KR20240109152A - Aerosol generating device and system including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The aerosol generating device includes a receiving portion and a receiving portion including a receiving portion housing and a heating element that forms a receiving space for accommodating an aerosol generating article together with the receiving portion housing and generates heat by an externally applied magnetic field to heat the aerosol generating article. It includes a coil part that is disposed on the outside of the unit and generates a magnetic field as electricity is applied, and the heating element has a first part having a first thickness in the radial direction of the receiving part and a first part having a thickness in the radial direction of the receiving part. and a second portion having a second thicker thickness.

Description

Aerosol generating device and system including the same {Aerosol generating device and system including the same}

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device and system, and more particularly, to an aerosol generating device capable of efficiently controlling the heating value of a heating element.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of regular cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for a method of generating an aerosol by heating an aerosol-generating material rather than a method of generating an aerosol by burning a cigarette. Accordingly, research on heated aerosol generating devices is actively underway.

The method by which the aerosol generating device heats the aerosol generating article can be classified into an electric resistance heating method and an induction heating method. Recently, an induction heating type aerosol generating device has been proposed that generates aerosol by heating a cigarette or aerosol generating material through an alternating magnetic field. In particular, an induction heating type aerosol generating device may include a coil that generates an alternating magnetic field as power is supplied, a heating element that generates heat when the alternating magnetic field generated by the coil is applied, and heat generated by the heating element. The aerosol-generating article can be heated to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material.

An induction heating type aerosol generating device may include a receiving portion for accommodating an aerosol generating article, a heating element, and a coil for generating a magnetic field around the heating element. Because the structure including the receiving part, the heating element, and the coil occupies a relatively large volume compared to other components of the aerosol generating device, there is a limit to miniaturization of the induction heating type aerosol generating device.

The problem that the embodiments aim to solve is to provide a miniaturized aerosol generating device and a system including the same in an induction heating type aerosol generating device.

Another problem that the embodiments aim to solve is to provide an aerosol generating device that can improve the heating efficiency of the aerosol generating device and a system including the same.

Another problem that the embodiments aim to solve is to provide an aerosol generating device and a system including the same that can control the atomization amount and flavor richness of the aerosol.

Another problem that the embodiments aim to solve is to provide an aerosol generating device provided with a heating element capable of supporting the aerosol generating device article inside the receiving portion and guiding the flow of air, and a system including the same.

The problems to be solved through the embodiments are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from this specification and the attached drawings. will be.

The aerosol generating device according to the embodiment for solving the above technical problem includes a receiving portion housing and, together with the receiving portion housing, a receiving space that forms an accommodating space for accommodating an aerosol generating article and generates heat by a magnetic field applied from the outside to produce an aerosol generating article. an accommodating portion including a heating element for heating and a coil portion disposed outside the accommodating portion to generate a magnetic field as electricity is applied, the heating element comprising: a first portion having a first thickness in the radial direction of the accommodating portion; and The receiving portion may include a second portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness in the radial direction.

The solution to the problem is not limited to the above, and may include all matters that can be inferred by a person skilled in the art throughout this specification.

The aerosol generating device and the system including the same according to embodiments can miniaturize the aerosol generating device by integrating a heating element and a receiving portion having the shape of a thin film, and can efficiently utilize the space of the aerosol generating device. Costs can be reduced.

The aerosol generating device and the system including the same according to embodiments can improve the heating efficiency of the aerosol generating device by placing the heating element in the receiving portion by reducing the distance between the heating element and the coil.

The aerosol generating device and the system including the same according to embodiments can control the amount of atomization and the richness of the flavor of the aerosol by adjusting the thickness of the heating element and varying the arrangement of the coil.

The aerosol generating device and the system including the same according to embodiments include a configuration in which a portion of the heating element protrudes to support the aerosol generating device article inside the receiving portion, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and guiding the flow of air. there is.

The effects according to the technical idea of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a receiving portion of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the receiving portion of the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken along the III-III section.
Figure 4 is a perspective view for explaining the coil portion of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.
Figure 5 is a front view for explaining the arrangement of the receiving part and the coil part of the aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.
Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the receiving portion of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the receiving portion of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 taken along the VII-VII section.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the receiving portion of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the receiving portion of the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 from another angle.
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the receiving portion of the aerosol generating device and the aerosol generating article according to another embodiment.
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the receiving portion of the aerosol generating device and the aerosol generating article according to another embodiment.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of an aerosol-generating article and a receiving portion of an aerosol-generating device according to another embodiment.
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of an aerosol generating article and a receiving portion of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.
14 is a diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment.
15 is a diagram illustrating an example of an aerosol-generating article according to another embodiment.
Figure 16 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

The terms used in the embodiments are general terms that are currently widely used as much as possible while considering the functions in the present disclosure, but this may vary depending on the intention or precedent of a person skilled in the art, the emergence of new technology, etc. In addition, in certain cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning will be described in detail in the description part of the relevant disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the overall content of this disclosure, rather than simply the name of the term.

When it is said that a part "includes" a certain element throughout the specification, this means that, unless specifically stated to the contrary, it does not exclude other elements but may further include other elements. Additionally, terms such as “-unit” and “-module” used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

As used herein, when an expression such as “at least any one” precedes arranged elements, it modifies all of the arranged elements rather than each arranged element. For example, the expression “at least one of a, b, and c” should be interpreted to include a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c. do.

In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be a device that generates an aerosol by electrically heating a cigarette accommodated in an internal space.

The aerosol generating device may include a heater. In one embodiment, the heater may be an electrically resistive heater. For example, a heater may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater may be heated when a current flows through the electrically conductive track.

The heater may include a tubular heating element, a plate-shaped heating element, a needle-shaped heating element, or a rod-shaped heating element, and may heat the inside or outside of the cigarette depending on the shape of the heating element. The cigarette may include a tobacco rod and a filter rod. Tobacco rods can be made from sheets, strands, or tobacco sheets can be made from cut fillers. Additionally, the tobacco rod may be surrounded by a heat-conducting material. For example, the heat-conducting material may be a metal foil such as aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto.

The filter rod may be a cellulose acetate filter. A filter rod may consist of at least one segment. For example, a filter rod may include a first segment that cools the aerosol and a second segment that filters certain components contained within the aerosol.

In another embodiment, an aerosol generating device may be a device that generates an aerosol using a cartridge containing an aerosol generating material.

