EP4599704A1

EP4599704A1 - Aerosol-generating article and aerosol-generating system comprising same

Info

Publication number: EP4599704A1
Application number: EP23875209.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yongmi JUNG; Man Seok Seo; Moonwon KIM
Original assignee: KT&G Corp
Current assignee: KT&G Corp
Priority date: 2022-10-05
Filing date: 2023-10-04
Publication date: 2025-08-13
Also published as: WO2024076146A1; EP4599704A4

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment comprises a medium segment and a downstream segment disposed downstream of the medium segment, wherein perforations are formed on the outer surface of the downstream segment, the perforations are arranged along a perimeter direction of the aerosol-generating article to form a row of perforations, and the ratio of the width of the perforations along the perimeter direction to the length of the perforations perpendicular to the width may be less than or equal to 10: 1.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The following various embodiments relate to an aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system including the same.

BACKGROUND ART

Research on non-combusted cigarettes is being carried out. An aerosol generating device generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating article.
The above description is information the inventor(s) acquired during the course of conceiving the present disclosure, or already possessed at the time, and is not necessarily art publicly known before the present application was filed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

TECHNICAL GOALS

An aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system including the same according to an embodiment are intended to reduce the thermal sensation of an aerosol.
An aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system including the same according to an embodiment are intended to increase the air dilution rate of an aerosol.
An aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system including the same according to an embodiment are intended to implement a lower thermal sensation without a substantial increase in manufacturing cost.

TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

An aerosol generating article according to an embodiment includes a medium segment, and a downstream segment disposed downstream of the medium segment, wherein perforations may be formed in an outer surface of the downstream segment, the perforations may be arranged in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article to form a perforation row, and a ratio of a width of the perforations in the circumferential direction to a length of the perforations perpendicular to the width may be less than or equal to 10: 1.
An aerosol generating system according to an embodiment may include an aerosol generating article, and an aerosol generating device including a controller with at least one processor, an inner space in which the aerosol generating article is accommodated, and a heater configured to heat a liquid composition or the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating article may include an upstream filter segment, a medium segment disposed downstream of the upstream filter segment, a cooling segment disposed downstream of the medium segment, and a downstream filter segment disposed downstream of the cooling segment, wherein perforations may be formed in an outer surface of the cooling segment, and a ratio of a width of the perforations in a circumferential direction of the cooling segment to a length of the perforations perpendicular to the width may be less than or equal to 10: 1.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

