Abstract
The cleaning device for an aerosol-generating device comprises a cleaning tool having a first cleaning head and a second cleaning head, wherein the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head are arranged back-to-back with each other and wherein the clean-ing heads of the cleaning tool have an identical structural form.
Claims
1.-14. (canceled)
15. A cleaning device for an aerosol-generating device, comprising a cleaning tool, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a first cleaning head and a second cleaning head, wherein the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head are arranged back-to-back with each other, and wherein one cleaning head comprises an elongate element with a transversal element mounted to one end of the elongate element.
16. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein the cleaning tool is elongate and the cleaning heads are provided at either end of the elongate cleaning tool.
17. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein the first cleaning head and the second cleaning head are detachable from each other.
18. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein the transversal element comprises an outer edge and an inner edge and wherein at least one of the outer edge and the inner edge of the transversal element is configured to form a scraping surface.
19. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein the elongate element comprises a safety element to prevent inadvertent use of the cleaning tool.
20. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein one cleaning head is a spring.
21. The cleaning device according to claim 20, wherein the spring is a traction spring, or a compression spring or a combination of both traction and compression springs.
22. The cleaning device according to claim 20, wherein the spring is a metallic spiral having an end configured as a scraping surface.
23. The cleaning device according to claim 20, wherein the cleaning tool further comprises a third cleaning head, wherein the third cleaning head has an elongate, substantially cylindrical body with a central passing hole, the central passing hole being dimensioned to accommodate the spring cleaning head.
24. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein one cleaning head is an elongate tapered stick and the stick is preferably telescopically extendable.
25. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein one cleaning head is a hollow cylindrical element, which is covered on its inside surface, on its outside surface or on both the inside and the outside surface with flexible abrasive elements.
26. The cleaning device according to claim 15, further comprising a housing comprising two caps, wherein each cap is configured to house one cleaning head.
27. The cleaning device according to claim 26, wherein the cap that houses one cleaning head forms a handle for operating the tool when the other cleaning head is used.
Description
[0074] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0075] FIG. 1 shows a cleaning device with two identical cleaning heads;
[0076] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a cleaning head of FIG. 1;
[0077] FIG. 3 shows connection elements with longitudinal grooves
[0078] FIG. 4 shows a T-shaped cleaning head;
[0079] FIG. 5 shows a T-shaped cleaning head during use for cleaning a extractor;
[0080] FIG. 6 shows a cleaning head comprising a spring;
[0081] FIG. 7 shows a cleaning tool comprising a T-shaped cleaning head and a cleaning head comprising a spring;
[0082] FIG. 8 shows a cleaning tool comprising three cleaning heads;
[0083] FIG. 9 shows a cleaning tool comprising three cleaning heads in various assembly states;
[0084] FIG. 10 shows a cleaning head comprising an elongate tapered element;
[0085] FIG. 11 shows a cleaning head comprising an elongate extendible element;
[0086] FIG. 12 shows a cleaning head comprising an elongate element and a swap;
[0087] FIG. 13 shows a cleaning head comprising an elongate hollow element;
[0088] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a cleaning device 10 in accordance with the present invention. The cleaning device 10 comprises a housing 14 consisting of a first cap 11 and a second cap 12. The cleaning device 10 further comprises an elongate cleaning tool 20 having a first cleaning head 22 and a second cleaning head 24. The first cleaning head 22 and the second cleaning head 24 are provided at either end of the elongate cleaning tool 20 and are arranged on the cleaning tool 20 back-to-back with each other.
[0089] In the uppermost view of FIG. 1 the first cap 11, the second cap 12 and the cleaning tool 20 are disassembled from each other. In each of the two other views one cap 11, 12 is attached to the cleaning tool 20. The attached cap 11, 12 forms a handle for using the uncovered cleaning head 22, 24.
[0090] The two cleaning heads 22, 24 provided at either end of the cleaning tool 20 have an identical design. Each cleaning head 22, 24 is made from polymeric material and defines a recess for receiving a heating element of an aerosol-generating device. Each cleaning head 22, 24 is provided with three protrusions 26 inwardly extending or projecting into a recess of the respective cleaning head 22, 24. The construction of the cleaning heads 22, 24 is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.