An aerosol generating device may include a cartridge holding an aerosol generating material and a body supporting the cartridge. The cartridge may be detachably coupled to the main body, but is not limited thereto. The cartridge may be formed or assembled integrally with the main body, and may be fixed so as not to be detached or detached by the user. The cartridge may be mounted on the main body while containing the aerosol-generating material therein. However, it is not limited to this, and an aerosol-generating material may be injected into the cartridge while the cartridge is coupled to the main body.

The cartridge may contain an aerosol-generating material in any one of various states, such as liquid state, solid state, gas state, and gel state. Aerosol-generating materials may include liquid compositions. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid containing tobacco-containing substances, including volatile tobacco flavor components, or may be a liquid containing non-tobacco substances.

The cartridge is operated by an electric signal or wireless signal transmitted from the main body, thereby converting the phase of the aerosol-generating material inside the cartridge into a gas phase to generate an aerosol. Aerosol may refer to a gas in a mixed state of vaporized particles generated from an aerosol-generating material and air.

In another embodiment, an aerosol generating device may heat a liquid composition to generate an aerosol, and the generated aerosol may pass through a cigarette and be delivered to a user. That is, the aerosol generated from the liquid composition can move along the airflow passage of the aerosol generating device, and the airflow passage can be configured to allow the aerosol to pass through the cigarette and be delivered to the user.

In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be a device that generates an aerosol from an aerosol generating material using an ultrasonic vibration method. At this time, the ultrasonic vibration method may refer to a method of generating an aerosol by atomizing the aerosol-generating material with ultrasonic vibration generated by a vibrator.

The aerosol generating device may include a vibrator, and may generate short-period vibration through the vibrator to atomize the aerosol-generating material. The vibration generated from the vibrator may be ultrasonic vibration, and the frequency band of the ultrasonic vibration may be from about 100 kHz to about 3.5 MHz, but is not limited thereto.

The aerosol generating device may further include a wick that absorbs the aerosol generating material. For example, the wick may be arranged to surround at least one area of the vibrator or may be arranged to contact at least one area of the vibrator.

As a voltage (e.g., alternating voltage) is applied to the vibrator, heat and/or ultrasonic vibration may be generated from the vibrator, and the heat and/or ultrasonic vibration generated from the vibrator may be transmitted to the aerosol-generating material absorbed by the wick. . The aerosol-generating material absorbed into the wick may be converted into a gas phase by heat and/or ultrasonic vibration transmitted from the vibrator, and as a result, an aerosol may be generated.

For example, the viscosity of the aerosol-generating material absorbed into the wick may be lowered by the heat generated from the vibrator, and the aerosol-generating material with the lowered viscosity due to ultrasonic vibration generated from the vibrator may be converted into fine particles, thereby generating an aerosol. , but is not limited to this.

In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may further include a cradle.

The aerosol generating device can form a system with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can charge the battery of an aerosol generating device. Alternatively, the heater may be heated while the cradle and the aerosol generating device are combined.

In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be a device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating article accommodated in the aerosol generating device using induction heating.

The induction heating method may refer to a method of generating heat from a magnetic material by applying an alternating magnetic field.

When an alternating magnetic field is applied to a magnetic material, energy loss due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss may occur in the magnetic material. The energy lost can be emitted from the magnetic material as heat energy. The larger the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field, the more heat energy can be emitted from the magnetic material.

An induction heating type aerosol generating device may include a heating element (susceptor) and a coil. As an example, the heating element can be disposed external to the aerosol-generating article and adjacent to the aerosol-generating article. As another example, the heating element can be disposed inside the aerosol-generating article. As power is supplied to the coil, the coil forms a magnetic field, and the coil can apply the magnetic field to the heating element.

In one embodiment, the heating element may be a magnetic material that generates heat when an external magnetic field is applied. As another example, the heating element may be a non-magnetic metal. When a magnetic field is applied to the heating element disposed inside the coil, the heating element generates heat, and the heating element can heat the aerosol-generating article.

Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. The present disclosure may be implemented in a form that can be implemented in the aerosol generating devices of various embodiments described above, or may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The direction in which a component extends refers to the direction in which the length of the component extends.

1 is a diagram for explaining an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which an aerosol-generating article 20 is inserted into an aerosol-generating device 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 10 includes an accommodating part 11 including an accommodating space for accommodating an aerosol generating article, and a coil part 12 generating a magnetic field.

The accommodating part 11 includes a housing housing that forms the exterior of the accommodating part 11, and a heating element 112 that generates heat to heat the aerosol-generating article 20. The heating element 112 includes a first part 1121 and a second part 1122 having different thicknesses.

The aerosol generating device 10 includes a humidity sensor 13, a control unit 14, and a battery 15.

The receiving portion 11 includes a receiving space for receiving the aerosol-generating article 20. The inner space of the accommodating part 11 may be an accommodating space, and the aerosol-generating article 20 may be inserted into the inner space of the accommodating part 11. The aerosol-generating article 20 may be separated from the interior space of the receiving portion 11 .

The aerosol generating system 1 shown in Figure 1 shows components relevant to this embodiment. Those skilled in the art will understand that other components in addition to those shown in FIG. 1 may be further included in the aerosol generating system 1.

In addition, FIG. 1 shows that the aerosol generating device 10 includes a humidity sensor 13, but if necessary, the humidity sensor 13 may be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows the accommodating part 11, the control part 14, and the battery 15 being arranged in a row inside the aerosol generating device 10. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1. In other words, the arrangement of the receiving part 11, the coil part 12, the humidity sensor 13, the control part 14, and the battery 15 may be changed depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 10.

The receiving portion 11 may include a receiving portion housing 111, a heating element 112, a protrusion 113, and an air inlet 114.

The receiving portion 11 can accommodate at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article 20 capable of generating an aerosol. The receiving portion 11 may be formed in the shape of a cylinder with a space formed therein to accommodate the aerosol-generating article 20. As another example, the receiving portion 11 may be formed in the shape of a square pillar with a space formed therein. As another example, the receiving portion 11 may be formed in the shape of a polygonal pillar with a space formed therein. In addition, the receiving portion 11 may be formed in various shapes including a receiving space capable of accommodating the aerosol-generating article 20.

