JP7344412B2 - flavor aspirator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flavor inhaler.

BACKGROUND ART Flavor aspirators for aspirating flavors and the like without burning materials have been known. As such a flavor inhaler, for example, there is one that has a storage part that stores a flavor-generating article and a heating part that heats the flavor-generating article that is stored in the storage part, and that uses an O-ring to ensure airtightness. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2020/035454

In the flavor inhaler described in Patent Document 1, an O-ring is arranged near the accommodating part. Therefore, the O-ring may deteriorate due to long-term exposure to heat from the heating section and aerosol generated in the housing section. Moreover, since this O-ring is stretched to fit into the groove and further compressed in the attached state, compressive stress continues to act on the member in which the groove is formed for a long period of time. If the groove is deformed, the aerosol generated in the storage section may leak into the casing of the flavor inhaler, which may accelerate the deterioration of the electronic circuit section or cause malfunction of the device due to contact failure in the electrical contact section. There is. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the member in which the groove is formed by increasing the thickness or using a highly rigid material. Furthermore, in order to ensure a stable amount of compression, the member in which the grooves are formed must be manufactured with high precision. As a result, the device may become larger and the cost may increase.

The present invention has been made to solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a flavor suction device that can suppress leakage of aerosol generated in a storage section into the casing of a flavor suction device. The purpose is to obtain a vessel.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a flavor inhaler is provided. This flavor inhaler has an opening edge that forms an opening, a housing part that houses at least a part of the flavor-generating article, a contact part that comes into contact with at least a part of the opening edge, and a housing part that comes into contact with the housing part. A biasing portion that biases the contact portion.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a seal is formed between the opening edge of the storage part and the contact part, so that the aerosol generated in the storage part is prevented from leaking into the casing of the flavor inhaler. Can be suppressed.

In the second form of the present invention, in the first form, the contact part is a guide part that guides the flavor-generating article to the storage part.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a seal is formed between the opening edge of the storage part and the guide part, so that aerosol generated in the storage part is suppressed from leaking into the casing of the flavor inhaler. can do.

In the third form of the present invention, in the first form or the second form, the accommodating part has a cylindrical shape with an opening formed at one end, and the abutting part, the accommodating part, and The biasing parts are arranged in this order along the axial direction of the housing part.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the abutting part, the accommodating part, and the urging part are arranged in this order, the urging part can be applied to the accommodating part of a general stick heating type flavor inhaler.

In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in any of the first to third embodiments, the contact portion contacts the opening edge over the entire circumference of the opening.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a seal is formed between the opening edge of the accommodating part and the abutting part over the entire circumference, so that the aerosol generated in the accommodating part leaks into the casing of the flavor inhaler. It is possible to further suppress the

In the fifth embodiment of the present invention, in any of the first to fourth embodiments, the contact part is fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator and the casing of the flavor aspirator on the opposite side to the accommodating part. and at least one of the fixed parts.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the abutting part is supported by abutting against the housing of the flavor aspirator or the fixed part fixed to the housing of the flavor aspirator, the accommodating part is brought into contact with the urging part. can be reliably energized.

In the sixth form of the present invention, in any of the first to fifth forms, the biasing part is fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator and the casing of the flavor aspirator on the opposite side to the accommodating part. and at least one of the fixed parts.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the biasing part is supported by abutting against the housing of the flavor aspirator or the fixed part fixed to the housing of the flavor aspirator, so that the biasing part abuts the housing part. can be reliably energized.

In a seventh form of the present invention, in the sixth form, the urging part has a protrusion that protrudes in a direction opposite to the accommodating part and is formed to become sharper as it moves away from the accommodating part.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the protrusion has a sharp-pointed shape, the force applied to the tip of the protrusion can be easily transmitted to the entire biasing part. This enables reliable energization.

In an eighth form of the present invention, in the seventh form, the protrusion is an annular protrusion continuously arranged around the axis of the accommodating part.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the biasing portion can bias the housing portion while aligning the axis of the housing portion, so that the biasing portion reliably biases the housing portion toward the contact portion. can do. In addition, since the protrusions are arranged continuously, the force applied to the protrusions can be transmitted to the entire biasing part, so that the biasing part reliably biases the housing part toward the contact part. I can do it.

In the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the protrusions are a plurality of protrusions arranged intermittently around the axis of the accommodating part.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the biasing section can bias the housing section while being aligned with the axis of the housing section, so that the biasing section reliably biases the housing section toward the abutting section. can do. Further, since the protrusions are disposed intermittently, heat from the accommodating portion is less likely to be transmitted to the biasing portion, so deterioration of the biasing portion can be suppressed.

In a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, the biasing part is a third part protruding toward the biasing part from at least one of the casing of the flavor aspirator and the fixed part fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator . It has a second contact surface that comes into contact with the second protrusion .

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the second abutment surface of the biasing part is the second protrusion provided on at least one of the casing of the flavor aspirator and the fixed part fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator. Since the biasing portion contacts the contact portion , the biasing portion can reliably bias the accommodating portion toward the contact portion.

In an eleventh form of the present invention, in any of the sixth to tenth forms, the biasing part has a positioning part that is engaged with at least one of the casing and the fixing part of the flavor inhaler.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the biasing part is held by the positioning part on the casing of the flavor aspirator or the fixed part fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator, so that the biasing part hits the accommodating part. It is possible to reliably apply force to the contact portion.

