KR102571395B1 - Apparatus for removing sidestream smoke and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A sidestream smoke removal device and a control method thereof are provided. A sidestream smoke removal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing having a smoking space formed therein, an article insertion portion located at one end of the housing and forming an opening for inserting a smoking article into the smoking space, and a smoking space. It may include an ignition unit for igniting the inserted smoking article, a sidestream smoke treatment unit for treating sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article inserted into the smoking space, and a cutting unit. The cutting unit can ensure a user-friendly and safe fire extinguishing function by providing a cutting function for the smoking article inserted into the smoking space.

Description

Sidestream smoke removal device and control method thereof

The present disclosure relates to a sidestream smoke removal device and a control method thereof. More specifically, it relates to a sidestream smoke removal device that can further improve convenience and safety by providing a safe fire extinguishing function for smoking articles and a control method performed in the device.

The sidestream smoke removal device is a kind of smoking aid designed for the purpose of reducing hand odor, removing (purifying) sidestream smoke, and the like. A sidestream smoke removal device usually has a smoking space sealed therein and a sidestream smoke removal means, and users can smoke by inserting a cigarette into the smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device.

However, most of the sidestream smoke removal devices proposed so far do not have a fire extinguishing means. Accordingly, users of the device experience the inconvenience of having to extinguish a cigarette by removing the cigarette directly after smoking, and a mistake during the extinguishing process may lead to burns or fire.

Publication No. 10-2017-0130689 (2017.11.29.) Publication No. 10-2007-0034363 (2007.03.28.) US Patent Publication US8109276 (2012.02.07.)

A technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a sidestream smoke removal device and a control method performed in the device that can further improve convenience and safety by providing a safe fire extinguishing function for smoking articles. .

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a sidestream smoke removal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing having a smoking space formed therein, and an opening located at one end of the housing for inserting a smoking article into the smoking space. An article insertion part forming a part, an ignition part for igniting a smoking article inserted into the smoking space, a sidestream smoke processing part for processing sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article inserted into the smoking space, and a smoking article inserted into the smoking space It may include a cutting portion providing a cutting function.

In some embodiments, a push-type button may be provided on an outer surface of the housing, and the cutting part may be configured to cut the inserted smoking article as an external force is applied to the push-type button.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion may be configured to cut the inserted smoking article as an external force that twists the housing is applied to the housing.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion may be configured to cut the inserted smoking article upon application of an external force to the housing that causes the housing to expand or contract.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion includes a plurality of cutting blades and is formed with an aperture, the cutting portion as the plurality of cutting blades are retracted while the inserted smoking article has passed through the opening, the cutting portion provides the It may be configured to cut smoking articles.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion includes a plurality of cutting blades and has an opening formed therein, and wherein the cutting portion is moved as the plurality of cutting blades are moved while the inserted smoking article passes through the opening. It can be configured to cut articles. In this case, as the plurality of cutting blades move, an overlapping area between the plurality of cutting blades may increase and the size of the opening may decrease.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion may be disposed at a fixed location and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article.

In some embodiments, the cutting portion may be configured to be movable.

In some embodiments, the sidestream smoke treatment unit may include a filter structure for filtering the sidestream smoke and an exhaust fan for exhausting the filtered sidestream smoke.

In some embodiments, a vent hole through which outside air is introduced may be formed in the housing.

In some embodiments, a temperature sensor positioned to measure a temperature near a downstream end of a portion of smoking material comprising the inserted smoking article; and a controller configured to detect termination of smoking based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, a cutting unit for cutting a smoking article may be disposed inside the sidestream smoke removal device. The cutting part cuts the burning smoking article to prevent additional combustion, thereby providing a user-friendly and safe fire extinguishing function at the user's desired time, and the risk of burns that may occur due to the user's carelessness (eg. burn hazard) and fire hazard can be minimized.

In addition, the vent hole and the exhaust fan can be appropriately controlled according to the progress of smoking, and thus the user's satisfaction with smoking can be improved.

In addition, an automatic fire extinguishing function may be performed as the end of smoking is sensed. Accordingly, the risk of fire or the risk of burns caused by the user's negligence can be further minimized.

Effects according to the technical spirit of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1 to 4 are exemplary views for explaining sidestream smoke removal devices and various modifications according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
5 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a debris removal device having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
6 to 8 are exemplary diagrams for explaining various operation methods of a debris removal device having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
9 and 10 are exemplary views for explaining a cutting structure of a cutting unit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
11 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a control method of a sidestream smoke removal device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
12 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a control method of a sidestream smoke removal device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.
13 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a current smoking location determination method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in various different forms, and only the following embodiments complete the technical idea of the present disclosure, and in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs. It is provided to completely inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical spirit of the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

In adding reference numerals to components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components have the same numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used with meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. In addition, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly specifically defined. Terminology used herein is for describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise in a phrase.

Also, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used in describing the components of the present disclosure. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, order, or order of the corresponding component is not limited by the term. When an element is described as being “connected,” “coupled to,” or “connected” to another element, that element is directly connected or connectable to the other element, but there is another element between the elements. It will be understood that elements may be “connected”, “coupled” or “connected”.