According to an aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment, it is possible to reduce the thermal sensation of an aerosol.
According to an aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment, it is possible to increase the air dilution rate.
According to an aerosol generating article and an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment, it is possible to implement a lower thermal sensation without substantially increasing the cost of manufacturing the aerosol generating article.
The effects of the aerosol generating article and the aerosol generating system including the same according to an embodiment are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other unmentioned effects can be clearly understood from the following description by one of ordinary skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 9 illustrates an aerosol generating article according to an embodiment.
FIG. 10 illustrates a dilution rate of an aerosol generating article according to an embodiment.
FIG. 11 illustrates a first puff temperature of an aerosol generating article according to an embodiment.
FIG. 12 illustrates different shapes of perforations.
FIG. 13 illustrates simulation results showing dilution rates and temperatures according to the different shapes of perforations of FIG. 12.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The terms used in the embodiments are selected from among common terms that are currently widely used, in consideration of their function in the embodiments. However, the terms may become different according to an intention of one of ordinary skill in the art, a precedent, or the advent of new technology. Also, in particular cases, the terms are discretionally selected by the applicant of the disclosure, and the meaning of those terms will be described in detail in the corresponding part of the detailed description. Therefore, the terms used in the disclosure are not merely designations of the terms, but the terms are defined based on the meaning of the terms and content throughout the disclosure.
It will be understood that when a certain part "includes" a certain component, the part does not exclude another component but may further include another component, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, terms such as "unit," "module," etc., as used in the specification may refer to a part for processing at least one function or operation and may be implemented as hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.
As used herein, an expression such as "at least one of" that precedes listed components modifies not each of the listed components but all the components. For example, the expression "at least one of a, b, or c" should be construed as including a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate an aerosol generating device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating device may include at least one of a power source 11, a controller 12, a sensor 13, and a heater 18. At least one of the power source 11, the controller 12, the sensor 13, and the heater 18 may be disposed inside a body 10 of the aerosol generating device. The body 10 may provide an upward-opening space into which a stick S, which is an aerosol generating article, is inserted. The upward-opening space may be referred to as an insertion space. The insertion space may be recessed by a predetermined depth toward the inside of the body 10 such that at least a portion of the stick S may be inserted into the insertion space. The depth of the insertion space may correspond to the length of an area of the stick S in which an aerosol generating material and/or a medium is included. A lower end of the stick S may be inserted into the body 10, and an upper end of the stick S may protrude outward from the body 10. A user may hold the upper end of the stick S, which is exposed to the outside, in the mouth of the user and inhale air.
The heater 18 may heat the stick S. The heater 18 may be elongated upward in the space into which the stick S is inserted. For example, the heater 18 may include a tubular heating element, a plate-shaped heating element, a needle-shaped heating element, or a rod-shaped heating element. The heater 18 may be inserted into a lower portion of the stick S. The heater 18 may include an electrically resistive heater and/or an induction heater.
For example, referring to FIG. 1, the heater 18 may be a resistive heater. For example, the heater 18 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater 18 may be heated up as a current flows through the electrically conductive track. The heater 18 may be electrically connected to the power source 11. The heater 18 may directly generate heat by receiving a current from the power source 11.
For example, the heater 18 may be multiple heaters. The heater 18 may include a first heater 18A and a second heater 18B. The first and second heaters 18A and 18B may be disposed side by side in a longitudinal direction. The first and second heaters 18A and 18B may be heated sequentially or simultaneously.
For example, referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol generating device may include an induction coil 181 surrounding the heater 18. The induction coil 181 may heat the heater 18. As a susceptor, the heater 18 may be heated up by a magnetic field generated by an alternating current (AC) flowing through the induction coil 181. The magnetic field may pass through the heater 18 and generate an eddy current in the heater 18. A current may generate heat in the heater 18.
For example, referring to FIG. 3, a susceptor SS may be included in the stick S, and the susceptor SS inside the stick S may be heated by the magnetic field generated by the AC flowing through the induction coil 181. The susceptor SS may be disposed inside the stick S and may not be electrically connected to the aerosol generating device. The susceptor SS may be inserted into the insertion space together with the stick S and may be removed from the insertion space together with the stick S. The stick S may be heated by the susceptor SS inside the stick S. In this case, the heater 18 may not be provided to the aerosol generating device.
The power source 11 may supply power to operate the components of the aerosol generating device. The power source 11 may be referred to as the battery. The power source 11 may supply power to at least one of the controller 12, the sensor 13, or the heater 18. The power source 11 may supply power to the induction coil 181.
The controller 12 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device. The controller may be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The controller 12 may control the operation of at least one of the power source 11, the sensor 13, or the heater 18. The controller 12 may control the operation of the induction coil 181. The controller 12 may control the operation of a display, a motor, and the like installed in the aerosol generating device. The controller 12 may verify a state of each of the components of the aerosol generating device to determine whether the aerosol generating device is in an operable state.
The controller 12 may analyze a sensing result obtained by the sensing of the sensor 13 and control processes to be performed thereafter. For example, based on the sensing result obtained by the sensor 13, the controller 12 may control the power supplied to the heater 18 to initiate or terminate the operation of the heater 18. For example, based on the sensing result obtained by the sensor 13, the controller 12 may control the amount of power supplied to the heater 18 and a time for which the power is supplied, such that the heater 18 may be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature.
The sensor 13 may include at least one of a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, a insertion detection sensor, or an acceleration sensor. For example, the sensor 13 may sense at least one of the temperature of the heater 18, the temperature of the power source 11, or the temperature inside and outside the body 10. For example, the sensor 13 may sense a puff of the user. For example, the sensor 13 may sense whether the stick S is inserted into the insertion space. For example, the sensor 13 may sense a motion of the aerosol generating device.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an aerosol generating device 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 4, the aerosol generating device 1 may include at least one of a power source 11, a controller 12, a sensor 13, a heater 18, and a cartridge 19. At least one of the power source 11, the controller 12, the sensor 13, and the heater 18 may be disposed inside a body 10 of the aerosol generating device. The body 10 may provide an upward-opening space into which a stick S, which is an aerosol generating article, is inserted. The upward-opening space may be referred to as an insertion space. The insertion space may be recessed by a predetermined depth toward the inside of the body 10 such that at least a portion of the stick S may be inserted into the insertion space. The depth of the insertion space may correspond to the length of an area of the stick S in which an aerosol generating material and/or a medium is included. A lower end of the stick S may be inserted into the body 10, and an upper end of the stick S may protrude outward from the body 10. A user may hold the upper end of the stick S, which is exposed to the outside, in the mouth of the user and inhale air.
The heater 18 may heat the stick S. The heater 18 may be elongated upward around a space into which the stick S is inserted. For example, the heater 18 may be in the form of a tube including a hollow therein. The heater 18 may be disposed around the insertion space. The heater 18 may be disposed to surround at least a portion of the insertion space. The heater 18 may heat the insertion space or the stick S inserted into the insertion space. The heater 18 may include an electrically resistive heater and/or an induction heater.
For example, the heater 18 may be a resistive heater. For example, the heater 18 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater 18 may be heated up as a current flows through the electrically conductive track. The heater 18 may be electrically connected to the power source 11. The heater 18 may directly generate heat by receiving a current from the power source 11.
For example, the aerosol generating device 1 may include an induction coil surrounding the heater 18. The induction coil may heat the heater 18. As a susceptor, the heater 18 may be heated up by a magnetic field generated by an AC flowing through the induction coil. The magnetic field may pass through the heater 18 and generate an eddy current in the heater 18. A current may generate heat in the heater 18.
In addition, the susceptor may be included inside the stick S, and the susceptor inside the stick S may be heated by the magnetic field generated by the AC flowing through the induction coil.
The cartridge 19 may contain an aerosol generating material having any one of a liquid state, a solid state, a gaseous state, or a gel state. The aerosol generating material may include a liquid composition. The liquid composition may be, for example, a liquid including a tobacco-containing material that includes a volatile tobacco flavor component or may be a liquid including a non-tobacco material.
The cartridge 19 may be formed integrally with the body 10 or detachably coupled to the body 10.
For example, referring to FIG. 4, the cartridge 19 may be formed integrally with the body 10 and may communicate with the insertion space through an airflow channel CN.
For example, referring to FIG. 5, a space may be formed on one side of the body 10, at least a portion of the cartridge 19 is inserted into the space formed on one side of the body 10, and the cartridge 19 may be mounted on the body 10. The airflow channel CN may be defined by a portion of the cartridge and/or a portion of the body 10, and the cartridge 19 may communicate with the insertion space through the airflow channel CN.
The body 10 may be formed in a structure in which the outside air may be introduced into the interior of the body 10 while the cartridge 19 is inserted thereinto. At this time, the outside air introduced into the body 10 may pass through the cartridge 19 and flow into the oral cavity of the user.
The cartridge 19 may include a storage C0, which contains an aerosol generating material, and/or a heater 24 for heating the aerosol generating material in the storage C0. A liquid transfer means impregnated with (containing) the aerosol generating material may be disposed inside the storage C0. Here, the liquid transfer means may include a wick, such as a cotton fiber, a ceramic fiber, a glass fiber, or a porous ceramic. The electrically conductive track of the heater 24 may be formed in a coil-type structure that is wound around the liquid transfer means or in a structure that is in contact with one side of the liquid transfer means. The heater 24 may be referred to as the cartridge heater 24.