In a twelfth form of the present invention, in any of the sixth to tenth forms, the biasing part has a notch or a hole through which a part of the accommodating part passes, and the part of the accommodating part , engages at least one of the housing and the fixing portion of the flavor inhaler.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, a part of the accommodating part engages with the casing of the flavor aspirator or the fixed part fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator, so that the accommodating part is brought into contact with the urging part. The accommodating part can be fixed so as to prevent relative rotation with respect to the housing or the fixed part while urging the housing part.

In a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention, in any of the first to twelfth embodiments, the biasing portion is formed of an elastic material.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, since the biasing portion is elastically deformed, it is possible to maintain a state in which the biasing portion biases the accommodating portion within the housing.

In a fourteenth form of the present invention, in any of the first to thirteenth forms, the device further includes a support part that is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the urging part and supports the accommodating part.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, heat from the accommodating part is made difficult to be transmitted to the supporting part, so that heat loss in the accommodating part can be suppressed.

In a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the fourteenth aspect, the biasing section biases the accommodating section via the support section.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, heat from the accommodating part is difficult to be transmitted to the biasing part, so that deterioration of the biasing part is suppressed and heat loss of the accommodating part via the biasing part is suppressed. I can do it.

In the 16th form of the present invention, in the 14th form or the 15th form, the support part is arranged between the accommodating part and the urging part.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the accommodating part, the supporting part, and the biasing part are arranged in this order, so that the biasing part reliably biases the accommodating part toward the abutting part via the supporting part. be able to.

In the seventeenth form of the present invention, in any of the fourteenth to sixteenth forms, the accommodating part and the urging part do not come into contact with each other.

According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, it becomes difficult for heat from the accommodating portion to be transmitted to the biasing portion, so deterioration of the biasing portion can be suppressed.

In an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in any of the first to seventeenth aspects, the biasing part has a first contact surface that comes into contact with a first protrusion that protrudes from the accommodation part side toward the biasing part. has.

According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the first contact surface of the biasing portion contacts the first protrusion that protrudes from the accommodating portion side toward the biasing portion, so that the biasing portion abuts the accommodating portion. It is possible to reliably apply force to the contact portion.

In a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in any of the first to eighteenth aspects, the housing further includes a casing having an inlet, and the accommodating part has an opening edge provided on the opposite side of the bottom that has an inlet. Once inserted into the casing from the entrance, the abutting part is configured so that it cannot escape from the casing, and the abutting part contacts the opening edge on the opposite side of the through hole exposed outside the casing. The biasing part is arranged on the bottom side of the housing part, and when the contact part is inserted into the housing and comes into contact with the opening edge, it is compressed by the contact part and the housing part to abut the housing part. energizes the contact part.

According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, when the abutting portion is inserted into the housing and comes into contact with the opening edge, the biasing portion is compressed by the abutting portion and the accommodating portion, and the accommodating portion is brought into contact with the abutting portion. Since it is biased, a seal can be formed between the opening edge of the accommodating part and the abutting part with a simple configuration, and it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the flavor inhaler.

The 20th aspect of the present invention further includes a slide member that is slidably attached to the housing so as to open and close the entrance, and the slide member is configured to move in the axial direction of the accommodating part with the entrance opened. It is configured to cover at least a portion of the contact portion.

According to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, the abutting portion cannot be pulled out of the casing unless the user destroys the slide member, so it is possible to realize a structure that is difficult to remodel.

It is a schematic front view of the flavor inhaler concerning this embodiment. It is a schematic top view of the flavor inhaler concerning this embodiment. It is a schematic bottom view of the flavor inhaler concerning this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a flavor-generating article. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler taken along arrow 3-3 shown in FIG. 1B. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the chamber. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along arrow 4B-4B shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along arrow 5A-5A shown in FIG. 4B. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the chamber taken along arrow 5B-5B shown in FIG. 4B. FIG. It is a perspective view of a chamber and a heating part. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the flavor-generating article placed in a desired position within the chamber; FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first holding part. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the second holding part. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heater cushion viewed from the Z-axis negative direction side. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the heater cushion taken along arrow 11-11 shown in FIG. 10. FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing another form of the first holding part. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first holding portion viewed from the Z-axis negative direction side. 13 is a sectional view showing an excerpt of the heater cushion shown in FIG. 12. FIG. It is a perspective view of a heater cushion. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heater cushion viewed from the Z-axis negative direction side. It is a schematic front view of another flavor inhaler based on this embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals and redundant explanation will be omitted.

FIG. 1A is a schematic front view of a flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 1B is a schematic top view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 1C is a schematic bottom view of the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment. In the drawings described in this specification, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system may be used for convenience of explanation. In this coordinate system, the Z axis points vertically upward, the XY plane is arranged to cut the flavor aspirator 100 horizontally, and the Y axis extends from the front side of the flavor aspirator 100 to the back side. It is arranged so that it comes out. The Z-axis can also be referred to as the insertion direction of a flavor-generating article accommodated in a chamber 50 of the atomization section 30, which will be described later, or the axial direction of the chamber 50. Further, the X-axis is a direction perpendicular to the Y-axis and the Z-axis.