[0091] FIG. 2 shows a perspective schematic view of a cleaning head 22 of the cleaning tool 20 depicted in FIG. 1. The cleaning tool 20 comprises an elongate cleaning body 23 having a generally cylindrical shape. The cleaning head 22 defines a recess 25 for receiving a heating element of an aerosol-generating device.
[0092] The cleaning head 22 comprises a first set of protrusions 26. Each of these protrusions 26 extends into a central region of the recess 25. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, three such protrusions 26 are provided, with said protrusions 26 being uniformly spaced around the recess 25.
[0093] When the cleaning tool of FIG. 2 is in use, a heating element can be inserted into the recess 25 such that at least a portion of the length of the heating element extends along at least a portion of the length of the recess 25. The cleaning tool 20 can then be moved relative to the heating element, for example by rotating the cleaning tool 20 relative to the heating element. Such rotational movement can cause debris being removed from the surface of the heating element.
[0094] The cleaning head 22 comprises also a second set of protrusions 28. These protrusions 28 are disposed around the peripheral region of the cleaning head 22, with each of said protrusions 28 extending towards the central region of the cleaning head 22. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, twelve such protrusions 28 are provided, with said protrusions 28 being uniformly spaced around the recess 25.
[0095] The cross section size of the protrusions 28 is smaller than that of the protrusions 26. The second protrusions 28 are preferably formed of a rigid material, such as a polyimide. The first protrusions 26 are preferably formed of a flexible material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the second protrusions 28 are formed integrally with the elongate cleaning body 22.
[0096] The second protrusions 28 can together form a scraping surface, which can be used to provide a different cleaning function from that of the first protrusions 26. In particular, the second protrusions 28 can be used to clean the base of a cavity which contains a heating element of an aerosol-generating device, such as the heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device. The cleaning function of the second protrusions 28 can be initiated by movement of the cleaning tool 20 relative to the heating element in the heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device. Such movement may be a rotational movement. Alternatively, such movement may be a combination of a rotational and linear movement.
[0097] The connection between the two caps 11, 12 and the cleaning tool 20 is a snap-fit connection that is configured to prevent relative rotation between these parts. As depicted in FIG. 3 a central portion of the cleaning tool 20 comprises longitudinal groves 30. The longitudinal grooves 30 extend around the complete circumference of the central portion of the cleaning tool 20. The rim of each of the caps 11, 12 is provided with corresponding groove structures 32. When a cap 11, 12 is attached to the cleaning tool 20, the longitudinal grooves 30 of the cap 11, 12 and the longitudinal grooves 32 of the cleaning tool 20 engage with each other and thereby efficiently prevent relative rotation between these parts.
[0098] In FIG. 4 an alternative configuration of a cleaning head 50 for the cleaning tool 20 is depicted. This cleaning head 50 is formed as T-shaped. The T-shaped cleaning head 50 comprises an elongate element 52 and a transversal element 54 at one end of the elongate element 52. The transversal element 54 has an outer edge 56 and an inner edge 58. The inner edge 58 of the transversal element 54 is configured to form a scraping surface.
[0099] The cleaning head 50 further comprises a safety element 60 that prevents inadvertent use of the cleaning tool 20. The safety element 60 is a cylindrical element having an increased diameter that is larger than the width of the transversal element 54. In addition, the diameter of the safety element 60 is larger than the diameter of the cavity of the extractor 64. When the extractor 64 is still assembled on the aerosol-generating device and the T-shaped cleaning head 50 is erroneously inserted into the cavity of the extractor 64 by the user, the safety element 60 may prevent the T-shaped cleaning head 50 from being inserted too deep into the heating chamber. In this way potential damages on the heating element, such as, the heating blade, may be eliminated.
