KR20230143379A - Aerosol generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The embodiment relates to an aerosol generating device, and in particular, to an aerosol generating device that calculates a puff by a user using a duty ratio for applying power to a heating unit.
The aerosol generating device of the embodiment includes a heating unit that heats the heating space into which the aerosol-forming article is inserted, a power supply unit that supplies power to and turns off the power to the heating unit by a control signal from the processor, and controls the temperature of the heating space or the heating unit. It includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature and applies the temperature detection value to the processor, controls the heating operation of the heating unit by applying a control signal to the power supply, and varies the duty ratio of the control signal according to the temperature detection value from the temperature sensor. It is desirable for the processor to determine and calculate the user's puff using the change in duty ratio.

Description

Aerosol generating device {AEROSOL GENERATING DEVICE}

The embodiment relates to an aerosol generating device, and in particular, to an aerosol generating device that calculates a puff by a user using a duty ratio for applying power to a heating unit.

Inhalation of hedonic substances, commonly referred to as smoking, can be achieved by inhaling fine particles in the air, i.e. aerosols. Previously, cigarette-type tobacco was almost the only means of inhaling these substances, but recently, electronic cigarettes have become another means. Electronic cigarettes vaporize the inhaled material into vapor by applying heat or ultrasonic waves to a cartridge containing the inhaled material in liquid form to generate fine particles, making it completely different from conventional cigarettes that produce smoke by combustion. , it has the advantage of being able to prevent the generation of various harmful substances that may occur due to combustion.

In addition, in response to the demands of consumers who prefer regular cigarettes in the form of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes that have the filter part of a regular cigarette and the shape of a cigarette part are also being proposed. This electronic cigarette uses the inhaled substances contained in the cigarette part as electronic cigarettes. It has a configuration in which the user inhales it through a filter unit that has the same configuration as a regular cigarette while vaporizing it with a heater. In this electronic cigarette, unlike conventional cigarettes, which have a cigarette compartment filled with dry tobacco leaves, the electronic cigarette is filled with paper impregnated with an inhalation substance or buried on the surface. When an electronic cigarette is placed in a holder and a heater inside the holder is heated to vaporize the inhaled substance inside the cigarette unit, the user can inhale the vaporized inhaled substance through the filter unit.

Aerosol generating devices such as conventional electronic cigarettes are required to increase the efficiency of power consumption and to determine the consumption of cigarettes in a simpler way to determine the puff caused by the user's inhalation.

The purpose of the embodiment is to provide an aerosol generating device that calculates the puff by the user using the duty ratio for applying power to the heating unit.

The aerosol generating device of the embodiment includes a heating unit that heats the heating space into which the aerosol-forming article is inserted, a power supply unit that supplies power to and turns off the power to the heating unit by a control signal from the processor, and controls the temperature of the heating space or the heating unit. It includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature and applies the temperature detection value to the processor, controls the heating operation of the heating unit by applying a control signal to the power supply, and varies the duty ratio of the control signal according to the temperature detection value from the temperature sensor. It is desirable for the processor to determine and calculate the user's puff using the change in duty ratio.

Additionally, the processor preferably applies a control signal with a reference duty ratio to the power supply to maintain the heating target temperature after the temperature detection value reaches the heating target temperature.

In addition, the processor varies the duty ratio of the control signal so that the temperature detection value is maintained at the heating target temperature, but after the current duty ratio of the control signal rises above the standard rising duty ratio that exceeds the standard duty ratio, it falls back to the standard duty ratio. In this case, it is desirable to determine that one puff was performed.

Additionally, when one puff is performed, the processor preferably calculates the current number of puffs by increasing the current number of puffs.

In addition, if the current number of puffs is equal to or greater than the limited number of puffs, the processor preferably stops applying the control signal to the power supply unit to prevent power from being applied to the heating unit and terminates the aerosol discharge function.

In addition, the aerosol generating device preferably includes a display unit, and the processor displays the inhalable state through the display unit after the temperature detection value reaches the heating target temperature.