The cartridge 19 may generate an aerosol. The aerosol may be generated as the liquid transfer means is heated by the cartridge heater 24. The stick S may be heated by the heater 18, thereby generating the aerosol. While the aerosol generated by the cartridge heater 24 and the heater 18 passes through the stick S, a tobacco material may be added to the aerosol. The aerosol with the tobacco material may be inhaled into the oral cavity of the user through one end of the stick S.
The aerosol generating device 1 may only include the cartridge heater 24, and the body 10 may not include the heater 18. In this case, as the aerosol generated by the cartridge heater 24 passes through the stick S, the tobacco material is added to the aerosol. The aerosol with the tobacco material may be inhaled into the oral cavity of the user.
The aerosol generating device 1 may include a cap (not shown). The cap may be detachably coupled to the body 10 to cover at least a portion of the cartridge 19 coupled to the body 10. The stick S may be inserted into the body 10 by passing through the cap.
The power source 11 may supply power to operate the components of the aerosol generating device. The power source 11 may be referred to as the battery. The power source 11 may supply power to at least one of the controller 12, the sensor 13, the cartridge heater 24, and the heater 18. When the aerosol generating device 1 includes an induction coil, the power source 11 may supply power to the induction coil.
The controller 12 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device. The controller may be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The controller 12 may control the operation of at least one of the power source 11, the sensor 13, the heater 18, and the cartridge 19. The controller 12 may control the operation of a display, a motor, and the like installed in the aerosol generating device. The controller 12 may verify a state of each of the components of the aerosol generating device to determine whether the aerosol generating device is in an operable state.
The controller 12 may analyze a sensing result obtained by the sensing of the sensor 13 and control processes to be performed thereafter. For example, the controller 12 may control power to be supplied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 to start or end an operation of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 based on the sensing result obtained by the sensor 13. For example, based on the sensing result obtained by the sensor 13, the controller 12 may control the amount of power supplied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 and a time for which the power is supplied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, such that the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 may be heated up to a predetermined temperature or maintained at a desired temperature.
The sensor 13 may include at least one of a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, an insertion detection sensor, a color sensor, a cartridge detection sensor, or a cap detection sensor. For example, the sensor 13 may sense at least one of the temperature of the heater 18, the temperature of the power source 11, or the temperature inside and outside the body 10. For example, the sensor 13 may sense a puff of the user. For example, the sensor 13 may sense whether the stick S is inserted into the insertion space. For example, the sensor 13 may sense whether the cartridge is mounted. For example, the sensor 13 may sense whether the cap is mounted.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the aerosol generating device 1 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 6, the aerosol generating device may include at least one of a power source 11, a controller 12, a sensor 13, and a heater 18. At least one of the power source 11, the controller 12, the sensor 13, and the heater 18 may be disposed inside a body 10 of the aerosol generating device. The body 10 may provide an upward-opening space into which a stick S, which is an aerosol generating article, is inserted. The upward-opening space may be referred to as an insertion space. The insertion space may be recessed by a predetermined depth toward the inside of the body 10 such that at least a portion of the stick S may be inserted into the insertion space. The depth of the insertion space may correspond to the length of an area of the stick S in which an aerosol generating material and/or a medium is included. A lower end of the stick S may be inserted into the body 10, and an upper end of the stick S may protrude outward from the body 10. A user may hold the upper end of the stick S, which is exposed to the outside, in the mouth of the user and inhale air.
The heater 18 may heat the stick S. The heater 18 may be elongated upward around a space into which the stick S is inserted. For example, the heater 18 may be in the form of a tube including a hollow therein. The heater 18 may be disposed around the insertion space. The heater 18 may be disposed to surround at least a portion of the insertion space. The heater 18 may heat the insertion space or the stick S inserted into the insertion space. The heater 18 may include an electrically resistive heater and/or an induction heater.
For example, referring to FIG. 6, the heater 18 may be a resistive heater. For example, the heater 18 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater 18 may be heated up as a current flows through the electrically conductive track. The heater 18 may be electrically connected to the power source 11. The heater 18 may directly generate heat by receiving a current from the power source 11. As a hollow heater, the heater 18 may be disposed to surround at least a portion of the stick S inserted into the insertion space to heat an outer portion of the stick S. Alternatively, as a needle-shaped heater, a rod-shaped heater, a tubular heater, or the like, the heater 18 may be inserted into the stick S inserted into the insertion space to heat the inside of the stick S.
For example, referring to FIG. 7, the aerosol generating device may include an induction coil 181 surrounding the heater 18. The induction coil 181 may heat the heater 18. As a susceptor, the heater 18 may be heated up by a magnetic field generated by an alternating current (AC) flowing through the induction coil 181. The magnetic field may pass through the heater 18 and generate an eddy current in the heater 18. A current may generate heat in the heater 18.
In addition, the susceptor may be included inside the stick S, and the susceptor inside the stick S may be heated by the magnetic field generated by the AC flowing through the induction coil 181.
The power source 11 may supply power to operate the components of the aerosol generating device. The power source 11 may be referred to as the battery. The power source 11 may supply power to at least one of the controller 12, the sensor 13, or the heater 18. When the aerosol generating device 1 includes an induction coil 181, the power source 11 may supply power to the induction coil 181.
The controller 12 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device. The controller may be mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The controller 12 may control the operation of at least one of the power source 11 or the sensor 13. The controller 12 may control the operation of the induction coil 181. The controller 12 may control the operation of a display, a motor, and the like installed in the aerosol generating device. The controller 12 may verify a state of each of the components of the aerosol generating device to determine whether the aerosol generating device is in an operable state.
The controller 12 may analyze a sensing result obtained by the sensing of the sensor 13 and control processes to be performed thereafter. For example, based on the sensing result obtained by the sensor 13, the controller 12 may control the power supplied to the heater 18 to initiate or terminate the operation of the heater 18. For example, based on the sensing result obtained by the sensor 13, the controller 12 may control the amount of power supplied to the heater 18 and a time for which the power is supplied, such that the heater 18 may be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature.
The sensor 13 may include at least one of a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, or an insertion detection sensor. For example, the sensor 13 may sense at least one of the temperature of the heater 18, the temperature of the power source 11, or the temperature inside and outside the body 10. For example, the sensor 13 may sense a puff of the user. For example, the sensor 13 may sense whether the stick S is inserted into the insertion space.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the aerosol generating device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
The aerosol generating device 1 may include a power source 11, a controller 12, a sensor 13, an output unit 14, an input unit 15, a communication unit 16, a memory 17, and at least one heater 18, 24. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1 is not limited to what is shown in FIG. 1. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains that some of the components shown in FIG. 1 may be omitted or new components may be added according to the design of the aerosol generating device 1.
The sensor 13 may sense a state of the aerosol generating device 1 or a state of an environment around the aerosol generating device 1, and transmit sensed information to the controller 12. Based on the sensed information, the controller 12 may control the aerosol generating device 1 to perform various functions, such as controlling the operation of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, restricting smoking, determining whether a stick S and/or a cartridge 19 is inserted, and displaying a notification.
The sensor 13 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 131, a puff sensor 132, an insertion detection sensor 133, a reuse detection sensor 134, a cartridge detection sensor 135, a cap detection sensor 136, and a motion detection sensor 137.
The temperature sensor 131 may sense a temperature at which the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 is heated. The aerosol generating device 1 may include a separate temperature sensor to sense the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, or the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 itself may serve as a temperature sensor.
The temperature sensor 131 may output a signal corresponding to the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. For example, the temperature sensor 131 may include a resistive element whose resistance value changes in response to a change in the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. The temperature sensor 131 may be implemented by a thermistor, which is an element that uses the property that the resistance changes depending on the temperature. At this time, the temperature sensor 131 may output a signal corresponding to the resistance value of the resistive element as the signal corresponding to the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. For example, the temperature sensor 131 may be configured as a sensor for detecting the resistance value of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. At this time, the temperature sensor 131 may output a signal corresponding to the resistance value of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 as the signal corresponding to the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18.
The temperature sensor 131 may be arranged around the power source 11 to monitor the temperature of the power source 11. The temperature sensor 131 may be disposed adjacent to the power source 11. For example, the temperature sensor 131 may be attached to one surface of a battery, which is the power source 11. For example, the temperature sensor 131 may be mounted on one surface of a printed circuit board (PCB).
The temperature sensor 131 may be disposed inside a body 10 to sense the internal temperature of the body 10.
The puff sensor 132 may sense a puff from a user based on various physical changes in an airflow path. The puff sensor 132 may output a signal corresponding to the puff. For example, the puff sensor 132 may be a pressure sensor. The puff sensor 132 may output a signal corresponding to the internal pressure of the aerosol generating device. Here, the internal pressure of the aerosol generating device 1 may correspond to the pressure in an airflow path through which a gas flows. The puff sensor 132 may be disposed corresponding to the airflow path through which a gas flows in the aerosol generating device 1.
