E-Vaping Device Comprising an Optical Device

Abstract

An e-vaping device includes: a recess for receiving an aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, a heater disposed close to or against the recess so as to heat the aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, an optical device disposed in a hole of a wall of the recess so as to detect a change of reflectivity at external surface of the aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article corresponding to a change of state of the aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article. The optical window protrudes into the recess so as to be brushed by the aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, upon insertion into the recess and/or upon removal from the recess, of the aerosol generating article. The optical window includes, on each side of the optical window, along longitudinal direction of the recess, a beveled extension so as to make progressive the insertion and the removal of the aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article.

1 . An e-vaping device comprising:
 a recess for receiving an aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article,   a heater disposed close to or against said recess so as to heat said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article,   an optical device:
 disposed in a hole of a wall of said recess so as to detect a change of reflectivity at external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article corresponding to a change of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article going:
 from a new state, where said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article has not yet been heated by said heater, 
 to a used state, where said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article has been heated so much by said heater that said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article is used and should be replaced by a new aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, 
 
 wherein the optical device comprises:
 an optical window, 
 an optical source, 
 an optical detector,
 disposed relatively to one another so that a light beam can successively: 
  be emitted by said optical source, 
  go through said optical window, 
  be reflected by said external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, 
  go back through said optical window, and 
  be received by said optical detector, 
 
 
 wherein said optical window protrudes into said recess so as to be brushed by said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, upon insertion into said recess and/or upon removal from said recess, of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article, 
   wherein said optical window comprises, on each side of said optical window, along a longitudinal direction of said recess, a beveled extension so as to make progressive said insertion and said removal of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article.   
     
     
         2 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least half of said optical window protrudes into said recess so as to be brushed by said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article upon insertion and/or upon removal of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article. 
     
     
         3 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein said optical window protrudes into said recess by at least 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein said beveled extension presents an angle ranging from 15 degrees to 45 degrees, or an angle ranging from 20 degrees to 40 degrees, or an angle which is about 30 degrees, said angle being defined with respect to the longitudinal direction (X) of the recess. 
     
     
         5 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein said optical device is at least partly inserted within a wall of said recess. 
     
     
         6 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said recess is elongate and includes a closed bottom at one longitudinal end and an opening at the other longitudinal end by which said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article can be inserted into said e-vaping device, and   said optical device is disposed closer to said closed bottom than to said opening.   
     
     
         7 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said optical device is disposed so as to detect a change of color of external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article corresponding to a change of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article going:
 from the new state, 
 to the used state. 
   
     
     
         8 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said optical device is disposed so as to detect a change of reflectivity or a change of color of a tag located on external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article corresponding to a change of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article going:
 from the new state, 
 to the used state. 
   
     
     
         9 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein said optical device faces a peripheral wall of said external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article. 
     
     
         10 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 either an alarm configured for emitting a warning when said optical device has detected said change of reflectivity at external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article,   or a security impeding said heater to heat further or again said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article.   
     
     
         11 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said optical source is configured to emit a single light beam, and   said optical detector is configured to detect said change of reflectivity at external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article by detecting a variation in absolute intensity of received light from said single light beam reflection.   
     
     
         12 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said optical source comprising two optical sources configured for emitting respectively simultaneously two light beams of respectively different chromatic ranges, and   said detector comprises two detectors configured for detecting said change of reflectivity at external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article by respectively detecting a variation in relative intensities of light received respectively from said two light beams.   
     
     
         13 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said optical source comprises two optical sources configured for emitting respectively alternatively two light beams of respectively different chromatic ranges, and   said single detector is configured for detecting said change of reflectivity at external surface of said aerosol generating heat-not-burn consumable article by detecting a variation in relative intensities of light received alternatively from said two light beams.   
     
     
         14 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 1 , wherein said optical device is at least partly inserted within a peripheral wall of said recess. 
     
     
         15 . The e-vaping device according to  claim 6 , wherein said optical device is disposed closer to said closed bottom than to middle position between said closed bottom and said opening, or said optical device is away from said closed bottom by a distance of at least 5 mm.