Aerosol generating device

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes an acrosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material, and including a storage configured to store an acrosol generating material and an accommodation portion configured to accommodate an aerosol generating article such that the aerosol passes through the aerosol generating article in response to a puff, and a main body detachably coupled to the aerosol generator and including a sensor unit disposed toward the accommodation portion and configured to generate a signal regarding a physical quantity of the accommodation portion.

1 . An aerosol generating device comprising:
 an aerosol generator configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material, and comprising:   a storage configured to store the aerosol generating material; and   an accommodation portion configured to accommodate an aerosol generating article such that the aerosol passes through the aerosol generating article in response to a puff; and   a main body detachably coupled to the aerosol generator, and comprising:   a sensor unit disposed toward the accommodation portion and configured to generate a signal regarding a physical quantity of the accommodation portion.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sensor unit is arranged at a location corresponding to an upstream section of airflow passing through the aerosol generating article. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the accommodation portion is arranged between the storage and the sensor unit. 
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the main body further comprises a controller configured to receive the signal regarding the physical quantity of the accommodation portion from the sensor unit,   the sensor unit comprises:   a first sensor arranged at a location corresponding to a first area of the aerosol generating article; and   a second sensor arranged at a location corresponding to a second area of the aerosol generating article, and   the controller is further configured to control the aerosol generator based on a first signal received from the first sensor and a second signal received from the second sensor.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 4 , wherein
 the main body further comprises an output unit configured to output information, and   the controller is further configured to control the output unit to output the information based on the first signal received from the first sensor and the second signal received from the second sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the aerosol generator based on humidity-related information that is obtained by comparing the first signal received from the first sensor with the second signal received from the second sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 4 , wherein
 the sensor unit further comprises a third sensor configured to generate a third signal indicating insertion of the aerosol generating article into the accommodation portion, and   the controller is further configured to, when the insertion of the aerosol generating article into the accommodation portion is detected based on the third signal received from the third sensor, control the aerosol generator based on the first signal received from the first sensor and the second signal received from the second sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the main body further comprises a controller configured to receive the signal regarding the physical quantity of the accommodation portion from the sensor unit, and   the sensor unit comprises a capacitance sensor configured to detect a capacitance variation.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the aerosol generator based on the capacitance variation detected by the capacitance sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect humidity of the aerosol generating article based on a signal regarding the capacitance received from the capacitance sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sensor unit has a shape corresponding to an outer surface of the accommodation portion. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the sensor unit is spaced apart from an outer surface of the accommodation portion by a first distance, and another portion of the sensor unit is spaced apart from the outer surface of the accommodation portion by a second distance. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sensor unit that is disposed toward the aerosol generator is plated. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit is inserted into a surface of the main body. 
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 . wherein the sensor unit is attached to a surface of the main body.