JP2020115822A - Aerosol generation device and cartridge for aerosol generation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve a problem with a conventional cartridge type electronic cigarette which is used by mounting a replaceable cartridge to an electronic cigarette body that although such an electronic cigarette is reduced in cost as compared with when an overall electronic cigarette is made disposable, it is difficult to further reduce the cost since the cartridge is composed by including a large number of components.SOLUTION: In view of the above situation, there is provided a device that can be used satisfactorily while simplifying a cartridge.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol such as vapor and a cartridge for an aerosol generating device used in the aerosol generating device.

Some aerosol generators, such as electronic cigarettes, generate a vapor containing nicotine from a liquid storage unit by suction by a user to suck the vapor through a suction port. In addition, in such an electronic cigarette, a component including a liquid storage unit is configured as a cartridge. Then, when the liquid stored in the liquid storage unit is exhausted by the suction of the vapor, the cartridge is replaced. Then, there has been one that enables suction of vapor again (for example, Patent Document 1).

According to such a device, when the liquid stored in the liquid storage unit is used up, the cartridge may be replaced. Further, since it is not necessary to replace the electronic cigarette body, the cost can be reduced.

Publication number US2018/0177240

The conventional cartridge type electronic cigarette as described above is lower in cost than the entire electronic cigarette is disposable. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to further reduce the cost because the cartridge includes many parts.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be used favorably while simplifying the cartridge.

The aerosol generating device of the first aspect for solving the above-mentioned problems is
An aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, comprising:
An aerosol generating device main body, and a cartridge used in the aerosol generating device main body,
The aerosol generator main body includes an intake port for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol forming substrate to the intake port, a heater section for generating heat, and a heater section. A power supply unit for supplying electric power,
The cartridge has a storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, a core portion having one end side inserted into the storage portion and immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate, and the other end portion exposed to the outside of the storage portion.
By mounting the cartridge on the aerosol generating apparatus main body, the other end side of the core portion of the cartridge comes into contact with or comes close to the heater section of the aerosol generating apparatus main body.

According to this aspect, the aerosol generating device is composed of the aerosol generating device main body and the cartridge. The aerosol generator main body side is provided with an inlet, an air passage, a heater section, and a power source section, and the cartridge side is provided with a storage section and a core section. With this configuration, when the aerosol-forming substrate stored in the storage unit disappears and the cartridge is replaced, the suction port, the air passage, the heater unit, and the power supply unit, which are components on the aerosol generator main body side, are replaced. No need. Further, this can reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generating device is used for a long period of time. The storage part is formed by being covered with the inner wall part of the member forming the cartridge. Further, the air passage is formed so as to be covered with the inner wall portion of the member forming the aerosol generating device. In addition, “close to” means a distance at which the aerosol-forming substrate contained in the core is heated by the heat generated by the heater to generate an aerosol.

In addition, the aerosol generator of the second aspect is the aerosol generator of the first aspect,
The aerosol generator main body includes a sensor that detects an input, and a control board that connects the sensor, the heater unit, and the power supply unit to control the timing of supplying power to the heater unit. It is what

According to this aspect, in addition to the first aspect, a sensor and a control board are further provided on the aerosol generator main body side. With such a configuration, even if the cartridge is replaced, it is not necessary to replace the sensor or the control board on the aerosol generator main body side. Further, this makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generator is used for a long period of time.

In addition, the aerosol generator of the third aspect is the aerosol generator of the second aspect,
The main body of the aerosol generating device is characterized in that it is replaceable by removing the heater part.

According to this aspect, the heater portion provided on the aerosol generator main body side has a removable structure, and the heater portion can be replaced. Since the heater section is a section that generates heat, it deteriorates with repeated use, and is a section that is prone to failure. On the other hand, the frequency with which the heater needs to be replaced due to deterioration is lower than the frequency with which the cartridge is replaced. Therefore, the heater part is a component on the side of the aerosol generator main body, and can be replaced separately from the cartridge. As a result, even if the aerosol generator main body is used for a long period of time, it can be used favorably, and it is possible to reduce the cost when the aerosol generator is used for a long period of time.

In addition, the cartridge for the aerosol generator of the first aspect,
A cartridge for an aerosol generator used in an aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol,
A storage part for storing the aerosol-forming substrate; and a core part having one end side inserted into the storage part to be immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate and the other end side exposed to the outside of the storage part.
An inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate to the inlet, a heater section for generating heat, and a power source section for supplying electric power to the heater section. , Is capable of being attached to the main body of the aerosol generator,
When mounted on the aerosol generator main body, the other end side of the core portion comes into contact with or comes close to the heater portion of the aerosol generator main body.

According to such an aspect, the cartridge for the aerosol generating device is composed of the storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate and the core portion. Then, the cartridge for the aerosol generating device can be attached to the main body of the aerosol generating device including the suction port, the air passage, the heater part, and the power source part. With such a configuration, when the aerosol generator cartridge is replaced, it is not necessary to replace the intake port, the air passage, the heater unit, and the power supply unit, which are the components on the main body of the aerosol generator. Further, this can reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generating device is used for a long period of time.

In addition, the aerosol generator of the fourth aspect,
An aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, comprising:
An aerosol generating device main body, and a cartridge used in the aerosol generating device main body,
The aerosol generator main body has an inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate to the inlet, and a power supply unit for supplying electric power,
The cartridge includes a storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, a core portion having one end side inserted into the storage portion and immersed in the aerosol-forming base material, and the other end portion exposed to the outside of the storage portion, and the core portion. A heater part that is installed in contact with or in close proximity to generate heat,
By mounting the cartridge on the main body of the aerosol generator, the heater section and the power source section are electrically connected, and the heater section can generate heat.

