Aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. The aerosol-generating device of the disclosure includes a housing having an elongated insertion space defined therein so as to be elongated, a door configured to open and close the elongated insertion space, a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field corresponding to the door, a capacitance sensor disposed adjacent to the elongated insertion space, and a controller. The controller determines whether an object is inserted into the elongated insertion space using the magnetic sensor, and determines whether the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a stick using the capacitance sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a housing shaped to define an elongated insertion space;
 a door coupled to the housing and being positionable to expose and cover the elongated insertion space; 
 a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field associated with the door; 
 a capacitance sensor disposed adjacent to the elongated insertion space; and 
 a controller configured to: 
 determine whether an object is inserted into the elongated insertion space, using the magnetic sensor; and 
 determine whether the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a stick, using the capacitance sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate operation of the capacitance sensor in response to determining that the object is inserted into the elongated insertion space. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine, in response to the determination that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is the stick, whether the stick is a used stick.   
     
     
         4 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a new stick, based on variation in a level of a signal from the capacitance sensor being equal to or greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, and   determine that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a used stick, based the variation in the level of the signal being equal to or greater than the second threshold.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a heater configured to heat an aerosol-generating substance,
 wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate operation of the capacitance sensor in response to the determination that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is the new stick.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a heater configured to heat an aerosol-generating substance according to power supplied to the heater,
 wherein the controller is further configured to:   control the power supplied to the heater, based on a determination that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a new stick; and   interrupt the power supplied to the heater, based on a determination that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is not the stick or that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a used stick.   
     
     
         7 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 identify a level range within which a level of a signal received from the capacitance sensor is included; and   determine at least one of whether the stick is inserted into the elongated insertion space, or whether the stick inserted into the elongated insertion space is a used stick, based on the identified level range.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge coupled to the door to allow the door to be pivoted in a first direction when the object is inserted into the elongated insertion space, and
 wherein the hinge comprises an elastic member configured to provide an elastic restoring force in a direction opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an inner wall defining the elongated insertion space, and
 wherein the inner wall is shaped to define an inner space that is sized to receive at least a portion of the door to allow the door to pivot and permit the stick to be inserted into the elongated insertion space.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a cartridge shaped to store a pre-vaporized aerosol material in a space between an inner wall and an outer wall thereof; and   a body coupled to the cartridge,   wherein the inner wall of the cartridge defines the elongated insertion space,   wherein the cartridge is shaped to define an inner space in which a portion of the inner wall is recessed, and   wherein the door is positionable to be received in the inner space in response to the stick being inserted into the elongated insertion space.   
     
     
         11 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a housing shaped to define an elongated insertion space;
 a door coupled to the housing and being positionable between first and second locations to respectively expose and cover the elongated insertion space; 
 a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field associated with the door when the door is positioned at the first location exposing the elongated insertion space; 
 a capacitance sensor disposed adjacent to the elongated insertion space and being configured to generate a signal in response to detection of a capacitance around a conductive body; and 
 a controller configured to: 
 determine that an object is inserted into the elongated insertion space, based on an indication from the magnetic sensor that the magnetic field has been detected; and 
   determine that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a stick, based on the signal from the capacitance sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 11 , further comprising a heater configured to heat an aerosol-generating substance according to power supplied to the heater,
 wherein the controller is further configured to:   control the power supplied to the heater, based on a determination that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a new stick; and   interrupt the power supplied to the heater, based on a determination that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is not the stick or that the object inserted into the elongated insertion space is a used stick.