The receiving portion 11 may include an opening that opens to the outside of the aerosol generating device 10 to receive the aerosol generating article 20. The opening of the receiving portion 11 may be open toward the outside of the aerosol generating device 10. The aerosol-generating article 20 may be accommodated in the receiving portion 11 by being moved or inserted from the outside of the receiving portion 11 toward the inside of the receiving portion 11 through the opening of the receiving portion 11 .

The receiving portion housing 111 forms the exterior of the receiving portion 11 and may have a receiving space formed therein. The heating element 112 forms a receiving space together with the receiving portion housing 111, and generates heat when a magnetic field is applied to heat the aerosol-generating article 20.

The receiving portion housing 111 may include a material that can pass a magnetic field. For example, the receiver housing 111 may be made of plastic material.

The receiving portion housing 111 and the heating element 112 may be formed integrally. For example, when the receiver housing 111 is made of a plastic material, the receiver housing 111 and the heating element 112 may be integrally molded by insert molding.

Various methods can be applied to form the receiving housing 111 and the heating element 112 as one body. For example, a groove or mounting space is provided in the receiving housing 111, the heating element 112 is placed in the groove or mounting space of the receiving housing 111, and then the heating element 112 is installed in the receiving housing 111. It can be fixed.

Various means may be applied to secure the heating element 112 to the receiving housing 111. For example, the heating element 112 can be fixed to the receiving portion housing 111 using fastening elements such as rivets or bolts, double-sided tape, or adhesive.

As another example for integrally forming the receiving housing 111 and the heating element 112, methods such as depositing a metal material or applying or injecting a molten metal material into the interior of the receiving housing 111 can be used. there is.

An insulator may be disposed between the heating elements 112 in the receiving housing 111 to reduce heat from the heating element 112 leaking to the outside of the receiving housing 111 .

In the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the inner surface of the heating element 112 forms at least a portion of the receiving space for accommodating the aerosol generating article. The inner surface of the heating element 112 may be in direct contact with the aerosol-generating article. As another example, a small gap may occur between the inner surface of the heating element 112 and the aerosol-generating article.

Embodiments are not limited by the structure in which the inner surface of the heating element 112 is exposed to the receiving space. For example, the inner surface of the heating element 112 may be buried inside the accommodating housing 111 without being exposed to the accommodating space. That is, the heating element 112 is embedded inside the receiving unit housing 111 and extends in the circumferential direction of the receiving space along the inner circumferential surface of the receiving unit housing 111, so that the heating element 112 and the receiving unit housing 111 are connected to each other. Together, they can form a receiving space.

As an example in which the inner surface of the heating element 112 is not directly exposed to the receiving space, a protective layer (coating layer) may be disposed on the inner surface of the heating element 112 facing the receiving space. The protective layer can transfer heat generated from the heating element 112 to the aerosol-generating article and prevent the heating element 112 from being contaminated by foreign substances generated during use of the aerosol-generating article. Meanwhile, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a coil support portion disposed outside the receiving portion 11 and capable of supporting the coil portion 12. For example, the coil support unit may include a protrusion 113 that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the accommodation unit 11 in at least one area of the outer peripheral surface of the accommodation unit housing 111. That is, the protrusion 113 may function as a coil supporter supporting the coil portion 12. The coil support unit may support the coil unit 12 by consisting of only the protrusion 113, or it may support the coil unit 12 together with other components other than the protrusion 113.

The air inlet 114 is a hole through which air flows into the receiving portion 11. The receiving portion 11 may further include an opening for inserting the aerosol-generating article 20 into the receiving space, and an air inlet 114 may be formed on the opposite side of the opening.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the heating element 112 may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the air inlet 114 in the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion 11 . The humidity sensor 13 may be disposed between the air inlet 114 and the heating element 112 based on the longitudinal direction of the receiving space.

The coil portion 12 is disposed outside the receiving portion 11 and can generate a magnetic field as electricity is applied from the battery 15. The '

When the aerosol-generating article 20 is inserted into the receiving portion 11, the aerosol-generating device 10 operates the coil portion 12 to generate heat in the heating element 112, thereby heating the aerosol-generating article 20. The aerosol generated from the heated aerosol generating article 20 may be delivered to the user.

If desired, the aerosol-generating device 10 may heat the heating element 112 even when the aerosol-generating article 20 is not inserted into the aerosol-generating device 10.

The heating element 112 may be heated by the magnetic field generated by the coil unit 12. For example, when the aerosol-generating article 20 is inserted into the aerosol-generating device 10, the heating element 112 may be located external to the aerosol-generating article 20. Accordingly, the heated heating element 112 can increase the temperature of the aerosol-generating material contained within the aerosol-generating article 20.

The coil portion 12 may include an electrically conductive coil for heating the aerosol-generating article 20 by induction heating. The coil unit 12 may be formed of a single conductor and may receive power from the battery 15 to generate a magnetic field. The coil unit 12 may include a coil that generates a magnetic field. At this time, there may be multiple coils. The shape of the coil is not limited to the shape shown in the drawings of the present disclosure, and may be manufactured in various shapes. Examples of the specific shape of the coil unit 12 and the formation of the magnetic field will be described in more detail below with reference to other drawings.

The aerosol generated in the aerosol-generating article 20 by heating the heating element 112 may pass through the receiving space inside the receiving portion 11 and be delivered to the user.

The humidity sensor 13 may generate a signal related to a physical quantity related to humidity inside the receiving portion 11. The signal generated by the humidity sensor 13 may be transmitted to the control unit 14, and the control unit 14 may detect the humidity inside the receiving unit 11.

The control unit 14 generally controls the operation of the aerosol generating device 10. Specifically, the control unit 14 controls the operations of the coil unit 12, the humidity sensor 13, the battery 15, as well as other components included in the aerosol generating device 10. Additionally, the control unit 14 may check the status of each component of the aerosol generating device 10 and determine whether the aerosol generating device 10 is in an operable state.

The control unit 14 includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed on the microprocessor. Additionally, those skilled in the art can understand that the present embodiment may be implemented with other types of hardware.

The battery 15 supplies the power used to operate the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the battery 15 can supply power to the coil unit 12 so that the heating element 112 can be heated, and can supply power necessary for the humidity sensor 13 or the control unit 14 to operate. . Additionally, the battery 15 can supply power necessary for the display, sensor, motor, etc. installed in the aerosol generating device 10 to operate.

In one example, the battery 15 may supply power so that alternating current is applied to the coil unit 12. For example, the battery 15 may be electrically connected to the coil unit 12 through a power supply line (not shown) to supply power to the coil unit 12.