The flavor inhaler 100 according to the present embodiment is configured to generate a flavor-containing aerosol by heating a stick-shaped flavor-generating article having a flavor source including an aerosol source, for example.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the flavor inhaler 100 includes an outer housing 101 (corresponding to an example of a housing), a slide cover 102, and a switch section 103. The outer housing 101 constitutes the outermost housing of the flavor inhaler 100 and has a size that fits in the user's hand. When the user uses the flavor inhaler 100, the user can hold the flavor inhaler 100 in his/her hand and inhale the aerosol. The outer housing 101 may be constructed by assembling a plurality of members. The outer housing 101 is made of, for example, a resin, particularly polycarbonate (PC), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or aluminum. It can be made of metals such as.

The outer housing 101 has an opening (corresponding to an example of an inlet), not shown, for receiving a flavor-generating article, and the slide cover 102 is slidably attached to the outer housing 101 so as to close this opening. Specifically, the slide cover 102 moves the outside of the outer housing 101 between a closed position where the opening of the outer housing 101 is closed (the position shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B) and an open position where the opening is opened. Constructed to be movable along the surface. For example, the slide cover 102 can be moved between the closed position and the open position by manually operating the slide cover 102 by the user. Thereby, access of the flavor generating article to the inside of the slide cover 102 and the flavor inhaler 100 can be permitted or restricted.

The switch unit 103 is used to turn on and off the operation of the flavor inhaler 100. For example, by operating the switch unit 103 with a flavor-generating article inserted into the flavor inhaler 100, the user can supply power from a power source (not shown) to a heating unit (not shown), thereby heating the flavor-generating article without burning it. can do. Note that the switch section 103 may be a switch provided outside the outer housing 101 or may be a switch located inside the outer housing 101. When the switch is located inside the outer housing 101, the switch is indirectly pressed by pressing the switch portion 103 on the surface of the outer housing 101. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the switch of the switch section 103 is located inside the outer housing 101.

The flavor inhaler 100 may further include a terminal (not shown). The terminal may be an interface that connects the flavor inhaler 100 to, for example, an external power source. When the power source provided in the flavor inhaler 100 is a rechargeable battery, by connecting an external power source to the terminal, the external power source can cause current to flow through the power source and charge the power source. The flavor aspirator 100 may also be configured to transmit data related to the operation of the flavor aspirator 100 to an external device by connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal.

Next, a flavor-generating article used in the flavor inhaler 100 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view of the flavor generating article 110. In this embodiment, the flavor inhaler 100 and the flavor generating article 110 may constitute a smoking system. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the flavor-generating article 110 includes a smokable article 111, a cylindrical member 114, a hollow filter section 116, and a filter section 115.

The smokable article 111 is wrapped with a first wrapping paper 112 . The cylindrical member 114, the hollow filter section 116, and the filter section 115 are wrapped with a second wrapping paper 113 different from the first wrapping paper 112. The second wrapping paper 113 also wraps a portion of the first wrapping paper 112 around which the smokable article 111 is wrapped. Thereby, the cylindrical member 114, the hollow filter section 116, and the filter section 115 are connected to the smokable article 111. However, the second wrapping paper 113 may be omitted and the smokable article 111 may be connected to the tubular member 114, the hollow filter section 116, and the filter section 115 using the first wrapping paper 112. A lip release agent 117 is applied to the outer surface of the second wrapping paper 113 near the end on the filter section 115 side to make it easier to release the user's lips from the second wrapping paper 113. The portion of the flavor-generating article 110 to which the lip release agent 117 is applied functions as the mouthpiece of the flavor-generating article 110.

Smokable 111 may include a flavor source, such as tobacco, and an aerosol source. Further, the first wrapping paper 112 around which the smokable article 111 is wrapped may be a sheet member having air permeability. The cylindrical member 114 may be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In the illustrated example, the flavor-generating article 110 includes a smokable material 111, a cylindrical member 114, a hollow filter section 116, and a filter section 115, but the configuration of the flavor-generating article 110 is not limited to this. For example, the hollow filter section 116 may be omitted, and the cylindrical member 114 and the filter section 115 may be arranged adjacent to each other.

Next, the internal structure of the flavor inhaler 100 will be explained. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flavor inhaler 100 taken along arrow 3-3 shown in FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 3, an inner housing 10 (corresponding to an example of a housing) is provided inside an outer housing 101 of the flavor inhaler 100. The inner housing 10 is made of resin, for example, and is particularly made of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or aluminum. It can be made of metals such as. Note that from the viewpoint of heat resistance and strength, the inner housing 10 is preferably made of PEEK. In the internal space of the inner housing 10, a power supply section 20 and an atomization section 30 are provided. Furthermore, the outer housing 101 and the inner housing 10 may be collectively referred to as a housing.

The power supply section 20 has a power supply 21. Power source 21 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 21 is electrically connected to the atomization section 30. Thereby, the power supply 21 can supply power to the atomization unit 30 so as to appropriately heat the flavor-generating article 110.

As shown in the figure, the atomizing section 30 includes a chamber 50 (corresponding to an example of a housing section) that extends in the insertion direction (Z-axis direction) of the flavor-generating article 110, and a heating section 40 that covers a part of the chamber 50. It has a heat insulating part 32 and a substantially cylindrical insertion guide member 34 (corresponding to an example of a contact part and a guide part). Chamber 50 is configured to house a flavor generating article 110. The heating unit 40 is configured to contact the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 50 and heat the flavor-generating article 110 housed in the chamber 50 . As illustrated, a bottom member 36 (corresponding to an example of a housing part) may be provided at the bottom of the chamber 50. Bottom member 36 may function as a stop for positioning consumable product 110 inserted into chamber 50. The bottom member 36 has unevenness on the surface that the flavor-generating article 110 contacts, and can define a space that can supply air to the surface that the flavor-generating article 110 contacts. The bottom member 36 is made of, for example, a resin, particularly polycarbonate (PC), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or aluminum. It can be formed from metals such as. Note that the bottom member 36 is preferably formed of a material with low thermal conductivity in order to suppress the transfer of heat to the heat insulating portion 32 and the like.

