TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device and a method of controlling the aerosol generating device, and more particularly, to an aerosol generating device for generating aerosol having a rich flavor by passing the aerosol generated by a vaporizer through a cigarette, and a method of controlling the aerosol generating device.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, demand for an aerosol generating device capable of generating aerosol via a noncombustible method has increased. As a result, studies about a noncombustible aerosol generating device that have been actively conducted.

General aerosol generating devices are portable devices which have similar sizes to general cigarettes and include buttons for receiving a user's input. Operations of the aerosol generating devices may be controlled based on the user's input received via the buttons included in the aerosol generating devices. In addition, when a user carries the aerosol generating device in a bag or a pocket, a button on the aerosol generating device may be wrongly pressed, and thus, unintentional operations of the aerosol generating device may be performed. For example, even when a user is not smoking, when the button is wrongly pressed, a heating operation of the aerosol generating device may be performed, thereby causing a safety problem.

Also, even when a user is not smoking, a general aerosol generating device maintains electrical connection between a battery and heaters included in the aerosol generating device and stands by for signals to be received from a button or sensors included in the aerosol generating device. Thus, unnecessary power consumption may occur.

Therefore, a method of controlling an aerosol generating device and preventing the occurrence of a safety problem and unnecessary power consumption during a user's use of the aerosol generating device is required.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Solution to Problem

Provided are an aerosol generating device and a method of controlling the same, according to various exemplary embodiments. Technical objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to the described technical objectives and other technical objectives may be derived from the exemplary embodiments to be described hereinafter. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device includes: a case into which a cigarette is inserted; a cap coupled to a top portion of the case to be detachable from the case; a cover configured to perform sliding movement along a top surface of the cap so as to open or close a cigarette insertion hole; a first sensor configured to sense whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed; and a controller configured to determine whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed based on a signal sensed by the first sensor and set an operational mode of the aerosol generating device as an ON mode or an OFF mode based on a result of the determining.

Advantageous Effects of Disclosure

According to the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device and a method of controlling the same are provided. An aerosol generating device includes: a case into which a cigarette is inserted; a cap detachably coupled to a top portion of the case; a cover configured to slide on a top surface of the cap so as to open or close a cigarette insertion hole; a first sensor configured to sense whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the cigarette insertion hole is open or closed based on a signal sensed by the first sensor and set an operational mode of the aerosol generating device as an ON mode or an OFF mode based on a result of the determining.

For example, the controller may be configured to set the operational mode of the aerosol generating device as the OFF mode, when the controller determines that the cigarette insertion hole is closed. When the operational mode of the aerosol generating device is the OFF mode, the controller may further be configured to electrically disconnect a battery from a heater and a vaporizer, block a user's input received through a button, and block a signal sensed by a second sensor, in order to 1) prevent the performance of an unintentional operation of the aerosol generating device due to wrong pressing of the button and 2) prevent unnecessary power consumption while a user is not smoking.

Also, the aerosol generating device according to the present disclosure 3) may further include a cover capable of sliding movement, in addition to a button, which is a component for receiving a user's input according to manipulation of a user, and thus, an additional method of controlling the aerosol generating device may be provided.

