EP4616730A1

EP4616730A1 - Microwave heating assembly and aerosol generating device

Info

Publication number: EP4616730A1
Application number: EP22964921.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jing Du; Feng Liang
Original assignee: Smoore International Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Smoore International Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2022-11-07
Filing date: 2022-11-18
Publication date: 2025-09-17
Also published as: WO2024098454A1; CN117981919A; EP4616730A4; JP2025535327A

Abstract

A microwave heating assembly and an aerosol generating device. The microwave heating assembly comprises an outer conductor unit and an inner conductor unit, wherein the outer conductor unit is tubular and comprises a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end and a cavity formed between the closed end and the open end; the inner conductor unit is arranged in the cavity; the inner conductor unit comprises a conductor post and a radiating structure; the conductor post is arranged in the cavity and comprises a fixed end and a free end opposite each other, and the fixed end is fixed to the outer conductor unit and is in ohmic contact with the outer conductor unit; and the radiating structure is bonded to the free end and comprises at least one radiating element having a fan-shaped cross section, and the at least one radiating element is arranged corresponding to an aerosol generating product. The radiating structure comprises the at least one radiating element having the fan-shaped cross section, which is used for effectively heating the aerosol generating product, such that the uniformity and the range of a microwave field can be effectively improved, thus making it easier to improve the uniformity of heating of the aerosol generating product.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of atomization technology, and in particular to a microwave heating assembly and an aerosol generating device.

BACKGROUND

An aerosol generating device can heat and atomize an aerosol generating product by microwave heating. The aerosol generating device generally includes a microwave heating assembly, which can form a microwave interaction area and can transfer microwave energy to the aerosol generating product. In this process, the microwave energy distribution field determines the effect of the microwave heating.
In the microwave heating assembly of the related art, microwaves are generally fed from one end and then resonate in the atomization cavity. Since the cavity is small, the electromagnetic wave distribution in the cavity is not uniform and the heating uniformity is poor.

SUMMARY

A technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an improved microwave heating assembly and an aerosol generating device.
A technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is to provide a microwave heating assembly for an aerosol generating device to heat an aerosol generating product, comprising:

an outer conductor unit that is tubular and comprises a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, and a cavity formed between the closed end and the open end; and
an inner conductor unit disposed in the cavity, wherein one end of the inner conductor unit is connected to the closed end of the outer conductor unit and another end of the inner conductor unit extends toward the open end of the outer conductor unit, and
wherein the inner conductor unit comprises:
a conductor post comprising a fixed end and a free end opposite to each other, the fixed end being fixed to the outer conductor unit and in ohmic contact with the outer conductor unit; and
a radiating structure that is combined with the free end and comprises at least one radiating element with a fan-shaped cross section, wherein the at least one radiating element is arranged corresponding to the aerosol generating product to adjust a microwave field distribution and a resonance frequency of the cavity.

