Patent Description:
Recently, the demand for alternatives to the traditional cigarettes has increased. For example, there is growing demand for an aerosol generating device that generates aerosols by heating an aerosol generating material, rather than by combusting cigarettes. Accordingly, studies on a heating-type cigarette and a heating-type aerosol-generating device have been actively conducted.

When generating an aerosol by heating a cigarette, residue from the aerosol may adhere to an aerosol generating device. The adhered residue may be fixed and cause damage or a failure of the aerosol generating device. In addition, when a user uses an aerosol generating device, thermal efficiency may be reduced, and an unpleasant odor may occur during smoking due to incomplete combustion caused by heating of the adhered residue.

Accordingly, there is a need for users to individually clean the aerosol generating device. However, it is difficult for a user to completely remove the residue attached to the aerosol generating device by using a general cleaning tool. <CIT> provides a cleaning device for a heated tobacco smoking article which can surely clean dirt adhered to an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical part of a heated tobacco smoking article, and surface of a heating element, and which does not require a consumable supply such as a gas cylinder. The cleaning device for a heated tobacco smoking article comprises: a case body comprising an insertion hole into which a cylindrical part on a distal end of the heating type cigarette smoking tool is inserted; a rotor journaled by a bottom part of the case body; and a brush cup mounted on a top surface of the rotor through a magnet clutch. The brush cup comprises an outer brush and an inner brush cleaning an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part of the inserted heated tobacco smoking article, respectively.

Residual materials attached to an aerosol generating device may cause damage or a failure of the aerosol generating device, and may cause discomfort to a user by changing flavor of a generated aerosol.

Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a cleaning kit to a user for efficiently removing residual materials attached to an aerosol generating device. To this end, the cleaning kit requires a certain amount of operating torque or more to remove the attached residual materials from elements (for example, a heater) of the aerosol generating device.

Technical problems to be solved by the present embodiments are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems may be inferred from the following embodiments.

One or more of the above objects are achieved by the invention set out by the features of the independent claim.

Embodiments provide a cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device that cleans the aerosol generating device by moving while contacting an accommodation unit and a heater.

A cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device includes a power supplier; a cleaner configured to clean the aerosol generating device by moving while contacting at least one of an accommodation unit and a heater of the aerosol generating device, and a driver configured to operate the cleaner according to power from the power supplier, and including a gear unit for changing an operating torque of the cleaner.

A cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device according to embodiments may clean the aerosol generating device by moving while contacting at least one of an accommodation unit and a heater of the aerosol generating device. A cleaner of the cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device may have various ranges of operating torque, and the operating torque may be of a predetermined range or more. As the operating torque of the predetermined range or more is transmitted to the cleaner, the cleaner may apply great external force to the accommodation unit and the heater of the aerosol generating device.

Accordingly, the cleaner may more efficiently remove residual materials attached to the heater and the accommodation unit, and a user may conveniently clean the aerosol generating device without using an additional cleaning tool or disassembling the aerosol generating device.

As residual materials of an aerosol generating device are removed, risk of damage or a failure of the aerosol generating device may be reduced. In addition, as residual materials are removed, unnecessary materials may be prevented from being generated when an aerosol generating device is heated, and thus, an aerosol having a high quality flavor may be provided to a user, thereby increasing satisfaction of the user.

The power supplier may be a battery, and the cleaning kit may further include an interface for charging the battery.

The power supplier may supply power through a wired connection with an external device.

The cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device may further include a cover portion that covers the cleaner.

The cleaner may be detachably coupled to the driver, and may include a cavity into which the heater is inserted when the cleaner is inserted into the accommodation unit of the aerosol generating device.

The cleaner may include a brush arranged to surround at least a part of the cavity.

The cleaner may include a protrusion, and the driver may include a groove for accommodating the protrusion.

The cleaning kit may further include a coupling structure for coupling the cleaner with the driver.

The coupling structure may couple the cleaner with the driver by magnetic force.

The cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device may further include a controller that changes the operating torque of the cleaner by controlling at least one of the power supplier and the driver.

The cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device may further include a switch electrically connected to the controller, and the controller may change the operating torque of the cleaner based on an operation of the switch.

The gear unit may include a first gear box and a second gear box, and the first gear box and the second gear box may be controlled independently of each other by the controller.