According to this aspect, the aerosol generating device is composed of the aerosol generating device main body and the cartridge. Then, the main body side of the aerosol generator is provided with an inlet, an air passage and a power source section, and the cartridge side is provided with a storage section, a core section and a heater section. With such a configuration, when the aerosol-forming substrate stored in the storage unit disappears and the cartridge is replaced, it is not necessary to replace the intake port, the air passage, and the power supply unit, which are the components of the aerosol generator main body side. .. Further, this can reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generating device is used for a long period of time. Further, since the heater portion and the core portion are brought into contact with or close to each other to form a cartridge, it becomes easy to appropriately maintain the positional relationship between them. As a result, it is possible to reduce the generation of aerosol.

In addition, the cartridge for the aerosol generator of the second aspect,
A cartridge for an aerosol generator used in an aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol,
A reservoir for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, one end side inserted into the reservoir and immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate, and the other end contacting or approaching the core and a core exposed to the outside of the reservoir. And has a heater section that generates heat,
It can be attached to an aerosol generator main body having an inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol forming substrate to the inlet, and a power supply unit for supplying electric power. And
The heater unit and the power source unit are electrically connected to each other by being mounted on the aerosol generator main body, and the heater unit can generate heat.

According to such an aspect, the cartridge for the aerosol generating device is composed of the storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, the core portion, and the heater portion. Then, the cartridge for the aerosol generating device can be attached to the aerosol generating device main body including the suction port, the air passage, and the power supply unit. With this configuration, when the aerosol generator cartridge is replaced, it is not necessary to replace the intake port, the air passage, and the power supply unit, which are components on the aerosol generator main body side. Further, this can reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generator is used for a long period of time. Further, since the heater portion and the core portion are brought into contact with or close to each other to form a cartridge, it becomes easy to appropriately maintain the positional relationship between them. As a result, it is possible to reduce the generation of aerosol.

According to the aerosol generating apparatus and the cartridge for the aerosol generating apparatus of the present invention, the manufacturing cost of the cartridge is reduced, and the aerosol generating apparatus and the cartridge for the aerosol generating apparatus which can be used satisfactorily at low cost for a long period of time are provided. be able to.

It is a figure which shows the form of use of an electronic cigarette. (A) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is a plan view. It is a figure which shows the form of use of an electronic cigarette. (A) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is a plan view. It is a figure which shows the form of use of the cartridge used for an electronic cigarette. (A) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, (f) is a plan view, and (g) is a perspective view. Show. It is a figure which shows the aspect of exchange of the cartridge used for an electronic cigarette. (A) is a figure which opened the cartridge accommodation part. (B) is the figure which accommodated the cartridge. (C) is a diagram in which the lower cover is closed and the cartridge is mounted. (A) It is an AA sectional view of an electronic cigarette. (B) It is a figure which shows the AA line. It is a figure which shows a heater member. (A) is a front view and shows the BB line. (B) is a left side view, (c) a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, (f) is a plan view, (g) is a perspective view, and (h) is BB. A sectional view is shown. It is a figure which shows the aspect of replacement of a heater member. (A) is a top view which removed the upper cover. (B) is a plan view with the upper cover and the case body upper cover removed. (C) is a plan view with the heater member and the sensor 33 removed. (A) It is a figure which shows this embodiment of a heater member and a cartridge. (B) It is a figure which shows other Embodiment 1 of a heater member and a cartridge. (C) It is a figure which shows other Embodiment 2 of a heater member and a cartridge. (A) It is a figure which shows other Embodiment 3 of a heater member. (B) It is a figure which shows other Embodiment 4 of a heater member. (A) It is a figure which shows other Embodiment 5 of a cartridge. (A) It is a figure which shows other Embodiment 6 of a cartridge.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an aerosol generating device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a case where the aerosol generator of the present invention is applied to an electronic cigarette will be described as an example. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments below. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description. Moreover, the dimensional ratio of the members in each drawing is changed for convenience of description, and may be different depending on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the external shape of an electronic cigarette 1 of this embodiment (corresponding to an “aerosol generator”) in six views. 1, (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is a plan view. .. The electronic cigarette 1 of the present embodiment includes an electronic cigarette body 7 (corresponding to an “aerosol generator body”) and a cartridge 11 mounted on the electronic cigarette body 7. The cartridge 11 includes a liquid storage unit that can store a liquid. When the liquid stored in the liquid storage portion (corresponding to the “aerosol forming substrate”) is exhausted by using the electronic cigarette 1, the cartridge 11 can be replaced with another liquid-filled cartridge 11.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1F, the electronic cigarette 1 has an egg-shaped cross section in the lateral direction and has an elongated rod-shaped appearance. An upper cover 2 made of resin is provided on the upper part of the electronic cigarette 1 (upward in the plane of FIG. 1A), and a lower cover 3 made of resin is provided on the lower part (USB port side). The upper cover 2 covers about the upper 1/6 of the electronic cigarette 1, and the lower cover 3 covers about 5/6. The upper cover 2 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and is attached to the upper part of the case body 21. The inside of the upper cover 2 is surrounded by the upper cover inner wall portion 23 and the case main body upper cover 36 that form the upper cover 2 to form an air passage 35. The lower cover 3 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and is slidable downward (downward in the plane of FIG. 1A). As shown in FIG. 2, when the lower cover 3 is slid downward, the case body 21 is exposed. Then, the cartridge housing portion 22 is opened. By opening the cartridge housing portion 22, the cartridge 11 can be mounted or removed (cartridge replacement).

