Aerosol-generating device comprising a cover element sensor

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a housing; a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-generating article; an aperture at least partially defined by the housing and being positioned at an end of the cavity and configured for insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity through the aperture; a cover element configured to move with respect to the housing between a closed position in which the cover element at least partially covers the aperture and an open position in which the aperture is at least partially uncovered; and a sensor arranged to provide an electrical signal indicative of the position of the cover element with respect to the aperture. An aerosol-generating system including the aerosol-generating device and an aerosol-generating article including an aerosol-forming substrate is also provided.

1 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
 a housing;   a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-generating article;   an aperture at least partially defined by the housing and being positioned at an end of the cavity and configured for insertion of the aerosol-generating article into the cavity through the aperture;   a cover element configured to move with respect to the housing between a closed position in which the cover element at least partially covers the aperture and an open position in which the aperture is at least partially uncovered; and   a sensor arranged to provide an electrical signal indicative of the position of the cover element with respect to the aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical heater configured to heat the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is received within the cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 2 , wherein operation of the electrical heater is dependent on the electrical signal provided by the sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 2 ,
 further comprising a controller and a power supply,   wherein the controller is configured to control a supply of power from the power supply to the electrical heater in response to the electrical signal received from the sensor.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to supply power from the power supply to the electrical heater according to a predetermined heating cycle only when the controller receives an electrical signal from the sensor indicative of the cover element being in the open position. 
     
     
         6 . The aerosol-generating device according  claim 2 , wherein the electrical heater is arranged to extend around an outer surface of the aerosol-generating article received within the cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 2 , wherein the electrical heater comprises an inductive heating element. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 2 , wherein the electrical heater comprises a resistive heating element. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising an indicator element configured to move with respect to the sensor when the cover element is moved between the closed position and the open position,   wherein the electrical signal provided by the sensor is determined by the position of the indicator element relative to the sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the indicator element is connected to the cover element. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the indicator element is formed separately from the cover element and attached to the cover element. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 9 , wherein the indicator element comprises a magnetic material. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a reed switch and a Hall effect sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is arranged so that, when the cover element is in the closed position, the cover element covers at least 50 percent of the aperture. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is arranged so that, when the cover element is in the closed position, the cover element covers at least 95 percent of the aperture. 
     
     
         16 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is arranged so that the cover element entirely covers the aperture when the cover element is in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is arranged so that the cover element covers less than 5 percent of the aperture when the cover element is in the open position. 
     
     
         18 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover element is arranged so that the aperture is entirely uncovered when the cover element is in the open position. 
     
     
         19 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the housing comprises an end wall, and   wherein the aperture extends through a first portion of the end wall.   
     
     
         20 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 19 , wherein the cover element is arranged to overlie a second portion of the end wall when the cover portion is in the open position. 
     
     
         21 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism arranged to bias the cover element away from the open position and towards the closed position. 
     
     
         22 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 21 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a torsion spring. 
     
     
         23 . The aerosol-generating device according to  claim 21 , wherein the aerosol-generating device comprises a mechanical linkage, the mechanical linkage comprising the biasing mechanism. 
     
     
         24 . An aerosol-generating system comprising an aerosol-generating device according to  claim 1  and an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate.