AEROSOL-GENERATING DEVICE WITH MOVABLY ATTACHED MOUTHPIECE

Abstract

The invention relates to an aerosol-generating device comprising a mainbody (10) and a mouthpiece (12). The main body comprises a heating chamber (14) for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate. The mouthpiece is movably connected to the main body. The mouthpiece is configured movable with respect to the main body in a first movement between a first position and a second position. The first position is an operation position of the aero sol-generating device. In the second position, the heating chamber is at least partially exposed. The mouthpiece is configured movable with respect to the main body in a second movement between the second position and a third position. The second movement of the mouthpiece from the second position to the third position is configured to trigger an event.

Claims

1. Aerosol-generating device, comprising: a main body comprising a heating chamber for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is movably connected to the main body, wherein the mouthpiece is configured movable with respect to the main body in a first movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is an operation position of the aerosol-generating device, wherein in the second position, the heating chamber is at least partially exposed, wherein the mouthpiece is configured movable with respect to the main body in a second movement between the second position and a third position, wherein the second movement of the mouthpiece from the second position to the third position is configured to trigger an event, wherein the event comprises any one or more of the following: at least partial ejection of the used aerosol-generating article; at least partial ejection of a heating element of the heating chamber; at least partial ejection of the heating chamber; initiation a cleaning cycle of the heating chamber; initiation of a pyrolysis cleaning cycle of the heating chamber; initiation of a signal from a controller to output one or more pieces of information on a user interface.

2. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein when the mouthpiece is in the second position, the device is configured to facilitate at least one or more of the following: access to the heating chamber; cleaning of the heating chamber; display of information regarding the aerosol-generating device; and access to elements of the aerosol-generating device apart from the heating chamber.

3. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is pivotally attached to the main body.

4. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 3, wherein the first and second movements are a same type of movement.

5. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the first movement and the second movement are different types of movement.

6. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the first movement is a pivotal movement, preferably wherein an angle between the mouthpiece in the first position and the mouthpiece in the second position is 90°.

7. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the second movement is a pivotal movement, preferably wherein an angle between the mouthpiece in the second position and the mouthpiece in the third position is 90°.

8. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 6, wherein said pivotal movement comprises a movement of the mouthpiece about a pivoting axis, wherein the pivoting axis is: a longitudinal axis, which longitudinal axis is an axis along the longitudinal length of the aerosol-generating device; or a transverse axis, which transverse axis is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the device; or a central longitudinal axis of the aerosol generating device.

9. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a sliding element, and wherein one of the first and second movements is a pivotal movement and other of the first and second movements is a sliding movement.

10. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is slidably attached to the main body.

11. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is configured to trigger the event during or in response to the second movement by using mechanical energy of the first movement.

12. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a power supply and is configured to detect one or more of the first movement and the second movement, and wherein the aerosol-generating device is configured to trigger the event by using electrical energy of the power supply.

13. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a crankshaft connected with the mouthpiece for converting a pivotal movement of the mouthpiece to a linear movement of a lever rod connected to the crankshaft, wherein the lever rod is configured for at least partly facilitating an ejection of the aerosol-generating article from the heating chamber.

14. The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature inside the heating chamber, and wherein the device comprises a controller configured to prevent one or more of the first movement or a reverse first movement, if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature within the heating chamber exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Description

[0080] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0081] FIGS. 1A and 1B show cross-sectional views of a conventional aerosol-generating device comprising a main body and the mouthpiece;

[0082] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show cross-sectional views of an aspect of an aerosol-generating device according to the invention;

[0083] FIGS. 3A, and 3B show cross-sectional views of a further aspect of the aerosol-generating device according to the invention; and

[0084] FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show further cross-sectional views of the aerosol-generating device as depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0085] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a conventional aerosol-generating device comprising a main body 10 and a mouthpiece 12. The main body 10 comprises multiple elements which are not shown in the figures such as a power supply, control circuitry comprising a controller and a heating element. FIG. 1 shows the heating chamber 14 of the main body 10 as well as air inlets 16. Through the air inlets 16, ambient air may be drawn into the heating chamber 14.

[0086] The heating element is configured as an internal heating element, preferably a heating pin or heating blade arranged inside of the heating chamber 14. Alternatively, the heating element may be configured as an external heating element arranged at least partly surrounding the heating chamber 14.

[0087] The air inlets 16 are configured to enable airflow into the heating chamber 14. Air flows into the heating chamber 14, through an aerosol-generating article 18 comprising aerosol-forming substrate arranged in the heating chamber 14 and out of the mouthpiece 12 through an air channel 20 of the mouthpiece 12. The airflow through the air inlets 16, heating chamber 14 and air channel 20 of the mouthpiece 12 is indicated by arrows in FIG. 1B.

