EP4295711A1 - Heating unit for non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, and non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler - Google Patents

Heating unit for non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, and non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4295711A1
EP4295711A1 EP21926502.2A EP21926502A EP4295711A1 EP 4295711 A1 EP4295711 A1 EP 4295711A1 EP 21926502 A EP21926502 A EP 21926502A EP 4295711 A1 EP4295711 A1 EP 4295711A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heating
heater
flavor
planar
portions
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21926502.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Atsuya SHIRAI
Manabu Takeuchi
Kosuke Ota
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Japan Tobacco Inc
Original Assignee
Japan Tobacco Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Japan Tobacco Inc filed Critical Japan Tobacco Inc
Publication of EP4295711A1 publication Critical patent/EP4295711A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
    • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
    • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
    • A24F40/46—Shape or structure of electric heating means
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
    • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
    • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
    • A24F40/42—Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
    • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
    • A24F40/40—Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
    • A24F40/48—Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
    • A24F40/485—Valves; Apertures
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/20—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater
    • H05B3/22—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater non-flexible
    • H05B3/26—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater non-flexible heating conductor mounted on insulating base
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
    • A24F40/00—Electrically operated smoking devices; Component parts thereof; Manufacture thereof; Maintenance or testing thereof; Charging means specially adapted therefor
    • A24F40/20—Devices using solid inhalable precursors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B2203/00—Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
    • H05B2203/021—Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids

Definitions

  • non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler including an electric-heating-type heating unit, a controller that controls the heating unit, a power supply (battery) that supplies electric power to the heating unit, and the like, and allowing a user to inhale an aerosol including a flavor component generated by heating a flavor generation source without accompanying combustion in the heating unit (see, for example, PTL 1 to PTL 3).
  • the present invention is made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heating unit capable of stabilizing the delivery amount of an aerosol while implementing downsizing of a device in a non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler that discharges an aerosol including a flavor from a flavor generation source by non-combustion heating the flavor generation source.
  • a technique according to the present invention is an electric-heating-type heating unit, the heating unit being disposed in a heating chamber formed in a middle of a ventilation flow path of air flowing through an inside of a housing of a non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler from an air intake port provided in the housing toward a mouthpiece provided in the housing, the heating unit being configured to cause a flavor generation source to discharge an aerosol including a flavor component by non-combustion heating the flavor generation source when activated.
  • the heating unit includes one or more planar heaters whose both front and back surfaces are formed as heater surfaces and that allow a sheet-shaped or planar heated region portion constituting a portion or a whole of the flavor generation source to be disposed along each of the front and back heater surfaces.
  • the planar heater includes a plurality of heating region portions formed on each of the front and back heater surfaces and configured to individually heat a specific section that is a portion of the heated region portion.
  • the plurality of heating region portions on each of the front and back heater surfaces extend in a flowing direction of air flowing through the heating chamber along with inhalation using the mouthpiece, and the heating region portions are arrayed on each of the heater surfaces at intervals in a direction orthogonal to an extending direction of the heating region portions.
  • the heating unit for the non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler may further include a thermal conductive sheet disposed on the heater surface.
  • the planar heater may be configured as a cartridge mountable to and removable from a heater mount provided in the heating chamber.
  • the non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler may further include sandwiching portions provided on an upper surface and a bottom surface of the heating chamber, the sandwiching portions being configured to sandwich a set of heated region portions disposed in an uppermost stage and a lowermost stage among a plurality of the heated region portions disposed in the heating chamber from above and below. Also, the sandwiching portions may at least partially include a high resilient portion formed of a high resilient material.
  • the heating unit capable of stabilizing the delivery amount of the aerosol while implementing the downsizing of the device in the non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler that discharges the aerosol including the flavor from the flavor generation source by non-combustion heating the flavor generation source.
  • Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a non-combustion-heating-type flavor inhaler (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "flavor inhaler”) 1 according to Embodiment 1.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 is an electric-heating-type device for allowing a user to inhale an aerosol including a flavor component by heating a flavor generation source 60 illustrated in Fig. 1 without accompanying combustion.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 constitutes a non-combustion-heating-type tobacco product by being combined with the flavor generation source 60.
  • the flavor generation source 60 is a so-called refill item that is attached to the flavor inhaler 1 by the user when the flavor inhaler 1 is used, and discharges an aerosol including a flavor component by being heated along with activation of the flavor inhaler 1. Details of the flavor generation source 60 will be described later.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 includes a housing 2 that is a case for accommodating various components constituting the flavor inhaler 1.
  • Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an internal structure of the housing 2 of the flavor inhaler 1.
  • the housing 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 3.
  • the mouthpiece 3 is a member to be held in the mouth when the user inhales an aerosol with a flavor imparted during the activation of the flavor inhaler 1, and is formed of a member having a flat elliptical cylindrical shape according to the present embodiment. Of course, the mouthpiece 3 may have any of other shapes.
  • a distal end of the mouthpiece 3 is provided with an inhalation port 31 that is an opening for the user to inhale the aerosol with the flavor imparted, the flavor being generated upon the activation of the flavor inhaler 1.
  • An internal flow path is formed inside the mouthpiece 3 in an axial direction in which the mouthpiece 3 extends.
  • the internal flow path is connected to the inhalation port 31.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 can accommodate the flavor generation source 60 in a heating chamber 4 formed in the housing 2.
  • the housing 2 is provided with an openable/closable cover body 5 for opening or closing the heating chamber 4.
  • a posture when the cover body 5 is open as illustrated in Fig. 1 is referred to as an "open lid posture”
  • a posture when the cover body 5 is closed as illustrated in Fig. 2 is referred to as "closed lid posture”.
  • the heating chamber 4 is open to the outside when the cover body 5 is in the open lid posture, and the heating chamber 4 is shut off from the outside when the cover body 5 is in the closed lid posture.
  • the housing 2 illustrated in Fig. 1 has a flat, substantially rectangular-parallelepiped shape.
  • the shape of the housing 2 is not particularly limited.
  • a surface of the housing 2 of the flavor inhaler 1 provided with the mouthpiece 3 is referred to as a front surface
  • a surface of the housing 2 provided with the cover body 5 is referred to as an upper surface.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 indicate respective directions of the housing 2 of the flavor inhaler 1.
  • the respective directions of the flavor inhaler 1 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 indicate a relative positional relationship of respective elements constituting the flavor inhaler 1, and do not indicate absolute positions of the respective elements.
  • the housing 2 has an upper surface wall 21, a bottom surface wall 22, a front surface wall 23, a rear surface wall 24, and a pair of side surface walls 25, and an external shape of the housing 2 is defined by these surface walls.
  • the upper surface wall 21 of the housing 2 is provided with an operation unit 12 that can be operated by the user and a notifier 14 for notifying the user of the state of the flavor inhaler 1.
  • the operation unit 12 may be constituted by, for example, a button-type switch or a touch panel.
  • the notifier 14 is, for example, an indicator such as an LED, and notifies the user of the state of the flavor inhaler 1 in accordance with a mode, such as a color of light or a pattern of light.
  • a mode such as a color of light or a pattern of light.
  • Reference sign 51 indicated in Fig. 2 denotes a rotation shaft of the cover body 5.
  • the rotation shaft 51 of the cover body 5 is rotatably supported by boss holes or the like formed in the upper surface wall 21 of the housing 2, and the cover body 5 can be opened or closed by rotating around the rotation shaft 51.
  • An air intake port 6 is provided in the rear surface wall 24 of the housing 2 so as to extend through the rear surface wall 24.
  • the mouthpiece 3 and the air intake port 6 are provided on opposite sides.
  • a hollow ventilation flow path 7 extending from the air intake port 6 to the inhalation port 31 of the mouthpiece 3 is provided, and the hollow heating chamber 4 is formed in the middle of the ventilation flow path 7.
  • a ventilation flow path extending from the inhalation port 31 to the heating chamber 4 is referred to as a first ventilation flow path 71
  • a ventilation flow path extending from the heating chamber 4 to the inhalation port 31 of the mouthpiece 3 is referred to as a second ventilation flow path 72.
  • the interior of the housing 2 has a two-layer structure that is vertically separated by a division wall 26.
  • the heating chamber 4 in which the heating unit 8 is installed, the ventilation flow path 7, and the like, are formed above the division wall 26.
  • a power supply 9, a controller 10, and the like are accommodated below the division wall 26 in the housing 2.
  • the space of the heating chamber 4 is defined by inner wall surfaces of the housing 2.
  • a bottom surface, an upper surface, and side surfaces of the heating chamber 4 are defined by an inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26, an inner wall surface 5A of the cover body 5, inner wall surfaces 25A of the pair of side surface walls 25, and the like (see Figs. 1 and 2 and other drawings).