In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element comprises two radiating elements, and the two radiating elements are arranged radially symmetrically about an axis of the conductor post.
In some embodiments, the two radiating element comprises a body portion, and the body portion extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the conductor post.
In some embodiments, lengths of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal or different, and widths of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal or different.
In some embodiments, curvatures of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal or different.
In some embodiments, at least one of the two radiating elements comprises an extension portion, and the extension portion extends along an arc whose center coincides with the axis of the conductor post.
In some embodiments, both of the two radiating elements comprise the extension portion, lengths of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal, and lengths of the extension portions respectively provided on the two radiating elements are equal.
In some embodiments, one of the two radiating elements comprises the extension portion, and the body portions of the two radiating elements have different lengths.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element comprises two radiating elements, and the radiating structure comprises an elongated probe, and the two radiating elements and the elongated probe are distributed at intervals in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating product.
In some embodiments, lengths of the two radiating elements are equal or different, and widths of the two radiating elements are equal or different.
In some embodiments, lengths of the two radiating elements and the elongated probe are equal or different.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element comprises three radiating elements, and the three radiating elements are evenly spaced arranged in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating product.
In some embodiments, lengths of the three radiating elements are equal or different, and widths of the three radiating elements are equal or different.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element comprises four radiating elements, the four radiating elements comprise two pairs of radiating elements of unequal lengths between different pairs, and the two pairs of radiating elements are alternately and evenly distributed in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating product.
In some embodiments, the radiating structure comprises a base connected to the at least one radiating element, and the radiating structure is in ohmic contact with the free end of the conductor post via the base.
In some embodiments, the radiating structure comprises a base portion connected to the at least one radiating element, and the base portion is arranged on an end surface of the conductor post facing the aerosol generating product.
In some embodiments, the base portion is integrally connected to the free end of the conductor post, and one end of the at least one radiating element is connected to the base portion, and another end of the at least one radiating element extends away from the conductor post in a direction parallel to an axis of the conductor post.
In some embodiments, the inner conductor unit comprises a conductor disk, the conductor disk is connected to the free end, and an outer diameter of the conductor disk is larger than an outer diameter of the conductor post and smaller than an inner diameter of the outer conductor unit.
In some embodiments, the radiating structure is connected to an end surface of the conductor disk away from the conductor post.
In some embodiments, the microwave heating assembly further comprises a receiving seat, the receiving seat comprises a receiving portion configured for receiving the aerosol generating product, the receiving portion is arranged in the cavity, and the at least one radiating element is arranged corresponding to the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element extends to a side wall of the receiving portion and is in ohmic contact with the free end of the conductor post.
In some embodiments, the receiving portion is cylindrical, and a curvature of the at least one radiating element matches a curvature of the side wall of the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element is distributed inside the receiving portion and is in contact with an inner wall surface of the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element is distributed inside the receiving portion and is spaced apart from an inner wall surface of the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element is distributed outside the receiving portion and is in contact with an outer wall surface of the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element is distributed outside the receiving portion and is spaced apart from an outer wall surface of the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element is at least partially embedded in a side wall of the receiving portion.
In some embodiments, the radiating structure is made of a conductive material or an outer surface of the radiating structure is coated with a conductive layer.
In some embodiments, the microwave heating assembly further comprises a microwave feeding unit connected to the outer conductor unit, one end of the microwave feeding unit is inserted into the outer conductor unit via an outer peripheral wall of the outer conductor unit and is in ohmic contact with the inner conductor unit.
In some embodiments, the microwave feeding unit comprises an inner conductor, an outer conductor and a dielectric layer disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, and the inner conductor is in a straight line shape and is in ohmic contact with the inner conductor unit in a manner perpendicular to an axis of the inner conductor unit.
The present invention further provides an aerosol generating device, comprising the microwave heating assembly of any one of the above.