Aerosol-generating article 20 may include water, solvents, ethanol, plant extracts, fragrances, flavors, or vitamin mixtures. Fragrances may include, but are not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, and various fruit flavor ingredients. Flavoring agents may include ingredients that can provide various flavors or flavors to the user. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the liquid composition may contain aerosol formers such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

The aerosol generating device 10 may further include other components in addition to the receiving portion 11, the coil portion 12, the humidity sensor 13, the control portion 14, and the battery 15. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a display capable of outputting visual information and/or a motor for outputting tactile information. Additionally, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, etc. Additionally, the aerosol generating device 10 may be manufactured in a structure that allows external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out even when the aerosol generating article 20 is inserted.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 10 may form a system with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can be used to charge the battery 15 of the aerosol generating device 10. Alternatively, the heating element 112 may be heated while the cradle and the aerosol generating device 10 are combined.

The aerosol-generating article 20 may be similar to a conventional combustible cigarette. For example, the aerosol-generating article 20 may include a first region 21 comprising an aerosol-generating material and a second region 22 comprising a flavor component. Alternatively, the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article 20 may also include an aerosol-generating material. An aerosol-generating material, for example in the form of granules or capsules, may be inserted into the second region 22 .

The entire first area 21 may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, and the second area 22 may be exposed to the outside. Alternatively, only a portion of the first region 21 may be inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, or the entire first region 21 and a portion of the second region 22 may be inserted. The user may inhale the aerosol while holding the second area 22 with his or her mouth. At this time, the aerosol is generated when external air passes through the first area 21, and the generated aerosol receives the flavor in the second area 22 and is delivered to the user's mouth.

As an example, external air may be introduced through at least one air passage formed in the aerosol generating device 10. Air introduced into the aerosol generating device 10 from the outside may enter the inside of the receiving portion through the air inlet 114 formed in the receiving portion. Referring to the arrow A shown in FIG. 1, the air that enters the interior of the receiving portion 11 through the air inlet 114 may pass through the aerosol generating article 20 and be discharged back to the outside together with the aerosol.

The above-described humidity sensor 13 may be disposed in a position corresponding to the first area 21 of the aerosol-generating article 20. An aerosol-generating material may be disposed in the first area 21. Therefore, as the user uses the aerosol generating device 10, the humidity of the first area 21 where aerosol is generated from the aerosol generating material may be higher than the humidity of the second area 22. Accordingly, the humidity sensor 13 can improve detection efficiency for changes in humidity inside the receiving unit 11 by being disposed in a position corresponding to the first area 21 where changes in humidity are large. As another example, when the aerosol-generating material of the aerosol-generating article 20 is received in another location, such as the second region 22, the humidity sensor 13 is disposed in a position corresponding to the location where the aerosol-generating material is received, thereby (11) Detection efficiency for changes in internal humidity can be improved.

The opening and closing of the air passage formed in the aerosol generating device 10 and/or the size of the air passage may be adjusted by the user. Accordingly, the amount of atomization, smoking sensation, etc. can be adjusted by the user. As another example, outside air may be introduced into the interior of the aerosol-generating article 20 through at least one hole formed on the surface of the aerosol-generating article 20.

To avoid repeated description below, description may be omitted to the extent that it overlaps with the portion described in FIG. 1.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the receiving portion 11 of the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the receiving portion 11 of the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, the receiving portion 11 forms a receiving space together with the receiving portion housing 111 that forms a receiving space for accommodating the aerosol generating article 20 and generates heat by a magnetic field. It includes a heating element 112 that is.

In addition, the receiving part 11 has an opening 110 in which the receiving space is opened toward the outside and an aerosol-generating article is inserted, a protrusion 113 and an opening 110 that protrude outward in the radial direction of the receiving part 11. It may include an air inlet 114 formed on the opposite side through which air flows into the interior of the receiving portion 11.

The inner surface of the receiving unit housing 111 and the inner surface of the heating element 112 may be connected to form a receiving space for the receiving unit 11. That is, the inner surface of the receiving housing 111 and the inner surface of the heating element 112 may form one plane. According to this embodiment, there is no need to secure a separate placement space to place the heating element 112 in the aerosol generating device. That is, since the heating element 112 is included in the receiving part 11 and forms a part of the receiving part 11, the space inside the aerosol generating device can be efficiently utilized.

In addition, since the heating element 112 is included in the receiving part 11 and the heating element 112 is disposed closer to the coil part 12 provided on the outside of the receiving part 11, the heating efficiency of the heating element 112 is improved. It can be.

The coil unit 12 may include one or more coils 121 and 122 that generate a magnetic field. Hereinafter, the description of the coil 121 may be equally applied to other coils 122 included in the coil unit 12, and may also be equally applied to more coils not shown in FIG. 2. That is, the number included in the coil unit 12 is not limited, and the description of the coil 121 below can be equally applied to each of the plurality of coils.

The coil 121 may be disposed along the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11. The coil 121 may be arranged so that the virtual central axis around which the coil 121 is wound crosses the direction in which the accommodating part 11 extends (or the longitudinal direction of the accommodating part 11). That is, the coil 121 may be wound around a central axis in a direction transverse to the direction in which the receiving portion 11 extends.

The coil 121 may be formed in a shape in which a conductive wire through which current can flow is wound several times. Unlike a solenoid-shaped coil that is wound around a virtual cylinder multiple times with the same diameter, the coil 121 according to this embodiment may be formed in a shape whose diameter gradually increases as it is wound around a virtual central axis multiple times.

According to Ampere's Law in this arrangement of the coil 121, the magnetic field M generated by the coil portion 12 crosses the direction in which the receiving portion 11 extends and the receiving portion 11 can pass. According to Ampere's law, the magnetic field formed by the coil 121 may be directed in the same direction as the central axis around which the coil 121 is wound.

At this time, the angle formed by the direction in which the magnetic field M passes through the inside of the accommodating part 11 and the direction in which the accommodating part 11 extends may form approximately a right angle.

Additionally, in this arrangement of the coil 121, the magnetic field M generated by the coil 121 may become stronger toward the center of the coil 121 and may become weaker toward the edge of the coil 121. This is because the strength of the magnetic field (M) is proportional to the number of times it is wrapped by the coil 121.