  • a narrow flow path portion 4A in which the cross section of the flow path is gradually narrowed toward the second ventilation flow path 72 is formed on a side of a connection end to the second ventilation flow path 72 (see Fig. 1 ).
  • Reference sign 27 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and other drawings denotes a rib-shaped upper sandwiching portion provided on an upper surface of the heating chamber 4.
  • a plurality of upper sandwiching portions 27 hang down from the inner wall surface 5A of the cover body 5.
  • the plurality of upper sandwiching portions 27 extend in a front-rear direction of the heating chamber 4, and are disposed at intervals in a width direction of the heating chamber 4.
  • Reference sign 28 indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and other drawings denotes a rib-shaped lower sandwiching portion provided on a bottom surface of the heating chamber 4.
  • a plurality of lower sandwiching portions 28 stand on the inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26.
  • the upper sandwiching portions 27 extend in the front-rear direction of the heating chamber 4, and are disposed at intervals in the width direction of the heating chamber 4.
  • the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 are members for pressing the flavor generation source 60 attached to the heating unit 8 by sandwiching the flavor generation source 60 from above and below to enhance adhesion of the flavor generation source 60 to the heating unit 8.
  • the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 are made of, for example, resin, but the material thereof is not particularly limited.
  • the power supply 9 is, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery, an electric double layer capacitor, or the like, and is preferably a lithium ion secondary battery.
  • the electrolyte of the power supply 9 may be constituted by one of a gel electrolyte, an electrolytic solution, a solid electrolyte, and an ionic liquid, or a combination thereof.
  • a charging terminal (not illustrated) that can be electrically connected to an external power supply (not illustrated) is provided at an appropriate position of the housing 2.
  • a Universal Serial Bus (USB) terminal, a micro USB terminal, or a Lightning (registered trademark) terminal may be connectable to the charging terminal.
  • the charging terminal may be capable of receiving electric power transmitted from the external power supply in a non-contact manner.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 includes an inhalation sensor 13.
  • the inhalation sensor 13 is configured to output, for example, a value of a change in pressure (internal pressure) in the ventilation flow path 7 caused by user's inhalation through the mouthpiece 3.
  • the inhalation sensor 13 is, for example, a pressure sensor that outputs an output value (for example, a voltage value or a current value) corresponding to the internal pressure that changes in accordance with the flow rate of air inhaled from the air intake port 6 toward the inhalation port 31.
  • the inhalation sensor 13 may output an analog value or may output a digital value converted from the analog value.
  • the controller 10 includes, for example, a micro controller unit (MCU).
  • the MCU of the controller 10 is mainly constituted by, for example, a processor, and further includes a memory constituted by a storage medium, such as a random access memory (RAM) necessary for an operation of the processor and a read only memory (ROM) storing various items of information.
  • the processor may be an electric circuit in which circuit elements such as semiconductor elements are combined.
  • the controller 10 is connected to the heating unit 8, the power supply 9, the operation unit 12, the inhalation sensor 13, the notifier 14, and the like, and performs various types of control of the flavor inhaler 1.
  • the planar heater 81 illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 includes a substrate 82 having a rectangular flat plate shape, and a plurality of heating region portions 83 formed on a first heater surface 82A and a second heater surface 82B on front and back sides of the substrate 82, and is a heater module having a flat plate shape as a whole.
  • the first heater surface 82A is a heater surface formed on an upper surface (front surface) of the planar heater 81 (substrate 82).
  • the second heater surface 82B is a heater surface formed on a lower surface (back surface) of the planar heater 81 (substrate 82).
  • the heat producing coating material may use carbon black or carbon nanotube (CNT) as the heat producing material.
  • the planar heater 81 may be a planar electric heating wire. Such an electric heating wire can be formed of a metal-based material such as iron-chromium.
  • the negative-electrode-side pad 85 is connected to front end sides of the first heating region portion 83A to the fourteenth heating region portion 83N via a wire LD.
  • positive-electrode-side pads 84A to 84N, a negative-electrode-side pad 85, and wires LU and LD are disposed on the second heater surface 82B of the planar heater 81 (substrate 82) similarly to the first heater surface 82A.
  • connection relationship between the first heating region portion 83A to the fourteenth heating region portion 83N, the positive-electrode-side pads 84A to 84N, the negative-electrode-side pad 85, and the wires LU and LD on the second heater surface 82B side is similar to that on the first heater surface 82A side described above.