As used in this disclosure, "comprises" and/or "comprising" means that a stated component, step, operation, and/or element is one or more other components, steps, operations, and/or elements. Existence or additions are not excluded.

First, some terms used in various embodiments of the present disclosure will be clarified.

In the following examples, a “smoking article” means any smokeable product, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Alternatively, it may mean any product capable of providing a smoking experience. For example, smoking articles may include smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos.

In the following embodiments, “smoking material” may refer to a material that generates smoke and/or aerosol or is used for smoking. For example, the smoking material may include tobacco material. Tobacco material may include, for example, pieces of tobacco leaf, tobacco stems or materials processed therefrom, and the like. As a more specific example, the tobacco material may include shredded tobacco leaves, shredded reconstituted tobacco, puffed cut filler, puffed midribs, leaflets, and the like. However, it is not limited thereto.

In the following embodiments, "upstream" or "upstream direction" means a direction away from the user's bend, and "downstream" or "downstream direction" means a direction closer to the user's bend. can do. The terms upstream and downstream may be used to describe the relative positioning of elements that make up a smoking article. For example, in the smoking article 30 illustrated in FIG. 1 and the like, the filter unit is located downstream or downstream of the smoking material unit, and the smoking material unit is located upstream or upstream of the filter unit.

In the following embodiments, "longitudinal direction" may mean a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the smoking article.

In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to a user's inhalation, and inhalation may refer to a situation in which the user's mouth or nose is pulled into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs. .

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a sidestream smoke removal device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, drawings such as FIG. 1 show a state in which the smoking article 30 is inserted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 includes a housing 11, an article insertion part 12, a back cover 13, an insulator 14, a temperature sensor 20, and an ignition part 15. , a side stream processing unit 16, a mesh network 17, a display unit 19, and a control unit 18. However, only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure are shown in FIG. 1 . Accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs may know that other general-purpose components may be further included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 1 . For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a battery (not shown) for supplying power to electrical components (e.g., the control unit 18, the display unit 19, etc.). Also, some of the components shown in FIG. 1 may not be essential components of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 . That is, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be implemented in a form in which some of the illustrated components are omitted. For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may not include the display unit 19 . Hereinafter, each component of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 will be described.

The housing 11 may form a smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device 1 and may form at least a part of the exterior of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 . 1 shows the housing 11 as referring to the sidewall of the sidestream smoke removal device 1, but the housing 11 includes an article insertion portion 12, a back cover 13, and an insulation portion 14. It may also refer to all of the exterior forming structures. In order to ensure the durability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 and minimize the risk of damage, the housing 11 may be preferably made of a sturdy material.

In some embodiments, a vent hole 111 may be formed in the housing 11 so that outside air can be smoothly introduced into the smoking space. The vent hole 111 can promote combustion of the smoking article 30 by allowing outside air to flow in during smoking, and accordingly, the smoking function of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved. 1 shows that one vent hole 111 is formed in the housing 11 as an example, but the number of vent holes 111 may be plural. In addition, the formation position, size, interval, etc. of the vent hole 111 may be designed in various ways. Whether and/or the degree of opening and closing of the vent hole 111 may be controlled by the controller 18, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 11 .

Next, the article insertion portion 12 is located at one end (e.g., the upper end) of the housing 11 and may form an opening through which the smoking article 30 is inserted. A user may insert the smoking article 30 into the smoking space in the sidestream smoke removal device 1 through the article insertion portion 12 . In order to block the heat inside the smoking space from being discharged to the outside, the article insertion portion 12 may preferably be made of a heat-insulating material. In addition, in order to prevent the inserted smoking article 30 from shaking, it may be preferable that the article insertion portion 12 has a holder structure capable of holding the smoking article 30.

In some embodiments, the article inserting portion 12 may be configured to adjust the size of the opening. For example, the article insertion unit 12 may have a structure capable of tightening or loosening the opening through manual manipulation. As another example, article insert 12 may be configured to automatically tighten the opening to fit smoking article 30 . As a more specific example, the article insertion unit 12 is controlled by the control unit 18, and the control unit 18 detects the insertion of the smoking article 30 through a sensor or receives a user input (e.g. button push). It is also possible to control the opening of the article insertion unit 12 to be tightened at this time. According to this embodiment, since the size of the opening is adjusted to fit the smoking article 30, shaking of the smoking article 30 can be prevented and support stability can be improved. Furthermore, since smoking articles of various sizes can be inserted, the usability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be improved.

The smoking article 30 may be composed of a filter unit located downstream and a smoking material unit adjoining the upstream end of the filter unit. However, the detailed structure of the smoking article 30 may be varied. The filter unit may include a filter material capable of filtering smoke, and the smoking material unit may include a smoking material. Examples of the smoking article 30 may include, but are not limited to, combustible cigarettes, and the smoking article 30 may include any article that generates sidestream smoke when smoking.

Next, the back cover 13 is located at the other end (e.g., the lower end) of the housing 11 and may function as a cover of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 . A gas discharge passage may be formed in the back cover 13 so that the sidestream smoke treated (purified) through the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 can be discharged to the outside. For example, a gas discharge passage such as a micro hole may be formed in the back cover 13 .