With respect to the terms in the various embodiments, the general terms which are currently and widely used are selected in consideration of functions of structural elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, meanings of the terms can be changed according to intention, a judicial precedence, the appearance of a new technology, and the like. Therefore, the terms used in the various embodiments should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the descriptions provided herein.

In addition, terms used in the present specification are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the embodiments. In the present specification, the singular form also includes the plurality form unless specifically stated in the phrase.

Throughout the specification, the "longitudinal direction" of a component may be a direction in which the component extends along an axis in one direction of the component, wherein the axis in one direction of the component extends longer than an axis in the other direction of the component crossing the axis in one direction of the component.

Since various embodiments described in the specification are classified arbitrarily only for the purpose of explaining inventions, the embodiments should not be construed to be exclusive to each other. For example, some features disclosed in one embodiments may be applied to or implemented in other embodiments. Also, it is possible to change some features for applying or implement those features in other embodiments within scope of this disclosure.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated such that one of ordinary skill in the art may easily work the present disclosure.

<FIG> illustrates an example of an aerosol generating device <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an example of the aerosol generating device <NUM> that is a subject of cleaning using a cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment, which is shown in <FIG>. The aerosol generating device <NUM> may include an accommodation unit <NUM> and a heater <NUM>.

The accommodation unit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM> may accommodate a cigarette. The cigarette may be accommodated in the accommodation unit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM> to be used and then removed by a user. When the cigarette is heated or removed, residual materials of the cigarette may be attached to the accommodation unit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>, a bottom portion <NUM> of the accommodation unit <NUM>, and the heater <NUM>. The residual materials generated from the cigarette may cause damage or a failure of the aerosol generating device <NUM>, and when the residual materials are heated, a flavor of an aerosol may be deteriorated.

The aerosol generating device <NUM> may include the heater <NUM>. The heater <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM> may be, for example, an electro-resistive heater <NUM>. The heater <NUM> includes an electrically conductive track, and the heater <NUM> may be heated as an electrical current flows through the electrically conductive track. The heater <NUM> in the aerosol generating device <NUM> of <FIG> is illustrated as a rod needle shape, but the shape of the heater <NUM> is not limited thereto. For example, the heater <NUM> may be of an external heating type and have a shape that surrounds a cigarette.

In the aerosol generating device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, only some elements related to the cleaning kit <NUM> are illustrated. Therefore, it can be understood by those skilled in the art related to the embodiments that additional elements other than the elements illustrated in <FIG> may be further included in the aerosol generating device <NUM>.

The configuration of the aerosol generating device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> may be provided in more detail below to describe the cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device according to the embodiment, and will be compared and described together in the following drawings.

<FIG> is a perspective view of the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment, and <FIG> is a perspective view of the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device illustrated in <FIG>.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to the embodiment may include a power supplier <NUM>, a driver <NUM> that receives power from the power supplier <NUM>, and a cleaner <NUM> that is operated by the driver <NUM> to clean the aerosol generating device <NUM>.

The cleaning kit <NUM> may further include a cover portion <NUM> that covers the cleaner110. When the cleaning kit <NUM> is not used, the cover portion103 may serve to protect the cleaner <NUM> and form an exterior of the cleaning kit <NUM> together with a housing <NUM>.

The cover portion <NUM> may be coupled to the cleaning kit <NUM> by, for example, interference fit or by magnetic force. In a case where the cover portion <NUM> is coupled to the cleaning kit <NUM> by interference fit, a hook portion (not illustrated) may be formed in the cover portion <NUM>, and an accommodation groove (not illustrated) for accommodating the hook portion may be formed in the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM>. The hook portion formed in the cover portion <NUM> may be inserted into the accommodation groove to enable the cover portion <NUM> and the housing <NUM> to be closely coupled to each other.

A hollow may be formed inside the cover portion <NUM> to accommodate the cleaner <NUM>. When the cleaning kit <NUM> is used, at least a part of the cover portion <NUM> may be separated from the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM>. That is, the cleaning kit <NUM> may be used by a user in a state in which a part of the cover portion <NUM> is connected to the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM> or in a state in which the cover portion <NUM> is completely separated from the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM>.

A switch <NUM> may be arranged in the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device. A user may operate the cleaning kit <NUM> through the switch <NUM>. In addition, a controller may change an operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> based on a signal generated from the switch <NUM> when a user operates the switch <NUM>.