  • the positive-electrode-side pads 84A to 84N may be simply referred to as "positive-electrode-side pads 84".
  • the wires LU and LD on the substrate 82 are not exposed and may be covered with an electrical insulating layer.
  • the planar heater 81 may employ a configuration in which a heat producing element such as a resistor that produces heat when energized is disposed on only one of the first heater surface 82A (front surface) and the second heater surface 82B (back surface).
  • the planar heater 81 may increase the temperature of the second heater surface 82B (or the first heater surface 82A) by disposing a heat producing element such as a resistor only on the first heater surface 82A (or the second heater surface 82B) and transferring heat of the heat producing element on the first heater surface 82A (or the second heater surface 82B) to the second heater surface 82B (or the first heater surface 82A) side during the activation of the planar heater 81.
  • the heater mount 86 has a recessed portion 861 for receiving the rear end side of the planar heater 81.
  • a first connection surface 861A and a second connection surface 861B facing the first connection surface 861A are formed in the recessed portion 861 of the heater mount 86.
  • the first connection surface 861A of the recessed portion 861 is provided with electrodes (not illustrated) connected to the positive-electrode-side pads 84A to 84A and the negative-electrode-side pad 85 on the first heater surface 82A of the planar heater 81 mounted to the recessed portion 861.
  • the chamber ventilation direction AF is set as a direction in the front-rear direction of the heating chamber 4 (a direction orthogonal to the width direction).
  • a raw material constituting the flavor generation source 60 (flavor generation sheets 61A and 61B) are not particularly limited as long as the raw material includes a flavor generation source and an aerosol generation source for discharging an aerosol including a flavor component by being heated during the activation of the planar heater 81 of the heating unit 8.
  • the flavor generation source 60 may include shredded tobacco as the flavor generation source.
  • the flavor generation source may be a plant other than tobacco (for example, mint, Chinese herbal medicine, herb, or the like).
  • the aerosol generation source include polyols, such as glycerine, propylene glycol, and 1,3-butanediol.
  • the flavor generation sheets 61A and 61B in which the joint edges 611 are joined to each other are formed as rectangular sheets having congruent shapes, but the flavor generation sheets 61A and 61B may have any of other shapes.
  • Reference sign 612 denotes a distal edge portion located on the side opposite to the joint edge 611 in each of the flavor generation sheets 61A and 61B.
  • Reference sign 613 denotes an outer surface of each of the flavor generation sheets 61A and 61B (each of heated region portions 63A and 63B), and reference sign 614 denotes an inner surface of each of the flavor sheet pieces 61A and 61B (each of heated region portions 63A and 63B).
  • Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which the flavor generation source 60 is attached to or detached from the planar heater 81 according to Embodiment 1.
  • the user opens the cover body 5 of the flavor inhaler 1. Accordingly, the heating chamber 4 is exposed to the outside of the housing 2, and the user can access the heating unit 8 installed in the heating chamber 4. Then, for example, the user pinches the front surface 82C of the planar heater 81 supported by the heater mount 86 with his/her fingers and lightly lifts the front surface 82C.
  • the heater mount 86 rotates about the rotation shaft 863 supported rotatably with respect to the housing 2, and the posture of the planar heater 81 can be changed from a first posture illustrated in Fig. 2 to a second posture illustrated in Fig. 7 .
  • the first posture of the planar heater 81 is a posture in which the planar heater 81 is substantially parallel to the inner wall surface 26A forming the bottom surface of the heating chamber 4, and in this state, the planar heater 81 is accommodated in the heating chamber 4.
  • the planar heater 81 is switched from the second posture to the first posture in the state in which the flavor generation source 60 is attached to the planar heater 81 (flavor sheet attachment completed state), and the cover body 5 is closed (see Fig. 2 ).
  • the plurality of upper sandwiching portions 27 hang down from the inner wall surface 5A of the cover body 5, and the plurality of lower sandwiching portions 28 stand on the inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26.
  • each heating region portion 83 formed on the first heater surface 82A of the planar heater 81 can be brought into close contact with the inner surface 614 of the first heated region portion 63A of the flavor generation source 60.
  • each heating region portion 83 formed on the second heater surface 82B can be brought into close contact with the inner surface 614 of the second heated region portion 63B.