As shown in FIGS. 1(d) and 1(f), the upper end of the upper cover 2 which is the upper end of the electronic cigarette 1 (electronic cigarette body 7) (the upper end in the plane of FIG. 1(d)) has an upper portion. A through hole that penetrates from the outer side to the inner side of the cover 2 and is connected to the air passage 35 is provided. This through hole functions as an intake port 4 for a user to inhale the aerosol (water vapor or the like) generated in the electronic cigarette 1. Further, at the lower end of the lower cover 3 which is the lower end of the electronic cigarette 1 (the electronic cigarette body 7) (the end in the downward direction of the paper of FIG. 1D), a USB for charging the battery 31 included in the electronic cigarette 1 is attached. A port 5 and an LED 6 for indicating the amount of charge during charging of the battery 31 are provided. By inserting a USB cable (not shown) into the USB port 5, the battery 31 can be charged using a household power supply or the like. Further, during charging, if the battery remaining amount does not reach the predetermined amount (not full), the LED 6 lights up in red or orange. When the remaining battery power reaches a predetermined amount (when the battery is full), the LED 6 lights up in green.

FIG. 2 is a six-sided view showing a state in which the lower cover 3 of the electronic cigarette 1 is slid downward (in a direction away from the upper cover) to open the cartridge housing portion 22. 2, (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, and (f) is a plan view. .. As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic cigarette body 7 includes a case body 21. Then, the outer periphery of the case body 21 is covered with the upper cover 2 and the lower cover 3. The case main body 21 has a cartridge accommodating portion 22 for accommodating a cartridge 11, which will be described later, a battery accommodating portion 25 for accommodating a battery 31, a control board accommodating portion 26 for accommodating a control board 32, and a heater. A heater member mounting portion 51 for housing the member and a sensor mounting portion 52 for housing the sensor 33 are formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the cartridge housing portion 22 is a box-shaped housing portion having an open upper surface. Further, the cartridge accommodating portion 22 is formed of a bottom portion 29 on which the cartridge 11 is placed, and four side wall portions 28 rising from four sides of the bottom portion 29 so as to surround the accommodating portion. Further, an elliptical through hole smaller than the cartridge 11 is formed in a substantially central portion of the bottom portion 29. Further, when the cartridge 11 is attached or detached, it is necessary to insert/extract the exposed portion 17 of the mandrel 12 into/from the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34. Therefore, the space of the cartridge housing portion 22 is formed to be larger than the container portion 15 in the moving direction of the cartridge 11 so that the cartridge 11 can move up and down in the cartridge housing portion 22. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the cartridge 11 is mounted on the electronic cigarette body 7, a space portion is formed below the cartridge 11 in the cartridge housing portion 22 (downward in the plane of FIG. 2A).

If a space is formed below the cartridge 11, the weight of the cartridge 11 may cause the cartridge 11 to slide downward due to the weight of the electronic cigarette 1, and the mandrel 12 may slip out of the fitting hole 44. In order to prevent such a situation, a holding member (not shown) for pressing the lower end of the cartridge 11 may be provided. For example, a structure may be adopted in which the holding member projects and presses the lower end of the cartridge 11 in conjunction with the operation of sliding the lower cover 3 upward to close the cartridge housing portion 22. Also, a spacer for filling the space may be provided as a separate member.

FIG. 3 shows the external shape of the cartridge 11 that can be mounted in the cartridge housing portion 22 of the electronic cigarette body 7 and mounted in the electronic cigarette body 7 in six-sided view and perspective view. 3, (a) is a front view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, (f) is a plan view, (g). Shows a perspective view. The cartridge 11 is composed of a box-shaped container portion 15 and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped elongated rod-shaped core rod 12 (corresponding to a “core portion”). A liquid storage portion 13 (corresponding to a “storage portion”) is formed in the internal space of the container portion 15, and a part of the core rod 12 is inserted therein. Further, the container portion 15 is formed such that a portion adjacent to the fixed portion 16 partially projects. Therefore, the internal space of the corresponding portion of the liquid storage unit 13 is also formed so as to partially project. The container portion 15 is made of resin.

Further, the liquid storage unit 13 has a bottom portion 19 serving as a bottom surface of the liquid storage unit 13, a side wall portion 18 that rises from the periphery of the bottom portion 19 and surrounds the periphery of the liquid storage portion 13, and a ceiling that is connected to the side wall portion 18 and faces the bottom portion 19. It is composed of a section 20 and. In addition, the bottom portion 19, the side wall portion 18, and the ceiling portion 20 are collectively simply referred to as “wall portion”. Therefore, the liquid storage unit 13 is formed in the space surrounded by the wall portion.

In addition, the liquid storage unit 13 is filled with a liquid 14 (corresponding to an “aerosol forming substrate”) capable of generating an aerosol (vapor) by heating. As a component of the liquid 14, for example, alcohol or a tobacco component (nicotine) may be included, or a fragrance such as menthol or fruit may be added in addition to the tobacco component. Further, other components to be filled in the liquid storage unit 13 may not contain the tobacco component (nicotine) but may contain a fragrance such as plants, fruits or menthol.

As shown in FIG. 3(g) and FIG. 5, etc., the cross section in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is formed into an elongated rectangular rod shape. Further, one end (one end side) of the core rod 12 is inserted from a liquid injection port for filling the liquid storage unit 13 with the liquid to a substantially bottom surface and immersed in the liquid 14 (see FIG. 5 ). Further, the other side (the other end side) is exposed to the outside of the liquid storage section 13 to form an exposed section 17. The core rod 12 is fixed by a fixing portion 16 provided directly above the liquid injection port. The fixing portion 16 closely fixes and fixes the periphery of the core rod 12 and closes the liquid injection port. This prevents the liquid 14 from leaking out from the liquid inlet or the gap between the core rod 12 and the fixed portion 16. Further, the core rod 12 is rounded on four sides in the longitudinal direction. The fixed portion is molded of resin.