The switch <NUM> may be formed on a surface of the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM>. The switch <NUM> may be implemented in the form of a user-friendly interface such as a plurality of buttons, and a shape, a size, and a position of the switch <NUM> may be changed as necessary.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device may include the power supplier <NUM>. The power supplier <NUM> may supply power for the driver <NUM> to operate. As an example, the power supplier <NUM> may be a battery. The battery may be a lithium ion battery and may be charged by an external power source. When the power supplier <NUM> is a battery, the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device may include an interface (not illustrated; for example, a USB port, and so on) for charging the battery.

In this case, the interface for charging the battery may be arranged in the housing <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM>, and a user may charge the battery by connecting an external power source to the battery through the interface.

As another example, the power supplier <NUM> may supply power through a wired connection with an external power source. That is, the power supplier <NUM> may not store but may have a configuration for direct connection with an external power source. In this case, the power supplier <NUM> may be a wire connecting the cleaning kit <NUM> to the external power source and may extend from the cleaning kit <NUM> toward outside.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device includes the driver <NUM> that receives power from the power supplier <NUM>. The driver <NUM> may be a motor and may be connected to the cleaner <NUM> to operate the cleaner <NUM>. The driver <NUM> may operate the cleaner <NUM> by performing rotation, vibration, or translation, and more than one of the above-described operations may be performed simultaneously in combination.

The cleaner <NUM> may be connected to the driver <NUM>. The cleaner <NUM> may receive power from the driver <NUM>. The cleaner <NUM> and the driver <NUM> may be arranged in the cleaning kit <NUM> in series along a longitudinal direction of the cleaner <NUM>.

The cleaner <NUM> may clean the aerosol generating device <NUM> by moving (e.g., rotating) while contacting the accommodation unit <NUM> and the heater <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>. As the cleaner <NUM> moves (e.g., rotates) while contacting the accommodation unit <NUM> and the heater <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>, residual materials attached to the heater <NUM> and the accommodation unit <NUM> may be separated by the cleaner <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective view schematically illustrating a coupling structure of the cleaner <NUM> which is one element of the cleaning kit <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, and <FIG> is a side view of the cleaning kit <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

The cleaner <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to the embodiment described above may be detachably coupled to the driver <NUM>. The cleaner <NUM> may be manufactured to be replaceable. As the cleaning kit <NUM> is repeatedly used over time, the cleaner <NUM> may be bent or worn. The cleaner <NUM> may be replaced to prevent a reduction in cleaning efficiency of the cleaner <NUM>. As the cleaner <NUM> is detachably coupled to the driver <NUM>, a user may easily remove the used cleaner <NUM> from the driver <NUM> and couple a new cleaner <NUM> to the driver <NUM> as needed.

The cleaner <NUM> may include a protrusion <NUM> protruding in a direction toward the driver <NUM>, and the driver <NUM> may include a groove <NUM> for accommodating the protrusion <NUM>. The protrusion <NUM> formed in the cleaner <NUM> may be formed at one end of the cleaner <NUM>, and in this case, the one end may be facing the driver <NUM> when the cleaner <NUM> and the driver <NUM> are connected to each other.

When the cleaner <NUM> is rotated by the driver <NUM>, the protrusion <NUM> may prevent the cleaner <NUM> from rotating separately with respect to the driver. That is, the protrusion <NUM> may cause the cleaner <NUM> to operate in synchronization with the driver <NUM> so that cleaning efficiency may be increased.

The protrusion <NUM> may have a prism shape, for example, a rectangular prism shape. The groove <NUM> may have a shape corresponding to the protrusion <NUM> and may be formed at a position corresponding to a position of the protrusion <NUM>. For example, when the protrusion <NUM> has the rectangular prism shape, the groove <NUM> for accommodating the protrusion <NUM> may have a shape corresponding to the rectangular prism.

The cleaning kit <NUM> may include a coupling structure for coupling the cleaner <NUM> and the driver <NUM>. The coupling structure may be arranged in at least a part of the cleaner <NUM> and at least a part of the driver <NUM>.

As an example, the coupling structure may couple the cleaner <NUM> to the driver <NUM> with magnetic force. For example, the coupling structure may be included in the protrusion <NUM> of the cleaner <NUM> and the groove <NUM> of the driver <NUM>. In this case, the protrusion <NUM> and the groove <NUM> may include magnets as the coupling structure and may be magnetically coupled to each other. When a user replaces the cleaner <NUM>, the user may remove the cleaner <NUM> from the driver <NUM> by applying external force greater than attractive force between the protrusion <NUM> and the groove <NUM>.