  • the planar heater 81 is configured to individually heat a specific section forming a portion of each of the heated region portions 63A and 63B of the flavor generation source 60.
  • a first section RA to a fourteenth section RN portions serving as a heating target when the first heating region portion 83A to the fourteenth heating region portion 83N on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81 are caused to produce heat are referred to as a first section RA to a fourteenth section RN.
  • Fig. 8 schematically illustrates boundary positions of the sections RA to RN.
  • the heat producing temperature of the heating region portions 83 on the planar heater 81 is controlled so that the heated region portions 63A and 63B of the flavor generation source 60 are not accompanied by combustion.
  • the heated region portions 63A and 63B of the flavor generation source 60 are heated, vapors of the flavor generation source and the aerosol generation source included therein are mixed with the air flowing through ventilation paths (for example, indicated by reference signs 41 and 42 and the like in Fig. 8 ) formed in the heating chamber 4 through the first ventilation flow path 71, and an aerosol including a flavor component is generated.
  • the ventilation path 41 illustrated in Fig. 8 is a ventilation path formed between the plurality of upper sandwiching portions 27, and between the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the inner wall surfaces 25A at both ends.
  • the ventilation path 42 is a ventilation path formed between the plurality of lower sandwiching portions 28, and between the lower sandwiching portions 28 and the inner wall surfaces 25A at both ends.
  • the ventilation paths 41 and 42 extend in the front-rear direction of the heating chamber 4. In other words, the ventilation paths 41 and 42 extend in the extending direction of the heating region portions 83 of the planar heater 81.
  • the upper sandwiching portions 27 provided on the inner wall surface 5A of the cover body 5 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 provided on the inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26 are disposed so as not to overlap the heating region portions 83 formed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81 in an up-down direction.
  • the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 are disposed at positions deviated in the width direction of the heating chamber 4 with respect to the heating region portions 83 formed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B.
  • the heated region portions 63A and 63B can be prevented from being excessively strongly pressed against the heating region portions 83 formed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B, and can be adjusted to have an appropriate close contact relationship.
  • the heating region portions 83 disposed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B produce heat, the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B can be suitably heated while the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B are prevented from being scorched.
  • the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 are disposed so as not to vertically overlap the heating region portions 83 formed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81, dissipation of heat produced by the heating region portions 83 to the housing 2 side through the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 can be suppressed. Accordingly, heat production loss in the heating region portions 83 of the planar heater 81 can be reduced.
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the flavor inhaler 1 according to Embodiment 1. Processing related to each step of the flowchart presented in Fig. 9 is implemented by, for example, the processor executing a program stored in the memory in the MCU of the controller 10.
  • step S01 When the flavor inhaler 1 is activated by an operation of the operation unit 12 or the like (step S01: YES), the controller 10 turns on the power supply 9 (step S02).
  • the flavor inhaler 1 causes not all but a portion of the heating region portions 83A to 83N disposed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81 to be energized to rapidly produce heat every time a user's action (puff action) of the inhalation using the mouthpiece 3 is detected. Consequently, a specific section of each of the heated region portions 63A and 63B of the flavor generation source 60 can be heated, and power consumption of the power supply 9 that supplies electric power to the heating unit 8 can be reduced.
  • the controller 10 When the cumulative number of puff actions by the user after the flavor inhaler 1 is activated reaches a prescribed number of times, the controller 10 performs heating control corresponding to the last one of the prescribed number of puff actions and then turns off the power supply 9.
  • the prescribed number of times related to the cumulative number of puffs after the activation of the flavor inhaler 1 is described as fourteen times corresponding to the number of heating region portions 83 on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81, but the prescribed number of times is not particularly limited.
  • step S03 the controller 10 determines the presence of a puff action by the user (step S03).
  • the presence of the puff action can be detected based on an output value of the inhalation sensor 13.
  • step S03: YES the controller 10 causes the power supply 9 to supply electric power to the planar heater 81 of the heating unit 8, and performs processing of energizing a heating region portion associated with the cumulative number of puffs (hereinafter, also referred to as an "energization target heating region portion") among the plurality of heating region portions 83A to 83N disposed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B (step S04).
  • the processor of the controller 10 can acquire a resistance value of the heating region portions 83 on the planar heater 81 based on the output of the voltage sensor and the output of the current sensor, and acquire the temperature of the heating region portions 83 corresponding to the resistance value.
  • the current sensor is not necessary as long as a constant current is supplied to the heating region portions 83.