The heat insulating part 32 has a generally cylindrical shape as a whole, and is arranged to cover the chamber 50. The heat insulating section 32 may include, for example, an airgel sheet. Insertion guide member 34 is provided between slide cover 102 and chamber 50 in the closed position. When the insertion guide member 34 is inserted into the casing from the opening of the outer housing 101, the claws engage with the casing, and the insertion guide member 34 is configured to be unable to escape from the casing. The insertion guide member 34 is made of resin, for example, and is particularly made of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. obtain. Note that the insertion guide member 34 may be made of metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. Further, from the viewpoint of heat resistance, the insertion guide member 34 is preferably made of PEEK. The insertion guide member 34 communicates with the outside of the flavor inhaler 100 when the slide cover 102 is in the open position, and inserts the flavor-generating article 110 into the through hole 34a of the insertion guide member 34, thereby introducing the flavor into the chamber 50. Guide the insertion of the flavor generating article 110. The slide cover 102 is configured to cover at least a portion of the insertion guide member 34 in the axial direction of the chamber 50 while exposing the through hole 34a of the insertion guide member 34 to the outside when in the open position. In FIG. 3, a state in which the slide cover 102 is closed so as to cover the entire through hole 34a of the insertion guide member 34 is shown by a two-dot chain line.

The flavor inhaler 100 further includes a first holding part 37 and a second holding part 38 that hold both ends of the chamber 50 and the heat insulating part 32. The first holding section 37 is arranged to hold the ends of the chamber 50 and the heat insulating section 32 on the Z-axis negative direction side. The second holding section 38 is arranged to hold the ends of the chamber 50 and the heat insulating section 32 on the slide cover 102 side (Z-axis positive direction side). Details of the first holding section 37 and the second holding section 38 will be described later.

Next, the structure of the chamber 50 will be explained. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of chamber 50. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of chamber 50 taken along arrow 4B-4B shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of chamber 50 taken along arrow 5A-5A shown in FIG. 4B. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of chamber 50 taken along arrow 5B-5B shown in FIG. 4B. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the chamber 50 and the heating section 40.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the chamber 50 may have a cylindrical shape including an opening 52 into which the flavor-generating article 110 is inserted and a cylindrical side wall 60 that houses the flavor-generating article 110. . A flange portion 52a (corresponding to an example of an opening edge) is formed at an end defining the opening 52 of the chamber 50. The chamber 50 is arranged such that the flange portion 52a provided on the opposite side of the bottom portion 56 faces the opening of the outer housing 101. The chamber 50 is preferably made of a material that is heat resistant and has a small coefficient of thermal expansion, and may be made of, for example, stainless steel. In addition to metal, the chamber 50 may be made of resin such as PEEK, glass, ceramic, or the like. This allows effective heating from the chamber 50 to the flavor generating article 110. Note that the chamber 50 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may have a cup shape.

As shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B, the side wall portion 60 includes a contact portion 62 and a separation portion 66. When the flavor-generating article 110 is placed at a desired position within the chamber 50, the contact portion 62 contacts or presses a portion of the flavor-generating article 110, and the spacing portion 66 separates from the flavor-generating article 110. Note that in this specification, a "desired position within the chamber 50" refers to a position where the flavor-generating article 110 is appropriately heated or a position of the flavor-generating article 110 when the user smokes. The contact portion 62 has an inner surface 62a and an outer surface 62b. The spacing portion 66 has an inner surface 66a and an outer surface 66b. As shown in FIG. 6, the heating section 40 is arranged on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62. It is preferable that the heating section 40 is disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 without any gaps. Note that the heating section 40 may include an adhesive layer. In that case, it is preferable that the heating section 40 including the adhesive layer be disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact section 62 without any gaps.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 5B, the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 is a flat surface. Since the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 is flat, when the strip-shaped electrode 48 is connected to the heating portion 40 disposed on the outer surface 62b of the contact portion 62 as shown in FIG. It is possible to suppress bending. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B, the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62 is a flat surface. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B, the thickness of the contact portion 62 is uniform.

As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5B, the chamber 50 has two contact portions 62 in the circumferential direction of the chamber 50, and the two contact portions 62 face each other in parallel. Preferably, at least a portion of the distance between the inner surfaces 62a of the two contact portions 62 is smaller than the width of the portion located between the contact portions 62 of the flavor generating article 110 inserted into the chamber 50.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the inner surface 66a of the spacing portion 66 may have a generally arcuate cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. Moreover, the separation part 66 is arranged so as to be adjacent to the contact part 62 in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the chamber 50 may have a hole 56a in its bottom 56 such that the bottom member 36 shown in FIG. 3 is disposed therethrough. The bottom member 36 may be secured within the bottom 56 of the chamber 50 by adhesive or the like. Note that the adhesive interposed between the bottom member 36 and the bottom portion 56 may be made of a resin material such as epoxy resin. Alternatively, an inorganic adhesive such as cement or welding may also be used. A bottom member 36 provided in the bottom portion 56 may support a portion of the flavor generating article 110 inserted into the chamber 50 so as to expose at least a portion of the end surface of the flavor generating article 110. Further, the bottom portion 56 can support a portion of the flavor-generating article 110 so that the exposed end surface of the flavor-generating article 110 communicates with a gap 67 (see FIG. 7) described below.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the chamber 50 preferably has a cylindrical non-retention portion 54 between the opening 52 and the side wall portion 60. As shown in FIGS. In a state where the flavor-generating article 110 is positioned at a desired position in the chamber 50, a gap may be formed between the non-retaining portion 54 and the flavor-generating article 110. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, it is preferable that the chamber 50 has a first guide portion 58 including a tapered surface 58a that connects the inner surface of the non-retaining portion 54 and the inner surface 62a of the contact portion 62.

