Aerosol generating device

Abstract

An aerosol generating device is provided. The aerosol generating device includes: a body including an optical sensor; and a cartridge to be coupled to the body and including a light guide having a polyhedral shape and a chamber to store a liquid aerosol generating substance, wherein the optical sensor is disposed adjacent to and facing the light guide while the cartridge is coupled to the body, and wherein the light guide is disposed at or adjacent to a lower end of the chamber such that at least one surface among a plurality of surfaces of the light guide is exposed to an inside of the chamber.

1 . An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a body comprising an optical sensor; and   a cartridge configured to be coupled to the body and comprising a light guide having a polyhedral shape and a chamber configured to store a liquid aerosol generating substance,   wherein the optical sensor is disposed adjacent to and facing the light guide while the cartridge is coupled to the body, and   wherein the light guide is disposed at or adjacent to a lower end of the chamber such that at least one surface among a plurality of surfaces of the light guide is exposed to an inside of the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide is disposed toward one side of a lower surface of the cartridge, and
 wherein the at least one surface of the light guide is exposed to the inside of the chamber from the lower surface of the cartridge.   
     
     
         3 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide is disposed adjacent to a lower end of one side surface of the cartridge, and
 wherein the at least one surface of the light guide is exposed to the inside of the chamber from the one side surface of the cartridge.   
     
     
         4 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide is disposed at a corner formed by a lower surface and one side surface of the cartridge, and
 wherein the at least one surface of the light guide is exposed to the inside of the chamber from the corner of the cartridge.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor comprises:
 a light emitting part configured to emit light to the light guide; and   a light receiving part configured to receive reflected light of the emitted light from the at least one surface exposed to the inside of the chamber and spread through the light guide.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one surface of the light guide exposed to the inside of the chamber comprises:
 a first surface; and   a second surface adjacent to the first surface,   wherein the emitted light is reflected or refracted from the first surface and the second surface, and   wherein light reflected from the first surface and the second surface among the emitted light propagates through the light guide to be incident on the light receiving part.   
     
     
         7 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 5 , wherein a refractive index n1 of the light guide is less than a refractive index n3 of the liquid aerosol generating substance and greater than a refractive index n2 of air. 
     
     
         8 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 7 , wherein an angle X formed by light emitted between the light emitting part and incident on the at least one surface exposed to the inside of the chamber and the at least one surface of the light guide satisfies a formula: X<90−arcsin (n2/n1). 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 5 , further comprising a light guide connecting portion comprising an optical fiber,
 wherein one end of the light guide connecting portion is connected to the light emitting part, and another end of the light guide connecting portion is disposed adjacent to the light guide while the cartridge is coupled to the body.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to:
 receive a signal from the optical sensor corresponding to a received light amount; and   determine that the liquid aerosol generating substance in the chamber has been exhausted based on the received light amount being greater than or equal to a reference light amount.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a motion sensor; and   an output device,   wherein the controller is further configured to:   determine, based on a signal received from the motion sensor, an angle of the chamber with respect to a direction perpendicular to a horizontal level;   output, based on the angle exceeding a reference angle, a warning through the output device; and   activate, based on the angle being less than or equal to the reference angle, the optical sensor to determine whether the liquid aerosol generating substance in the chamber has been exhausted based on the signal received from the optical sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The aerosol generating device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an elongated insertion space; and   a stick detection sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to a stick inserted into the insertion space,   wherein the controller is further configured to:   detect, based on the signal received from the stick detection sensor, insertion of the stick into the insertion space; and   activate, based on detecting insertion of the stick, the optical sensor to determine whether the liquid aerosol generating substance in the chamber has been exhausted based on the signal received from the optical sensor.