  • the voltage sensor is not necessary as long as a constant voltage is applied to the heating region portions 83.
  • a temperature measurement sensor such as a thermistor may be disposed in the heating chamber 4, and energization control for causing the heating region portions 83 to produce heat may be performed based on an output of the temperature measurement sensor.
  • the heating region portions 83 may be caused to produce heat by performing energization control on the heating region portions 83 for a certain period of time set in advance.
  • the controller 10 stores in the memory a prescribed number of times related to the cumulative number of puffs and information related to the cumulative number of puffs after activation. After performing the energization processing for causing the heating region portions 83 associated with the cumulative number of puffs to produce heat in step S04, the controller 10 increments the cumulative number of puffs stored in the memory to update the information related to the cumulative number of puffs (step S05). Next, the controller 10 determines whether the cumulative number of puffs stored in the memory has reached the prescribed number of times (step S06).
  • step S06 If it is determined in step S06 that the cumulative number of puffs has not reached the prescribed number of times (step S06: NO), the processing returns to step S03 after a certain period of time has elapsed, and the presence of a puff action is determined again. In contrast, when it is determined in step S06 that the cumulative number of puffs has reached the prescribed number of times (step S06: YES), the power supply 9 is turned off (step S07).
  • Fig. 10 is a diagram presenting a table in which the cumulative number of puffs after the activation of the flavor inhaler 1 and the energization target heating region portions on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81 are stored in association with each other.
  • the table presented in Fig. 10 is stored in the memory of the controller 10.
  • the cumulative number of puffs is 1, the first heating region portion 83A on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B is associated as the energization target heating region portion.
  • the first heating region portion 83A on the first heater surface 82A and the first heating region portion 83A on the second heater surface 82B of the planar heater 81 are selected as the energization target heating region portions and energized. Consequently, the first section RA of the first heated region portion 63A and the first section RA of the second heated region portion 63B of the flavor generation source 60 are individually heated, and an aerosol including a flavor component is discharged mainly from the sections RA.
  • the second heating region portion 83B on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B is associated as the energization target heating region portion.
  • the second heating region portion 83B on the first heater surface 82A and the second heating region portion 83B on the second heater surface 82B of the planar heater 81 are selected as the energization target heating region portions and energized. Consequently, the second section RB of the first heated region portion 63A and the second section RB of the second heated region portion 63B of the flavor generation source 60 are individually heated, and an aerosol including a flavor component is discharged mainly from the sections RB.
  • the table presented in Fig. 10 is merely an example, and it is possible to freely change the correspondence relation between the cumulative number of puffs and the energization target heating region portions after the activation of the flavor inhaler 1.
  • the energization target heating region portion of the first heater surface 82A and the energization target heating region portion of the second heater surface 82B associated with the cumulative number of puffs may be different from each other.
  • a plurality of (for example, two or three) heating region portions 83 on the first heater surface 82A may be associated with the cumulative number of puffs as the energization target heating region portion.
  • the user may be allowed to desirably set the order of energization, the heating temperature, the heating period of time, and the like, of the heating region portions 83 provided on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the heating unit 8 of the flavor inhaler 1 using, for example, an application of the user external device.
  • the user By storing the user setting in the memory of the controller 10 through communication using any of various input terminals such as a USB terminal, short-range wireless communication such as near field communication (NFC), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), or the like, the user can desirably set a preferred inhalation (heater heating) condition .
  • NFC near field communication
  • Wi-Fi wireless fidelity
  • the flavor inhaler 1 can reduce power consumption when heating the flavor generation source 60 by performing the energization control described with reference to Fig. 10 with detection of a puff action by the user as a trigger. Accordingly, downsizing of the power supply 9 can be implemented, thereby contributing to downsizing of the flavor inhaler 1 (housing 2).
  • the planar heater 81 with both front and back surfaces formed as the heater surfaces 82A and 82B is provided.
  • the heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81 allow the sheet-shaped or planar heated region portions 63A and 63B constituting a portion or a whole of the flavor generation source 60 to be disposed along the heater surfaces 82A and 82B, respectively, and the plurality of heating region portions 83 for individually heating a specific section that is a portion of the heated region portions 63A and 63B are formed on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B.
  • the plurality of heating region portions 83 on each of the front and back heater surfaces 82A and 82B of the planar heater 81 extend in the chamber ventilation direction AF of the air flowing through the heating chamber 4 along with the inhalation using the mouthpiece 3, and the heating region portions 83 on each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B are arrayed at intervals in the direction orthogonal to the extending direction (chamber ventilation direction AF) of the heating region portions 83.