[0088] The mouthpiece 12 is configured connectable to the main body 10. The connection between the mouthpiece 12 and the main body 10 may be facilitated by known means. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, the mouthpiece 12 is detached from the main body 10. In FIG. 1B, the mouthpiece 12 is attached to the main body 10.

[0089] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show an aspect of an aerosol-generating device according to the invention. The main elements of the aerosol-generating device are similar to the elements of the aerosol-generating device shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, only the differences between a conventional aerosol-generating device as shown in FIG. 1 and the aerosol-generating device according to the invention and as depicted in FIG. 2 are described in the following.

[0090] The aerosol-generating device shown in FIG. 2 also comprises a main body 10, a mouthpiece 12 and a heating chamber 14 for receiving an aerosol-generating article 18 comprising aerosol-forming substrate. Further, an air inlet 16 is provided for enabling airflow into the heating chamber 14. The mouthpiece 12 comprises an air channel 20 for enabling airflow of ambient air into the air inlet, through the aerosol-generating article 18 received in the heating chamber 14 and through the air channel 20 of the mouthpiece 12. The mouthpiece 12 is movably connected to the main body 10 by means of a hinge 22. The hinge 22 enables a pivotal movement of the mouthpiece 12 around a transverse axis. The transverse axis is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

[0091] In addition to the conventional aerosol-generating device shown in FIG. 1, the mouthpiece 12 of the aerosol-generating device depicted in FIG. 2 is movable in a first movement from a first position to a second position. In the second position, the heating chamber 14 is at least partially exposed or open. In some embodiments, the first movement may trigger an event. For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the mouthpiece 12 is moved to the second position, the aerosol-generating article 18 is at least partially extracted, ejected lifted or otherwise longitudinally translated from with heating chamber 14. In FIG. 2B, the aerosol-generating article 18 is translated longitudinally so that at a portion of the aerosol-generating article is protruding out from the heating chamber 14. In this way a user may more easily remove the aerosol-generating article 18 from the heating chamber 14. Further, the mouthpiece 12 is movable from the second position to a third position by means of a second movement. The second movement triggers an event. The first position of the mouthpiece 12 is depicted in FIG. 2A. In the first position, the mouthpiece 12 closes the heating chamber 14. In the first position, the mouthpiece 12 is arranged in a horizontal position. In FIG. 2B, the second position of the mouthpiece 12 is depicted. By an arrow in FIG. 2B, the first movement of the mouthpiece 12 from the first position to the second position is indicated. During the first movement, the mouthpiece 12 is pivoted by about 90°. In FIG. 2C, the third position of the mouthpiece 12 is depicted. Furthermore, by an arrow in FIG. 2C, the second movement of the mouthpiece 12 is depicted. In the second movement, the mouthpiece 12 is pivoted by an additional 90°. In FIGS. 2A to 2C, the two 90° movements of the mouthpieces are shown as cumulative, such that the mouthpiece moves by 180° between the first position and the third position. However, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the second movement might be in a direction opposite to the direction of the first movement, so that the second movement recloses the heating chamber 14.

[0092] The aerosol-generating device comprises a means to realize a functionality during the movement of the mouthpiece 12. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the means are mechanical means. The mechanical means comprise a crankshaft 24 connected with or proximal to near the hinge 22. The crankshaft 24 is configured to convert a pivotal movement of the mouthpiece 12 to a linear movement. The conversion of the pivotal movement of the mouthpiece 12 to the linear movement during the first movement of the mouthpiece 12 is depicted in FIG. 2B. The linear movement is transferred, preferably by means of a transfer shaft 26, to a lever rod 28. The lever rod 28 is rotatably attached to the main body 10 of the aerosol-generating device. The pivotal movement of the lever rod 28 as a consequence of the pivotal movement of the mouthpiece 12 is also depicted in FIG. 2B.

[0093] The lever rod 28 may comprise a piston 30. The piston 30 may extend into the heating chamber 14. The piston 30 may be positioned at the base of the heating chamber 14 in the first position of the mouthpiece 12. The piston 30 may be configured to contact the aerosol-generating article 18, when the aerosol-generating article 18 is received in the heating chamber 14. The piston may be configured to contact a receptacle of the heating chamber 14, which receptacle receives the aerosol-generating article 18. The piston 30 may be configured to eject the used aerosol-generating article 18 at least partly out of the heating chamber 14 during or in response to the first movement of the mouthpiece 12. The piston 30 may be rotatably attached to the lever rod 28 so that the pivotal movement of the lever rod 28 is converted to a linear movement of the piston 30.

