Aerosol generating device including pressure sensor

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes a housing including a hollow portion and a body portion. The body portion includes a cavity formed at the bottom of the hollow portion. The aerosol generating device includes a membrane which partitions the cavity into an upper part and a lower part hermetically, and a pressure sensor which seals a bottom of the cavity and detects a pressure change in the lower part of the cavity which is caused by a puff on an aerosol generating article (e.g., cigarette) loaded in the aerosol generating device.

1 . An aerosol generating device, comprising:
 a housing comprising a hollow portion configured to receive an aerosol generating article and a body portion defining the hollow portion, wherein the body portion comprises a cavity having a first cavity surface facing the hollow portion, a second cavity surface opposite to the first cavity surface, and a third cavity surface between the first cavity surface and the second cavity surface;   a membrane sealing the first cavity surface; and   a pressure sensor sealing the second cavity surface and configured to detect a pressure in the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the membrane is configured to deform to be convex toward the first cavity surface.   
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the membrane is disposed between the first cavity surface and the second cavity surface.   
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the membrane comprises an elastic material.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the membrane is at least partially embedded in the body portion.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the pressure sensor is provided in the second cavity surface.   
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the cavity further comprises a chamfered surface between the first cavity surface and the third cavity surface.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the body portion comprises a side portion and a bottom portion, and the cavity is disposed in the bottom portion.   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the bottom portion comprises a bottom surface, and the first cavity surface and the bottom surface are substantially on the same plane.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 a cross-sectional area of the cavity is substantially equal to or less than a cross-sectional area of the hollow portion.   
     
     
         11 . An aerosol generating system, comprising:
 an aerosol generating article; and   an aerosol generating device configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating article,   wherein the aerosol generating device comprises:   a housing comprising a hollow portion configured to receive the aerosol generating article and a body portion defining the hollow portion, wherein the body portion comprises a cavity having a first cavity surface facing the hollow portion, a second cavity surface opposite to the first cavity surface, and a third cavity surface between the first cavity surface and the second cavity surface;   a membrane sealing the first cavity surface; and   a pressure sensor sealing the second cavity surface and configured to detect a pressure in the cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 11 , wherein
 the membrane is configured to deform when a puff occurs.   
     
     
         13 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 12 , wherein
 the membrane is configured to deform to be convex toward the first cavity surface when the puff occurs.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 11 , wherein
 the aerosol generating device further comprises a processor configured to detect a puff based on a change of a pressure in a portion of the cavity under the membrane.   
     
     
         15 . The aerosol generating system of  claim 11 , wherein
 the hollow portion comprises an airflow channel formed between the aerosol generating article and the body portion.