As shown in FIG. 6, the heating section 40 includes a heating element 42. As shown in FIG. Heating element 42 may be a heating truck, for example. Preferably, heating element 42 is positioned to heat contact portion 62 without contacting spacing portion 66 of chamber 50 . In other words, the heating element 42 is preferably arranged only on the outer surface of the contact portion 62. The heating element 42 may have a difference in heating capacity between a portion that heats the separation portion 66 of the chamber 50 and a portion that heats the contact portion 62. Specifically, heating element 42 may be configured to heat contact portion 62 to a higher temperature than spacing portion 66 . For example, the density of the heating tracks of the heating elements 42 in the contact portion 62 and the spacing portion 66 may be adjusted. The heating element 42 may also be wrapped around the outer circumference of the chamber 50, with substantially the same heating capacity around the entire circumference of the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the heating unit 40 preferably includes, in addition to the heating element 42, an electrically insulating member 44 that covers at least one surface of the heating element 42. In this embodiment, the electrically insulating member 44 is arranged to cover both sides of the heating element 42.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5B with the flavor generating article 110 placed at a desired position within the chamber 50. As shown in FIG. 7, once the flavor-generating article 110 is placed in a desired position within the chamber 50, the flavor-generating article 110 can be pressed into contact with the contact portion 62 of the chamber 50. On the other hand, a gap 67 is formed between the flavor-generating article 110 and the separation part 66. The void 67 may communicate with the opening 52 of the chamber 50 and the end surface of the flavor generating article 110 positioned within the chamber 50 . Thereby, the air flowing in from the opening 52 of the chamber 50 can pass through the gap 67 and flow into the flavor-generating article 110 . In other words, an air flow path (gap 67) is formed between the flavor-generating article 110 and the separation part 66.

Next, the structure of the first holding part 37 and the second holding part 38 that hold the chamber 50 and the heat insulating part 32 will be explained. FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the first holding part 37. FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the second holding part 38. In addition, in FIG. 8, the bottom member 36 shown in FIG. 3 is omitted from illustration.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first holding part 37 includes a cap 72 (corresponding to an example of a support part) and a heater cushion 74 (corresponding to an example of a biasing part). The cap 72 is configured such that a first side surface 72a facing the chamber 50 abuts the bottom 56 of the chamber 50 to support the chamber 50. The cap 72 is made of resin, for example, and may be made of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. Note that the cap 72 may be made of metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. Further, from the viewpoint of heat resistance, the cap 72 is preferably made of PEEK. Furthermore, a rib 72b ( first protrusion ) that protrudes toward the heater cushion 74 is provided on the opposite side of the first side surface 72a of the cap 72.

Heater cushion 74 is configured to accommodate and support one end of cap 72 . The heater cushion 74 has a second side surface 74d ( first contact surface ) that is configured to come into contact with a rib 72b formed on the cap 72. The heater cushion 74 may be made of an elastic member such as silicone rubber. When silicone rubber is used, the suitable Shore A hardness range is 40 to 60, and can be selected as appropriate depending on the deformation of the heater cushion 74. Further, the heater cushion 74 is configured to be positioned and fixed to a fixing portion 22 fixed to an inner housing (not shown). Note that the fixing portion 22 may be the inner housing itself.

As shown in FIG. 9, the second holding portion 38 includes a gasket 80 and an annular member 90. Gasket 80 is disposed around non-retention portion 54 of chamber 50 and is configured to support chamber 50. The gasket 80 is made of resin, for example, and may be made of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. Note that the gasket 80 may be made of metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. Further, from the viewpoint of heat resistance, the gasket 80 is preferably made of PEEK.

Annular member 90 is configured to engage and support insertion guide member 34 and gasket 80. The annular member 90 may be formed of an elastic member such as silicone rubber, for example. When silicone rubber is used, the suitable Shore A hardness range is 40 to 60, and can be selected as appropriate depending on the deformation of the annular member 90. Further, the annular member 90 is configured to be positioned and fixed to a fixing portion 22 fixed to an inner housing (not shown). Further, although not shown, the insertion guide member 34 is configured to abut the fixing portion 22 on the opposite side from the chamber 50.

As shown in FIG. 9, the flange portion 52a of the chamber 50 is configured to abut the entire circumference of the insertion guide member 34 on the side opposite to the through hole 34a. Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the insertion guide member 34, the chamber 50, the cap 72, and the heater cushion 74 are arranged in this order along the axial direction of the chamber 50. Since the insertion guide member 34, the chamber 50, and the heater cushion 74 are arranged in this order, the heater cushion 74 can be applied to the chamber 50 of a general stick heating type flavor inhaler. Note that the cap 72 may not be provided and the chamber 50 may be supported by the heater cushion 74.

