at the particular time point or within the particular time range. 
     According to the apparatus for detecting smoke concentration provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one of the signal transmitter  210  and the signal receiver  310  may be arranged out of the air channel  111  defined by the air channel tube  110 . The portion of the air channel tube  110  corresponding to the signal transmitter  210  and/or the signal receiver  310  may be made of transparent material. In this way, the smoke may not be easily coagulated or adhered to the signal transmitter  210  and/or the signal receiver  310 , the signal may be detected accurately, and the error of the detection result may be reduced. 
     The above description illustrates implementations of the present disclosure, but does not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Any equivalent structural or process transformation performed based on the present drawings and the present specification, applied directly or indirectly in related art, should be within the scope of the present disclosure.