The implementation of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the inner conductor unit of the present invention comprises the radiating structure, the radiating structure includes at least one radiating element with a fan-shaped cross section, which is used to effectively heat the aerosol generating product, such that the uniformity and the range of a microwave field can be effectively improved, thereby improving the uniformity of heating of the aerosol generating product. Moreover, by changing the shape of the radiating structure, the distribution of the microwave field and the resonance frequency of the cavity can be adjusted, which is beneficial to the optimization of the atomization area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in even greater detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a microwave heating assembly in an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the microwave heating assembly in an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the microwave heating assembly in an embodiment of the present invention in which a radiating element is located inside a receiving portion;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the microwave heating assembly in another embodiment of the present invention in which the radiating element is located inside the receiving portion;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the microwave heating assembly in an embodiment of the present invention in which the radiating element is located outside the receiving portion;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the radiating element is embedded in the receiving portion;
FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a radiating structure in a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a seventh embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, the objectives, and the effects of the present invention, specific implementations of the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, it should be understood that the orientation or position relationships indicated by terms such as "front", "rear", "above", "below", "left", "right", "longitudinal", "transverse", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "head", and "tail", etc., are based on the orientation or position relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are merely used to facilitate describing the technical solutions, rather than indicating or implying that the mentioned device or element should have a particular orientation, and therefore, should not be construed as a limitation to the present.
It should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and defined, terms such as "mounted", "connected", "connection", "fixed", and "disposed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; or it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; or it may be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate, or an internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements. When an element is referred to as being "above" or "below" another element, the element may be "directly" or "indirectly" located above the another element, or there may be one or more intermediates present. The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to facilitate the description of the present technical solutions, rather than indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first", "second", "third", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. For a person skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood based on specific circumstances.
In the following description, for the purpose of explanation rather than limitation, specific details such as specific system structures and technologies are provided to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.
The present invention provides an aerosol generating device, which can utilize microwaves to heat an aerosol generating product to generate aerosols, for a user to inhale.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the aerosol generating device includes a microwave heating assembly 10 and a microwave generating device (not shown), and the microwave heating assembly 10 includes an inner conductor unit 1, an outer conductor unit 2, a receiving seat 3 and a microwave feeding unit. The outer conductor unit 2 is provided with a cavity 20, and the inner conductor unit 1 is disposed in the cavity 20 of the outer conductor unit 2 and may have a good ohmic contact with the outer conductor unit 2. The microwave feeding unit is configured to feed microwaves generated by the microwave generating device into the outer conductor unit 2 and the inner conductor unit 1. The microwave heating assembly 10 can form a microwave field when the microwaves are fed, and the microwave field can act on the aerosol generating product to implement microwave heating.
The microwave feeding unit may adopt a coupling feeding, which may be an electric coupling or a magnetic coupling. One end of the microwave feeding unit is inserted into the outer conductor unit 2 from an outer peripheral wall of the outer conductor unit 2 and is in ohmic contact with the inner conductor unit 1. In some embodiments, one side of the microwave feeding unit is connected to the microwave generating device through a coaxial connector or a microstrip line, and another side of the microwave feeding unit extends into the cavity 20 and forms an ohmic contact with the cavity 20. The microwave feeding unit is made of a metal material, and is preferably made of metal aluminum or copper. Further, the outer surface of the microwave feeding unit may be plated with a silver or gold coating. In some embodiments, the microwave feeding unit includes an inner conductor, an outer conductor, and a dielectric layer between the inner conductor and the outer conductor. The inner conductor is in a straight line shape and is in ohmic contact with the inner conductor unit 1 in a manner perpendicular to an axis of the inner conductor unit 1. It can be understood that the inner conductor may be L-shaped and connected to the microwave heating assembly 10.
As shown in FIG. 1, the overall shape of the microwave heating assembly 10 is substantially cylindrical in some embodiments. Of course, the microwave heating assembly 10 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may also be in another shape such as a square column or an elliptical column.