The insertion detection sensor 133 may sense the insertion and/or removal of the stick S. The insertion detection sensor 133 may sense a signal change according to the insertion and/or removal of the stick S. The insertion detection sensor 133 may be installed in the vicinity of an insertion space. The insertion detection sensor 133 may sense the insertion and/or removal of the stick S according to a change in the permittivity inside the insertion space. For example, the insertion detection sensor 133 may be an inductive sensor and/or a capacitance sensor.
The inductive sensor may include at least one coil. The coil of the inductive sensor may be disposed adjacent to the insertion space. For example, if the magnetic field changes around the coil through which an electric current flows, the properties of the current flowing through the coil may change according to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. Here, the properties of the current flowing through the coil may include the frequency of alternating current, the current value, the voltage value, the inductance value, the impedance value, and the like.
The inductive sensor may output a signal corresponding to the properties of the current flowing through the coil. For example, the inductive sensor may output a signal corresponding to the inductance value of the coil.
The capacitance sensor may include a conductor. The conductor of the capacitance sensor may be disposed adjacent to the insertion space. The capacitance sensor may output a signal corresponding to the electromagnetic properties of the surroundings, for example, the capacitance around the conductor. For example, when a stick S including a metal wrapper is inserted into the insertion space, the electromagnetic properties around the conductor may change due to the wrapper of the stick S.
The reuse detection sensor 134 may sense whether the stick S is reused. The reuse detection sensor 134 may be a color sensor. The color sensor may sense the color of the stick. The color sensor may sense the color of a portion of the wrapper that wraps around the outside of the stick S. The color sensor may detect a value of the optical properties corresponding to the color of an object based on light reflected from the object. For example, the optical properties may be the wavelength of light. The color sensor may be implemented as a single component in conjunction with a proximity sensor, or may be implemented as a separate component different from the proximity sensor.
At least a portion of the wrapper of the stick S may change in color due to an aerosol. The reuse detection sensor 134 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the position at which at least a portion of the wrapper that changes in color due to an aerosol is disposed when the stick S is inserted into the insertion space. For example, before the stick S is used by the user, the color of at least a portion of the wrapper may be a first color. At this time, as at least a portion of the wrapper is wet by the aerosol while the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating device 1 passes through the stick S, the color of the portion of the wrapper may change to a second color. Meanwhile, the color of the portion of the wrapper may be maintained as the second color after changing from the first color to the second color.
The cartridge detection sensor 135 may sense the insertion and/or removal of the cartridge 19. The cartridge detection sensor 135 may be implemented by an inductance-based sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistance sensor, or a Hall sensor (e.g., Hall IC) using the Hall effect.
The cap detection sensor 136 may sense the mounting and/or removal of a cap. When the cap is detached from the body 10, a portion of the cartridge 19 and the body 10 covered by the cap may be exposed to the outside. The cap detection sensor 136 may be implemented by a contact sensor, a Hall sensor (e.g., Hall IC), an optical sensor, or the like.
The motion detection sensor 137 may sense a motion of the aerosol generating device. The motion detection sensor 137 may be implemented by at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.
In addition to the sensors 131 to 137 described above, the sensor 13 may further include at least one of a humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a position sensor (e.g., global positioning system (GPS)), and a proximity sensor. A function of each of the sensors may be intuitively inferable from its name by one of ordinary skill in the art, and thus, a more detailed description thereof will be omitted here.
The output unit 14 may output and provide information about the state of the aerosol generating device 1 to the user. The output unit 14 may include at least one of a display 141, a haptic portion 142, or a sound outputter 143, but is not limited thereto. When the display 141 and a touchpad are provided in a layered structure to form a touchscreen, the display 141 may be used as an input device in addition to an output device.
The display 141 may visually provide information about the aerosol generating device 1 to the user. The information about the aerosol generating device 1 may include, for example, a charging/discharging state of the power source 11 of the aerosol generating device 1, a preheating state of the heater 18, an insertion/removal state of the stick S and/or the cartridge 19, a mounting/removal state of the cap, or a limited usage state (e.g., an abnormal article detected) of the aerosol generating device 1, or the like, and the display 141 may externally output the information. For example, the display 141 may be in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED) device. The display 141 may be, for example, a liquid-crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light-emitting display panel (OLED), or the like.
The haptic portion 142 may provide information about the aerosol generating device 1 to the user in a haptic way by converting an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus or an electrical stimulus. For example, the haptic portion 142 may generate vibrations corresponding to the completion of initial preheating when initial power is supplied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 for a set time. The haptic portion 142 may include, for example, a vibration motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.
The sound outputter 143 may provide the information about the aerosol generating device 1 to the user in an auditory way. For example, the sound outputter 143 may convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and externally output the sound signal.
The power source 11 may supply power to be used to operate the aerosol generating device 1. The power source 11 may supply power to heat the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. In addition, the power source 11 may supply power required for operations of the other components (e.g., the sensor 13, the output unit 14, the input unit 15, the communication unit 16, and the memory 17) included in the aerosol generating device 1. The power source 11 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. The power source 11 may be, for example, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.
Although not shown in FIG. 8, the aerosol generating device 1 may further include a power protection circuit. The power protection circuit may be electrically connected to the power source 11 and may include a switching element.
The power protection circuit may cut off an electrical circuit for the power source 11 under a predetermined condition. For example, the power protection circuit may cut off the electrical circuit for the power source 11 when the voltage level of the power source 11 is greater than or equal to a first voltage corresponding to overcharging. For example, the power protection circuit may cut off the electrical circuit for the power source 11 when the voltage level of the power source 11 is less than a second voltage corresponding to overdischarging.
The heater 18 may receive power from the power source 11 to heat a medium or an aerosol generating material in the stick S. Although not shown in FIG. 8, the aerosol generating device 1 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a direct current (DC)-to-DC (DC/DC) converter) that converts power of the power source 11 and supplies the power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. In addition, when the aerosol generating device 1 generates an aerosol in an induction heating manner, the aerosol generating device 1 may further include a DC-to-alternating current (AC) (DC/AC) converter that converts DC power of the power source 11 into AC power.
The controller 12, the sensor 13, the output unit 14, the input unit 15, the communication unit 16, and the memory 17 may receive power from the power source 11 to perform functions. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a power conversion circuit, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, which converts power of the power source 11 and supplies the power to respective components, may further be included. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 8, a noise filter may be provided between the power source 11 and the heater 18. The noise filter may be a low-pass filter. The low-pass filter may include at least one inductor and at least one capacitor. The cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter may correspond to the frequency of a high-frequency switching current applied from the power source 11 to the heater 18. The low-pass filter may prevent the application of a high-frequency noise component to the sensor 13, such as the insertion detection sensor 133.
In an embodiment, the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 may be formed of a predetermined electrically resistive material that is suitable. The electrically resistive material may be a metal or a metal alloy including, for example, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, or the like, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the heater 18 may be implemented as a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate on which an electrically conductive track is arranged, a ceramic heating element, or the like, but is not limited thereto.
In another embodiment, the heater 18 may be an induction heater. For example, the heater 18 may include a susceptor that heats the aerosol generating material by generating heat through a magnetic field applied by a coil.
The input unit 15 may receive information input from the user or may output information to the user. For example, the input unit 15 may be a touch panel. The touch panel may include at least one touch sensor for sensing a touch. For example, the touch sensor may include a capacitive touch sensor, a resistive touch sensor, a surface acoustic wave touch sensor, an infrared touch sensor, and the like, but is not limited thereto.
The display 141 and the touch panel may be implemented as a single panel. For example, the touch panel may be inserted into the display 141 (e.g., an on-cell type or in-cell type). For example, the touch panel may be added onto the display panel 141 (e.g., an add-on type).
Meanwhile, the input unit 15 may include a button, a keypad, a dome switch, a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like, but is not limited thereto.
The memory 17, which is hardware for storing various pieces of data processed in the aerosol generating device 1, may store data processed by the controller 12 and data to be processed thereby. The memory 17 may include at least one type of storage medium of a flash memory type memory, a hard disk type memory, a multimedia card micro type memory, a card type memory (e.g., an SD or XE memory), a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. The memory 17 may store an operating time of the aerosol generating device 1, a maximum number of puffs, a current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, data associated with a smoking pattern of the user, and the like.
The communication unit 16 may include at least one component for communicating with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit 16 may include at least one of a short-range wireless communication unit and a wireless communication unit.
The short-range wireless communication unit may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication unit, a near-field communication unit, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a ZigBee communication unit, an infrared data association (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit, and an Ant+ communication unit, but is not limited thereto.
The wireless communication unit may include, for example, a cellular network communicator, an Internet communicator, a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide-area network (WAN)) communicator, and the like, but is not limited thereto.
Although not shown in FIG. 8, the aerosol generating device 1 may further include a connection interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and may be connected to another external device through the connection interface such as a USB interface to transmit and receive information or to charge the power source 11.