Next, the heat insulator 14 is made of a material with low thermal conductivity and can block heat inside the smoking space from being emitted to the outside. The insulator 14 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 11 to prevent the risk of burns due to internal heat when the user's body comes into contact with the sidestream smoke removal device 1 (e.g. when holding the device 1 for smoking). can fulfill its role.

Next, the temperature sensor 20 may be disposed in the smoking space to measure the temperature of the smoking article 30 inserted into the smoking space. The number, shape, arrangement position, arrangement interval, etc. of the temperature sensors 20 may be designed in various ways, which may vary depending on the embodiment.

As shown in Figure 1, a temperature sensor 20 may be arranged to measure the temperature near the downstream end of the smoking material portion. In this case, the termination of smoking can be accurately determined using only the temperature sensor 20 without an additional monitoring module. For example, the control unit 18 controls whether the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 is higher than a reference value (e.g. when the current smoking position reaches the downstream end of the smoking substance part), or the measured temperature of the temperature sensor 20 increases and then drops below the reference value. When it decreases (e.g., when the combustion power is weakened at the downstream end of the smoking material part), it can be determined that smoking is terminated.

In some other embodiments, a plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be disposed at different locations within the smoking space. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2 , a plurality of temperature sensors 20 - 1 and 20 - 2 may be disposed in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 30 . Alternatively, a plurality of temperature sensors 20 may be disposed at positions facing each other. Although FIG. 2 illustrates the arrangement of two temperature sensors 20-1 and 20-2 as an example, the number of temperature sensors 20 may be three or more. At this time, the arrangement intervals of the temperature sensors 20 may be the same or different. When a plurality of temperature sensors 20 are used, smoking progress (eg, smoking progress) can be more accurately monitored, and various monitoring information can be obtained as follows.

In some instances, the onset of smoking may be detected (determined) via a temperature sensor (e.g. 20-2) disposed near the upstream end of the smoking material portion. For example, the controller 18 may determine that smoking has started when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor (e.g. 20-2) is equal to or higher than a reference value.

In some examples, the degree of smoking progress (e.g. current smoking (combustion) position) of the smoking article 30 can be determined by comparing the measured temperatures of a plurality of temperature sensors (e.g. 20-1, 20-2) disposed in the longitudinal direction. can This example will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 later.

In some examples, the plurality of temperature sensors 20 are disposed at positions facing each other with respect to the inserted smoking article 30, or disposed in the circumferential direction of the smoking article 30 within the smoking space (e.g. at 90 degree intervals). 4 temperature sensors 20 may be disposed). In this case, the degree of inclination (shaking) of the smoking article 30 may be determined by comparing the measured temperatures of the plurality of temperature sensors 20 . For example, if the measured temperature of a specific temperature sensor is higher than that of other temperature sensors, the controller 18 may determine that the smoking article 30 inserted in the direction of the specific temperature sensor is tilted. Alternatively, when the measured temperatures of the plurality of temperature sensors 20 fluctuate beyond a reference value, the controller 18 may determine that the inserted smoking article 30 is shaking.

In some other embodiments, a temperature sensor 20 having an elongated body may be disposed within the smoking space. For example, the elongated temperature sensor 20 may be disposed in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article 30 . In the temperature sensor 20 according to the present embodiment, the first part of the elongated body may measure the temperature of the first corresponding part of the smoking material part constituting the smoking article 30, and the second part may measure the temperature of the smoking material part constituting the smoking article 30. 2 It may be implemented to measure the temperature of the corresponding part. Any specific implementation method may be used. In this case, smoking progress can be monitored based on the measured temperature of a specific part of the elongate body. For example, the control unit 18 may compare the measured temperatures of each part of the elongate body to determine the degree of smoking progress of the smoking article 30 .

In some other embodiments, the temperature sensor 20 may be arranged based on a combination of the above embodiments.

Next, the ignition unit 15 is disposed in the smoking space to ignite the smoking article 30 inserted into the smoking space. The ignition unit 15 may be controlled by the control unit 18 and may perform an ignition function by a user's manual manipulation. The number, shape, arrangement, etc. of the ignition units 15 may be designed in various ways, which may vary depending on the embodiment.

In some embodiments, ignition unit 15 may be disposed in a fixed location. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the ignition unit 15 may be arranged to ignite the vicinity of the upstream end of the inserted smoking article 30 . In this case, the structure of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 is simplified, and the defect rate during manufacturing can be minimized.

In some other embodiments, ignition unit 15 may be designed and implemented to be movable. Any specific implementation method is free. For example, the ignition unit 15 may be implemented to be moved in the longitudinal direction by a user's manual manipulation or by the control of the control unit 18 . In some instances, control unit 18 may move ignition unit 15 to the upstream end of smoking article 30 in response to sensing insertion of smoking article 30 . According to this embodiment, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be universally applied to smoking articles of various lengths, and the usability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved.

Next, the sidestream smoke processing unit 16 may perform various treatments for sidestream smoke generated from the smoking article 30 disposed in the smoking space and inserted therein. For example, the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 may be positioned between the inserted smoking article 30 and the back cover 13 to perform a purification function for sidestream smoke. In addition, the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 may further perform an exhaust function of discharging the purified sidestream smoke to the outside. However, the detailed structure and operating method of the sidestream smoke processing unit 16 may be designed in various ways, which may vary depending on the embodiment.