In order for the coil 121 to generate a magnetic field M, an alternating current may be applied to the coil 121. The resonance frequency caused by the alternating current applied to the coil 121 may be 1 Mhz or more and 10 Mhz or less. 2 and 3, the ' It means state. When an alternating current is applied to the coil 121, the direction of the current flowing in the coil 121 continues to change according to the cycle of the alternating current, so the direction of the current shown in Figures 2 and 3 represents the temporary state at a specific point in time. It can be seen as shown.

The central axis around which the coil 121 is wound may face a direction transverse to the direction in which the receiving portion 11 extends. According to the arrangement of the central axis of the coil 121, the magnetic field M formed by the coil 121 will pass through the space inside the receiving part 11 in a direction transverse to the direction in which the receiving part 11 extends. The heating element 112 can be heated while passing through the heating element 112 accommodated in the inner space of the receiving portion 11.

According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the heating element 112 may be formed in the shape of a thin film. The heating element 112 may also be located on the inner surface of the accommodating unit housing 111 facing the accommodating space inside the accommodating unit 11.

When the heating element 112 has the shape of a thinly spread thin film, the heating efficiency compared to the mass of the heating element 112 can be maximized, thereby improving power efficiency.

In addition, since the heating element 112 has a thin film shape, the volume it occupies is reduced, allowing the space of the aerosol generating device 10 to be utilized more efficiently. The thickness of the miniaturized heating element 112 may be 1 μm to 100 μm.

The heating element 112 may be arranged so that the direction in which the heating element 112 extends faces the direction in which the receiving portion 11 extends. In this arrangement of the heating element 112, the direction of the magnetic field (M) generated by the coil 121 crosses the direction in which the heating element 112 extends, so the density of the magnetic field (M) passing through the heating element 112 will increase. You can. Therefore, the heating efficiency of the heating element 112 according to the embodiments can be improved compared to the case where a solenoid-shaped coil is applied.

That is, according to this embodiment, since the heating element 112 includes a thin film shape spread thinly in the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion 11, the aerosol generating device can be miniaturized. Additionally, according to the embodiment, the magnetic field generated by the coil 121 may pass through a large area of the heating element 112. Accordingly, a magnetic field of sufficient density can be applied to the heating element 112, and the heating element 112 can heat the aerosol-generating article 20 to a sufficient temperature.

According to the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the direction of the magnetic field (M) crosses the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion 11, the density of the magnetic field passing through the heating element 112 has the shape of the solenoid. It can be increased compared to the coil. Accordingly, the heating efficiency of the heating element 112 can be improved compared to the case where a solenoid-shaped coil is applied.

Meanwhile, in the arrangement of the coil 121 described above, the magnetic field M generated by the coil 121 may become stronger toward the center and weaker toward the edge. The strength of the magnetic field is proportional to the number of turns by the conductive wire forming the coil 121, because the number of turns by the conducting wire forming the coil 121 increases toward the center. For example, the magnetic field generated by the coil 121 may be strongest at the central axis of the coil 121.

Accordingly, the portion of the heating element 112 closer to the central axis of the coil 121 may be heated relatively more than the portion closer to the edge of the coil 121. Therefore, depending on the arrangement of the coil 121 and the heating element 112, certain parts of the heating element 112 may be heated more or less than other parts.

Meanwhile, by varying the thickness of the heating element 112 depending on the part of the heating element 112, the heat generation amount of the heating element 112 can be adjusted differently depending on the part.

The thickness of the heating element 112 may refer to the thickness of the receiving portion 11 in the radial direction. From another perspective, the thickness of the heating element 112 may refer to the thickness in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion 11. From another perspective, the thickness of the heating element 112 may mean a thickness in a direction transverse to the direction in which the aerosol-generating article is moved in the receiving portion 11 to be inserted or discharged. From another perspective, the thickness of the heating element 112 may refer to the thickness in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article when the aerosol-generating article is inserted into the receiving portion 11.

For example, when the thickness of the heating element 112 is not constant, when a magnetic field of the same strength is applied to the heating element 112, the part where the thickness of the heating element 112 is relatively thick will be relatively thin. It can heat up more than its parts.

2 and 3, the heating element 112 has a first portion 1121 having a first thickness in the radial direction of the receiving portion 11 and a thickness in the radial direction of the receiving portion 11. It may include a second portion 1122 having a second thickness thicker than the first thickness.

The second part 1122 of the heating element 112 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the central axis of the coil 121. In this case, the strongest part of the magnetic field (M) generated by the coil 121 is applied to the second part 1122, which has a relatively thicker thickness of the heating element 112, so the heat generation amount of the second part 1122 is the heating element ( 112) may be the largest in all.

Conversely, the thickness of the first part 1121 is thinner than the thickness of the second part 1122, and the magnetic field applied to the first part 1121 is also relatively weaker than that of the second part 1122, so the first part 1121 ) may be less than the calorific value of the second part 1122. In this way, by setting the thickness of the heating element 112 differently depending on the part of the heating element 112, heat generation in a specific part of the heating element 112 can be designed to be different from other parts.

As another example, the central axis of the coil 121 is placed at a position corresponding to a relatively thin part of the heating element 112, and the edge part of the coil 121 is placed at a relatively thick part of the heating element 112. It can be placed in the corresponding location. According to the structure of the heating element 112, the strength of the magnetic field of the coil 121 changes depending on the position from the central axis of the coil 121 to the edge, but the heating element 112 generates heat with a uniform amount of heat throughout the entire area. can do.

The heating element 112 may include a non-magnetic metal such as aluminum. In the case of non-magnetic metals, sufficient heat may not be generated depending on the resonance frequency due to low specific resistance and relative permeability characteristics.

When the heating element 112 includes a non-magnetic metal, an alternating current is applied to the coil unit 12 so that the coil 121 generates an induced magnetic field with a resonance frequency of 1 to 10 MHz in order for the heating element 112 to sufficiently generate heat. Must be able to. That is, the length, diameter, and material of the coil 121 can be designed so that the resonance frequency of the induced magnetic field generated when an alternating current is applied to the coil 121 is 1 to 10 Mhz.

The heating element 112 may include metal or carbon. The heating element 112 may include at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). In addition, the heating element 112 is made of ceramic such as graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, zirconia, etc. , it may include at least one of a transition metal such as nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co), or a metalloid such as boron (B) or phosphorus (P).