The controller 12 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1. In an embodiment, the controller 12 may include at least one processor. The at least one processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains that it may be implemented in other types of hardware.
The controller 12 may control the temperature of the heater 18 by controlling the supply of power from the power source 11 to the heater 18. The controller 12 may control the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 based on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 sensed by the temperature sensor 131. The controller 12 may adjust the power supplied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 based on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. For example, the controller 12 may determine a target temperature for the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 based on a temperature profile stored in the memory 17.
The aerosol generating device 1 may include a power supply circuit (not shown) electrically connected to the power source 11 between the power source 11 and the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. The power supply circuit may be electrically connected to the cartridge heater 24, the heater 18, or an induction coil 181. The power supply circuit may contain at least one switching element. The switching element may be implemented by a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), a field-effective transistor (FET), or the like. The controller 12 may control the power supply circuit.
The controller 12 may control the power supply by controlling the switching of the switching element of the power supply circuit. The power supply circuit may be an inverter for converting DC power output from the power source 11 into AC power. For example, the inverter may be configured as a half-bridge circuit or a full-bridge circuit including a plurality of switching elements.
The controller 12 may turn on the switching element to supply power from the power source 11 to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. The controller 12 may turn off the switching element to cut off the supply of power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. The controller 12 may adjust the current supplied from the power source 11 by adjusting the frequency and/or duty ratio of the current pulse input to the switching element.
The controller 12 may control the voltage output from the power source 11 by controlling the switching of the switching element of the power supply circuit. A power conversion circuit may convert the voltage output from the power source 11. For example, the power conversion circuit may include a buck-converter for decreasing the voltage output from the power source 11. For example, the power conversion circuit may be implemented through a buck-boost converter, a Zener diode, or the like.
The controller 12 may adjust the level of voltage output from the power conversion circuit by controlling an ON/OFF operation of the switching element included in the power conversion circuit. During the ON state of the switching element, the level of voltage output from the power conversion circuit may correspond to the level of voltage output from the power source 11. The duty ratio for the ON/OFF operation of the switching element may correspond to the ratio of the voltage output from the power conversion circuit to the voltage output from the power source 11. As the duty ratio for the ON/OFF operation of the switching element decreases, the level of voltage output from the power conversion circuit may decrease. The heater 18 may be heated based on the voltage output from the power conversion circuit.
The controller 12 may control to supply power to the heater 18 using at least one of a pulse width modulation (PWM) scheme and a proportional-integral-differential (PID) scheme.
For example, the controller 12 may control to supply a current pulse with a predetermined frequency and a duty ratio to the heater 18, using the PWM scheme. The controller 12 may control the power supplied to the heater 18 by adjusting the frequency and duty ratio of the current pulse.
For example, the controller 12 may determine a target temperature, the target of the controlling, based on the temperature profile. The controller 12 may control the power supplied to the heater 18 using the PID scheme, which is a feedback control scheme through the difference value between the temperature of the heater 18 and the target temperature, the value obtained by integrating the difference value over time, and the value obtained by differentiating the difference value over time.
The controller 12 may prevent overheating of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. For example, the controller 12 may control the operation of the power conversion circuit to stop supplying power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 based on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 exceeding a preset temperature limit. For example, the controller 12 may reduce the amount of power supplied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 by a predetermined proportion, based on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 exceeding the preset temperature limit. For example, the controller 12 may determine that the aerosol generating material accommodated in the cartridge 19 is exhausted based on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 exceeding the temperature limit, and cut off the power supply to the cartridge heater 24.
The controller 12 may control the charging and discharging of the power source 11. The controller 12 may verify the temperature of the power source 11 based on an output signal from the temperature sensor 131.
When a power line is connected to a battery terminal of the aerosol generating device 1, the controller 12 may verify whether the temperature of the power source 11 is greater than or equal to a first temperature limit which is the criterion for cutting off the charging of the power source 11. The controller 12 may control the power source 11 to be charged based on a preset charging current when the temperature of the power source 11 is less than the first temperature limit. The controller 12 may cut off the charging of the power source 11 when the temperature of the power source 11 is greater than or equal to the first temperature limit.
In a state in which the aerosol generating device 1 is powered ON, the controller 12 may verify whether the temperature of the power source 11 is greater than or equal to a second temperature limit which is the criterion for cutting off the discharging of the power source 11. The controller 12 may control the power stored in the power source 11 to be used when the temperature of the power source 11 is less than the second temperature limit. The controller 12 may stop using the power stored in the power source 11 when the temperature of the power source 11 is greater than or equal to the second temperature limit.
The controller 12 may calculate the remaining capacity for the power stored in the power source 11. For example, the controller 12 may calculate the remaining capacity of the power source 11 based on the voltage of the power source 11 and/or the value of current sensed.
The controller 12 may determine whether the stick S is inserted into the insertion space through the insertion detection sensor 133. The controller 12 may determine that the stick S is inserted based on an output signal from the insertion detection sensor 133. When it is determined that the stick S is inserted into the insertion space, the controller 12 may control to supply power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18. For example, the controller 12 may supply power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 17.
The controller 12 may determine whether the stick S is removed from the insertion space. For example, the controller 12 may determine whether the stick S is removed from the insertion space through the insertion detection sensor 133. For example, the controller 12 may determine that the stick S is removed from the insertion space when the temperature of the heater 18 is greater than or equal to a temperature limit or when the gradient of the temperature change of the heater 18 is greater than or equal to a set gradient. When it is determined that the stick S is removed from the insertion space, the controller 12 may cut off the supply of power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18.
The controller 12 may control the time of power supply and/or the amount of power supply to the heater 18 depending on the state of the stick S sensed by the sensor 13. The controller 12 may verify a level range including the level of a signal of the capacitance sensor based on a lookup table. The controller 12 may determine the amount of moisture in the stick S according to the verified level range.
When the stick S is in an over-humidified state, the controller 12 may increase the preheating time of the stick S compared to the case in which the stick S is in a normal state, by controlling the time of power supply to the heater 18.
The controller 12 may determine whether the stick S inserted into the insertion space is reused through the reuse detection sensor 134. For example, the controller 12 may compare a sensed value of a signal of the reuse detection sensor with a first reference range including a first color, and when the sensed value falls within the first reference range, determine that the stick S is unused. For example, the controller 12 may compare the sensed value of the signal of the reuse detection sensor with a second reference range including a second color, and when the sensed value falls within the second reference range, determine that the stick S is used. When it is determined that the stick S is used, the controller 12 may cut off the supply of power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18.
The controller 12 may determine whether the cartridge 19 is coupled and/or decoupled, through the cartridge detection sensor 135. For example, the controller 12 may determine whether the cartridge 19 is coupled and/or decoupled based on a sensed value of a signal of the cartridge detection sensor.
The controller 12 may determine whether the aerosol generating material in the cartridge 19 is exhausted. For example, the controller 12 may preheat the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 by applying power, determine whether the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 exceeds the temperature limit in a preheating period, and determine that the aerosol generating material in the cartridge 19 is exhausted when the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 exceeds the temperature limit. When it is determined that the aerosol generating material in the cartridge 19 is exhausted, the controller 12 may cut off the supply of power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18.
The controller 12 may determine whether the cartridge 19 is usable. For example, the controller 12 may determine that the cartridge 19 is unusable when the current number of puffs is greater than or equal to the maximum number of puffs set in the cartridge 19 based on the data stored in the memory 17. For example, the controller 12 may determine that the cartridge 19 is unusable when the total time for which the heater 24 is heated is greater than or equal to a preset maximum time or when the total amount of power supplied to the heater 24 is greater than or equal to a preset maximum amount of power.
The controller 12 may perform a determination about the inhalation of the user through the puff sensor 132. For example, the controller 12 may determine whether a puff occurs based on a sensed value of a signal of the puff sensor. For example, the controller 12 may determine the strength of the puff based on the sensed value of the signal of the puff sensor 132. When the number of puffs reaches the preset maximum number of puffs or when a puff is not detected for more than a preset time, the controller 12 may cut off the supply of power to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18.
The controller 12 may determine whether the cap is put on and/or taken off, through the cap detection sensor 136. For example, the controller 12 may determine whether the cap is put on and/or taken off based on a sensed value of a signal of the cap detection sensor.
The controller 12 may control the output unit 14 based on a result of sensing by the sensor 13. For example, when the number of puffs counted through the puff sensor 132 reaches the preset number, the controller 12 may inform the user that the aerosol generating device 1 is to be ended soon, through at least one of the display 141, the haptic portion 142, or the sound outputter 143. For example, the controller 12 may inform the user through the output unit 14 based on the determination that the stick S is absent from the insertion space. For example, the controller 12 may inform the user through the output unit 14 based on the determination that the cartridge 19 and/or the cap is not mounted. For example, the controller 12 may provide information on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18 to the user through the output unit 14.