When the cartridge 11 is attached to the electronic cigarette body 7, the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 is inserted into the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34 described later (see FIG. 5 ). In addition, the core rod 12 of the present embodiment is formed of ceramics that is an insulator. The core rod 12 is made of a porous material or a capillary material and has a capillary phenomenon. Therefore, the core rod 12 is also referred to as “capillary core”. Examples of other materials for forming the core rod having the capillary phenomenon include fibers, ceramics, and graphite materials. You may form a core rod by these. Also, wicks of different porosity can be used to accommodate various liquid physical properties such as concentration, viscosity, surface tension and vapor pressure. The core rod 12 needs to have a capability of delivering a required amount of the liquid 14 to the heater 42 (corresponding to “heater portion”). The heater 42 is positioned so as to wind around the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 at regular intervals in a state where the cartridge 11 (core rod 12) is mounted. Further, it is configured to include at least one wire coil or filament.

Further, the amount of the liquid 14 filled in the liquid storage unit 13 decreases as the user uses the electronic cigarette 1. When the liquid 14 is used up, the used cartridge 11 is replaced with a new cartridge 11 filled with the liquid 14, so that the electronic cigarette 1 (electronic cigarette body 7) can be used repeatedly. Further, the replaceable cartridge 11 of this embodiment does not include electric parts such as a heater 42 for heating the core rod 12 and a connection terminal to the control board 32. Thereby, the manufacturing cost of the cartridge 11 can be reduced, and the cost when the electronic cigarette 1 (electronic cigarette body 7) is used for a long period of time can be reduced.

Next, a mode of mounting the cartridge 11 on the electronic cigarette body 7 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A is a view showing the electronic cigarette body 7 without the cartridge 11 mounted thereon. The lower cover 3 that covers the case body 21 is slid downward in the opposite direction to the upper cover 2 and It shows a state in which the formed cartridge accommodating portion 22 is opened. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the cartridge 11 is housed in the cartridge housing portion 22. At this time, the cartridge 11 is housed in a position where the exposed portion of the core rod 12 faces the heater member 34. In the state of FIG. 4B, the core rod 12 is not fitted to the heater member 34.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, from the state where the cartridge 11 is accommodated, the lower cover 3 is slid upward to the upper cover 2 side, and the cartridge accommodating portion 22 is closed (the state of FIG. 4C). ). By this operation of closing the cartridge housing portion 22, the cartridge 11 moves to the upper cover 2 side together with the lower cover 2. Then, the exposed portion of the core rod 12 is fitted into the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34. As a result, the cartridge 11 is attached to the electronic cigarette body 7. Further, when the cartridge accommodating portion 22 is closed and brought into the state of FIG. 4C, a slight gap is formed between the lower cover 2 and the upper cover 3. This gap is called the air inlet 24. When the user inhales from the inhalation port 4, external air can be introduced from the air inflow port 24 and taken into an air passage 35 described later.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the electronic cigarette 1 with the cartridge 11 mounted. Further, FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view as seen from the direction of arrow A along the line AA in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5A, a heater member mounting portion 51 and a sensor mounting portion 52 are provided at the end of the case body 21 on the upper cover 2 side. In addition, these are provided adjacent to each other in the lateral direction of the case body 21. A lid-shaped case body upper cover 36 is provided on the upper end of the case body 21. As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 7, the case member upper portion cover 36 covers the heater member mounting portion 51 and the sensor mounting portion 52. Then, the heater member mounting portion 51 and the sensor mounting portion 52 can be opened by removing the upper cover 2 and the case body upper cover 36 from the electronic cigarette body 7.

Then, with the upper cover 2 and the case body upper cover 36 removed, the heater member 34 and/or the sensor 33 can be removed and attached (replaced). The sensor 33 of the present embodiment is a pressure sensor that detects the air passing through the air passage 35 (the air flowing through the air flow path X) when the user inhales through the suction port 4. The "detection of air passing through the air passage" corresponds to "detection of input". Further, in FIG. 5A, the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 of the cartridge 11 is fitted into the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34.

A battery 31 (corresponding to a “power supply unit”) for supplying electric power to the sensor 33 and the heater 42 is provided below the cartridge housing unit 22. Further, below the battery, a control board 32 for controlling the heating timing of the heater 42 and the power supply to the electronic components is provided. On the control board 32, the connection terminals 41, 41 of the heater 42, the connection terminal of the sensor 33, the connection terminal of the battery 31, the connection terminal of the USB port 5, and the connection terminal of the LED 6 are electrically connected (not shown). Are electrically connected via. As described above, in this embodiment, all the electric components including the control board 32 and electric wiring are provided on the electronic cigarette body 7 side. Note that, in FIG. 5, the positions where the sensor 33, the battery 31, the control board 32, and the USB port 5 are mounted are indicated by a chain double-dashed line, and the description thereof is omitted.

Then, the heating control of the heater 42 is executed by the functions of various electric components (including IC) mounted on the control board 32. Specifically, when the user inhales through the inlet 4, air is taken into the electronic cigarette 1 from the air inlet 24. Then, the taken air moves in the air flow path X, so that the sensor 33 detects the inhalation and heats the heater 42. Then, the heat of the heated heater 42 heats the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12. The liquid 14 (aerosol forming substrate) drawn out from the liquid storage portion 13 to the exposed portion by the capillary phenomenon of the core rod 12 is vaporized by this heat. Then, vapor (aerosol) containing a tobacco component, a fragrance component, etc. is generated. The generated steam is sucked from the suction port 4 through the air passage 35. Further, in the present embodiment, the heating period of the heater 42 (power supply period to the heater 42) matches the detection period of the sensor 33. That is, the period during which the sensor 33 is ON (the period during inhalation) is the heating period. Further, as another aspect, the heating period of the heater 42 may be set to after the detection of the sensor 33 ends and until a certain period of time elapses (for example, after one second).