The plurality of coils may have the same size and shape, and at least some of the plurality of coils may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the receiving portion 11.

Additionally, at least some of the plurality of coils may be arranged to face each other with the receiving portion 11 interposed therebetween. At least some of the plurality of coils may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other at regular intervals.

At this time, when some of the coils 121 among the plurality of coils are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the receiving portion 11, the direction in which each coil 121 is wound and the direction of the current flowing in the coil 121 Accordingly, the magnetic field (M) generated by the coil 121 may be canceled out. If the magnetic field M generated by the coil 121 is canceled out, a situation may occur in which the heating efficiency of the coil unit 12 is reduced.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in the aerosol generating device according to one embodiment, two coils 121 may be symmetrically arranged facing each other with the receiving portion 11 at the center. At this time, the two coils 121 may be arranged in the same winding central axis and winding direction (clockwise or counterclockwise).

According to this arrangement, the direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) of the current flowing in each coil 121 is the same, and the direction of the magnetic field (M) formed by each coil 121 is the same, so each coil has the same central axis. The magnetic field (M) formed by (121) does not cancel but overlaps to become stronger, and the efficiency of heating the heating element 112 can be improved.

At least some of the conductors forming one coil 121 among the plurality of coils may be formed in the shape of a circle with a constant radius based on the central axis around which the coil 121 is wound. The coil 121 may have a shape in which several circular conductors of different radii are arranged to form a concentric circle. The distance between the conductors forming one coil 121 may be constant, the density of the magnetic field M generated by the coil 121 may be uniform, and heat generation of the coil 121 may be minimized.

However, the shape of the coils 121 is not limited to a circular shape, and the number, size, and shape of the coils 121 may be modified as needed. For example, the coil 121 may have a square shape when viewed along the central axis of the coil 121, and a plurality of coils may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other at equal intervals.

The magnetic flux density of the magnetic field (M) generated by the coil 121 at the center where the coil 121 is wound is high. As a result, there is a risk that the portion adjacent to the center around which the coil 121 of the aerosol-generating article 20 inserted into the receiving portion 11 is wound may be heated to a relatively high temperature compared to other portions. When a plurality of coils are arranged, the center around which the coil 121 is wound is disposed at a plurality of points on the outer surface of the receiving part 11, so that the aerosol generating article 20 accommodated in the receiving part 11 can be heated evenly. there is.

As the amplitude or frequency of the alternating current flowing through the coil 121 changes, the temperature of the heating element 112 heated by the magnetic field M may change. The control unit can control the power supplied to the coil unit 12 to adjust the magnetic field (M) formed by the coil 121 and control the temperature of the heating element 112 accordingly.

As an example, the coil 121 may include copper, but is not limited thereto. The coil 121 is made of any one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) so that high current can flow by having low resistivity. , or an alloy containing at least one.

The receiving portion 11 may include a protrusion 113 formed at a position corresponding to the center around which the coil 121 disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11 is wound. The protrusion 113 may protrude outward in the radial direction of the accommodating part 11 in at least one area of the outer peripheral surface of the accommodating part 11 to support the coil part 12. As an example, the protrusion 113 may be disposed at the center of the coil 121 to support the coil 121.

The protrusions 113 may be arranged in a number corresponding to the number of coils 121 . The protrusion 113 may have a shape appropriate for supporting the coil 121 by corresponding to the shape of the coil 121 . For example, the protrusion 113 may have a square or circular cross-section.

The protrusion 113 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the second portion 1122 of the heating element 112. As described above, the second part 1122 has a relatively thick thickness compared to other parts of the heating element 112. Accordingly, the heat generation amount of the second part 1122 may be greater than that of other parts of the heating element 112. Too much heat may be transferred from the second part 1122, which generates a large amount of heat, to the outside of the receiving part 11, and in some cases, components inside the aerosol generating device 10 may be damaged.

In order to prevent the above situation, the protrusion 113 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the second portion 1122. The protrusion 113 protrudes outward from the accommodating part 11 and may have a relatively thick thickness compared to other parts of the accommodating part 11 . Accordingly, the protrusion 113 may have a larger heat capacity and better heat resistance performance than other parts of the receiving portion 11. The structure of the protrusion 113 can reduce the relatively large amount of heat generated by the second part 1122 from being transferred to other parts of the aerosol generating device 10.

Meanwhile, the protrusion 113 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the central axis of the coil 121. At this time, when the protrusion 113 is disposed at a position corresponding to the second portion 1122, the central axis of the coil 121 is disposed to correspond to the second portion 1122. As described above, since the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field (M) generated by the coil 121 at the center where the coil 121 is wound is high, the second part 1122 can be sufficiently heated to increase the heat generation amount of the heating element 112. there is.

The heating element 112 according to one embodiment may be inserted into the receiving portion housing 111, but the embodiments are not limited thereto.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the coil unit 12 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

When heating a heating element in the shape of a thin film stretched in the direction in which the receiving part extends with a coil wound around the longitudinal direction of the receiving part, most of the magnetic field passing through the space inside the receiving part surrounded by the coil is absorbed by the heating element. You can pass through non-existent space. Therefore, the proportion of the magnetic field that passes through the heating element among the magnetic fields generated by the coil becomes very small, so there is a risk that the heating element cannot be sufficiently heated and thus the aerosol-generating article may not be heated efficiently.

This embodiment described with reference to FIG. 4 explains the form of a coil that can efficiently heat a thin film-type heating element.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the shape of the coil 121 constituting the coil unit 12 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment.

The coil portion 12 may be formed of one continuous conductive wire. The coil unit 12 may include one or more coils 121 that generate a magnetic field. The coil unit 12 may include a plurality of coils, but only one coil 121 is shown in FIG. 4 to explain the specific shape of the coil unit 12.

The coil unit 12 is a single component through which current flows, but may be implemented in a specific shape. Each part of the coil unit 12 may perform a necessary role, and accordingly, each part of the conductor forming the coil unit 12 may be given a separate name.

As described with reference to FIG. 2 , the coil 121 according to the present embodiment may be formed in a shape whose diameter gradually increases while being wound around a virtual central axis several times.

The coil 121 may form a curved surface. The coil 121 may be arranged so that the curved surface formed by the coil 121 surrounds at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the relative positional relationship and arrangement of the receiving portion 11 and the coil portion 12 of the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

The coil portion 12 may be disposed outside the receiving portion 11. The coil unit 12 may include one or more coils that generate a magnetic field (M). Since the coil unit 12 is formed of one conductive wire, a plurality of coils can be electrically connected to each other.