Based on the occurrence of a predetermined event, the controller 12 may store and update the history of the event that occurred in the memory 17. The event may include the detection of inserting the stick S, the initiation of heating the stick S, the detection of puffs, the end of puffs, the detection of overheating of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, the detection of applying overvoltage to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, the end of heating the stick S, the operation of powering ON/OFF the aerosol generating device 1, initiation of charging the power source 11, the detection of overcharging of the power source 11, the end of charging the power source 11, or the like, performed by the aerosol generating device 1. The history of the event may include the date and time the event occurred, log data corresponding to the event, and the like. For example, if the predetermined event is the detection of inserting the stick S, the log data corresponding to the event may include data on the sensed value of the insertion detection sensor 133. For example, if the predetermined event is the detection of overheating of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, the log data corresponding to the event may include data on the temperature of the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, the voltage applied to the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, the current flowing in the cartridge heater 24 and/or the heater 18, and the like.
The controller 12 may control to form a communication link with an external device, such as a mobile terminal of the user. When authentication data is received from the external device via the communication link, the controller 12 may remove restrictions on the use of at least one function of the aerosol generating device 1. Here, the authentication data may include data indicating the completion of user authentication for the user corresponding to the external device. The user may perform user authentication through the external device. The external device may determine whether user data is valid based on the date of birth of the user, a unique number that identifies the user, and the like, and receive data on the authority to use the aerosol generating device 1 from an external server. The external device may transmit data indicating the completion of user authentication to the aerosol generating device 1 based on the data on the authority to use. In response to the completion of the user authentication, the controller 12 may remove restrictions on the use of at least one function of the aerosol generating device 1. For example, in response to the completion of the user authentication, the controller 12 may remove restrictions on the use of a heating function that supplies power to the heater 18.
The controller 12 may transmit state data of the aerosol generating device 1 to the external device via the communication link with the external device. Based on the received state data, the external device may output the remaining capacity, the operation mode, and the like of the power source 11 of the aerosol generating device 1 through a display of the external device.
The external device may transmit a location search request to the aerosol generating device 1 based on an input that initiates a search for the location of the aerosol generating device 1. When the location search request is received from the external device, the controller 12 may control at least one of output devices to perform an operation corresponding to the location search based on the received location search request. For example, in response to the location search request, the haptic portion 142 may generate vibrations. For example, in response to the location search request, the display 141 may output an object corresponding to the location search and the end of the search.
When firmware data is received from the external device, the controller 12 may control to perform a firmware update. The external device may check the current version of the firmware for the aerosol generating device 1 and determine whether a new version of the firmware is present. When an input that requests a firmware download is received, the external device may receive a new version of firmware data and transmit the new version of firmware data to the aerosol generating device 1. When the new version of firmware data is received, the controller 12 may control to update the firmware of the aerosol generating device 1.
The controller 12 may transmit data on the sensed value of at least one sensor 13 through the communication unit 16 to an external server (not shown), receive a learning model generated by learning the sensed value through machine learning such as deep learning from the server, and store the learning model. The controller 12 may perform an operation of determining an inhalation pattern of the user, an operation of generating a temperature profile, and the like using the learning model received from the server. The controller 12 may store, in the memory 17, the sensed value data of at least one sensor 13 and the data used to train an artificial neural network (ANN). For example, the memory 17 may store a database for each component provided in the aerosol generating device 1, weights that form the structure of the ANN, and biases, for training the ANN. The controller 12 may generate at least one learning model that learns the data on the sensed value of at least one sensor 13, the inhalation pattern of the user, the temperature profile, and the like, stored in the memory 17, and is used to determine the inhalation pattern of the user and generate the temperature profile.
FIG. 9 illustrates an aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 illustrates a dilution rate of an aerosol generating article according to an embodiment, and FIG. 11 illustrates a first puff temperature of an aerosol generating article according to an embodiment. FIG. 12 illustrates different shapes of perforations, and FIG. 13 illustrates simulation results showing dilution rates and temperatures according to the different shapes of perforations of FIG. 12.
Referring to FIG. 9, the aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment may include an upstream filter segment 111, a medium segment 112 disposed downstream of the upstream filter segment 111, a cooling segment 113 disposed downstream of the medium segment 112, and a downstream filter segment 114 disposed downstream of the cooling segment 113. The cooling segment 113 and the downstream filter segment 114 may form a downstream segment.
The upstream filter segment 111, the medium segment 112, the cooling segment 113, and the downstream filter segment 114 may be sequentially connected in the longitudinal direction, and an end portion of the aerosol generating article 110 on the side of the downstream filter segment 114 may be brought into contact with a mouth. Here, the longitudinal direction may be defined as a direction parallel to the flow direction of an aerosol from the upstream filter segment 111 through the medium segment 112 and the cooling segment 113 to the downstream filter segment 114 (e.g., the +X direction in FIG. 9).
In an embodiment, the upstream filter segment 111 may be a cellulose acetate filter. In addition, the upstream filter segment 111 may include a paper filter and a porous molding. For example, the length of the upstream filter segment 111 may be about 4 to 15 mm, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the upstream filter segment 111 may be colored or flavored.
Alternatively, the upstream filter segment 111 may include an atomization segment. A moisturizing agent used to fill the atomization segment may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the atomization segment may include other additives such as a flavoring agent, a humectant, and/or organic acid. In addition, the atomization segment may contain flavoring liquid such as menthol or a moisturizing agent. The atomization segment may allow an aerosol to be generated even when a separate vaporizer is not provided in an aerosol generating device. For example, in this case, a vaporizer (e.g., the cartridge 19 of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5) may be omitted from an aerosol generating device (e.g., the aerosol generating device 1 of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5), and a heater (e.g., the heater 18 of FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 to 8) may heat the atomization segment to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generated from the atomization segment may have relatively high temperature but cooled in the cooling segment 113 after passing through the medium segment 112.
In an embodiment, the medium segment 112 may include a cavity, and the cavity may be filled with a medium. For example, the medium used to fill the medium segment 112 may include at least one component of reconstituted tobacco sheets, cut tobacco leaves, and granular tobacco (tobacco granules). Alternatively, the medium used to fill the medium segment 112 may include a functional substance such as caffeine, taurine, a pharmacological material, a flavoring material, or a sweetener. For example, a desirable length of the medium segment 112 may be adopted from a range of 6 mm to 18 mm but is not limited thereto.
Generally, tobacco granules have a significantly lower content of moisture and/or aerosol former than other types of tobacco materials (e.g., cut tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco sheets, and the like) and thus may greatly reduce the generation of visible smoke, which may facilitate the implementation of a smokeless function of the aerosol generating device 1. However, the tobacco granules may vary in diameter, density, filling rate, composition ratio of constituent materials, heating temperature, and the like, etc. depending on the embodiment. The diameter of tobacco granules may be about 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm. Within this numerical range, the proper hardness and ease of manufacture of the tobacco granules may be guaranteed, and the probability of vortex airstream in the cavity may be increased.
Also, the medium segment 112 may include an aerosol generating material such as glycerin or the like. Furthermore, the medium segment 112 may include other additives such as a flavoring agent, a humectant, and/or organic acid. In addition, the medium segment 112 may include a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a moisturizing agent that is added as being sprayed onto the medium segment 112.
In an embodiment, the cooling segment 113 may cool an aerosol that passes through the medium segment 112. For example, the cooling segment 113 may be made of cellulose acetate and may have a tubular structure including a hollow therein. For example, the cooling segment 113 may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate tow. For example, the cooling segment 113 may be made of paper and may have a tubular structure including a hollow therein. A desirable diameter of the hollow included in the cooling segment 113 may be adopted from a range of 4 mm to 8 mm but is not limited thereto. A desirable length of the cooling segment 113 may be adopted from a range of 4 mm to 30 mm but is not limited thereto. The cooling segment 113 is not limited to the above example, and may be applicable without limitation as long as it may perform a function of cooling an aerosol.
In an embodiment, the downstream filter segment 114 may be a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the downstream filter segment 114 may be configured with a filter including at least one fragrance capsule, and the downstream filter segment 114 may be a cellulose acetate filter having at least one fragrance capsule inserted therein. In addition, the downstream filter segment 114 may be configured with a filter in which flavoring materials are mixed.
In an embodiment, the aerosol generating article 110 may be wrapped with at least one wrapper 115. The wrapper 115 may have at least one hole through which outside air is introduced or gas therein is discharged. The wrapper 115 may include a material with high thermal conductivity.
For example, the upstream filter segment 111 may be wrapped with a first wrapper 1151, the medium segment 112 may be wrapped with a second wrapper 1152, the cooling segment 113 may be wrapped with a third wrapper 1153, and the downstream filter segment 114 may be wrapped with a fourth wrapper 1154. In addition, the aerosol generating article 110 may be entirely wrapped again with a fifth wrapper 1155.
