CLEANING TOOL FOR HEATING ELEMENT WITH ROTATION PREVENTION

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning tool configured for cleaning a heating element (22) of an aerosol-generating device (20). The cleaning tool comprises a handle (10) and a main body (12). The main body comprises one or more cleaning elements (14). The handle is rotatably attached to the main body. The present invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device and a cleaning tool and a method for cleaning a heating element of an aerosol-generating device.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A cleaning tool configured for cleaning a heating element arranged in a heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device, the cleaning tool comprising: a handle; and a main body, wherein the main body comprises one or more cleaning elements, wherein the handle is rotatably attached to the main body such that rotation of the main body in the heating chamber is prevented and damage to the heating element is prevented, and wherein the main body has an elongate tubular shape.

17. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning tool further comprises a bearing, and wherein the handle is rotatably attached to the main body by the bearing.

18. The cleaning tool according to claim 17, wherein the bearing is configured as a rotary bearing.

19. The cleaning tool according to claim 17, wherein the bearing comprises an outer race and an inner race, wherein the outer race is part of the handle, and wherein the inner race is part of the main body.

20. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the rotational attachment between the handle and the main body is configured such that the handle can be rotated without rotation of the main body.

21. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning tool comprises multiple cleaning elements, and wherein the cleaning elements are arranged within the main body.

22. The cleaning tool according to claim 21, wherein the cleaning elements have an elongate shape and are arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning tool.

23. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning elements are configured as one or more of brushes, microfiber, cloth and foam.

24. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning elements are elastic and configured to elastically encompass the heating element of the aerosol generating device, when the cleaning tool is inserted into a heating chamber of the aerosol generating device.

25. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the distribution density of the cleaning elements in the main body increases towards a longitudinal axis of the cleaning tool.

26. The cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the main body comprises a detection element arranged to interact with a corresponding detection element of an aerosol-generating device for detecting that the cleaning tool is inserted into the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device.

27. A system comprising: an aerosol-generating device, and a cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a heating chamber and a heating element, wherein the heating element is arranged in the heating chamber, and wherein the cleaning tool is configured to be inserted into the heating chamber for cleaning the heating element.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a detection element to interact with a corresponding detection element of the cleaning tool for detecting that the cleaning tool has been inserted into the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device.

29. A method for cleaning a heating element arranged in a heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device by means of a cleaning tool, the method comprising the following steps: providing a cleaning tool comprising a handle and a main body, wherein the main body comprises one or more cleaning elements, and wherein the handle is rotatably attached to the main body such that rotation of the main body in the heating chamber is prevented and damage to the heating element is prevented, and wherein the main body has an elongate tubular shape, and inserting the cleaning tool into a heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device, thereby cleaning the heating element arranged in the heating chamber.

30. The cleaning tool according to claim 17, wherein the bearing is configured as a rolling-element bearing.

31. The cleaning tool according to claim 17, wherein the bearing is configured as a ball bearing.

Description

[0024] The invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show in:

[0025] FIG. 1: a cleaning tool according to the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 2: the cleaning tool according to the present invention inserted into a heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device; and

[0027] FIG. 3: a cross-sectional view of the cleaning tool according to the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a cleaning tool comprising a handle 10 and a main body 12. The handle 10 comprises grooves to facilitate gripping of the handle 10 by a user. Within the body 12, cleaning elements 14 are arranged. The cleaning elements 14 are attached to the main body 12. The cleaning elements 14 are configured as elongate brushes, which are arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning tool. The cleaning elements 14 are configured elastic.

[0029] Between the handle 10 and the main body 12, a gearing is arranged. The gearing is configured as a ball bearing 16. By means of the ball bearing 16, the handle 10 is rotatably attached to the main body 12.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the operation of the cleaning tool according to the present invention. During operation, the main body 12 of the cleaning tool is inserted into a heating chamber 18 of an aerosol-generating device 20. Inside of the heating chamber 18, a heating element 22 is arranged. The heating element 22 has the shape of a heating blade. Thus, the heating element 22 may potentially be damaged by rotational force acting upon the heating element 22.

[0031] By means of the ball bearing 16, the handle 10 is configured freely rotatable with respect to the main body 12 and the cleaning elements 14. Rotation of the main body 12 and the cleaning elements 14 is thus prevented if the cleaning tool is as intended gripped at the handle 10 and inserted into the heating chamber 18 by means of the handle 10. During a cleaning operation, the cleaning elements 14 are thus moved parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heating element 22, i.e. up and down with respect to the heating element 22. A rotation of the cleaning elements 14 with respect to the heating element 22 is prevented. The heating element 22 may therefore be cleaned by longitudinal up and down movement of the cleaning tool or the aerosol-generating device 20, i.e. by relative longitudinal movement between the cleaning tool and the device 20. By this movement, at least one of the heating chamber 18 and the aerosol-generating device 20 may be additionally or alternatively cleaned. If a user tries to apply torque to the handle 10 by a twisting movement, the user will not be faced with any resistance. In this case, the handle 10 may rotate, but the main body 12 and therefore the cleaning elements 14 fixed to the main body 12 will not rotate. This minimizes risk of damage, particularly risk of damage to the heating element 22.

[0032] FIG. 2 also shows a button 24 of the aerosol generating device 20 for activating the heating element 22. Operation of the heating element 22 may be prevented during usage of the cleaning tool. For example a detection element such as a sensor or poka yoke may be arranged on the outer surface of the main body 12 such that the aerosol-generating device 20 detects that the cleaning tool has been inserted into the heating chamber 18. As a consequence, the operation of the heating element 22 may be prevented by a controller of the aerosol-generating device 20. The inner walls of the heating chamber 18 may comprise a corresponding detection element to interact with the detection element of the cleaning tool.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the cleaning tool and the heating chamber 18 of the aerosol-generating device 20. The cleaning elements 14 attached to a top portion of the main body 12 can be seen. Also, FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the ball bearing 16 between the handle 10 and the main body 12. In this regard, the handle 10 is configured to integrally comprise an outer race of the ball bearing 16 and the main body 12 is configured to integrally comprise an inner race of the ball bearing 16. The ball bearing itself additionally comprise balls to facilitate smooth rotations of the handle 10 with respect to the main body 12 and to prevent rotation of the main body 12 and with it of the cleaning elements 14 during rotation of the handle 10. As depicted in FIG. 3, the cleaning elements 14 may have a length such that the cleaning elements 14 do not protrude from the main body 12. Thus, the cleaning elements 14 are protected by the main body 12 from damage. In some embodiments, the cleaning elements 14 may also be configured to have the same length as the main body 12 or even slightly protrude from the main body 12. This may facilitate cleaning of the base of the heating chamber 18 by the cleaning elements 14.

[0034] FIG. 3 also shows that the handle 10 has a larger diameter than the opening of the heating chamber 18. The handle 10 may have a diameter which corresponds to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating device 20. The handle 10 may rest against the opening of the heating chamber 18 after insertion of the main body 10 into the heating chamber 18.