Thereafter, when the new cleaner <NUM> approaches the driver <NUM> by a user, the protrusion <NUM> and the groove <NUM> are extracted to each other by attractive force. Accordingly, the cleaner <NUM> and the driver <NUM> may be coupled to each other by the protrusion <NUM> and the groove <NUM>.

The cleaner <NUM> may include a cavity <NUM> into which the heater <NUM> is inserted. Referring to <FIG>, the cleaner <NUM> may include a brush <NUM> arranged around the cavity <NUM>. The brush <NUM> may include a body portion <NUM> and fine hairs attached to the body portion <NUM>.

One end of the body portion <NUM> may be curved in a direction crossing a length direction of the cleaner <NUM>. As one end of the body portion <NUM> is curved, one end of the body portion <NUM> may come into contact with a wide area of the bottom portion <NUM> of the accommodation unit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>. The fine hairs attached along one end of the curved body portion <NUM> may remove residual materials attached to the bottom portion <NUM> of the accommodation unit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>.

When the cleaning kit <NUM> is inserted into the accommodation unit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>, the heater <NUM> may be inserted into the cavity <NUM> formed in the cleaner <NUM>. As the heater <NUM> is inserted into the cavity <NUM> of the cleaner <NUM>, the brush <NUM> may surround the heater <NUM>.

When the cleaning kit <NUM> operates, the cleaner <NUM> may rotate with the heater <NUM> being a rotational axis of the rotation of the cleaner <NUM>, may translate with respect to the heater <NUM>, or may vibrate with respect to the heater <NUM>, thereby cleaning the heater <NUM>. A method of operating the cleaner <NUM> is not limited by the above description, and the cleaner <NUM> may operate by at least one of rotation, translation, and vibration movements.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device may include a suction unit (not illustrated). The suction unit may collect residual materials separated by the cleaner <NUM> by sucking air together with the residual materials. For example, the suction unit may be arranged adjacent to the cleaner <NUM> to suck residual materials attached to or removed from the cleaner <NUM>.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device may include a discharge unit (not illustrated) connected to the suction unit. The discharge unit may be in fluid communication with the suction unit to discharge residual materials collected by the suction unit.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> is concept diagram explaining some elements of the cleaning kit for an aerosol generating device according to the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to the above-described embodiment may further include a controller <NUM> that changes an operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> by controlling the power supplier <NUM> and the driver <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> may operate the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device by controlling the power supplier <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may also control an operation of other elements included in the cleaning kit <NUM>. In addition, the controller <NUM> may determine whether or not the cleaning kit <NUM> is in an operable state by checking status of the elements of the cleaning kit <NUM>.

The processor may be implemented with an array of a plurality of logic gates or may also be implemented with a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable in the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it can be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present embodiment belongs that the process may be implemented with other types of hardware.

Although not illustrated, the cleaning kit <NUM> may include, for example, a display capable of outputting visual information. For example, by generating a signal to be displayed on the display, the controller <NUM> may provide a user with information related to the power supplier <NUM>, information related to the replacement of the cleaner <NUM>, and information related to an operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> driven by the driver <NUM>.

In addition, the cleaning kit <NUM> may include, for example, a sound output device (for example, a speaker) capable of outputting auditory information. The controller <NUM> may transmit information on the cleaning kit <NUM> to a user through the sound output device. For example, when the cleaner <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM> does not operate, the cleaning kit <NUM> may generate a predetermined sound and provide the sound to a user.

In the cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to the above-described embodiment, the switch <NUM> may be electrically connected to the controller <NUM>. A user may transmit an electrical signal to the controller <NUM> through the switch <NUM>, and the controller <NUM> receiving the electrical signal may control elements of the cleaning kit <NUM>.

For example, a user may turn on/off the cleaning kit <NUM> through the switch <NUM>. In addition, the user may also change an operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> through the switch <NUM>.

The user may increase the operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> through the switch <NUM>. As the operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> increases, the rotational speed of the cleaner <NUM> may be reduced when the cleaner <NUM> rotates, and pressure applied to the elements of the aerosol generating device <NUM> by the cleaner <NUM> may be increased.