In an embodiment, the first wrapper 1151 may include an aluminum component. The first wrapper 1151 may be a combination of general filter wrapping paper and metal foil such as aluminum foil. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 1151 may be in the range of 40 micrometers (µm) to 80 µm. In addition, the thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 1151 may be in the range of 6 µm to 20 µm.
In an embodiment, the second wrapper 1152 and the third wrapper 1153 may be formed with porous wrapping paper. For example, the porosity of the second wrapper 1152 may be about 35000 CU but is not limited thereto. Also, the thickness of the second wrapper 1152 may be in the range of 70 µm to 80 µm. In addition, the basis weight of the second wrapper 1152 may be in the range of 20 g/m² to 25 g/m².
For example, the second wrapper 1152 may include an aluminum component. For example, the second wrapper 1152 may be a combination of general filter wrapping paper and metal foil such as aluminum foil. Furthermore, the second wrapper 1152 may be formed of sterile paper (e.g., MFW).
In an embodiment, the porosity of the third wrapper 1153 may be about 35000 CU but is not limited thereto. Also, the thickness of the third wrapper 1153 may be in the range of 70 µm to 80 µm. In addition, the basis weight of the third wrapper 1153 may be in the range of 20 g/m² to 25 g/m².
In an embodiment, the fourth wrapper 1154 may be formed with polylactic acid (PLA) laminated paper. The PLA laminated paper may refer to three-ply paper including a paper layer, a PLA layer, and a paper layer. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 1154 may be in the range of 100 µm to 120 µm. In addition, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 1154 may be in the range of 80 g/m² to 100 g/m².
In an embodiment, the fifth wrapper 1155 may be formed of sterile paper (e.g., MFW). For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 1155 may be in the range of 57 g/m² to 63 g/m². Also, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 1155 may be in the range of 64 µm to 70 µm.
In an embodiment, perforations 116 may be formed in the cooling segment 113. The perforations 116 may be formed in an area surrounding the cooling segment 113, and the plurality of perforations 116 may be formed around the cooling segment 113 in a row. Alternatively, the perforations 116 may be formed in an area surrounding the downstream filter segment 114, and the plurality of perforations 116 may be formed around the downstream filter segment 114 in a row.
The air outside the aerosol generating article 110 may be introduced through the perforations 116, and the air introduced from the outside may contact the aerosol passing through the cooling segment 113 or the downstream filter segment 114 to cool the aerosol. Additionally, the aerosol may be diluted to an appropriate level by the air introduced from the outside.
For example, since an online perforation (e.g., laser perforation) method is applied to the aerosol generating article 110, a row of line-shaped perforations 116 may be formed.
In an embodiment, the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 may be less than or equal to 10:1. Here, the width of the perforations 116 may be defined as the maximum length in the circumferential direction of the cooling segment 113 in one hole forming the perforations 116. The length of the perforations 116 may be defined as the maximum length perpendicular to the width of the perforations 116, and may be defined as the maximum length in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the +/- X direction in FIG. 9) of the cooling segment 113 in one hole forming the perforations 116.
In an embodiment, the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 may be greater than or equal to 1:1. The number of perforations 116 formed along the row of perforations 116 in the circumference of the cooling segment 113 may be 8 to 16.
In an embodiment, the perforations 116 may have a circular, rectangular, or oval shape.
Referring to FIG. 10, the horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 10 represents the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116, and the vertical axis represents the air dilution rate (%).
In FIG. 10, when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is greater than 10:1 (e.g., 15:1 in FIG. 10), it may be learned that the air dilution rate is maintained at approximately 60% without a great change. It may be learned that the dilution rate increases when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is 10:1 or less. The dilution rate tends to continuously increase to or remain at approximately 80% or more until the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is 1:1. Meanwhile, it may be learned that when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is less than 1:1, there is no increase in the dilution rate. In particular, in the case where the number of perforations 116 is 12, it may be learned that the dilution rate decreases from about 80% to about 70% when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is less than 1:1.
Referring to FIG. 11, the horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 11 represents the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116, and the vertical axis represents the temperature (°C) at the first puff.
In FIG. 11, when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is greater than 10:1 (e.g., 15:1 in FIG. 11), it may be learned that the temperature is approximately 60°C or higher, which is relatively hot. It may be learned that the temperature decreases when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is 10:1 or less. Such a decrease in the temperature tends to continuously decrease to or remain at approximately 40°C until the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is 1:1. Meanwhile, it may be learned that when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is less than 1:1, there is no decrease in the temperature. In particular, in the case where the number of perforations 116 is 12, it may be learned that the temperature increases rather from less than 50°C to 50°C or higher when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is less than 1:1.
Therefore, the aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment effectively reduced the thermal sensation in the mouth while increasing the air dilution rate.
FIG. 12 illustrates different shapes of perforations 116, and FIG. 13 illustrates simulation results showing dilution rates and temperatures according to the different shapes of perforations of FIG. 12.
(a) of FIG. 12 shows a case where the perforations 116 is formed in a circular shape, and in this case, the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 may be 1:1. (b) of FIG. 12 shows a comparative example in which the width of the perforations 116 is larger than the length thereof, and for example, the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 may be greater than 10:1. The areas of the perforations 116 in (a) and (b) of FIG. 12 are the same. (a) of FIG. 13 shows the simulation result according to (a) of FIG. 12, and (b) of FIG. 13 shows the simulation result according to (b) of FIG. 12.
Referring to FIG. 13, when the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 of the aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment is 10:1 to 1:1, outside air is introduced and circulated actively, resulting in an increase in the air dilution rate and a decrease in the thermal sensation (temperature).
Based on the same area of perforations 116, in an aerosol generating article according to an embodiment in which the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 is 10:1 to 1:1 ((a) of FIG. 13), the resistance of an inlet path of outside air is small, so the amount of air introduced increases and the dilution rate increases. Additionally, the temperature decreased by about 20% compared to the comparative example ((b) of FIG. 13).
This is due to the shape of an air path in the form of a space defined by the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 and the shape of an air inlet. In the case of the comparative example in the form of a line, a stream-like air inflow, such as an air curtain, appears, which may weaken the characteristic of mixing with the hot aerosol flowing into the cooling segment 113 from the medium. In contrast, in the case of the structure/shape of the perforations 116 of the aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment, a lump of air is introduced, and some of the air is effectively mixed with the aerosol from upstream in the space within the hollow tube of the cooling segment 113. The thermal sensation in the mouth may be perceived as high if the temperature of some predetermined aerosols is high, even when the average temperature is low. Only when the average temperature and the temperature difference decrease together, the mouth may not feel the heat, and the structure/shape of the perforations 116 of the aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment may implement the foregoing by effectively mixing hot aerosol and cold air.
Since the aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment is heated in a non-combusted manner, different from a combustible cigarette, it is important to reduce the thermal sensation (temperature) of the aerosol through the perforations 116 in the aerosol generating article 110. For example, when vaporization is performed using a moisturizing agent, a hot thermal sensation may be generated as the moisturizing agent vaporizes, which may cause an unpleasant experience for a user. The aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment may effectively reduce this thermal sensation while increasing the air dilution rate.
The aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment may effectively control the thermal sensation only with the structure/shape of the perforations 116 and thus, may not cause an increase in manufacturing cost, such as an increase in material cost.
An aerosol generating article 110 according to an embodiment may include a medium segment 112, and a downstream segment disposed downstream of the medium segment 112, wherein perforations 116 may be formed in an outer surface of the downstream segment, the perforations 116 may be arranged in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article 110 to form a row of perforations 116, and a ratio of a width of the perforations in the circumferential direction to a length of the perforations perpendicular to the width may be less than or equal to 10:1.
In an embodiment, the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 may be greater than or equal to 1:1.
In an embodiment, a number of perforations formed along the row of perforations 116 may be 8 to 16.
In an embodiment, the downstream segment may include a cooling segment 113 disposed downstream of the medium segment 112, and a downstream filter segment 114 disposed downstream of the cooling segment 113, wherein the perforations 116 may be arranged along a circumference of at least one of the cooling segment 113 or the downstream filter segment 114.
An upstream filter segment 111 disposed upstream of the medium segment 112 may be further included.
The cooling segment 113 may have a structure in the form of a tube including a longitudinal hollow.
The perforations 116 may have a circular, rectangular, or oval shape.
A medium may include at least one of reconstituted tobacco sheets, cut tobacco leaves, caffeine, taurine, a pharmacological material, a flavoring material, or a sweetener.
An aerosol generating system according to an embodiment may include an aerosol generating article 110, and an aerosol generating device 1 including a controller 12 with at least one processor, an inner space in which the aerosol generating article 110 is accommodated, and a heater 18 configured to heat a liquid composition or the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating article 110 may include an upstream filter segment 111, a medium segment 112 disposed downstream of the upstream filter segment 111, a cooling segment 113 disposed downstream of the medium segment 112, and a downstream filter segment 114 disposed downstream of the cooling segment 113, wherein perforations 116 may be formed in an outer surface of the cooling segment 113, and a ratio of a width of the perforations 116 in a circumferential direction of the cooling segment 113 to a length of the perforations perpendicular to the width may be less than or equal to 10:1.
In an embodiment, the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations 116 may be greater than or equal to 1:1.
The perforations 116 may be configured in a plurality and arranged in the circumferential direction of the cooling segment 113 to form a row of perforations 116.
The descriptions of the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and equivalents may be made thereto. Therefore, the scope of the disclosure should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to those described in the claims will be construed as being included in the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