[0100] In addition, during a proper cleaning operating, when the extractor 64 is detached and removed from the aerosol-generating device and a user intends to use the T-shaped cleaning head 50 to clean the inner bottom surface of the cavity of the extractor 64 as shown in FIG. 5, the safety element 60 may ensure proper use of this cleaning head 50. In this case, the T-shaped cleaning head 50 may only extend through the eyelet 66 and get into the cavity of the extractor 64 to the necessary extent for its scraping surface on the inner edge 58 of the transversal bar 54 to contact the inner bottom surface of the extractor 64.
[0101] As depicted in FIG. 5 the T-shaped cleaning head 50 is configured to be used for cleaning a bottom internal surface of a extractor 64 of an aerosol-generating device. The transversal element 54 of the T-shaped cleaning head 50 is to be inserted into an eyelet 66 of such extractor 64. The T-shaped cleaning head 50 may then be rotated and slightly be pressed with its inner scraping edge 58 against the bottom internal surface of the extractor 64. By rotational movement of the cleaning head 50 any debris or other residuals may be loosened and subsequently removed from the bottom surface of the extractor 64.
[0102] Alternatively or in addition, the outer edge 56 of the transversal element 54 of the T-shaped cleaning head 50 may also be used as a scraping surface. For this purpose the T-shaped cleaning head 50 may be inserted into the extractor 64 through its other end and may be inserted all the way through the extractor 64 until the outer edge 56 of the transversal element 54 of the T-shaped cleaning head 50 engages with the bottom surface of the extractor 64. By rotating over and frictional engagement with the bottom surface of the extractor 64, any debris or other tobacco leftovers may be loosened and subsequently removed from the external bottom surface of the extractor 64.
[0103] In FIG. 6 a further configuration of a cleaning head 70 of the cleaning tool 20 of the present invention is depicted. This cleaning head 70 comprises a spring 72. The spring 72 is a traction spring and is formed from a wire 74 that is wound to form a helical coil. The dimensions of the coil are designed such that the coil may be inserted into the cavity of an extractor or heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device.
[0104] The front end 76 of the spring 72 is formed to define a scraping surface. The last winding of the spring is cut such that this end can be used to scrap the bottom surface of the extractor upon rotational movement of the cleaning head 70. Upon insertion and extraction of this cleaning head 70 the outer peripheral side surface of the coil may have frictional contact with the inner longitudinal side wall of the cavity of the extractor or heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device upon use for cleaning. The increased contact surface with the longitudinal side wall of the cavity instead of scraping only the bottom side of the extractor or heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device may optimize the cleaning efficiency.
[0105] The spring 72 has an inner diameter that is larger than the width dimensions of a heating element of the aerosol-generating device. Thus, if the cleaning head 70 is inserted into the heating chamber, when the extractor is still attached to the aerosol-generating device, the heating element may be accommodated within the inner volume 78 of the spring 72. Thus, the risk of damaging the heating element is reduced.
[0106] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, the cleaning device 10 comprises a cleaning tool 20 that has at one end a T-shaped cleaning head 50 of FIG. 4 and at the other end a spring cleaning head 70 of FIG. 6. Such cleaning tool 20 provides two different cleaning heads 50, 70 in a compact form.
[0107] The safety element 60 in FIG. 7 has a rectangular cross section. Such safety element 60 avoids the risk that the T-shaped cleaning head 50 gets in contact with the heating element of the aerosol-generating device when the T-shaped cleaning head 50 is erroneously inserted into the cavity of the extractor while the extractor is still assembled on the aerosol-generating device. In addition, the flat rectangular side walls of the safety element 60 makes the cleaning device easy to be held between the fingers and therefore the safety element may advantageously form a handle for operating the cleaning device when one of the cleaning heads 50, 70 is used.
[0108] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 8, the cleaning device 10 comprises even three different cleaning heads 22, 50, 70. The cleaning tool 20 depicted in FIG. 7 is arranged within a cleaning head 22 as depicted in FIG. 2. The cleaning head 22 is provided with a passing hole 27 having a diameter and a length to accommodate the spring 72.