In some embodiments, as shown, the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 may be configured to include a filter structure 161 and an exhaust fan 162 . The filter structure 161 may perform a function of purifying sidestream smoke, and the exhaust fan 162 may perform a function of exhausting sidestream smoke. For example, the exhaust fan 162 can suck sidestream smoke toward the filter structure 161 through rotation and smoothly discharge the sidestream smoke passing through the filter structure 161 to the outside. The operation of the exhaust fan 162 may be controlled by the control unit 18, which will be described later with reference to drawings such as FIG. 11.

Next, the mesh network 17 may be disposed between the sidestream smoke treatment unit 16 and the back cover 13 to serve as a safety net. For example, the mesh network 17 can prevent a specific object (e.g., some pieces of the filter unit 161, etc.) from escaping toward the back cover 13 in the smoking space.

Next, the display unit 19 is located on the outer surface of the housing 11 and can display various types of information under the control of the controller 18 . For example, the display unit 19 may display smoking progress information, device information, smoking history information, user information, and the like. Here, the information on the smoking progress is, for example, smoking progress information (e.g. all information related to smoking progress, such as the degree of smoking progress, the current smoking position, the number of remaining puffs, smoking time, remaining smoking time, etc.), puff information (e.g. puff All information related to the puff event, such as the number of times, puff length, puff interval, puff intensity, whether or not a puff is in progress), etc. may be included, but is not limited thereto. The device information may include information such as, for example, power status, failure status, battery status (e.g. remaining battery level, whether charging is required), etc., but is not limited thereto. The smoking history information may include, but is not limited to, the cumulative smoking count.

The display unit 19 may visually display the various types of information by having a visual display means such as an LED display. However, the specific display means may be varied.

Next, the controller 18 may control the overall operation of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 . For example, the controller 18 may control the operation of the exhaust fan 162, may control the operation of the display unit 19, and may also control the operation of other components included in the sidestream smoke removal device 1. You can control it. In addition, the control unit 18 may determine the progress of smoking for the smoking article 30, and check the state of each component of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 to determine whether the sidestream smoke removal device 1 is operable. can also judge. A detailed operation method of the control unit 18 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13 .

The controller 18 may be implemented by at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which programs executable by the microprocessor are stored. In addition, those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains can clearly understand that the control unit 18 may be implemented with other types of hardware.

1 shows the control unit 18 as being located outside the housing 11 of the sidestream smoke removal device 1, but this is only for convenience of understanding, and the position of the control unit 18 can be varied. For example, in order to prevent failure due to external impact, the controller 18 may be disposed at a specific location within the housing 11 .

Meanwhile, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a module providing an auditory and/or tactile output. For example, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a speaker, a vibration module, and the like. In this case, the control unit 18 may provide various types of information to the user by further using the above-exemplified modules.

In addition, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 3 , an elastic support portion 21 arranged to elastically support the upstream end of the smoking article 30 into which the sidestream smoke removal device 1 is inserted is provided. can include The elastic support part 21 may include an elastic body capable of extension and contraction, such as a spring, and may be arranged to contract in the insertion direction as the smoking article 30 is inserted. For example, the elastic support portion 21 is disposed in the smoking space in the longitudinal direction and is contracted in the insertion direction by the insertion force of the smoking article 30 to support the smoking article 30, thereby supporting the smoking article 30 The support stability and ignition stability of the can be improved.

In the foregoing embodiments, as shown, the ignition unit 15 is coupled to the elastic support unit 21, and as the smoking article 30 is inserted, the ignition unit 15 moves to the upstream end of the smoking article 30. It can be arranged so as to be in close contact with. In this case, since the ignition unit 15 performs an ignition function while supporting the upstream end of the smoking article 30 together with the elastic support unit 21, ignition stability and ignition performance can be further improved. In this example, the portion of the ignition portion 15 that comes into close contact with the upstream end of the smoking article 30 may be formed in a sharp protruding shape (e.g. a needle shape). In this case, as the smoking article 30 is inserted, at least a part of the ignition portion 15 penetrates the upper end of the smoking article 30, so that the smoking article 30 can be more stably supported during ignition. , Accordingly, support stability and ignition stability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be further improved.

Further, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 4 , a support portion 22 supporting a side surface of the smoking article 30 may be further disposed within the smoking space of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 . For example, as shown, a plurality of supports 22 may be arranged to support the side of the first point and the side of the second point of the smoking article 30 . In order to support a specific point of the smoking article 30, a plurality of support portions 22 may be disposed in the circumferential direction of the smoking article 30 (eg, four support portions 22 disposed at intervals of 90 degrees), and formed in a ring shape. A single support part 22 may be disposed. As such, the number, arrangement, and shape of the support portion 22 may be designed and implemented in various ways.

In addition, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may further include a cutting portion ( 23 in FIG. 5 ). The cutting part 23 cuts the burning smoking article 30 to prevent additional combustion, thereby providing a user-friendly and safe fire extinguishing function at the user's desired time, and the risk of burns that may occur due to the user's carelessness ( e.g. Risk of burns caused by carelessness when extinguishing fire directly) and fire risk can be minimized. This embodiment will be described in more detail later with reference to the drawings below in FIG. 5 .