Referring to FIG. 2 together, in some embodiments, the outer conductor unit 2 is cylindrical, has a closed end 201 and an open end 202 opposite the closed end 201, and may define the cavity 20 which is semi-closed. The cavity 20 is located between the open end 202 and the closed end 201 and is cylindrical. The receiving seat 3 extends into the cavity 20. In some embodiments, the cavity 20 may be a in a polygonal shape. The outer conductor unit 2 includes a side portion 21 that is electrically conductive and a bottom portion 22 connected to the side portion 21. The side portion 21 is cylindrical, and the top of the side portion 21 is an open structure, which forms the open end 202 of the outer conductor unit 2. The bottom portion 22 is enclosed at the bottom end of the side portion 21 to form the closed end 201 of the outer conductor unit 2. One end, close to the bottom portion 22, of the side portion 21 is provided with a feeding hole 23, and the feeding hole 23 is configured for the microwave feeding unit to be installed therein. The feeding hole 23 extends outward in a radial direction of the side portion 21 and is communicated with the cavity 20. In some embodiments, the outer conductor unit 2 may be made of a metal material. In some embodiments, the outer conductor unit 2 may be made of a non-metallic material and plated with a conductive coating on an inner surface or an outer surface thereof. The material of the conductive coating may include gold, silver, a conductive oxide, a conductive ceramic, or the like.
In some embodiments, one end of the inner conductor unit 1 is connected to the closed end 201 of the outer conductor unit 2, and the inner conductor unit 1 is in ohmic contact with the closed end 201 of the outer conductor unit 2, and another end of the inner conductor unit 1 extends toward the open end 202 of the outer conductor unit 2. In some embodiments, the inner conductor unit 1 may be made of a metal material. In some embodiments, the inner conductor unit 1 may be made of a non-metallic material and plated with a conductive coating on an inner surface or an outer surface thereof. The material of the conductive coating may include gold, silver, a conductive oxide, a conductive ceramic, or the like.
In some embodiments, the receiving seat 3 is used to receive the aerosol generating product. The receiving seat 3 is connected to the open end 202 and includes a receiving portion 30 for receiving the aerosol generating product. The receiving portion 30 is disposed in the cavity 20 of the outer conductor unit 2. In some embodiments, the receiving portion 30 may be cylindrical, and includes a bottom wall 31 and a side wall 32 that is tubular and surrounds the periphery of the bottom wall 31. An outer diameter of the side wall 32 is smaller than an inner diameter of the outer conductor unit 2. A receiving cavity configured to receive the aerosol generating product is formed between the bottom wall 31 and the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30.
As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the receiving seat 3 further includes a plurality of positioning ribs 33 that are elongated. The positioning ribs 33 are uniformly spaced arranged in the circumferential direction of the inner wall surface of the receiving portion 30. Each of the positioning ribs 33 extends in a direction parallel to an axis of the receiving portion 30. On one hand, the positioning ribs 33 can be used to clamp the aerosol generating product inserted into the receiving portion 30. On the other hand, a first air inlet channel extending longitudinally is formed between every two adjacent positioning ribs 33, so that the ambient air is sucked into the bottom of the aerosol generating product, and then enters the aerosol generating product to take away the aerosols generated by microwave heating.
In some embodiments, the receiving seat 3 further includes a plurality of supporting ribs 34 that are elongated. The supporting ribs 34 are uniformly spaced and radially distributed on the bottom wall 31 of the receiving portion 30. It can be understood that the supporting ribs 34 are used to support the aerosol generating product on one hand, and form a plurality of second air inlet channels that are radial shaped on the other hand. The second air inlet channels are respectively in communication with the first air inlet channels to facilitate the ambient air to be sucked into the bottom of the aerosol generating product, and then enter the aerosol generating product to take away the aerosols generated by microwave heating.
In some embodiments, the receiving seat 3 may be fixedly or detachably arranged at the open end 202 of the outer conductor unit 2. When the receiving seat 3 containing the aerosol generating product is arranged in the outer conductor unit 2, the receiving portion 30 may be located in an area where the microwave field is mainly formed, which is beneficial to heating the aerosol generating product received in the receiving portion 30. In some embodiments, the receiving seat 3 may be made of a low dielectric loss material. The low dielectric loss material includes PEEK, PTFE, PAF, microwave transparent ceramic, glass, alumina oxide, zirconia oxide, silicon oxide, and the like.
In some embodiments, the inner conductor unit 1 includes a conductor post 11 and a radiating structure 12. The conductor post 11 is disposed in the cavity 20, and an outer diameter of the conductor post 11 is smaller than an inner diameter of the outer conductor unit 2. The conductor post 11 includes a fixed end and a free end opposite to each other. The fixed end is fixed to the outer conductor unit 2 and is in ohmic contact with the outer conductor unit 2. The conductor post 11 mainly plays a role in microwave conduction. In some embodiments, the conductor post 11 may be cylindrical. The end, away from the open end 202 of the outer conductor unit 2, of the conductor post 11 is a fixed end, which may be fixedly connected to the bottom portion 22 of the outer conductor unit 2. The end, close to the open end 202, of the conductor post 11 is a free end, and extends toward the open end 202 of the outer conductor unit 2. In some embodiments, the fixed end of the inner conductor unit 1 is in ohmic contact with the bottom portion 22 of the outer conductor unit 