[0109] FIG. 9 shows all elements of the cleaning device 10 of FIG. 8 in various states of assembly. In the upper view of FIG. 9 all elements, the caps 11, 12, the cleaning tool 20 with a first cleaning head 50 on one side and a second cleaning head 70 on the other side, and an additional element provided as a third cleaning head 22 of the cleaning device 10 are depicted in a disassembled state. In the second view of FIG. 9 the cleaning tool 20 is accommodated within the additional third cleaning head 22. In the third view of FIG. 9, the T-shaped cleaning head 50 is exposed to be removed for use when the cap 11 is detached from the cleaning tool 20. In the fourth view of FIG. 9, the cap 11 is attached and forms a handle for using the third cleaning head 22.
[0110] FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of a cleaning device 10 of the present invention. The cleaning tool 20 comprises two different cleaning heads 22, 80 at its two opposite ends. One cleaning head 22 corresponds to the cleaning head of FIG. 2. The other cleaning head 80 is an elongate tapered element in the form of a tapered stick. Again each of the caps 11, 12 may be attached to either end of the cleaning tool 20 and may form a handle for manoeuvring the opposite cleaning head 80, 22.
[0111] FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment of a cleaning device 10 of the present invention. The cleaning tool 20 comprises two different cleaning heads 22, 85 at its two opposite ends. One cleaning head 22 corresponds to the cleaning head of FIG. 2. The other cleaning head 85 comprises an extendible element 86 having a generally cylindrical shape. The end face 87 as well as the peripheral side surfaces 89 of this cleaning head 85 may be used for the cleaning action. At the end face 87 of the extendible element 86 a cross shaped element 88 forms a scraping surface for cleaning the bottom surface of an extractor 64 or the heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device. In addition, the peripheral side surfaces 89 of this cleaning head 85 may be used for cleaning the inner side of a heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device or the cavity of the extractor 64 of the aerosol-generating device. The peripheral side surface 89 may be provided with a suitable abrasive surface to improve the cleaning performance. As can be seen from the right view of FIG. 11 the cleaning device 10 may be used for cleaning the extractor 64 or the heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device or both. As depicted in FIG. 11 the extractor 64 may be removed from the aerosol-generating device before cleaning. Again each of the caps 11, 12 may be attached to either end of the cleaning tool 20 and may form a handle for manoeuvring the opposite cleaning head 85, 22.
[0112] FIG. 12 shows a further cleaning head 90 to be used in a cleaning device 10 according to the present invention. This cleaning head 90 comprises an extendible element having a generally cylindrical shape. An end portion of the cylindrical element comprises a longitudinal slit 94. A cleaning swab 96 is to be mounted in the longitudinal slit 94. The cleaning swap 96 is of generally rectangular shape and has a length that corresponds to the length of the longitudinal slit 94. In order to mount the cleaning swap 96 in the longitudinal slit 94, one edge of the cleaning swab 96 is inserted into the slit 94. Subsequently the cleaning swab 96 is rolled around the cylindrical portion of this cleaning head 90. In this way the rolled up cleaning swap 96 may be used for cleaning the inner side of a heating chamber of an aerosol-generating device or the cavity of the extractor of the aerosol-generating device.
[0113] FIG. 13 shows a further embodiment of the cleaning device 10 of the present invention. The cleaning tool 20 comprises two different cleaning heads 22, 100 at its two opposite ends. One cleaning head 22 corresponds to the cleaning head of FIG. 2. The other cleaning head 100 comprises an elongate cylindrical element in the form of a hollow tube.
[0114] The inside surface 104 and the outside surface 102 of the elongate element is covered with flexible abrasive scraping elements in the form of hooks 106. The abrasive scraping elements are made from plastic material.
[0115] The dimensions of the tubular element are such that the cleaning head 100 can be inserted into the cavity of the extractor of an aerosol generating device. By moving the cleaning head 100 in and out of the extractor, debris or residuals sticking to the inner wall of the cavity of the extractor may be removed. The abrasive scraping elements provided at the inside surface 104 of the hollow elongate element may be used to scrape off and gather debris and residuals sticking to the surface of the heating element. Again each of the caps 11, 12 may be attached to either end of the cleaning tool 20 and may form a handle for manoeuvring the uncovered cleaning head 100, 22.