So far, the structure and some modifications of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 . As described above, information on the progress of smoking may be provided through the plurality of temperature sensors 20 and the display unit 19, and the smoking article 30 through the elastic support unit 22 and/or the support unit 23. ) can improve support stability and ignition stability. Accordingly, convenience of use of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may be improved, and user satisfaction may be improved.

Hereinafter, a sidestream smoke removal device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings below in FIG. 5 . However, for clarity of the present disclosure, descriptions of overlapping contents with those of FIGS. 1 to 4 will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a debris removal device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the sidestream smoke removal device 1 may include a cutting portion 23 that provides an extinguishing function by cutting the inserted smoking article 30 . However, the arrangement form, operation method, and/or cutting structure of the cutting unit 23 may be designed in various ways.

First, the arrangement of the cutting part 23 can be designed in various ways as follows.

In some instances, the cutting portion 23 may be disposed at a fixed location and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article 30 . For example, the cutting part 23 may be fixedly disposed at a position capable of cutting between the filter part and the smoking material part. In this case, a safe fire extinguishing function can be ensured regardless of the current smoking (combustion) position of the smoking article 30, and the structure of the sidestream smoke removing device 1 can be simplified.

In some other examples, the cutting portion 23 may be configured to be movable. For example, the cutting unit 23 may be configured to be moved by a user's external force (manual operation) or may be configured to be moved by the control of the control unit 18 . As a more specific example, the cutting portion 23 may be automatically moved by the controller 18 to the vicinity of the current smoking (combustion) position of the smoking article 30 . For a method in which the control unit 18 determines the current smoking (combustion) position of the smoking article 30, the description of FIG. 13 will be referred to.

Next, the operation method of the cutting part 23 can be designed in various ways as follows.

Also, in some examples, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , a push-type button 24 may be provided on the outer surface of the housing 11 . In addition, the cut-off portion 23 may be configured to operate as an external force F is applied to the push-type button 24 (that is, as the user pushes the button 24). For example, the cutting portion 23 may be mechanically interlocked with the push-type button 24 to cut the smoking article 30 by an external force F applied to the push-type button 24 . Alternatively, the cutting unit 23 may be electrically interlocked with the control unit 18, and the control unit 18 may operate the cutting unit 23 in response to an external force F of the push button 24.

In some other examples, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , the cutting part 23 may be configured to operate as an external force F that twists the housing 11 is applied to the housing 11 . For example, the cutting part 23 is mechanically interlocked with the housing 11, so that the smoking article 30 is cut by an external force that twists the housing 11 (F; e.g. when holding the housing 11 with both hands and turning it in the opposite direction). Can be configured to cut. Alternatively, the cutting unit 23 may be electrically interlocked with the control unit 18, and the control unit 18 may operate the cutting unit 23 in response to an external force F.

In some other examples, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , the cutting part 23 may be configured to operate as an external force F1 or F2 that expands or contracts the housing 11 is applied to the housing 11. . For example, the cutting part 23 is mechanically interlocked with the housing 11, so that the external force that expands the housing 11 (F1; e.g. when holding the housing 11 with two hands and pulls it in the opposite direction) or the external force that contracts it (F2; e.g. It may be configured to cut the smoking article 30 by holding the housing 11 with both hands and pushing in opposite directions). Alternatively, the cutting unit 23 may be electrically interlocked with the control unit 18, and the control unit 18 may operate the cutting unit 23 in response to the extension or contraction external force F1 or F2.

Next, the cutting structure of the cutting part 23 can also be designed in various ways as follows.

In some examples, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , the cutting portion 23-1 may include a plurality of cutting blades 231 and 232 and include an opening near the center through which the smoking article 30 may pass. can For example, the smoking article 30 may be designed to pass through an opening in the cutout 23-1 as the smoking article 30 is inserted into the smoking space. In addition, the cutting unit 23-1 may be configured to cut the smoking article 30 as the plurality of cutting blades 231 and 232, which have been spread out, are folded. The plurality of cutting blades 231 and 232 may be arranged in the circumferential direction of the opening (e.g. 0 clockwise or counterclockwise), and the number may vary. This cutting structure of the cutting part 23-1 can be understood as being similar to a folding structure of a folding steamer.

In some other examples, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the cutting portion 23-2 includes a plurality of cutting blades 231 and 232, and includes an opening near the center through which the smoking article 30 passes. can do. For example, the smoking article 30 may be designed to pass through an opening in the cutout 23-2 as the smoking article 30 is inserted into the smoking space. In addition, the cutting portion 23-2 may be configured to cut the smoking article 30 as the plurality of cutting blades 233 and 234 are moved in a direction of reducing the opening (ie, reducing the size of the opening). . The plurality of cutting blades 233 and 234 may be arranged in a circumferential direction (e.g. clockwise or counterclockwise direction) of the opening, and overlapping areas between the plurality of cutting blades 233 and 234 are moved in a direction of reducing the opening. It may be designed to increase, and the number of cutting blades 233 and 234 may vary as much as desired. This cutting structure of the cutting portion 23-2 can be understood as being similar to a structure of an aperture of a camera.