Further, in FIG. 5A, a part of the flow of air when sucked from the suction port 4 is shown by two dotted arrows. At the time of inhalation, the flow of air flowing on the sensor 33 side is indicated by X, and the flow of air flowing on the heater member 34 side is indicated by Y. After that, both flow toward the suction port 4. The sensor 33 is detected by the air flowing in the air flow path X to control the heating of the heater 42. Further, the generated steam is sucked by the air flowing through the air flow path Y. Further, as shown in FIG. 8A and the like, the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34 has a cylindrical shape, and the core rod 12 has a substantially quadrangular prism shape. Therefore, with the core rod 12 inserted in the fitting hole 44, a gap is formed in the fitting hole 44 between the outer wall of the core rod and the inner wall of the fitting hole. This gap serves as an air flow path Y. Then, the vapor (aerosol) generated in the fitting hole 44 flows into the suction port 4 along with the air passing through the air flow path Y by suction.

FIG. 6 shows a heater member 34 for heating the core rod 12 in six side views, perspective views and sectional views. In FIG. 6, (a) is a front view and shows a BB line. (B) is a left side view, (c) a right side view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a bottom view, (f) is a plan view, (g) is a perspective view, and (h) is BB. A sectional view is shown. As shown in FIGS. 6H and 6G, the heater member 34 includes a heater support 45 formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, a coil-shaped heater 42 embedded in the heater support 45, It is composed of. In addition, the heater support 45 is formed with a through hole. This through hole is referred to as a fitting hole 44 into which the core rod 12 is inserted. The heater support 45 is made of ceramics, and the heater 42 is made of a wire coil made of copper. The heater member 34 is formed by insert molding in which the heater 42 is embedded in the heater support body 43.

FIG. 6H is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. As shown in FIG. 6(h), the wire coil (heater 42) is insert-molded inside the ceramic that is an insulator, so that the wire coil (heater 42) has a suitable shape (a shape wound at regular intervals). Can be maintained. In addition, since the wire coil is fixed inside the ceramic while maintaining its preferable shape, when the cartridge 11 is replaced, the core rod 12 comes into contact with the wire coil and the wire coils are short-circuited to each other, and the resistance value changes. Can be prevented.

Also, two connection terminals 41, 41 extending outward from the heater support 45 are exposed. The two connection terminals 41, 41 extend from both ends of the wire coil (heater 42), respectively. The heater 42 is electrically connected to the control board 32 via the connection terminals 41, 41. The wire coil is embedded in the surface of the fitting hole 44 inside the heater support 45. In this embodiment, at least a part of the wire coil is provided so as to be exposed from the surface portion of the fitting hole 44. Thereby, the heat generated by the wire coil (heater 42) can be efficiently transmitted to the core rod 12. As another aspect, the wire coil may be provided so as not to be exposed from the surface portion of the fitting hole 44. In this case, it is preferable to embed it at a position as close to the surface portion of the fitting portion 44 as possible. Further, the wire coil (heater 42) may be provided so as not to project from the surface portion of the fitting hole 44, or at least a part thereof may be provided to project from the surface portion of the fitting hole 44.

In addition, a fitting protrusion 43 which has a rectangular prism shape and fits into the fitting hole 53 of the case main body upper cover 36 is formed on the upper portion of the heater support 45. The heater member 34 is fixed to the electronic cigarette body 7 by attaching the case body upper cover 36 to the case body 21 and fitting the fitting protrusion 43 into the fitting hole 53. Further, since the heater member 34 has the wire coil (heater 42) which is a heat generating member, the heater member 34 is a component which is more easily deteriorated than other components constituting the electronic cigarette body 7. In the present embodiment, the heater member 34 is configured to be replaceable when the heater member 34 deteriorates or fails (such as cracks or disconnections).

The heater member 34 may deteriorate due to heat due to repeated use of the electronic cigarette 1 and may need to be replaced. However, the replacement frequency is lower than the replacement frequency of the cartridge 11. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cartridge 11 and the heater member 34 are configured as separate members, and are mounted so as to be replaceable. As a result, the cartridge 11 and the heater member 34 can be exchanged at their required timings. Further, by doing so, the electronic cigarette body 7 can be satisfactorily used even if it is used for a long period of time, and the cost when the electronic cigarette 1 is used for a long period of time can be reduced.

Next, a mode of replacing the heater member 34 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. Here, in the present embodiment, when replacing the heater member 34, it is assumed that the cartridge 11 is removed in advance. FIG. 7A is a plan view in the same direction as the plan view shown in FIG. 1F but with the upper cover 2 removed. The case main body upper cover 36 has a fitting hole 53 into which the fitting protrusion 43 of the heater member 34 fits, and air holes 37 and 37 through which air passing through the air passage 35 on the sensor 33 side passes to the suction port 4 side. And are formed. The case body upper cover 36 is detachably provided on the upper end of the case body 21.