The user may reduce the operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> through the switch <NUM>. As the operating torque of the cleaner <NUM> is reduced, the rotational speed of the cleaner <NUM> may be increased when the cleaner <NUM> rotates, and the pressure applied to the configuration elements of the aerosol generating device <NUM> by the cleaner <NUM> may be reduced.

A gear unit <NUM> of the driver <NUM> may include a first gear box 150a and a second gear box 150b. The first gear box 150a and the second gear box 150b may be controlled of each other by the controller <NUM>. For example, as one example of various operation modes, the controller <NUM> may drive the first gear box 150a of the gear unit <NUM> and may not drive the second gear box 150b. The gear unit <NUM> is not limited to the first gear box 150a and the second gear box 150b and may include three or more gear boxes.

As the gear unit <NUM> includes a plurality of gear boxes, and the plurality of gear boxes are independently controlled, the cleaner <NUM> may have various ranges of operating torque. For example, as the first gear box 150a and the second gear box 150b are controlled independently of each other, the cleaner <NUM> may have different operating torques according to a plurality of combinations of operations of the first gear box 150a and the second gear box 150b.

For example, when only the first gear box 150a is controlled to operate, when only the second gear box 150b is controlled to operate, and when both the first and second gear boxes 150a and 150b are controlled to operate, the cleaner <NUM> may have different operating torques. As the gear unit <NUM> includes a plurality of gear boxes, the number of combinations may be increased.

The cleaning kit <NUM> for an aerosol generating device according to the embodiments may clean the aerosol generating device <NUM> by moving while contacting the accommodation unit <NUM> and/or the heater <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>. The cleaner <NUM> of the cleaning kit <NUM> of the aerosol generating device may have various ranges of operating torque, and the operating torque may be in a predetermined range or more. As an operating torque of a predetermined range or more is transmitted to the cleaner <NUM>, the cleaner <NUM> may apply greater force to the accommodation unit <NUM> and the heater <NUM> of the aerosol generating device <NUM>.

Accordingly, the cleaner <NUM> may more efficiently remove residual materials attached to the heater <NUM> and the accommodation unit <NUM>, and a user may conveniently clean the aerosol generating device <NUM> without using an additional cleaning tool or disassembling the aerosol generating device <NUM>.

As residual materials of the aerosol generating device <NUM> are removed, risk of damage or a failure of the aerosol generating device <NUM> may be reduced. In addition, as residual materials are removed, unnecessary materials may be prevented from being generated when an aerosol generating device is heated, and thus, an aerosol having a high quality flavor may be provided to a user, thereby increasing satisfaction of the user.

At least one of the components, elements, modules or units (collectively "components" in this paragraph) represented by a block in the drawings, such as the controller <NUM>, may be embodied as various numbers of hardware, software and/or firmware structures that execute respective functions described above, according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, at least one of these components may use a direct circuit structure, such as a memory, a processor, a logic circuit, a look-up table, etc. that may execute the respective functions through controls of one or more microprocessors or other control apparatuses. Also, at least one of these components may be specifically embodied by a module, a program, or a part of code, which contains one or more executable instructions for performing specified logic functions, and executed by one or more microprocessors or other control apparatuses. Further, at least one of these components may include or may be implemented by a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) that performs the respective functions, a microprocessor, or the like. Two or more of these components may be combined into one single component which performs all operations or functions of the combined two or more components. Also, at least part of functions of at least one of these components may be performed by another of these components. Further, although a bus is not illustrated in the above block diagrams, communication between the components may be performed through the bus. Functional aspects of the above exemplary embodiments may be implemented in algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the components represented by a block or processing steps may employ any number of related art techniques for electronics configuration, signal processing and/or control, data processing and the like.

Claim 1:
A cleaning kit (<NUM>) for an aerosol generating device (<NUM>), comprising:
a power supplier (<NUM>);
a cleaner (<NUM>) configured to clean the aerosol generating device (<NUM>) by moving while contacting at least one of an accommodation unit (<NUM>) and a heater (<NUM>) of the aerosol generating device (<NUM>), and
a driver (<NUM>) configured to operate the cleaner (<NUM>) according to power from the power supplier (<NUM>), and including a gear unit (<NUM>),
characterized in that the gear unit (<NUM>) is configured to change an operating torque of the cleaner (<NUM>).