Additionally, the aerosol generating device preferably has a display unit, and the processor displays the end of the aerosol discharge function through the display unit.

The embodiment determines the user's puff in simpler configurations without additional devices and performs control accordingly, and terminates the aerosol generating function according to the limited number of puffs of the aerosol-forming article, thereby maintaining the taste of the aerosol and consuming power. It has the effect of reducing.

1 is a control configuration diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
Figure 2 is a graph of the change in duty ratio according to the puff in the heating process of Figure 1.

Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail through the drawings. However, this is not intended to be limiting to specific embodiments, and the described embodiments should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar components.

In this document, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “includes,” or “may include” refer to the existence of the corresponding feature (e.g., a numerical value, function, operation, or component such as a part). , and does not rule out the existence of additional features.

In this document, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or/and B,” or “one or more of A or/and B” may include all possible combinations of the items listed together. . For example, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, or “at least one of A or B” (1) includes at least one A, (2) includes at least one B, or (3) it may refer to all cases including both at least one A and at least one B.

As used herein, expressions such as "first", "second", "first", or "second" may describe various elements in any order and/or importance, and may refer to one element as another. It is only used to distinguish from components and does not limit the components. For example, a first user device and a second user device may represent different user devices regardless of order or importance. For example, a first component may be renamed a second component without departing from the scope of rights described in this document, and similarly, the second component may also be renamed to the first component.

A component (e.g., a first component) is “(operatively or communicatively) coupled with/to” another component (e.g., a second component). When referred to as being “connected to,” it should be understood that any component may be directly connected to the other component or may be connected through another component (e.g., a third component). On the other hand, when a component (e.g., a first component) is said to be “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), It may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between other components.

The expression “configured to” used in this document may mean, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” or “having the capacity to.” It can be used interchangeably with ", "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term “configured (or set) to” may not necessarily mean “specifically designed to” in hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression “a device configured to” may mean that the device is “capable of” working with other devices or components. For example, the phrase "processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" refers to a processor dedicated to performing the operations (e.g., an embedded processor), or executing one or more software programs stored on a memory device. By doing so, it may mean a general-purpose processor (eg, CPU or application processor) capable of performing the corresponding operations.

Terms used in this document are merely used to describe specific embodiments and may not be intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. Singular expressions may include plural expressions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field described in this document. Among the terms used in this document, terms defined in general dictionaries may be interpreted to have the same or similar meaning as the meaning they have in the context of related technology, and unless clearly defined in this document, they may be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense. It is not interpreted. In some cases, even terms defined in this document cannot be interpreted to exclude embodiments of this document.

In the present invention, the aerosol-forming article includes a filter unit having a series of laminated structures, a cooling unit, and an aerosol-forming base layer (e.g., at least one of cut paste, flavoring, nicotine, VG (vegetable glycerin), PG (propylene glycol), etc. It is a mixed substance containing the above). Aerosol-forming articles include conventional electronic cigarettes, filters, and the like.

The aerosol generating device according to the present invention includes a case that is open at the top and has a cylindrical (cylindrical, square cylinder) insertion space, a heater pipe that is mounted in the insertion space of the case and has a hollow heating space, and is mounted on the case and has a heater. It is configured to include a heating unit mounted on the inner or outer surface of the pipe and/or the heating space. The case has an airflow path that communicates the bottom or side of the insertion space and the heating space with the external space. An aerosol-forming article is inserted into or separated from the heating space and the insertion space. In addition, the aerosol generating device includes a control configuration as shown in FIG. 1 below, in addition to the mechanical configuration described above.

Figure 1 is a control configuration diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment, and Figure 2 is a graph of change in duty ratio according to puffs in the heating process of Figure 1.