For example, the coil may be arranged so that the virtual central axis around which the coil 121 is wound is perpendicular to the direction in which the receiving portion 11 extends, but the arrangement structure of the coil is not limited to this.

The receiving portion 11 may have a cylindrical shape. The coil may be curved into a shape corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11 and may surround a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11. Additionally, the coil may be arranged so that all points of the coil maintain a constant distance from the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11. The center point around which the coil is wound may be placed at a point on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11.

The coil is electrically connected to the battery through a pair of power supply lines and can receive current from the battery.

A plurality of coils are electrically connected so that the coil unit 12 can be formed with one conductive wire.

The aerosol generating device according to one embodiment may have a plurality of coils electrically connected. Therefore, power can be supplied to all of the plurality of coils through two power supply lines connected to both ends of the coils. This coil structure can simplify the configuration for power supply, reducing manufacturing costs and increasing space utilization of the aerosol generating device.

For example, in the case of an aerosol generating device including a structure in which power is supplied to each of a plurality of coils, a power supply line corresponding to the number of coils is required. However, the aerosol generating device according to one embodiment can supply power to all of a plurality of coils with just one pair of power supply lines, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the power supply line and reducing the space occupied by the coil unit 12 inside the aerosol generating device. It can be reduced.

Additionally, in the aerosol generating device according to one embodiment, there is no need to supply power to each of the plurality of coils. Accordingly, the amount of material required to supply power to a plurality of coils is reduced, the manufacturing cost of the coils is reduced, and space inside the aerosol generating device can be efficiently utilized.

The action of the magnetic field M generated by the coil portion 12 inside the receiving portion 11 is as described above with reference to FIG. 2 .

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the receiving portion 11 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the receiving portion 11 shown in FIG. 6 from another angle.

To avoid repeated explanation, description will be omitted to the extent that it overlaps with the content described in FIGS. 1 to 5.

The heating element 112 may further include a third portion 1123 protruding from the inside of the receiving portion 11 toward the receiving space. One or more third parts 1123 may be arranged. For example, referring to FIG. 7, three third parts 1123 are arranged, but the number of third parts 1123 is not limited.

The third part 1123 is a part of the heating element 112 and can perform a heating function by the coil part 12 and support the aerosol generating article inserted into the receiving part 11.

Additionally, the third portion 1123 may guide the movement of the aerosol-generating article in the receiving portion 11 during the operation of inserting the aerosol-generating article into the receiving portion 11. For example, if the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is smaller than the inner diameter of the accommodating portion 11, there is a risk that the aerosol-generating article will not be inserted into the correct position inside the accommodating space and may be tilted with respect to the extension direction of the accommodating space. The third portion 1123 may in this case guide the movement of the aerosol-generating article such that the aerosol-generating article is vertically inserted into the receiving space.

Additionally, when a plurality of third parts 1123 are arranged, the heating element 112 may perform a function of allowing air to flow between the third part 1123 and the other third parts 1123.

The third part 1123 may be placed at a position relatively close to the opening 110, but is not limited thereto, and the third part 1123 may be placed at various positions inside the accommodating housing 111.

In addition, due to the third portion 1123, manufacturing costs can be reduced because there is no need for a separate component to support the aerosol-generating article or guide the air flow in the receiving portion 11.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the receiving portion 11 of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a view for explaining the receiving portion 11 of the aerosol generating device of the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 8 from another angle.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams for explaining an embodiment in which a coil portion 12 including four coils 121 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion 11 of the aerosol generating device 10.

Meanwhile, the resonance frequency of each heating element 112 may be set differently by setting the spacing between the four heating elements 112 or the shape of each heating element 112 differently. For example, the thickness of each heating element 112 may be different, and the resonant frequency for heating each heating element 112 may be different.

In order to satisfy all different resonant frequencies of each heating element 112, a plurality of coils that generate induced magnetic fields with different resonant frequencies may be disposed corresponding to each heating element 112. The number of coils disposed may be determined to correspond to the number of heating elements 112. The above description regarding the embodiment in which a plurality of coils are arranged can be applied equally throughout the present disclosure.

Specifically, according to the resonance phenomenon and the efficiency of induction heating, the closer the frequency of the power supplied to the coil is to the resonance frequency of the heating element 112, the more the efficiency of induction heating increases. The resonance frequency of the heating element 112 is determined by various factors, and when a plurality of heating elements 112 are arranged, the resonance frequency of the plurality of heating elements 112 may be different.

When one type of coil is arranged, the heating efficiencies of the plurality of heating elements 112 inductively heated by the same coil may be different from each other. Therefore, in order to heat all the heating elements 112 with efficiency above a certain level, the coils may be arranged in a number corresponding to the number of heating elements 112.

For example, the heating efficiency of each heating element 112 can be individually increased by a coil having a resonance frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of each heating element 112.

Referring to FIG. 8 , a plurality of coil units 12 may be arranged to correspond to a plurality of heating elements 112 . The coil unit 12 may include a plurality of coils 121, 122, 123, and 124. In addition, the plurality of coils 121, 122, 123, and 124 may be arranged to correspond to one separate heating element 112.

The coil unit 12 shown in FIG. 9 is formed of one conductive wire and may include a first coil 121, a second coil 122, a third coil 123, and a fourth coil 124. .

Referring to FIG. 9, the coil unit 12 is formed of one conductive wire, and a plurality of coils 121, 122, 123, and 124 may be electrically connected.

The four coils 121, 122, 123, and 124 may be formed to have the same size and shape and be spaced apart from each other at regular intervals. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the number, size, and shape of coils may be modified as needed.

10 and 11 are cross-sectional views for explaining the arrangement of the accommodating portion 11 and the aerosol generating article 20 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The aerosol-generating article 20 may include a first region 21 containing an aerosol-generating material and a second region 22 containing a flavoring element that imparts flavor to the aerosol.

By varying the heating for each area of the aerosol generating article 20, the amount of aerosol and/or the amount of flavor provided to the user can be adjusted.

For example, when the first area 21 is heated relatively more, a relatively greater amount of aerosol-generating material disposed in the first area 21 may be atomized, and the amount of aerosol provided to the user will be greater. You can lose. In this case, the amount of aerosol per unit time provided to the user increases, but the amount of flavor per unit volume of aerosol provided to the user may decrease.