[0094] During the first movement, access to the heating chamber 14 is facilitated by the pivotal movement of the mouthpiece 12. Furthermore, by means of the mechanical means including the crankshaft 24, the transfer shaft 26, the lever rod 28 and the piston 30, the used aerosol-generating article 18 is partly ejected from the heating chamber 14. Preferably, the first position depicted in FIG. 2A is an operation position of the aerosol-generating device. After the aerosol-generating article 18 is used, the user may want to eject the used aerosol-generating article 18. By moving the mouthpiece 12 to the second position shown in FIG. 2B, partial ejection of the used aerosol-generating article 18 is facilitated. The user may grip the used aerosol-generating article 18 and remove the used aerosol-generating article 18.

[0095] The aerosol-generating device depicted in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C comprises a reserve receptacle 32. The reserve receptacle 32 is configured to hold a reserve aerosol-generating article 34. As can be seen in FIG. 2, by means of a second piston 36 rotatably connected with the lever rod 28, the new aerosol-generating article 34 may be at least partly ejected from the reserve receptacle 32 in the second position of the mouthpiece 12. A user may, at this second position of the mouthpiece 12, replace the used aerosol-generating article 18 from the heating chamber 14 by the new aerosol-generating article 34 from the reserve receptacle 32.

[0096] Although not illustrated in the figures, a locking means may be provided for retaining the mouthpiece 12 in place in the first position. The locking means may be a mechanical locking means. The mechanical locking means may comprise a lip and a detent in the mouthpiece 12 and main body 10, respectively. The lip may engage with the detent in a snap fit, for example. The lip may be a resiliently deformable lip. The resiliently deformable lip may be disengaged from the detent by applying a sufficient force to overcome the snap fit. Although a mechanical lip and detent have been described, it will be appreciated that other locking means may be provided.

[0097] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4A, 4B and 4C show another aspect of the aerosol-generating device. In this aspect, the first movement of the mouthpiece 12 is a pivotal movement around an axis L that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating device.

[0098] The first position of the mouthpiece 12 is depicted in FIGS. 3A, 4A and 4C. FIGS. 4A and 4B are top views. FIG. 4C is a cut view along the line AA′ shown in FIG. 3A. In the first position of the mouthpiece 12, the mouthpiece 12 is locked in place by a locking means. The locking means may comprise a female looking element 38 and a male locking element 40. The main body 10 of the aerosol-generating device may comprise the female looking element 38 and the mouthpiece 12 may comprise the male locking element 40. However, the main body 10 of the aerosol-generating device may also comprise the male looking element 40 and the mouthpiece 12 may also comprise the female looking element 38. Although a male 40 and female 38 locking means have been described, it will be appreciated that other locking means may be provided. For example, the locking means may comprise a lip and detent as described above with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C.

[0099] During the first movement, the mouthpiece 12 is rotated so that the male looking element 40 is disengaged from the female looking element 38. The mouthpiece 12 is rotated preferably by around 180°. The first movement is depicted in FIG. 4B.

[0100] As can be seen in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the hinge 22 of the mouthpiece 12 is connected with a first sliding shaft 42. The first sliding shaft 42 is configured to slide along a second sliding shaft 44, wherein the second sliding shaft 44 is part of the main body 10 of the aerosol-generating device. The first sliding shaft 42 is connected with a base support 46. The sliding shaft enables the second movement of the mouthpiece 12. The second movement of the mouthpiece 12 is a linear movement. The linear movement is along the axis L. In the linear movement, the mouthpiece 12 is distanced from the main body 10 of the aerosol-generating device. The base support 46 is positioned at the base of the heating chamber 14, when the mouthpiece 12 is in the first position or in the second position. The base support 46 is configured to contact the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 18, when the aerosol-generating article 18 is received in the heating chamber 14. During the second movement, in which the mouthpiece 12 is moved from the second position to the third position, the base support 46 at least partly ejects the aerosol-generating article 18 from the heating chamber 14. The second movement and the third position of the mouthpiece 12 are depicted in FIG. 3B.

[0101] FIG. 4A shows the mouthpiece 12 in the first position, in which the mouthpiece 12 is securely held by the locking means. In FIG. 4B, the mouthpiece 12 is pivoted to the second position such that the used aerosol-generating article 18 becomes accessible. FIG. 4C shows a cut view along the line AA′ from FIG. 3A, wherein no aerosol-generating article 18 is received in the heating chamber 14. Consequently, the base support 46 can be seen in FIG. 4C.