In some other examples, the cut portion 23 may be formed of a cut structure different from that described above.

The various examples described so far may be combined in various forms to implement the cutting unit 23 . For example, the cutting unit 23 operates as illustrated in FIG. 7 , has the cutting structure illustrated in FIG. 9 , and may be implemented to be movable by a user's manual manipulation.

So far, the sidestream smoke removal device 1 having a fire extinguishing function according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10 . According to the above, by providing the cutting part 23 as a fire extinguishing means, a user-friendly and safe fire extinguishing function can be provided at the user's desired time point, and the risk of burns that may occur due to the user's negligence (eg. burn hazard) and fire hazard can be minimized. Accordingly, the convenience and safety of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved.

Hereinafter, a control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to drawings below FIG. 11 .

Each step of the control method to be described below may be performed by the controller (e.g. 18) of the sidestream smoke removal device (e.g. 1). In addition, each step of the control method may be implemented as one or more instructions executed by the control unit. The control method may be applied to various types of sidestream smoke removal devices, but for convenience of understanding, the description will be continued on the assumption that the control method is performed in the sidestream smoke removal device 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10 . Therefore, when the subject of a specific operation is omitted in the following description, it can be understood that it is performed by the control unit 18 of the device 1 described above.

11 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some steps may be added or deleted as needed.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the control method may start at step S10 of detecting the start of smoking. A method of detecting initiation of smoking at this stage may vary.

In some embodiments, the control unit 18 may detect the start of smoking through a user input (eg, a button input, etc.) that operates the ignition unit 15 . Alternatively, the control unit 18 may recognize the start of smoking through a user input (e.g. button input, etc.) requesting to start smoking and operate the ignition unit 15.

In some other embodiments, the controller 18 may detect the start of smoking in response to determining that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 is equal to or greater than a reference value. At this time, the temperature sensor 20 may be arranged to measure the temperature near the upstream end of the smoking article 30 within the smoking space, for example.

In step S20, in response to detection of the start of smoking, the control unit 18 may open the vent hole 111 (e.g. partially open or fully open). This is because outside air introduced through the vent hole 111 can promote combustion of the smoking article 30 . Also, the controller 18 may operate the exhaust fan 162 . This is because sidestream smoke generated during smoking can be smoothly exhausted as the exhaust fan 162 operates.

Meanwhile, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 18 may control the vent hole 111 and the exhaust fan 162 based on a user's puff event while smoking. However, the specific control method may vary.

In some examples, the controller 18 may adjust the degree of opening and closing of the vent hole 111 based on the puff event. Specifically, the controller 18 may further open the vent hole 111 during puffing and less open the vent hole 111 during non-puffing. In this case, outside air is introduced more smoothly during puffing, and combustion of the smoking article 30 can be more promoted. In addition, the problem of unpurified sidestream smoke leaking through the vent hole 111 during buffing can be alleviated. For reference, since sidestream smoke is not generated much during puffing and an airflow path through which gas flows in is formed through the vent hole 111, a problem of sidestream smoke leaking may not occur even when the vent hole 111 is opened.

In some other examples, the controller 18 may operate (rotate) the exhaust fan 162 in a reverse direction during puffing and operate (rotate) the exhaust fan 162 in a forward direction during non-puffing. Here, the forward direction may mean a rotation direction in which sidestream smoke is sucked toward the filter structure 161, and the reverse direction may mean an opposite rotation direction. In this case, when puffing, the airflow is concentrated toward the upstream end of the smoking article 30 to promote combustion, and during non-puffing, sidestream smoke is sucked in the direction of the filter structure 161 so that the sidestream smoke can be smoothly exhausted.

In some other examples, the controller 18 may determine the degree of opening and closing of the vent hole 111 and/or the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 162 based on information about the puff event (eg, puff strength, puff interval, puff length, etc.) can be adjusted. For example, when puff intensity increases, puff length increases, or puff interval decreases, the controller 18 may further open the vent hole 111 . In the opposite case, the controller 18 may open the vent hole 111 less. This is because there is a high possibility that the puff strength increases when the smoking article 30 does not burn smoothly. Alternatively, when the puff strength increases, the length of the puff increases, or the interval between puffs decreases, the controller 18 may increase the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 162 (ie, the rotational speed in the reverse direction) during puffing. . In the opposite case, the controller 18 may decrease the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 162 .

In some other examples, the control unit 18 may also perform control based on a combination of the foregoing examples.

In the previous embodiments, the method by which the controller 18 detects the puff may vary. For example, the controller 18 may detect a puff based on a change in temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 . Specifically, the controller 18 may recognize that a puff has been generated when the degree of temperature change is equal to or greater than a reference value (eg, when the combustion temperature of the smoking article 30 instantaneously rises). This can be understood as using a phenomenon in which combustion is accelerated at the upstream end of the smoking article 30 during puffing. In addition, the control unit 18 may determine the puff strength based on the degree of temperature change. For example, the control unit 18 may determine that the puff intensity increases as the degree of temperature change increases, and the puff intensity decreases as the degree of temperature change decreases.

In step S30, the control unit 18 can detect the end of smoking. In this step, the method by which the control unit 18 detects the end of smoking may vary, and this may vary depending on the embodiment.