Here, as described above, the heater cushion 74 is made of an elastic member such as silicone, and is configured to bias the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34 via the cap 72, that is, in the positive direction of the Z-axis. . Specifically, the heater cushion 74 is compressed by the insertion guide member 34 and the chamber 50 with the insertion guide member 34 inserted into the housing and in contact with the flange portion 52a, and the chamber 50 is inserted into the insertion guide member 34. to energize. As a result, a seal is formed between the flange portion 52a of the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34, so that the aerosol generated in the chamber 50 due to the heating of the flavor-generating article 110 is transferred between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34. It is possible to suppress leakage from the inside of the inner housing. Further, since a seal is formed between the flange portion 52a of the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34 over the entire circumference, leakage of aerosol generated in the chamber 50 into the inner housing can be further suppressed.

Further, by configuring the heater cushion 74 with an elastic member, the heater cushion 74 fixed to the fixing part 22 is elastically deformed, so that the heater cushion 74 can maintain the state in which the chamber 50 is biased within the inner housing. can.

Further, since the heater cushion 74 biases the chamber 50 via the cap 72, the heater cushion 74 and the chamber 50 do not come into contact with each other, so that the heat from the chamber 50 is difficult to be transmitted to the heater cushion 74, and the heater cushion 74 can be suppressed from deterioration.

At this time, the cap 72 is preferably formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the heater cushion 74. This makes it difficult for the heat from the chamber 50 to be transmitted to the cap 72, so that heat loss in the chamber 50 can be suppressed. Further, since heat from the chamber 50 is less likely to be transmitted to the heater cushion 74 via the cap 72, deterioration of the heater cushion 74 can be suppressed, and heat loss of the chamber 50 via the heater cushion 74 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, by arranging the chamber 50, the cap 72, and the heater cushion 74 in this order, the heater cushion 74 can reliably urge the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34 via the cap 72.

Next, a preferred shape of the heater cushion 74 will be explained. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the heater cushion 74 viewed from the Z-axis negative direction side. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the heater cushion taken along arrow 11-11 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8, 10, and 11, the heater cushion 74 includes a protrusion 74a, a positioning portion 74b, and an opening 74c.

The heater cushion 74 has a third side surface 74e ( second contact surface ) configured to come into contact with the fixing portion 22 on the surface opposite to the chamber 50. As a result, the heater cushion 74 comes into contact with and is supported by the fixing portion 22, so that the heater cushion 74 can reliably urge the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34. Moreover, since the insertion guide member 34 comes into contact with the fixing portion 22, it is supported by the fixing portion 22, and the chamber 50 can be reliably urged against the insertion guide member 34 by the heater cushion 74.

At this time, the protrusion 74a is preferably formed to protrude in a direction opposite to the chamber 50 and become sharper as it moves away from the chamber 50. Since the protrusion 74a has a sharp shape, the force applied to the tip of the protrusion 74a can be easily transmitted to the entire heater cushion 74, so that the heater cushion 74 reliably urges the chamber 50 by the insertion guide member 34. I can do it.

Moreover, it is preferable that the protrusion part 74a is an annular protrusion continuously arranged around the axis of the chamber 50. Thereby, the heater cushion 74 can bias the chamber 50 while being aligned with the axis of the chamber 50, so that the heater cushion 74 can reliably bias the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34. Further, since the projections 74a are arranged continuously, the force applied to the projections 74a can be transmitted to the entire heater cushion 74, so that the heater cushion 74 can securely attach the chamber 50 to the insertion guide member 34. can be strengthened.

Note that the protrusions 74a may be a plurality of protrusions disposed intermittently around the axis of the chamber 50. Even in this case, the heater cushion 74 can bias the chamber 50 while being aligned with the axis of the chamber 50, so the heater cushion 74 can reliably bias the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34. I can do it. Furthermore, in this case, since the contact area between the protrusion 74a and the chamber 50 is reduced, heat from the chamber 50 is less likely to be transmitted to the heater cushion 74, and deterioration of the heater cushion 74 can be suppressed.

Although it has been described that the heater cushion 74 has the protrusion 74a, the present invention is not limited to this, and the fixing part 22 may have a protrusion ( second protrusion ) that protrudes toward the heater cushion 74. In this case, the heater cushion 74 can urge the chamber 50 toward the insertion guide member 34 via the cap 72 because the third side surface 74e comes into contact with the second protrusion .

The positioning part 74b is configured to protrude in a direction opposite to the chamber 50 and to be engaged with the positioning hole 22a formed in the fixing part 22. Thereby, the heater cushion 74 is held by the fixing portion 22 and is fixed so as not to be displaced, so that the heater cushion 74 can reliably urge the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34.

The opening 74c is an opening through which the electrode of the heating section 40 shown in FIG. 6 passes. By providing the opening 74c in the heater cushion 74, the electrode 48 of the heating section 40 can be extended substantially parallel to the axial direction of the chamber 50.

In addition, in FIG. 9, in order to further suppress the aerosol generated in the chamber 50 from leaking into the inner housing from between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34, the contact point between the gasket 80 and the annular member 90 is A sealing surface may be formed on the surface.

In summary, the second holding part 38 holds the annular member 90, the flange part 52a of the chamber 50, and the inner diameter of one end side of the heat insulating part 32. The heater cushion 74 holds the bottom side of the chamber 50 and the inner diameter of the other end side of the heat insulating section 32 . A rib 72b provided on the support portion 72 is in contact with the second side surface 74d of the heater cushion 74, and a protrusion 74a formed on the third side surface 74e of the heater cushion 74 is in contact with the fixing portion 22.

