Aerosol generation device with ejection mechanism

Abstract

An aerosol generation device with an ejection mechanism includes: an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive and heat a substrate to generate aerosol, a cover having a closed position covering the aerosol generation chamber, and an open position exposing the aerosol generation chamber, and an ejection mechanism configured to be at least indirectly connected with the aerosol generation chamber and the cover, and having an ejected state, a holding locked state, and a holding-unlocked state.

1 . An aerosol generation device, comprising:
 an aerosol generation chamber configured to receive and heat a substrate to generate aerosol,   a cover having a closed position covering the aerosol generation chamber, and an open position exposing the aerosol generation chamber, and   an ejection mechanism configured to be at least indirectly connected with the aerosol generation chamber and the cover, and having an ejected state, a holding-locked state, and a holding-unlocked state;   
       wherein
 in the ejected state, the cover is in the open position, and the ejection mechanism is configured to receive the substrate or make the received substrate at least partially protrude out of the aerosol generation chamber, and the ejection mechanism is configured to be translated into the holding-locked state, 
 in the holding-locked state, the cover is in the open position, and the ejection mechanism is configured to hold the substrate in a predetermined position where the substrate is fully inserted in the aerosol generation chamber, and the ejection mechanism is configured to be translated into the holding-unlocked state by moving the cover from the open position to the closed position, and 
 in the holding-unlocked state, the cover is in the closed position, and the ejection mechanism is configured to exert an ejection force on the substrate, which is held in the predetermined position by the cover, and the ejection mechanism is configured to be translated into the ejected state by moving the cover from the closed position to the open position. 
 
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generation chamber has an opening for receiving the substrate, and the ejection mechanism comprises a surface at least partially defining a bottom surface of the aerosol generation chamber and protruding into the aerosol generation chamber in the ejected state. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 2 , wherein the ejection mechanism is configured to receive the substrate by the user pushing the substrate in the chamber, and the bottom surface is pushed down with the substrate along a first axis while the ejection mechanism is translating from the ejected state to the holding-locked state. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 2 , wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a snap member, which is configured to keep the ejection mechanism in the holding-locked state. 
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a first spring configured to exert the ejection force. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generation device according to  claims 2  to  5 , wherein the ejection mechanism comprises a support member having an arm which supports or forms the bottom surface of the ejection mechanism and is supported by the first spring of the ejection mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 6 , wherein the arm has a protrusion which corresponds to a protrusion comprised by the snap member;
 the protrusion of the snap member is configured to keep the ejection mechanism in the holding-locked state by snapping the protrusion of the arm or releasing the protrusion of the arm so as to exert the ejection force.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein the snap member protrudes above the opening when the cover is in the open position, and is configured to be pressed down by the cover when in the closed position so as to release the support member. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 7 , wherein the snap member comprises an upper portion and a lower portion mechanically engaged with a second spring; and
 the upper portion is configured to protrude above the opening when the cover is in the open position, the lower portion comprising the protrusion of the snap member.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 9 , wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are slidingly engaged;
 the upper portion is configured to press the lower portion along a second axis through a sliding force until the protrusion of the arm is released from the protrusion of the support member, when the upper portion is pressed down by the cover from the open position to the closed position; and   the protrusion of the arm is partially engaged with the protrusion of the snap member in a sliding manner, so that the protrusion of the snap member is configured to be slidingly pressed by the protrusion of the arm along the second axis, when a user pushes the substrate into the chamber, until the protrusion of the support member is snapped by the protrusion of the snap member so as to keep the ejection mechanism in the holding-locked state.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 9 , wherein the lower portion and the arm are made of metal. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fixing mechanism configured to maintain the cover in the closed position against the ejection force when the ejection mechanism is in the holding-unlocked state, and the fixing mechanism comprises magnets or snap fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is rotationally hinged on a main body of the aerosol generation device. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generation chamber has a flat cuboid shape.