An aerosol generating article comprising:
a medium segment; and

a downstream segment disposed downstream of the medium segment,

wherein perforations are formed in an outer surface of the downstream segment,

the perforations are arranged in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article to form a perforation row, and

a ratio of a width of the perforations in the circumferential direction to a length of the perforations perpendicular to the width is less than or equal to 10:1.
The aerosol generating article of claim 1, wherein
the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations is greater than or equal to 1:1.
The aerosol generating article of claim 2, wherein
a number of perforations formed along the perforation row is 8 to 16.
The aerosol generating article of claim 2, wherein
the downstream segment comprises:
a cooling segment disposed downstream of the medium segment; and

a downstream filter segment disposed downstream of the cooling segment,

wherein the perforations are arranged along a circumference of at least one of the cooling segment or the downstream filter segment.
The aerosol generating article of claim 4, further comprising:
an upstream filter segment disposed upstream of the medium segment.
The aerosol generating article of claim 4, wherein
the cooling segment has a structure in the form of a tube comprising a longitudinal hollow.
The aerosol generating article of claim 1, wherein
the perforations have a circular, rectangular, or oval shape.
The aerosol generating article of claim 1, wherein
a medium comprises at least one of reconstituted tobacco sheets, cut tobacco leaves, caffeine, taurine, a pharmacological material, a flavoring material, or a sweetener.
An aerosol generating system comprising:
an aerosol generating article; and

an aerosol generating device comprising a controller with at least one processor, an inner space in which the aerosol generating article is accommodated, and a heater configured to heat a liquid composition or the aerosol generating article,

wherein the aerosol generating article comprises:
an upstream filter segment;

a medium segment disposed downstream of the upstream filter segment;

a cooling segment disposed downstream of the medium segment; and

a downstream filter segment disposed downstream of the cooling segment,

wherein perforations are formed in an outer surface of the cooling segment, and

a ratio of a width of the perforations in a circumferential direction of the cooling segment to a length of the perforations perpendicular to the width is less than or equal to 10:1.
The aerosol generating system of claim 9, wherein
the ratio of the width to the length of the perforations is greater than or equal to 1:1.
The aerosol generating system of claim 10, wherein
the perforations are configured in a plurality and arranged in the circumferential direction of the cooling segment to form a perforation row.