The aerosol generating device 200 includes an input unit 210 that acquires input from the user (e.g., power on/off, heating mode selection input, heating operation (start) input, etc.) and applies it to the processor 290. , a display unit that receives information (e.g., inhalable state, start of heating operation, end of heating operation, end of aerosol discharge function, etc.) from the processor 290 and displays it visually, audibly, or tactilely. (220) (e.g., LED or LCD element, speaker, vibration motor, etc.), the power supply unit 230 (e.g., rechargeable battery, etc.) that supplies power, and the control signal (duty duty) of the processor 290 A power supply unit 240 (e.g., FET switch, inverter element, etc.), which is a driving driver that supplies or cuts off the power supplied from the power unit 230 to the heating unit 242 according to a signal), and a power supply unit 240 ), a heating unit 242 that heats the heating space by generating heat energy by power applied from ), and sensing a temperature corresponding to the temperature of the heating unit 242 by directly contacting the heating unit 242 or at a regular interval. The temperature sensor 250 applies the value to the processor 290, and controls the above-mentioned components to generate a control signal according to the temperature detection value from the temperature sensor 250 and apply it to the power supply unit 240 to control the heating unit. It performs the aerosol generation function by the heating operation of 242, and includes a processor 290 that calculates the user's puff or puffs based on the change in the control signal and terminates the aerosol generation function. However, the input unit 210, the display unit 220, the power unit 230, the power supply unit 240, etc. correspond to technologies naturally recognized by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and their detailed description is omitted. .

The heating unit 242 may be implemented as a resistive element (e.g., in the form of a film or coil) that generates resistance heating when power is applied, and an induction coil for performing induction heating. In the case of induction heating, the heater pipe may be made of a ferromagnetic material, or may be provided with a ferromagnetic needle needle inserted into the space of the heating space and an inverter element for supplying alternating current power to the induction coil. Additionally, the heating unit 242 may be implemented as an integrated unit including the power supply unit 240.

The temperature sensor 250 may be in direct contact with the heating unit 242 or the heater pipe, such as a well-known temperature sensor or a thermo wire, or may be implemented as a non-contact detection sensor such as infrared or ultraviolet rays.

The processor 290 sets a heating target temperature for performing the aerosol generating function, a puff limit number for the aerosol-forming article (e.g., 12), a reference duty ratio for maintaining the heating target temperature, and a user's puff. Stores the standard rising duty ratio, etc. for determining operation.

The heating target temperature corresponds to the temperature at which aerosol generation from the aerosol-forming article can be achieved, for example, 250°C.

The number of puff limits corresponds to the number of puffs at which the quality or taste of the aerosol discharged from the aerosol-forming article being heated by the user's puffs can be maintained.

After the user inserts the aerosol-forming article into the heating space, the processor 290 applies a control signal, which is a duty signal, to the power supply 240 according to the heating operation input from the input unit 210 to heat the heating unit 242. operates, and after the temperature detection value from the temperature sensor 250 reaches the heating target temperature, the duty ratio of the control signal that maintains the temperature detection value at the heating target temperature corresponds to the reference duty ratio. This reference duty ratio may be an on duty ratio of 20%, as shown in FIG. 2.

When the temperature detection value reaches the heating target temperature, the processor 290 displays the suction-capable state through the display unit 220. While maintaining this heating target temperature, when the user inhales the aerosol-forming article, air with a lower temperature than the heating space flows in through the airflow pass, causing the temperature detection value of the temperature sensor 250 to decrease. In order to restore this lowered temperature detection value to the heating target temperature, the processor 290 generates a control signal with a duty ratio higher than the reference duty ratio and applies it to the power supply unit 240. The reference rising duty ratio corresponds to the minimum value of the duty ratio raised by the processor 290 to restore the heating target temperature when a puff is generated by the user. After the duty ratio is increased above the reference rising duty ratio (e.g., on duty ratio of 25%), after the temperature sensing value reaches the heating target temperature or after approaching the heating target temperature, the processor 290 The duty ratio is maintained by lowering it to the standard duty ratio.

In this way, the process of returning to the standard duty ratio after the duty ratio of the control signal generated by the processor 290 is increased from the standard duty ratio to the standard rising duty ratio by the user puff is judged or calculated as having been performed once. It is desirable to do so.

The processor 290 determines that one puff has occurred when the duty ratio of the above control signal is maintained at the standard duty ratio, increases above the standard rising duty ratio, and then returns to the standard duty ratio, and based on the current number of puffs, the processor 290 determines that one puff has occurred. Calculate and store the current number of puffs by increasing it by a size (e.g., 1). Currently, the number of puffs is calculated from 0.