FIG. 7B shows a state in which the case body upper cover 36 is removed from the case body 21. With this open state, the heater member 34 can be pulled out upward (toward the front side of the drawing) and replaced. Further, in the opened state, the sensor 33 can be pulled out upward (toward the front side of the drawing) and replaced. FIG. 7C shows a state in which the heater member 34 and the sensor 33 are removed from the state of FIG. 7B. In this state, the new heater member 34 and the sensor 33 are attached, and then the case body upper cover 36 and the upper cover 2 are attached. As a result, the electronic cigarette 1 can be used. Further, the heater member 34 is attached to the heater member attaching portion 51 in an appropriate orientation shown in FIG. 7(b). As a result, the connection terminals 41, 41 of the heater member 34 are connected to the case body side connection terminals (not shown), and are electrically connected to the control board 32 and the battery 31.

[Other Embodiments]
Next, another embodiment of the shape of the core rod 12 of the cartridge 11 of the present embodiment and the shape of the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34 described above will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are plan views in a state where the core rod 12 is inserted into the fitting hole 44 in the same direction as the plan view shown in FIG. 6F. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing the aspect of the present embodiment described above. As described above, the fitting hole 44 of this embodiment is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the core rod 12 is formed in a rectangular cross section. Since the four sides of the core rod 12 are rounded, the outer peripheral portion of the rounded core rod 12 and the surface portion of the cylindrical fitting hole 44 contact or come close to each other. Further, a space is formed between the other straight line portion of the outer periphery of the core rod 12 and the surface portion of the fitting hole 44. This space is used as the air flow path Y. As a result, the core rod 12 is efficiently heated by the portion where the surface portion of the fitting hole 44 and the outer peripheral portion of the core rod 12 are in contact with each other, or the portion where they are close to each other, and the steam generation efficiency is increased. Further, by appropriately forming the air flow path Y between the surface portion of the fitting hole 44 and the outer peripheral portion of the core rod 12, it becomes possible to efficiently inhale the generated water vapor.

FIG. 8B shows another embodiment 1. The other embodiment 1 is different from the present embodiment in the shape of the core rod 12 of the cartridge 11. As shown in FIG. 8B, a plurality of (6 places) recesses are formed on the outer periphery of the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 along the longitudinal direction of the core rod 12. The cross-sectional shape of the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 is a gear shape. As a result, the surface area of the exposed portion of the core rod 12 fitted into the fitting hole 44 is made larger than that in the above-described embodiment shown in FIG. Thereby, the amount of the liquid drawn from the liquid storage unit 13 to the exposed portion can be increased by the capillary phenomenon.

Further, the outer peripheral shape of the exposed portion of the core rod 12 has a structure in which a concave portion is formed in a cylindrical shape. As a result, the contact area (area of the adjacent portion) between the surface portion of the cylindrical fitting hole 44 and the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical core rod 12 is increased. In addition, a space was formed between the recessed portion forming portion on the outer periphery of the core rod 12 and the surface portion of the fitting hole 44 facing the recessed portion. This space is referred to as an air flow path Y. With such a structure, it is possible to increase the generation efficiency of water vapor and efficiently inhale the generated water vapor. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the core rod 12 may have the gear shape shown in FIG. 8B only with the exposed portion 17 exposed outward from the liquid storage portion 13 of the cartridge 11. Alternatively, only the portion of the heater member 34 that fits into the fitting hole 44 may be provided. Other portions may have the same shape (cross-sectional shape) as that of this embodiment. Further, the portion of the core rod 12 inserted into the liquid storage portion 13 may also have a gear shape.

FIG. 8C shows another embodiment 2. The other embodiment 2 is different from the present embodiment shown in FIG. 8A in the shape of the core rod 12 of the cartridge 11 and the shape of the fitting hole 44 of the heater member 34. In another embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 8B, a recess is formed on the outer periphery of the core rod 12. In another embodiment 2 shown in FIG. 8C, a recessed portion that is recessed along the penetrating direction is formed on the surface portion of the fitting portion 44 of the heater member 34. The exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 has a cylindrical shape. By making the core rod 12 a simple shape, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge 11 that is frequently exchanged, and to reduce the cost when the electronic cigarette 1 (electronic cigarette body 7) is used for a long period of time.

Further, the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 has a cylindrical outer peripheral shape, and a recess is formed in the surface portion of the cylindrical fitting hole 44. As a result, the contact area (area of the adjacent portion) between the outer peripheral portion of the core rod 12 and the surface portion of the fitting hole 44 is increased. Further, a space is formed between the recessed portion forming portion formed on the surface of the fitting hole 44 and the outer peripheral surface portion of the core rod 12 facing the recessed portion forming portion. This space is referred to as an air flow path Y. With such a structure, it is possible to increase the generation efficiency of water vapor and efficiently inhale the generated water vapor. Further, the heater member 34 has a longer usable period than the cartridge 11. A recess was formed on the surface of the fitting portion 44 of the heater member 34. By not forming the concave portion on the core rod 12 side, it is possible to reduce the cost when the electronic cigarette 1 is used for a long period of time. The structure of the other portions of the other embodiment 1 and the other embodiment 2 is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

Next, another embodiment of the heater member 34 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9A and 9B are sectional views showing only the heater member 34 and the cartridge 11 in the same direction as the sectional view shown in FIG. FIG. 9A shows another embodiment 3. The heater member 34 of the above-described embodiment has a structure in which the heater 42 is embedded inside the heater support 45 made of ceramics. The third embodiment is provided with a thin hollow cylindrical spacer 56 into which the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 can be inserted and fitted.