  • the length of the flow path from the position of the section individually heated by the energization target heating region portion to the inhalation port 31 is substantially constant. That is, even when any of the heating region portions 83 is caused to produce heat, it is possible to avoid a large variation in a cooling distance (flow path length) until the aerosol discharged from the section where each of the heated region portions 63A and 63B is heated by the heating region portion 83 is guided to the inhalation port 31. Consequently, whichever heating region portion 83 is caused to produce heat, a condensation state of a flavor component vaporized by heating using the heating region portion 83 can be stabilized, and the delivery amount of the aerosol can be stabilized.
  • the ventilation paths 41 to 44 can be formed in the extending direction of the heating region portions 83. Consequently, the air taken in from the air intake port 6 and the aerosol generated in the heating chamber 4 can smoothly flow toward the mouthpiece 3.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 may include a vibrator including a vibration element (for example, a piezoelectric element) for notifying the user of the state of the flavor inhaler 1, and the state of the flavor inhaler 1 may be notified to the user instead of the notifier 14 or in combination with the notifier 14.
  • the flavor inhaler 1 may include a speaker for outputting sound, and the user may be notified of the state of the flavor inhaler 1 through the sound output by the speaker.
  • the planar heater 81 by inserting (slipping) the planar heater 81 into the hollow portion 64 from the front surface 82C side through the heater insertion port 616, the planar heater 81 can be sandwiched between the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B. Accordingly, the first heated region portion 63A can be disposed along the first heater surface 82A of the planar heater 81, and the second heated region portion 63B can be disposed along the second heater surface 82B of the planar heater 81.
  • the inner wall surface 5A of the cover body 5 and the inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26 may sandwich the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B attached to the planar heater 81 from above and below so as to enhance the adhesion of the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B to the planar heater 81.
  • the inner wall surface 5A of the cover body 5 and the inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26 also function as the upper sandwiching portions 27 and the lower sandwiching portions 28 described above, respectively.
  • Fig. 14 is a view for explaining another modification of the cross-sectional structure of the heating chamber 4 of the flavor inhaler 1, and specifically illustrates a state when the heating chamber 4 is cut at a cross section orthogonal to the front-rear direction.
  • Reference signs 87A and 87B indicated in Fig. 14 denote thermal conductive sheets disposed on the heater surfaces 82A and 82B, respectively.
  • the thermal conductive sheets 87A and 87B cover surfaces of a plurality of heating region portions 83 disposed in each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B.
  • the thermal conductive sheets 87A and 87B may be formed of, for example, an aluminum foil.
  • the heating region portions 83 disposed in each of the heater surfaces 82A and 82B produce heat, the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B can be suitably heated while the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B are prevented from being scorched.
  • the depth dimension of the recessed portion 252 of the cover body 5 is larger than the height dimension of the protruding portion 613B formed in the outer surface of the first heated region portion 63A.
  • a clearance is formed between a top surface of the protruding portion 613B and a groove bottom of the recessed portion 252, and a ventilation path 46 is formed by the clearance.
  • the depth dimension of the recessed portion 262 of the division wall 26 is larger than the height dimension of the protruding portion 613B formed in the outer surface of the second heated region portion 63B.
  • the heated region portion 63A can be disposed so as to extend over upper surfaces of the heat producing elements 831, and the heated region portion 63B can be disposed so as to extend over lower surfaces of the heat producing elements 831.
  • the cross-sectional shape of each of the heat producing elements 831 is not limited to a flat plate shape and can be changed as appropriate.
  • the planar heater 81 may be configured as a cartridge system in a form as illustrated in Fig. 17.
  • Fig. 17 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a planar heater 81 of a cartridge system.
  • the planar heater 81 is provided with a plurality of pin electrodes 88 protruding from the rear surface 82D of the substrate 82.
  • the plurality of pin electrodes 88 are arranged side by side in a comb shape in a width direction of the rear surface 82D of the substrate 82.
  • the heating unit 8 includes the one planar heater 81.
  • the heating unit 8 may include a plurality of planar heaters 81.
  • Reference sign 8A denotes a heating unit.
  • the heating unit 8A includes a plurality of planar heaters 81 and a heater mount 86A that holds the plurality of planar heaters 81.