In some embodiments, the control unit 18 may detect the end of smoking based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 20 . At this time, the temperature sensor 20 may be disposed near the downstream end of the smoking material portion of the smoking article 30, for example. For example, the controller 18 may determine that smoking has ended when the measured temperature of the temperature sensor 20 is equal to or higher than a reference value or when the measured temperature increases and then decreases.

In some other embodiments, the control unit 18 may detect the end of smoking based on an elapsed time after the start of smoking, a puff event, and the like. For example, the controller 18 may determine that smoking has ended when a certain amount of time elapses after smoking starts, when the number of puffs exceeds a reference value, or when a puff is not detected for a certain amount of time or more after a recent puff.

In some other embodiments, a smoking cessation condition may be set. For example, smoking termination conditions may be set based on the number of puffs, the elapsed smoking time, and the like. In this case, the control unit 18 may determine the end of smoking in response to satisfaction of a preset smoking end condition.

In step S40, in response to detection of the end of smoking, the control unit 18 may perform an automatic fire extinguishing function. In this step, the method by which the control unit 18 performs the automatic fire extinguishing function may vary.

In some embodiments, the controller 18 may close the vent hole 111 and stop the operation of the exhaust fan 162 . In this case, since the inflow of outside air is stopped by closing the vent hole 111, the smoking article 30 can be naturally extinguished due to lack of oxygen.

In some other embodiments, the controller 18 may close the vent hole 111 and operate the exhaust fan 162 for a certain period of time and then stop or continuously operate the exhaust fan 162 . In this case, the inflow of outside air is stopped by the closing of the vent hole 111, and the smoking article 30 can be naturally extinguished by exhausting the inside air to the outside through the exhaust fan 162.

In some other embodiments, the control unit 18 may perform an automatic fire extinguishing function by operating the cutting unit 23 .

In some other embodiments, control unit 18 may perform an automatic fire extinguishing function based on a combination of the above embodiments. For example, the controller 18 may perform a first extinguishing process of closing the vent hole 111 and stopping the operation of the exhaust fan 162 and a second extinguishing process of cutting the inserted smoking article 30 through the cutting part 23 You can also perform an automatic fire extinguishing function through. At this time, the first extinguishing process and the second extinguishing process may be performed regardless of order.

Meanwhile, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 18 may operate the exhaust fan 162 in the forward direction (ie, the suction direction) for a predetermined time in response to the detection of the end of smoking. In this case, smoking by-products such as cigarette ash are collected near the filter structure 161 by the exhaust fan 162, so that the inside of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be cleaned more easily. In some instances, the controller 18 may adjust the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 162 based on the degree of exhaustion of the smoking article 30 . For example, if the smoking article 30 is exhausted, there will be more by-products, so the controller 18 can rotate the exhaust fan 162 faster, and vice versa. The degree of exhaustion of the smoking article 30 may be determined based on the number of puffs, the elapsed smoking time, the current smoking position (see FIG. 13), and the like.

So far, a control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIG. 11 . According to the above method, the vent hole 111 and the exhaust fan 162 can be appropriately controlled according to the progress of smoking, so that the user's satisfaction with the device can be improved. In addition, when smoking ends, an automatic fire extinguishing function is performed, so that the risk of fire and the risk of burns due to the user's negligence can be minimized.

Hereinafter, a control method according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 12 . However, for clarity of the present disclosure, descriptions of overlapping contents with the control method illustrated in FIG. 11 will be omitted.

12 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a control method according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some steps may be added or deleted as needed.

As shown in FIG. 12 , the control method may start at step S110 of detecting the start of smoking. In this step, the control unit 18 may display a display indicating the start of smoking through the display unit 19 . For further description of this step, refer to step S10 illustrated in FIG. 11 .

In step S120, the controller 18 may monitor the progress of smoking. Here, the smoking progress status may include all circumstances related to smoking, such as a smoking progress level and a puff event.

In some embodiments, the control unit 18 compares the measured temperatures of the plurality of temperature sensors 20 disposed at different locations to accurately determine the progress of smoking (or the current smoking (combustion) position) of the smoking article 30. can judge Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, assume that a plurality of temperature sensors 20-1, 20-2, and 20-3 are disposed in the smoking space inside the sidestream smoke removal device 1 in the longitudinal direction. Then, the control unit 18 compares the measured temperatures of the first temperature sensor 20-1, the second temperature sensor 20-2, and the third temperature sensor 20-3 so that the smoking article 30 is currently smoking. Location and progress of smoking can be judged. For example, the measured temperature of the first temperature sensor 20-1 is the lowest, the measured temperature of the second temperature sensor 20-2 is lower than that of the third temperature sensor 20-3, and the third temperature sensor 20-2 When the measured temperature of 3) is the highest, the control unit 18 determines that the current smoking position of the smoking article 30 is between the second temperature sensor 20-2 and the third temperature sensor 20-3, and 3 It can be determined that it is closer to the temperature sensor 20-3. In this case, the control unit 18 may determine that the larger the temperature difference between the second temperature sensor 20-2 and the third temperature sensor 20-3, the closer the temperature sensor 20-3 is to the third temperature sensor 20-3.