When the insertion guide member 34 is inserted into the housing with these elements housed in the housing, the tip of the insertion guide member 34 comes into contact with the flange portion 52a, and the claws of the insertion guide member 34 engage with the housing. When the heater cushion 74 is fully inserted, the rib 72b bites into the heater cushion 74, and at the same time, the protrusion 74a of the heater cushion 74 is crushed, causing the heater cushion 74 to generate a reaction force. As a result, the tip of the insertion guide member 34 comes into close contact with the flange portion 52a, and the gap between the flange portion 52a and the insertion guide member 34 is eliminated. Furthermore, since the temperature of the chamber 50 increases, when the user places his or her mouth on the flavor-generating article 110 and inhales it, it is preferable that the portion of the flavor inhaler 100 that is close to the mouth not reach a high temperature.

Therefore, in this embodiment, an insertion guide member 34 is provided that contacts the chamber 50 and is exposed outside the housing. The insertion guide member 34 is made of a resin material that has lower thermal conductivity and lower specific heat than the metal chamber 50, so that the degree of temperature rise of the insertion guide member 34 is lower than that of the chamber 50. It is composed of

The above-described structure eliminates the gap inside the flavor inhaler 100 while preventing the user from feeling hot, so that the aerosol present in the chamber 50 does not leak into the housing.

In addition, in this embodiment, although it was explained that the heater cushion 74 is positioned and fixed to the fixing|fixed part 22, it is not limited to this. FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view showing another form of the first holding section. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the first holding portion viewed from the Z-axis negative direction side. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the first holding part 137 includes a ring 172 (corresponding to an example of a support part) and a heater cushion 174. Furthermore, the bottom member 36 provided at the bottom 56 of the chamber 50 has a shaft portion 36a that projects to the outside of the chamber 50 through the hole 56a of the chamber 50.

Ring 172 is configured to abut and support bottom 56 of chamber 50 . The ring 172 also has a hole 172a in the center thereof, through which the shaft portion 36a of the bottom member 36 passes. The ring 172 is made of, for example, a resin, particularly polycarbonate (PC), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin, PEEK (polyetheretherketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or aluminum. metal.

Heater cushion 174 is configured to accommodate and support one end of ring 172. The heater cushion 174 also has a hole 174a in the center thereof through which the shaft portion 36a of the bottom member 36 passes. The heater cushion 174 may be made of an elastic material such as silicone, for example. Note that the heater cushion 174 may have a notch through which the shaft portion 36a of the bottom member 36 passes, instead of the hole 174a.

The bottom member 36 is configured such that the shaft portion 36a is positioned and fixed to a fixing portion 22 fixed to an inner housing (not shown). Note that the fixing portion 22 may be the inner housing itself. The shaft portion 36a has a flat surface 36b at the end on the Z-axis negative direction side. The fixing portion 22 has a flat surface 22b facing the flat surface 36b of the shaft portion 36a. By engaging the flat surface 36b of the shaft portion 36a and the flat surface 22b of the fixed portion 22, relative rotation of the chamber 50 with respect to the fixed portion 22 can be prevented.

Next, a preferred shape of the heater cushion 174 will be explained. FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing an excerpt of the heater cushion shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the heater cushion. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the heater cushion viewed from the Z-axis negative direction side. As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the heater cushion 174 has a hole 174a and a protrusion 174b.

As described above, the hole 174a is a hole through which the shaft portion 36a of the bottom member 36 passes. The protruding portion 174b is configured to protrude in a direction opposite to the chamber 50 and come into contact with the fixing portion 22. As a result, the protruding portion 174b comes into contact with and is supported by the fixing portion 22, so that the heater cushion 174 can reliably urge the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34.

Even in the first holding part 37 having such a structure, the heater cushion 174 urges the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34, so that a seal is formed between the flange part 52a of the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34. Therefore, aerosol generated in the chamber 50 due to heating of the flavor-generating article 110 can be prevented from leaking into the inner housing from between the chamber 50 and the insertion guide member 34.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims and the technical idea described in the specification and drawings. is possible. Note that any shape or material not directly described in the specification or drawings is within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention as long as it achieves the action and effect of the present invention.

For example, the flavor inhaler 100 of the present embodiment has a so-called counterflow type air flow path in which air flowing in from the opening 52 of the chamber 50 is supplied to the end surface of the flavor generating article 110, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may have a so-called bottom flow type air flow path in which air is supplied into the chamber 50 from the bottom 56 of the chamber 50. Further, the heating element 42 is not limited to a resistance heating type, but may be an induction heating type. In that case, heating element 42 may heat chamber 50 by induction heating. Further, when the flavor-generating article 110 has a susceptor, the heating element 42 can heat the susceptor of the flavor-generating article 110 by induction heating. Although a structure has been described in which the heating element 42 is disposed around the chamber 50 to raise the temperature of the flavor-generating article 110 in the chamber 50, the method for raising the temperature of the flavor-generating article 110 in the chamber 50 is not limited to the heating element 42. 42 may be applied directly to the flavor-generating article 110, or frictional heat may be generated by vibration between substances in the flavor-generating article 110.

Further, in the above embodiment, a structure is shown in which the heater cushion 74 urges the chamber 50 against the insertion guide member 34, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 17 is a schematic front view of another flavor inhaler according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 17, the flavor inhaler 200 includes a housing 210 (corresponding to an example of a casing), a container 220 (corresponding to an example of a housing part), and a lid part 230 (corresponding to an example of a contact part). ), a biasing section 240, and a mouthpiece 250. Note that in FIG. 17, the heating section is not illustrated.