As described above, the processor 290 applies a control signal having a duty ratio greater than the reference duty ratio to the power supply unit 240 to heat the heating unit 242 to perform an aerosol discharge function, and responds to the user's puff operation. Therefore, the current number of puffs is increased, and the current number of puffs is compared with the limited number of puffs. If the current number of puffs is equal to or greater than the limited number of puffs, the processor 290 stops applying the control signal to the power supply unit 240 to prevent power from being supplied to the heating unit 242, thereby terminating the aerosol discharge function, and the display unit 240 The end of the aerosol discharge function is displayed through (220) to notify the user.

In an embodiment, in simpler configurations, the user's puff can be determined and controlled accordingly, and the aerosol generating function can be terminated according to the limited number of puffs of the aerosol-forming article, thereby maintaining the taste of the aerosol at a constant level.

In addition, the processor 290 terminates the aerosol discharge function based on the user's number of puffs rather than the execution time (which is sufficient time to determine that the user has inhaled the limited number of puffs), thereby reducing power consumption. there is.

At least a portion of the device (e.g., processor or functions thereof) or method (e.g., operations) according to various embodiments is stored in a computer-readable storage media, for example, in the form of a program module. Can be implemented as stored instructions. When the instruction is executed by a processor, the one or more processors may perform the function corresponding to the instruction. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, memory.

Computer-readable recording media include hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic media (e.g. magnetic tape), optical media (e.g. CD-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), magnetic media) It may include magnetic media (e.g., a floptical disk), hardware devices (e.g., ROM, RAM, or flash memory, etc.), etc. Additionally, program instructions may include strings such as those generated by the compiler. It may include not only machine language code but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. The above-described hardware device may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of various embodiments, The same goes for the station.

The processor or functions provided by the processor according to various embodiments may include at least one of the above-described components, some of them may be omitted, or other additional components may be included. Operations performed by modules, program modules, or other components according to various embodiments may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or in a heuristic manner. Additionally, some operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or other operations may be added.

As explained above, it is not limited to the specific preferred embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made by anyone skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the claims. Of course, such changes are within the scope of the claims.

210: input unit 220: display unit
230: power unit 242: heating unit

Claims (7)

a heating unit that heats a heating space into which an aerosol-forming article is inserted;
a power supply unit that supplies power to and turns off power to the heating unit according to a control signal from the processor;
a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heating space or heating unit and applies the temperature detection value to the processor;
It controls the heating operation of the heating unit by applying a control signal to the power supply unit, and includes a processor that varies the duty ratio of the control signal according to the temperature detection value from the temperature sensor,
An aerosol generating device wherein the processor determines and calculates the user's puff using changes in duty ratio. According to claim 1,
An aerosol generating device, wherein the processor applies a control signal with a reference duty ratio to maintain the heating target temperature after the temperature detection value reaches the heating target temperature to the power supply. According to claim 2,
The processor varies the duty ratio of the control signal so that the temperature detection value is maintained at the heating target temperature, but if the current duty ratio of the control signal rises above the standard rising duty ratio that exceeds the standard duty ratio and then falls back to the standard duty rate. , An aerosol generating device characterized in that it is determined that one puff has been performed. According to claim 3,
The processor is an aerosol generating device characterized in that when one puff is performed, the processor calculates the current number of puffs by increasing the current number of puffs. According to claim 4,
An aerosol generating device characterized in that, when the current number of puffs is equal to or greater than the limited number of puffs, the processor stops applying the control signal to the power supply unit to prevent power from being applied to the heating unit and terminates the aerosol discharge function. According to claim 2,
The aerosol generating device has a display unit,
The processor is an aerosol generating device characterized in that the inhalation state is displayed through the display unit after the temperature detection value reaches the heating target temperature. According to claim 5,
The aerosol generating device has a display unit,
An aerosol generating device, wherein the processor displays the end of the aerosol discharge function through the display unit.