In step S130 , the control unit 18 may display monitoring information through the display unit 19 . However, the type of monitoring information and its specific display method may be designed in various ways.

In some embodiments, the control unit 18 may display information about the progress of smoking through the display unit 19 . For example, the control unit 18 displays a display (e.g., a cigarette-shaped object) indicating the smoking article 30 (or the progress of smoking), but the display unit 19 displays the length of the display as the smoking progresses. ) can be controlled. As another example, the control unit 18 displays the display area (e.g. LED lighting area/section) indicating the progress of smoking through the display unit 19, but the size of the display area (e.g. LED lighting area) as smoking progresses. / The number of sections) may be controlled so that the display unit 19 is changed. In this case, as smoking progresses, the size of the display area may increase or decrease.

In some other embodiments, the control unit 18 may display information about the puff event through the display unit 19 . For example, the controller 18 may display the number of puffs. As another example, the controller 18 may display an indication indicating that the puff is in progress in response to the puff being sensed.

In step S140, the control unit 18 can detect the end of smoking. In this step, the control unit 18 may display a display indicating the end of smoking through the display unit 19 . For further description of this step, refer to step S40 illustrated in FIG. 11 .

On the other hand, when the end of smoking is detected, the control unit 18 performs an automatic extinguishing function, may display a display indicating automatic extinguishing through the display unit 19, or display indicating the completion of automatic extinguishing when automatic extinguishing is completed. can also be displayed.

So far, a control method according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 . According to the method described above, information on the progress of smoking may be displayed through the display unit 19 . Accordingly, since the user can check the smoking progress in real time through the display unit 19, the usability of the sidestream smoke removal device 1 can be greatly improved.

At least some of the technical ideas of the present disclosure described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13 so far may be implemented as computer readable codes on a computer readable medium. The computer-readable recording medium may be, for example, a removable recording medium (CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc, USB storage device, removable hard disk) or a fixed recording medium (ROM, RAM, computer-equipped hard disk). can The computer program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be transmitted to another computing device through a network such as the Internet, installed in the other computing device, and thus used in the other computing device.

In the above, even though all the components constituting the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as being combined or operated as one, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the present disclosure, all of the components may be selectively combined with one or more to operate.

Although actions are shown in a particular order in the drawings, it should not be understood that the actions must be performed in the specific order shown or in a sequential order, or that all shown actions must be performed to obtain a desired result. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of the various components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation, and the described program components and systems may generally be integrated together into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. It should be understood that there is

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may implement the present disclosure in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features. can understand that there is Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not limiting. The protection scope of the present disclosure should be construed by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be construed as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

1: sidestream smoke removal device 11: housing
111: vent hole 12: article insertion part
13: back cover 14: insulation
15: ignition unit 16: sidestream smoke processing unit
161: filter structure 162: exhaust fan
17: mesh network 18: control unit
19: display unit 20, 20-1, 20-2, 20-3: temperature sensor
21: elastic support 22: support
23, 23-1, 23-2: cutting part 231, 232, 233, 234: cutting blade
24: push button 30: smoking article

Claims (12)

A housing having a smoking space formed therein;
an article insertion portion located at one end of the housing and forming an opening through which a smoking article is inserted into the smoking space;
an ignition unit for igniting a smoking article inserted into the smoking space;
a sidestream smoke processing unit that processes sidestream smoke generated from a smoking article inserted into the smoking space; and
Including a cutting portion that provides a cutting function for the smoking article inserted into the smoking space,
The cutting part includes a plurality of cutting blades and has an opening formed therein,
the cutting portion is configured to cut the smoking article as the plurality of cutting blades are moved while the inserted smoking article has passed through the opening;
As the plurality of cutting blades move, the overlapping area between the plurality of cutting blades increases and the size of the opening decreases.
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
A push-type button is provided on the outer surface of the housing,
The cutting portion is configured to cut the inserted smoking article as an external force is applied to the push-type button.
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
The cutting portion is configured to cut the inserted smoking article as an external force twisting the housing is applied to the housing.
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
The cutting portion is configured to cut the inserted smoking article as an external force that causes the housing to expand or contract is applied to the housing.
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
wherein the cutting portion is configured to cut the smoking article as the plurality of cutting blades are retracted while the inserted smoking article passes through the opening;
Sidestream smoke removal device. delete According to claim 1,
wherein the cutting portion is disposed at a fixed location and configured to cut a specific portion of the inserted smoking article;
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
The cutting part is configured to be movable,
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
The sidestream smoke treatment unit includes a filter structure for filtering the sidestream smoke and an exhaust fan for exhausting the filtered sidestream smoke.
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
A vent hole through which outside air is introduced is formed in the housing,
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
a temperature sensor arranged to measure a temperature in the vicinity of a downstream end of the smoking material portion constituting the inserted smoking article; and
Further comprising a control unit for detecting the end of smoking based on the measured temperature of the temperature sensor,
Sidestream smoke removal device. According to claim 1,
A vent hole through which outside air is introduced is formed in the housing,
The sidestream smoke treatment unit includes an exhaust fan to exhaust the sidestream smoke,
Further comprising a control unit for closing the vent hole and stopping the operation of the exhaust fan in response to detection of the end of smoking.
Sidestream smoke removal device.

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