Aerosol-generating device including charging terminal

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device is disclosed. The aerosol-generating device includes a first housing structure including a first power supply and a first housing terminal electrically connected to the first power supply, a second housing structure including a second power supply and detachably coupled to the first housing structure, and a heater configured to heat an aerosol-generating article by receiving power from the second power supply, in which the second housing structure includes a main charging terminal connected to the second power supply and electrically connected to the first housing terminal by contacting the first housing terminal when the first housing structure is coupled to the second housing structure and an auxiliary charging terminal connected to the second power supply, and to which an external power source is connected. In addition, other embodiments are possible.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a first housing structure comprising a first power supply and a first housing terminal electrically connected to the first power supply;   a second housing structure comprising a second power supply and detachably coupled to the first housing structure; and   a heater configured to heat an aerosol-generating article by receiving power from the second power supply,   wherein the second housing structure comprises:
 a main charging terminal connected to the second power supply and electrically connected to the first housing terminal by contacting the first housing terminal when the first housing structure is coupled to the second housing structure; and 
 an auxiliary charging terminal connected to the second power supply, and to which an external power source is connected. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary charging terminal is disposed across at least a portion of the main charging terminal. 
     
     
         3 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the second housing structure comprises a first end portion in which an intake configured to emit an aerosol is provided and a second end portion that is opposite to the first end portion, and   the main charging terminal and the auxiliary charging terminal are disposed in the second end portion.   
     
     
         4 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the second housing structure comprises a terminal groove disposed across at least a partial region of the main charging terminal, and   the auxiliary charging terminal is disposed in an inner side of the terminal groove.   
     
     
         5 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the main charging terminal comprises:
 a first terminal;   a second terminal spaced apart from the first terminal and surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the first terminal; and   a third terminal spaced apart from the second terminal and surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the second terminal.   
     
     
         6 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary charging terminal is disposed across at least one of the first terminal or the second terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 6 , wherein
 the first terminal comprises a first conductive region and a second conductive region, which are disposed on both sides of the auxiliary charging terminal, respectively, and   the second terminal comprises a third conductive region and a fourth conductive region, which are disposed on both sides of the auxiliary charging terminal, respectively.   
     
     
         8 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary charging terminal is disposed across the first terminal, the second terminal, and the third terminal. 
     
     
         9 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 8 , wherein
 the first terminal comprises a first conductive region and a second conductive region, which are disposed on both sides of the auxiliary charging terminal, respectively,   the second terminal comprises a third conductive region and a fourth conductive region, which are disposed on the both sides of the auxiliary charging terminal, respectively, and   the third terminal comprises a fifth conductive region and a sixth conductive region, which are disposed on the both sides of the auxiliary charging terminal, respectively.   
     
     
         10 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the second housing structure further comprises:
 a charging integrated circuit (IC) connected between the main charging terminal and the second power supply, and between the auxiliary charging terminal and the second power supply; and   a low-dropout (LDO) regulator connected to the charging IC.   
     
     
         11 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 10 , wherein the charging IC is configured to transform input voltage via the LDO regulator and configured to supply power to the second power supply when an external power source is connected to the auxiliary charging terminal. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 11 , wherein the charging IC is configured to supply power to the second power supply by bypassing the LDO regulator when the main charging terminal is connected to the first housing terminal. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the main charging terminal comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, which are spaced apart from each other, and   the first housing terminal comprises a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins,   wherein at least one of the plurality of first pins and at least one of the plurality of second pins contact the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively, in a state in which the first housing structure is coupled to the second housing structure.   
     
     
         14 . The aerosol-generating device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first housing structure comprises a first uneven region provided at a position facing the second housing structure in a state in which the first housing structure is coupled to the second housing structure, and   the second housing structure comprises a second uneven region inserted into the first uneven region, or into which the first uneven region is inserted, in a state in which the first housing structure is coupled to the second housing structure.   
     
     
         15 . An aerosol-generating device comprising:
 a housing structure comprising a first end portion and a second end portion that is opposite to the first end portion;   a power supply provided inside the housing structure;   an intake disposed in the first end portion and configured to emit an aerosol;   a heater configured to generate the aerosol by receiving power from the power supply;   a main charging terminal disposed in the second end portion and connected to the power supply; and   an auxiliary charging terminal disposed across at least a portion of the main charging terminal in the second end portion and connected to the power supply.