2. In some other embodiments, the fixed end of the inner conductor unit 1 is integrally connected to the bottom portion 22 of the outer conductor unit 2. In some embodiments, the conductor post 11 may be cylindrical. It can be understood that the conductor post 11 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, but may also be a polygonal shape or other shape. In some embodiments, the bottom end of the conductor post 11 is further provided with a mounting portion 111 extending axially, and the mounting portion 111 may be integrally combined with the conductor post 11. The bottom portion 22 of the outer conductor unit 2 is provided with a mounting hole 24 through which the mounting portion 111 can pass. The mounting portion 111 of the conductor post 11 may be mounted in the mounting hole 24 located at the bottom portion 22 of the outer conductor unit 2 to fix the conductor post 11 on the outer conductor unit 2, so that a reliable ohmic contact is formed between the conductor post 11 and the outer conductor unit 2.
Referring to FIG. 9 to FIG. 11, in some embodiments, the inner conductor unit 1 further includes a conductor disk 112 configured to adjust a feeding frequency (stepped impedance). The conductor disk 112 serves for microwave conduction while additionally increasing its own inductance and capacitance, as well as reducing the resonant frequency, thereby facilitating further reduction in the size of the cavity 20. The conductor disk 112 may be in a shape of a disk. The conductor disk 112 is connected to the conductor post 11. Specifically, the conductor disk is connected to the free end of the conductor post. The outer diameter of the conductor disk 112 is larger than the outer diameter of the conductor post 11, and smaller than the inner diameter of the outer conductor unit 2. In some embodiments, the conductor disk 112 may be sleeved on a periphery of a side of the conductor post 11 close to the opening end 202, and may be integrally formed or in ohmic contact therebetween. In some embodiments, the conductor disk 112 may be made of a metal material, or may be made of a non-metal material with a conductive coating plated on the outer surface thereof. Preferably, the conductor disk 112 may be made of aluminum alloy or copper.
The radiating structure 12 may be combined with the free end of the conductor post 11. The radiating structure 12 is located outside the aerosol generating product, and may be disposed on a periphery of an end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving seat 3. In some embodiments, the radiating structure 12 is made of a conductive material, or an outer surface of the radiating structure 12 is plated with a conductive layer. The radiating structure 12 includes at least one radiating element 121 with a fan-shaped cross section. The at least one radiating element 121 is disposed corresponding to the receiving seat 3 to adjust the microwave field distribution and the resonance frequency of the cavity 20. Since the aerosol generating product is generally cylindrical, the radiating structure 12 in the present invention is adapted to the shape of the aerosol generating products. Therefore, the cross section of the radiating element 121 of the present invention may be fan-shaped to fit the shape of the aerosol generating product, thereby effectively heating the aerosol generating product, which can greatly improve the heating uniformity and the heating range of the aerosol generating product. Of course, the cross section of the radiating element 121 may also be other shapes such as a rectangle, which is not specifically limited herein. Moreover, the microwave field is generally strongest at the periphery of the top of the radiating element 121 with a fan-shaped cross section. Therefore, if the radiating element 121 of the radiating structure 12 is close to the top of the aerosol generating product, preferential heating of the top of the aerosol generating product can be achieved, thereby facilitating a rapid release of the aerosols, improving the atomization speed and reducing the preheating time. The design of different lengths of the radiating elements 121 can improve the heating uniformity of the aerosol generating product.
In some embodiments, the at least one radiating element 121 extends upward to the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30 of the receiving seat 3 and is in ohmic contact with the free end of the conductor post 11. The curvature of the at least one radiating element 121 is adapted to the curvature of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30, so that the uniformity of the microwave field is significantly improved, thereby improving the heating uniformity of the aerosol generating product.
As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the at least one radiating element 121 of the radiating structure 12 may be located on the inner side of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30 and fit with the inner wall surface of the receiving portion 30, and the at least one radiating element 121 extends from the bottom wall 31 of the receiving portion 30 into the inner wall surface of the receiving portion 30. The surface area of the base portion 122 is equivalent to the surface area of the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30. In some embodiments, the inner wall of the receiving portion 30 may be provided with a receiving groove for the at least one radiating element 121 to be clamped into, so that the at least one radiating element 121 can be distributed on the inner wall of the receiving portion 30. The bottom wall 31 of the receiving portion 30 may be correspondingly provided with an opening 311, through which the at least one radiating element 121 may pass and extend into the receiving portion 30, and the base portion 122 is in close contact with the bottom wall 31 of the receiving portion 30.
As shown in FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the at least one radiating element 121 of the radiating structure 12 may be located inside the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30, with a certain gap between the at least one radiating element 121 and the inner side wall surface of the receiving portion 30. The surface area of the base portion 122 is smaller than the surface area of the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30, and the radiating element 121 standing in the circumferential direction of the base portion 122 extends into the receiving portion 30 through the opening 311, and the base portion 122 fits against the bottom wall 31 of the receiving portion 30.