  • the heating unit 8A includes a set of planar heaters 81 disposed in upper and lower two stages. Rear surfaces 82D of the set of planar heaters 81 are supported by the heater mount 86A.
  • the set of planar heaters 81 are disposed to face each other with an interval therebetween in an up-down direction of the heating chamber 4.
  • the set of planar heaters 81 are held by the heater mount 86A in mutually parallel postures along the inner wall surface 26A of the division wall 26 forming the bottom surface of the heating chamber 4.
  • the flavor generation source 60 (see Fig. 1 ), the flavor generation source 60A (see Fig. 11 ), the flavor generation source 60B (see Fig. 12 ), the flavor generation source 60C (see Fig. 13 ), or the like, can be applied, and the first heated region portion 63A and the second heated region portion 63B can be disposed along the heater surfaces 82A and 82B on the front and back sides of each of the planar heaters 81.
  • the flavor generation source accommodated in the heating chamber 4 by the user can be constituted in a plurality of stages in accordance with the form of the heating unit 8A.
  • the holding member 90 constituted as described above is assembled in a state in which the bottom frame portion 91, the first intermediate spacer 92, the intermediate frame portion 93, the second intermediate spacer 94, and the upper frame portion 95 are stacked in this order from below.
  • the height dimensions of the first intermediate spacer 92 and the second intermediate spacer 94 are smaller than the height dimensions of the other members, that is, the bottom frame portion 91, the intermediate frame portion 93, and the upper frame portion 95.
  • the material of the bottom frame portion 91, the first intermediate spacer 92, the intermediate frame portion 93, the second intermediate spacer 94, and the upper frame portion 95 constituting the holding member 90 is not particularly limited, but can be formed of cardboard, heat-resistant resin, or the like.
  • the flavor generation source cartridge FC can be disposed in a state in which the flavor generation sheets FS1 to FS4 extend along the front and back heater surfaces of the planar heaters 81.
  • the cover body 50 when the cover body 50 is in the open lid posture, not only the upper surface but also the front surface of the heating chamber 4 formed in the housing 2 can be largely opened to the outside. Accordingly, as illustrated in Fig.
  • the holding member 90 of the flavor generation source cartridge FC is formed with a large number of ventilation flow paths CH1 and CH2 as described above, and the ventilation flow paths CH1 and CH2 extend in parallel to the chamber ventilation direction AF described above.
  • the flavor generation source cartridge FC that has been used by the flavor inhaler 1A can be taken out while the cover body 50 of the housing 2 is brought into the open lid posture, and can be discarded.

Landscapes

  • Disinfection, Sterilisation Or Deodorisation Of Air (AREA)
EP21926502.2A 2021-02-17 2021-02-17 Heating unit for non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, and non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler Pending EP4295711A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/JP2021/005933 WO2022176063A1 (ja) 2021-02-17 2021-02-17 非燃焼加熱型香味吸引器の加熱ユニットおよび非燃焼加熱型香味吸引器

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4295711A1 true EP4295711A1 (en) 2023-12-27

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP21926502.2A Pending EP4295711A1 (en) 2021-02-17 2021-02-17 Heating unit for non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, and non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler

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EP (1) EP4295711A1 (ja)
JP (1) JPWO2022176063A1 (ja)
WO (1) WO2022176063A1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB202215582D0 (en) * 2022-10-21 2022-12-07 Nicoventures Trading Ltd An aerosol provision device and a method of heating an aerosol-generating material

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5665262A (en) * 1991-03-11 1997-09-09 Philip Morris Incorporated Tubular heater for use in an electrical smoking article
KR102309513B1 (ko) 2011-09-06 2021-10-05 니코벤처스 트레이딩 리미티드 가열식 흡연가능 재료
US8881737B2 (en) * 2012-09-04 2014-11-11 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Electronic smoking article comprising one or more microheaters
EP3166430B1 (en) * 2014-07-11 2020-09-02 Philip Morris Products S.a.s. Aerosol-forming cartridge comprising a tobacco-containing material
WO2018235241A1 (ja) * 2017-06-22 2018-12-27 日本たばこ産業株式会社 香味発生セグメント、ならびにこれを備える香味発生物品および香味吸引システム
WO2018235238A1 (ja) 2017-06-22 2018-12-27 日本たばこ産業株式会社 香味発生セグメント、ならびにこれを備える香味発生物品および香味吸引システム

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