Housing 210 constitutes the outermost housing of flavor inhaler 200 and is sized to fit in a user's hand. Container 220 is configured to contain flavor generating article 260. Further, the container 220 has an air introduction port 220a that takes in air from the outside, and an opening edge 220b formed at the end on the mouthpiece 250 side that defines the opening of the container 220. As the flavor-generating article 260, instead of the stick-type article shown in the above embodiment, a molded article such as loose tobacco, slurry tobacco, or a tablet can be used.

The lid portion 230 has an aerosol channel 230a through which aerosol generated when the flavor-generating article 260 is heated passes. The biasing section 240 is configured to accommodate and support the lower surface of the container 220, for example. Further, the biasing portion 240 may be formed of an elastic member such as silicon. The mouthpiece 250 is configured to be removably attached to the housing 210, and holds and fixes the lid portion 230 in a state where the mouthpiece 250 is attached to the housing 210.

Even in the flavor inhaler 200 having such a configuration, a seal is formed between the opening edge 220b of the container 220 and the lid 230 by the urging unit 240 urging the container 220 against the lid 230. Therefore, aerosol generated in the container 220 due to heating of the flavor-generating article 260 can be prevented from leaking into the housing 210 from between the container 220 and the lid 230.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Inner housing 34... Insertion guide member 34a... Through hole 37... First holding part 38... Second holding part 50... Chamber 52... Opening 52a... Flange part 72... Cap 72a... First side surface 72b... Rib 74... Heater cushion 74a... Projection 74b... Positioning part 74c... Opening 74d... Second side surface 74e... Third side surface 80... Gasket 90... Annular member 100... Flavor aspirator 101... Outer housing 110... Flavor generating article 174... Heater cushion 174a... Hole 174b... Projection 200... Flavor aspirator 210... Housing 220... Container 230... Lid 240... Biasing part 260... Flavor generating article 220b... Opening edge

Claims (21)

an accommodating portion having an opening edge forming an opening and accommodating at least a portion of the flavor-generating article;
an abutting portion that abuts at least a portion of the opening edge;
a biasing portion that biases a force in the longitudinal direction of the flavor-generating article so that a seal is formed between the opening edge and the contact portion;
Equipped with
The biasing section is a flavor inhaler, wherein the biasing section has a first contact surface that comes into contact with a first protrusion that protrudes from the accommodating section toward the biasing section. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1,
The contact part is a guide part that guides the flavor-generating article to the storage part,
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1 or 2,
The accommodating portion has a cylindrical shape with the opening formed at one end,
In the casing of the flavor inhaler, the contact part, the accommodating part, and the urging part are arranged in this order along the axial direction of the accommodating part.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The contact portion contacts the opening edge over the entire circumference of the opening.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The abutting part is in contact with at least one of a casing of the flavor inhaler and a fixing part fixed to the casing of the flavor inhaler, on a side opposite to the accommodating part.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The biasing part is in contact with at least one of a casing of the flavor inhaler and a fixing part fixed to the casing of the flavor inhaler on a side opposite to the accommodating part.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 6,
The biasing portion has a protrusion that protrudes in a direction opposite to the accommodating portion and becomes sharper as it moves away from the accommodating portion.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 7,
The protrusion is an annular protrusion continuously arranged around the axis of the accommodating part.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 7,
The protrusion is a plurality of protrusions arranged intermittently around the axis of the accommodating part,
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 6,
The biasing part includes a second abutment that comes into contact with a second protrusion that protrudes toward the biasing part from at least one of the casing of the flavor aspirator and a fixed part fixed to the casing of the flavor aspirator. having a tangential surface,
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 6 to 10,
The biasing part has a positioning part that is engaged with at least one of the casing of the flavor inhaler and the fixing part.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 6 to 10,
The biasing part has a notch or a hole through which a part of the accommodating part passes,
A portion of the accommodating portion engages with at least one of the casing of the flavor inhaler and the fixing portion;
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The biasing portion is made of an elastic material.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
further comprising a support part that is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the urging part and supports the accommodation part;
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 14,
The biasing unit biases the accommodating unit via the support unit.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 14 or 15,
The support part is arranged between the accommodation part and the biasing part,
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 14 to 16,
The accommodating part and the urging part are not in contact with each other,
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 17,
further comprising a casing having an inlet section;
The accommodating portion is arranged such that the opening edge provided on the opposite side of the bottom portion faces the entrance portion,
Once inserted into the casing from the entrance, the abutting part is configured so that it cannot escape from the casing, and comes into contact with the opening edge on the opposite side of the through hole exposed outside the casing. contact,
The biasing section is disposed on the bottom side of the accommodating section, and is compressed by the abutting section and the accommodating section when the abutting section is inserted into the housing and abuts the opening edge. biasing the accommodating portion toward the abutting portion;
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 18,
further comprising a slide member slidably attached to the casing so as to open and close the entrance portion,
The slide member is configured to cover at least a portion of the abutting portion in the axial direction of the accommodating portion with the inlet portion open.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 19,
The biasing portion is made of silicone rubber.
Flavor aspirator. The flavor inhaler according to claim 20,
The Shore A hardness of the silicone rubber is in the range of 40 to 60.
Flavor-producing articles.

Images