As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the at least one radiating element 121 of the radiating structure 12 may be located on the outside of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30. The at least one radiating element 121 may be in contact with the outer side wall surface of the receiving portion 30, or the at least one radiating element 121 may be spaced apart from the outer side wall surface of the receiving portion 30. A receiving groove may be provided on the outer wall of the receiving portion 30 for the at least one radiating element 121 to clamped into so that the radiating element 121 can be distributed on the outer wall of the receiving portion 30.
As shown in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the at least one radiating element 121 is at least partially embedded in the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30. The side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30 has a certain thickness, and the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30 may be provided with an insertion hole extending upward from one end of the bottom wall 31 of the receiving portion 30 for insertion of the at least one radiating element 121, and the shape and the size of the insertion hole may be adapted to the shape and the size of the at least one radiating element 121.
Referring to FIG. 7 to FIG. 14, in some embodiments, the radiating structure 12 further includes a base portion 122 connected to the at least one radiating element 121, and the radiating structure 12 is in ohmic contact with the free end of the conductor post 11 via the base portion 122. The at least one radiating element 121 is vertically disposed in the circumferential direction of the base portion 122, so that the microwave field is more uniformly distributed around the receiving portion 30. The surface area of the base portion 122 may be equal to or smaller than the surface area of the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30.
In some embodiments, the base portion 122 may be disposed on the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30, and may be in contact with the side of the receiving portion 30 facing the conductor post 11, and in ohmic contact with the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30; or the base portion 122 may be integrally formed on the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30. In some embodiments, the base portion 122 is integrally connected to the free end of the conductor post 11, one end of the at least one radiating element 121 is connected to the base portion 122, and another end of the at least one radiating element 121 extends away from the conductor post 11 in a direction parallel to an axis of the conductor post 11. In some embodiments, the base portion 122 may be in a shape such as a disk shape, a square shape, or a polygonal shape, and covers the end surface of the conductor post 11 facing the receiving portion 30. In some embodiments, the base portion 122 is integrally formed on the end surfaces of the conductor post 11 and the conductor disk 112 which are integrally connected.
In some embodiments, each of the radiating elements 121 with a fan-shaped cross section includes a body portion 1211. The body portion 1211 extends in a direction parallel to an axis of the conductor post 11, and the cross section of the body portion 1211 is fan-shaped.
FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the radiating structure in a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the number of the radiating element 121 with a fan-shaped cross section is one, and the microwave field is strongest around the one radiating element 121 and becomes smaller as the distance from the radiating element 121 increases. The region of the aerosol generating product corresponding to the radiating element 121 preferentially generates aerosols. The length and the width of the radiating element 121 can be adjusted according to actual conditions. Similarly, the curvature of the fan-shaped cross section of the radiating element 121 can also be adjusted according to actual conditions.
FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, two radiating elements 121 with a fan-shaped cross section are provided, and may be arranged radially symmetrically about an axis of the conductor post. In some embodiments, the two radiating elements 121 may be symmetrically distributed in a circumferential direction of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30. Of course, the two radiating elements 121 may also be spaced distributed in the circumferential direction of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30.
In some embodiments, the lengths of the body portions 1211 of the two radiating elements 121 may be equal or different, and the widths of the body portions 1211 of the two radiating elements 121 may be equal or different. In some embodiments, the curvatures of the body portions 1211 of the two radiating elements 121 may be equal or different. That is, the two radiating elements 121 may be of equal length and unequal width, or of equal width and unequal length, or of equal width and equal length, or of unequal width and unequal length, which can be adjusted according to actual conditions and is not limited herein.
FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, at least one of the two radiating elements 121 further includes an extension portion 1212. The extension portion 1212 may extend along an arc whose center falls on the axis of the conductor post 11. The extension portion may extend along at least one end of the arc. Preferably, the extension portion extends along two ends of the arc respectively.
The cross section of the extension portion 1212 is fan-shaped, and the cross section of the extension portion 1212 is larger than the cross section of the body portion 1211. The extension portion 1212 is parallel to the radial upper and lower end surfaces of the conductor disk 112, and the projection of the cross section falls within the end surface of the conductor disk 112 facing the receiving seat 3.