Then, the heater 55 of the third embodiment is wound around the outer periphery of the spacer 56. The heater 55 is composed of a wire coil made of copper, as in the above-described embodiment. This can prevent the core rod 12 from coming into contact with the wire coil and deforming or damaging the wire coil when the cartridge 11 is replaced. The spacer 56 is made of ceramics that is an insulator. Other Embodiment 3 can manufacture a heater member cheaply compared with insert molding, and can reduce the manufacturing cost of a heater member. Further, a spacer 56 provided on the electronic cigarette body 7 side is provided between the heater 55 (wire coil) and the core rod 12. Thereby, when the cartridge 11 is attached to or detached from the electronic cigarette body 7, the core rod 12 and the heater 55 (wire coil) come into contact with each other, and the heater 55 is disconnected or short-circuited, resulting in a resistance value. It is possible to reduce the possibility that

Further, FIG. 9B shows another embodiment 4. In the third embodiment, the spacer 56 has a hollow cylindrical shape having a through hole inside. Then, the exposed portion 17 of the core rod 12 is configured to be inserted into the through hole. The wire coil (heater 55) is wound around the outer circumference of the spacer 56. The spacer 58 in FIG. 9B is not provided so as to cover the outer periphery of the core rod 12, but is provided only in a part of the core rod 12. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the core rod 12 and the heater 57 from coming into contact with each other when the cartridge 11 is replaced.

The spacer 58 of the other embodiment 4 is formed in a flat plate shape. The heater 57 of the other embodiment 4 is composed of a copper wire coil formed in a flat shape along a flat spacer. Then, as shown in FIG. 9B, the heater 57 is provided on the surface side of the spacer 58 opposite to the surface in contact with the core rod 12. Further, the spacer 58 was provided at a position in contact with the upper end portion of the core rod 12 when the cartridge 11 was mounted. With this configuration, the spacer 58 and the heater 57 (heater member) can have a simpler structure. Further, the electronic cigarette body 7 can be downsized and the cost can be reduced. The positions of the spacers 58 and the heaters 57 are not limited to the positions in contact with the upper end of the core rod 12, but may be in positions in contact with the side parts such as the left end part and the right end part of the core bar 12, or the left end part and the left end part. The position may be in contact with a plurality of places such as the right end.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, all the electric components such as the control board, the battery, the sensor, the heater, and the connection terminals are provided on the electronic cigarette body side, and the electric components are not provided on the cartridge side. In the fifth embodiment, a heater and a connection terminal for electrically connecting the heater and electric parts on the electronic cigarette body side may be provided on the cartridge side, and other electric parts may be provided on the electronic cigarette body side. .. As a result, it is possible to package the heater with the heater attached to the cartridge side, which causes problems such as poor contact between the heater and the core rod, and causes the core rod 12 to deform the wire coil and cause a short circuit when the cartridge is attached or detached. Can be reduced. Further, this makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge as much as possible while reducing the occurrence of defects.

Specifically, in another embodiment 5 shown in FIG. 10A, the heater 59 (wire coil) wound around the exposed portion of the core rod 12 can be used as the cartridge 11. Both ends of the wire coil are connected to the connection terminals 60, 60, respectively. Then, when the cartridge 11 is attached to the electronic cigarette body 7, the connection terminals 60, 60 are connected to the connection terminals provided on the electronic cigarette body 7 side (not shown). The heater 59 is electrically connected to other electric components such as a control board, a battery, and a sensor on the electronic cigarette body 7 side.

Further, another embodiment 6 shown in FIG. 10B includes a heater 59 on the cartridge 11 side as in FIG. 10A. In addition to the configuration of FIG. 10A, a protective cover 61 that protects the heater 59 is provided. The protective cover 61 is made of ceramics, has a hollow cylindrical shape, and covers the outer periphery of the heater 59. As a result, when the cartridge 11 is replaced, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the wire coil will come into contact with the wall surface or the like of the electronic cigarette body 7 and the wire coil will be deformed or damaged. Further, as another mode in which the heater is provided on the cartridge 11 side, the structure shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B may be adopted.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when replacing the heater member 34, the cartridge 11 is removed in advance and then replaced. Instead of such a configuration, the heater member 34 may be replaceable with the cartridge 11 still mounted. As a result, when it is necessary to replace only the heater member, it is possible to save the labor of attaching and detaching the cartridge 11, so that the replacement of the heater member can be facilitated.

The appearance of the electronic cigarette body 7 described above is formed in the shape of an elongated rod. The shape is not limited to such an external shape, and may be a wide shape or an elongated cylindrical shape such as a cigarette. The core rod may be made of a soft material such as fiber instead of ceramics.

Although some examples have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, the entire present disclosure exemplarily shows various embodiments, in which the claimed invention can be practiced to provide an excellent aerosol generating device. The advantages and features of this disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments and are not comprehensive or exclusive. They are provided solely as an aid to the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. It will be appreciated that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and/or other aspects of the disclosure may limit the disclosure as defined in the claims, or The embodiments are not limited to the equivalents, and other embodiments may be used or modified without departing from the scope and/or concept of the present disclosure. The present disclosure also includes other inventions that are not presently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

1 Electronic Cigarette 2 Upper Cover 3 Lower Cover 7 Electronic Cigarette Main Body 11 Cartridge 12 Core Rod 21 Case Main Body 34 Heater Member 36 Case Main Body Upper Cover 42 Heater (Wire Coil)

The aerosol generating device of the first aspect for solving the above-mentioned problems is
An aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, comprising:
An aerosol generating device main body, and a cartridge used in the aerosol generating device main body,
The aerosol generator main body includes an intake port for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol forming substrate to the intake port, a heater section for generating heat, and a heater section. A power supply unit for supplying electric power,
The cartridge has a storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, a core portion having one end side inserted into the storage portion and immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate, and the other end portion exposed to the outside of the storage portion.
The heater portion has a through hole,
By mounting the cartridge on the aerosol generator main body, the other end side of the core portion of the cartridge is inserted into the through hole of the heater portion of the aerosol generator main body and the other end side of the core portion. The surface portion of the through hole of the heater is in contact with or close to,
By making the cross-sectional shape of the through hole and the other end side of the core part inserted into the through hole different, between the surface part of the through hole and the outer peripheral part of the other end side of the core part. A space is formed, and the space is used as the air passage .