In some embodiments, one of the two radiating elements 121 includes the extension portion 1212, and the lengths of the body portions 1211 of the two radiating elements 121 are different. The extension portion 1212 may be provided on the body portion 1211, with a relatively small length, of the radiating element 121, thereby achieving microwave field adjustment. In some other embodiments, each of the two radiating elements 121 include the extension portion 1212, the lengths of the body portions 1211 of the two radiating elements 121 are equal, and the lengths of the extension portions 1212 respectively provided on the two radiating elements 121 are equal. In some embodiments, the extension portion 1212 may be disposed on a circumferential edge of an end surface of the conductor disk 112 away from the conductor post 11, and the curvature of the extension portion 1212 may be equivalent to the curvature of a circumferential side wall of the conductor disk 112.
FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of the radiating structure in a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the radiating structure 12 includes the radiating element 121 with a fan-shaped cross section and a probe 120 that is elongated, and the radiating element 121 and the probe 120 are symmetrically distributed in the circumferential direction of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30. The length of the radiating element 121 with a fan-shaped cross section is greater than the length of the probe that is elongated.
FIG. 11 is a structural schematic diagram of the radiating structure in a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the radiating structure 12 includes two radiating elements 121 with fan-shaped cross sections and one elongated probe 120. The two radiating elements 121 and the one elongated probe 120 are distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30, and the distribution positions of the three can be adjusted according to actual conditions. The lengths of the two radiating elements 121 may be equal or different, the widths of the two radiating elements 121 may be equal or different, and the curvatures of the two radiating elements 121 may be equal or different. The lengths of the two radiating elements 121 and the length of the elongated probe 120 may be equal or different.
FIG. 12 is a structural schematic diagram of the radiating structure in a sixth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a structural schematic diagram of the radiating structure in a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiments, three radiating elements 121 with a fan-shaped cross section are provided, and the three radiating elements 121 are evenly spaced arranged in the circumferential direction of the side wall 32 of the accommodation portion 30. The lengths of the three radiating elements 121 may be equal or different, the widths of the three radiating elements 121 may be equal or different, and the curvatures of the three radiating elements 121 may be equal or different.
As shown in FIG. 12, in this embodiment, the three radiating elements 121 are all of equal length. As shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, the lengths of the three radiating elements 121 are not equal. Of course, in some other embodiments, the length of the radiating element can be adjusted according to actual conditions, which is not limited herein.
FIG. 14 is a structural schematic diagram of the radiating structure in an eighth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, four radiating elements 121 with a fan-shaped cross section are provided. The four radiating elements 121 include two pairs of radiating elements 121, each pair of radiating elements 121 has a length different from another pair of radiating elements 121, and the widths and the curvatures of the two pairs of radiating elements 121 can be adjusted according to actual conditions. The two pairs of radiating elements 121 are alternately and evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the side wall 32 of the receiving portion 30. The microwave field in this embodiment is strongest around the pair of radiating elements 121 with a relatively long length. The four radiating elements 121 make the microwave field distribution relatively uniform.
In some embodiments, the radiating element 121 with a fan-shaped cross section, the elongated probe 120, the radiating element 121 with a non-fan-shaped cross section, and other elements may be combined, and the material thereof may be made of a conductive material or coated with a conductive layer on an outer surface thereof. Through the combination of the above different structures, the microwave field can be adjusted, so that the microwave field distribution is relatively uniform, which is conducive to optimizing the atomization area according to the aerosol generating product.
The shape and the distribution of the radiating structure 12 of the present invention can greatly change the distribution form of the microwave field in the cavity 20, thereby selectively heating different areas of the aerosol generating product located in the receiving portion 30, improving the uniformity of the microwave field, and effectively improving the atomization effect.
It can be understood that the foregoing embodiments only describe the preferred implementations of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but cannot be understood as a limitation to the patent scope of the present invention. It should be noted that, for those of ordinary skill in the art, the above technical features can be freely combined without departing from the concept of the present invention, and several modifications and improvements can be made, which all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the claims of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A microwave heating assembly for an aerosol generating device to heat an aerosol generating product, comprising:
an outer conductor unit that is tubular and comprises a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, and a cavity formed between the closed end and the open end; and

an inner conductor unit disposed in the cavity,

wherein one end of the inner conductor unit is connected to the closed end of the outer conductor unit and another end of the inner conductor unit extends toward the open end of the outer conductor unit, and

wherein the inner conductor unit comprises:
a conductor post comprising a fixed end and a free end opposite to each other, the fixed end being fixed to the outer conductor unit and in ohmic contact with the outer conductor unit; and

a radiating structure that is combined with the free end and comprises at least one radiating element with a fan-shaped cross section,

wherein the at least one radiating element is arranged corresponding to the aerosol generating product to adjust a microwave field distribution and a resonance frequency of the cavity.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiating element comprises two radiating elements, and the two radiating elements are arranged radially symmetrically about an axis of the conductor post.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 2, wherein the radiating element comprises a body portion, and the body portion extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the conductor post.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 3, wherein lengths of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal or different, and widths of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal or different.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 3, wherein curvatures of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal or different.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one of the two radiating elements comprises an extension portion, and the extension portion extends along an arc whose center coincides with the axis of the conductor post.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 6, wherein both of the two radiating elements comprise the extension portion, lengths of the body portions of the two radiating elements are equal, and lengths of the extension portions respectively provided on the two radiating elements are equal.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 6, wherein one of the two radiating elements comprises the extension portion, and the body portions of the two radiating elements have different lengths.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiating element comprises two radiating elements, and the radiating structure comprises an elongated probe, and the two radiating elements and the elongated probe are distributed at intervals in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating product.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 9, wherein lengths of the two radiating elements are equal or different, and widths of the two radiating elements are equal or different.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 9, wherein lengths of the two radiating elements and the elongated probe are equal or different.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiating element comprises three radiating elements, and the three radiating elements are evenly spaced arranged in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating product.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 12, wherein lengths of the three radiating elements are equal or different, and widths of the three radiating elements are equal or different.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiating element comprises four radiating elements, the four radiating elements comprise two pairs of radiating elements of unequal lengths between different pairs, and the two pairs of radiating elements are alternately and evenly distributed in a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating product.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the radiating structure comprises a base connected to the at least one radiating element, and the radiating structure is in ohmic contact with the free end of the conductor post via the base.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the radiating structure comprises a base portion connected to the at least one radiating element, and the base portion is arranged on an end surface of the conductor post facing the aerosol generating product.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 16, wherein the base portion is integrally connected to the free end of the conductor post, and one end of the at least one radiating element is connected to the base portion, and another end of the at least one radiating element extends away from the conductor post in a direction parallel to an axis of the conductor post.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner conductor unit comprises a conductor disk, the conductor disk is connected to the free end, and an outer diameter of the conductor disk is larger than an outer diameter of the conductor post and smaller than an inner diameter of the outer conductor unit.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 18, wherein the radiating structure is connected to an end surface of the conductor disk away from the conductor post.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the microwave heating assembly further comprises a receiving seat, the receiving seat comprises a receiving portion configured for receiving the aerosol generating product, the receiving portion is arranged in the cavity, and the at least one radiating element is arranged corresponding to the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one radiating element extends to a side wall of the receiving portion and is in ohmic contact with the free end of the conductor post.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the receiving portion is cylindrical, and a curvature of the at least one radiating element matches a curvature of the side wall of the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one radiating element is distributed inside the receiving portion and is in contact with an inner wall surface of the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one radiating element is distributed inside the receiving portion and is spaced apart from an inner wall surface of the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one radiating element is distributed outside the receiving portion and is in contact with an outer wall surface of the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one radiating element is distributed outside the receiving portion and is spaced apart from an outer wall surface of the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one radiating element is at least partially embedded in a side wall of the receiving portion.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the radiating structure is made of a conductive material or an outer surface of the radiating structure is coated with a conductive layer.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 1, wherein the microwave heating assembly further comprises a microwave feeding unit connected to the outer conductor unit, one end of the microwave feeding unit is inserted into the outer conductor unit via an outer peripheral wall of the outer conductor unit and is in ohmic contact with the inner conductor unit.
The microwave heating assembly of claim 29, wherein the microwave feeding unit comprises an inner conductor, an outer conductor and a dielectric layer disposed between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, and the inner conductor is in a straight line shape and is in ohmic contact with the inner conductor unit in a manner perpendicular to an axis of the inner conductor unit.
An aerosol generating device, comprising the microwave heating assembly of any one of claims 1 to 30.