According to this aspect, the aerosol generating device is composed of the aerosol generating device main body and the cartridge. The aerosol generator main body side is provided with an inlet, an air passage, a heater section, and a power source section, and the cartridge side is provided with a storage section and a core section. With this configuration, when the aerosol-forming substrate stored in the storage unit disappears and the cartridge is replaced, the suction port, the air passage, the heater unit, and the power supply unit, which are components on the aerosol generator main body side, are replaced. No need. Further, this can reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generating device is used for a long period of time. Further, by this, the core portion is efficiently heated by the portion where the surface portion of the through hole and the outer peripheral portion of the core portion are in contact with each other, or the portion where these are close to each other, the efficiency of generating steam is increased, and The generated water vapor can be efficiently sucked in by the air passage formed between the core and the outer peripheral portion of the core. The storage part is formed by being covered with the inner wall part of the member forming the cartridge. Further, the air passage is formed so as to be covered with the inner wall portion of the member forming the aerosol generating device. In addition, “close to” means a distance that allows the aerosol-forming substrate contained in the core to be heated by the heat generated by the heater to generate an aerosol.

In addition, the aerosol generator of the second aspect is the aerosol generator of the first aspect,
The through hole is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the other end side of the core portion is formed in an elongated rod shape having a substantially quadrangular cross section .

In addition, the aerosol generator of the third aspect is the aerosol generator of the first aspect or the second aspect,
The aerosol generator main body includes a sensor that detects an input, and a control board that connects the sensor, the heater unit, and the power supply unit to control the timing of supplying power to the heater unit. It is what
According to this aspect, in addition to the first aspect, a sensor and a control board are further provided on the aerosol generator main body side. With such a configuration, even if the cartridge is replaced, it is not necessary to replace the sensor or the control board on the aerosol generator main body side. Further, this makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cartridge and the cost when the aerosol generator is used for a long period of time.

Further, the aerosol generating apparatus of the fourth aspect is the aerosol generating apparatus of the third aspect,
The main body of the aerosol generating device is characterized in that it is replaceable by removing the heater part.

In addition, the aerosol generator of the fifth aspect,
An aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, comprising:
An aerosol generating device main body, and a cartridge used in the aerosol generating device main body,
The aerosol generator main body has an inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate to the inlet, and a power supply unit for supplying electric power,
The cartridge includes a storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, a core portion having one end side inserted into the storage portion and immersed in the aerosol-forming base material, and the other end portion exposed to the outside of the storage portion, and the core portion. A heater part that is installed in contact with or in close proximity to generate heat,
By mounting the cartridge on the main body of the aerosol generator, the heater section and the power source section are electrically connected, and the heater section can generate heat.

Claims (6)

An aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol,
An aerosol generating device main body, and a cartridge used in the aerosol generating device main body,
The aerosol generator main body includes an intake port for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol forming substrate to the intake port, a heater section for generating heat, and a heater section. A power supply unit for supplying electric power,
The cartridge has a storage unit for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, a core portion having one end side inserted into the storage unit and immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate, and the other end side exposed to the outside of the storage unit.
By mounting the cartridge on the aerosol generating device main body, the other end side of the core portion of the cartridge comes into contact with or comes close to the heater part of the aerosol generating device main body. The aerosol generator main body includes a sensor that detects an input, and a control board that connects the sensor, the heater unit, and the power supply unit to control the timing of supplying power to the heater unit. The aerosol generator according to claim 1. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the aerosol generating apparatus main body is replaceable by removing the heater portion. A cartridge for an aerosol generator used in an aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol,
A storage part for storing the aerosol-forming substrate; and a core part having one end side inserted into the storage part to be immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate and the other end side exposed to the outside of the storage part.
An inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate to the inlet, a heater section for generating heat, and a power source section for supplying electric power to the heater section. , Is capable of being attached to the main body of the aerosol generator,
The cartridge for an aerosol generating device, wherein the other end side of the core part comes into contact with or comes close to the heater part of the aerosol generating device main body when mounted on the aerosol generating device main body. An aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, comprising:
An aerosol generating device main body, and a cartridge used in the aerosol generating device main body,
The aerosol generator main body has an inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol-forming substrate to the inlet, and a power supply unit for supplying electric power,
The cartridge includes a storage portion for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, a core portion having one end side inserted into the storage portion and immersed in the aerosol-forming base material, and the other end portion exposed to the outside of the storage portion, and the core portion. A heater part that is installed in contact with or in close proximity to generate heat,
The aerosol generating device, wherein the heater part and the power source part are electrically connected by mounting the cartridge on the aerosol generating device main body, and the heater part can generate heat. A cartridge for an aerosol generator used in an aerosol generator for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol,
A reservoir for storing the aerosol-forming substrate, one end side inserted into the reservoir and immersed in the aerosol-forming substrate, and the other end contacting or approaching the core and a core exposed to the outside of the reservoir. And has a heater section that generates heat,
It can be attached to an aerosol generator main body having an inlet for inhaling the generated aerosol, an air passage for guiding the aerosol generated from the aerosol forming substrate to the inlet, and a power supply unit for supplying electric power. And
The cartridge for an aerosol generator, wherein the heater part and the power source part are electrically connected to each other by being mounted on the aerosol generator main body, and the heater part can generate heat.

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