Referring to FIG. 10, the first portion 1121 of the heating element is disposed at a position corresponding to the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article, and the second portion 1122 is disposed in the first region 21 of the aerosol-generating article. ) can be placed in a position corresponding to . As described above, the second part 1122 of the heating element is relatively thicker than the first part 1121, and the calorific value of the second part 1122 is also relatively greater than that of the first part 1121. You can. Therefore, in the above arrangement, heating of the first area 21 can be performed more strongly than heating of the second area 22, and the amount of aerosol provided to the user per unit time can be increased.

In addition, the magnetic field of the coils 121 and 122 is strongest at the central axis, so when the central axis of the coils 121 and 122 is disposed to penetrate the first region 21 of the aerosol-generating article 20, the first region 21 ) can be made stronger than the heating for the second area 22, and the amount of aerosol per unit time provided to the user can be increased.

As another example, when the second region 22 is heated relatively more, relatively more flavor elements disposed in the second region 22 may be released, and more flavor may be provided to the user. . In this case, the amount of flavor per unit volume of aerosol provided to the user can be enriched.

Referring to FIG. 11, the first portion 1121 of the heating element is disposed at a position corresponding to the first region 21 of the aerosol-generating article, and the second portion 1122 is disposed in the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article. ) can be placed in a position corresponding to . As described above, the second portion 1122 of the heating element may be relatively thick and generate a relatively large amount of heat. Therefore, in the above arrangement, the heating of the second area 22 can be stronger than the heating of the first area 21, and the amount of flavor per unit volume of aerosol provided to the user can be richer.

In addition, since the magnetic field of the coils 121 and 122 is strongest at the central axis, if the central axis of the coils 121 and 122 is also disposed to penetrate the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article 20, the second region 22 ) may be stronger than the heating to the first region 21, and the amount of flavor per unit volume of aerosol provided to the user may be richer.

Furthermore, as described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the second part 1122 of the heating element 112 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the central axis of the coil 121, and the coil 121 and the heating element By appropriately designing the relative positions of 112, the heating of the first region 21 and/or the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article can be adjusted, and the amount of aerosol and/or the amount of flavor can be adjusted. .

10 and 11, the positions of the first region 21 and the second region 22 of the illustrated aerosol-generating article 20 do not change, and the second portion 1122 and/ Alternatively, only the position of the central axis of the coils 121 and 122 was changed and the amount of aerosol and/or flavor was adjusted. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the position of the first region 21 or the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article 20 is changed while the position of the second portion 1122 is maintained. By doing so, the same purpose and effect can be achieved.

Changing the position of the first region 21 or the second region 22 of the aerosol-generating article 20 while the position of the second portion 1122 is maintained means that the model of the aerosol generating device is not changed and the aerosol is generated. This may mean that the type of aerosol generating article 20 inserted into the device is changed.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the receiving portion 11 of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

In the case of the heating element 112 described above with reference to FIG. 2, etc., a discontinuous thickness difference occurs in a portion where a difference in thickness occurs between the first portion 1121 and the second portion 1122. According to this structure, a discontinuous and extreme difference in heat generation may occur at the boundary between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122. Therefore, the structure of the heating element 112 as shown in FIG. 2 may be suitable when a discontinuous difference in heating intensity is required at a specific boundary of an aerosol-generating article.

However, as another example, there may be cases where a difference in heating value is necessary for each area of the aerosol-generating article 20, but it is undesirable for a discontinuous difference in heating value to occur at a specific boundary.

Referring to FIG. 12, the thickness of the heating element 112 may gradually change between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122. Since the average thickness of the second part 1122 is thicker than the thickness of the first part 1121, the fact that the calorific value of the second part 1122 is greater than that of the first part 1121 is as explained above with reference to FIG. 2, etc. It is no different from the embodiments.

However, according to the structure of the embodiment referring to FIG. 12, the thickness of the heating element 112 gradually changes between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122, so the heating amount of the heating element 112 is equal to that of the first part. The calorific value of (1121) is the smallest, the calorific value of the center of the second part (1122) is the largest, and the calorific value of the center of the second part (1122) is the largest, and the calorific value of the center of the second part (1122) is close to the boundary between the first part (1121) and the second part (1122). As time increases, the calorific value may increase gradually/continuously.

Meanwhile, the heating element 112 gradually changes in thickness between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122, but has a straight inclined surface between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122. It may include curved surfaces.

According to the structure of the heating element 112 whose thickness gradually changes between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122, the amount of heat generated is continuous at the boundary between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122. changes gradually and gradually. Therefore, the heating element 112 whose thickness gradually changes is suitable for controlling the amount of heat generated by applying a continuous and gradual difference in the intensity of heating depending on the position of the aerosol-generating article.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the receiving portion 11 of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

In the case of the heating element 112 described above with reference to FIG. 2, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are continuously connected. According to the structure of the heating element 112 in which the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are continuously connected, even if the heating amounts of the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are different, the second part 1122 Since heat is transferred to the first part 1121, the difference in heat generation between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 can be reduced.

In the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are used to increase the difference in heating value between the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 of the heating element 112. ) was separated.

Referring to FIG. 13, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 of the heating element 112 are separated from each other.

In the aerosol generating device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the extension direction of the receiving part.

The positions at which the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are separated and arranged may vary in various ways. For example, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 may be arranged to be spaced apart in a direction transverse to the receiving part. Specifically, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the receiving part.

According to the structure of the embodiment referring to FIG. 13, the first part 1121 and the second part 1122 are completely separated, so heat from the second part 1122 is not transferred to the first part 1121. Accordingly, a larger difference in heat generation amount may occur between the relatively small heat generation amount of the first part 1121 and the second part 1122.

The embodiment referred to in FIG. 13 may be appropriate when a large difference in calorific value is required for each part of the aerosol-generating article 20.

14 and 15 are diagrams showing examples of aerosol-generating articles according to another embodiment. Examples of aerosol-generating articles are described below with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

14, the aerosol generating article 3 includes a tobacco rod 31 and a filter rod 32. The first part of the aerosol-generating article (3) described above comprises a tobacco rod (31) and the second part comprises a filter rod (32).

In Figure 14, the filter rod 32 is shown as a single segment, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In other words, the filter rod 32 may be composed of a plurality of segments. For example, filter rod 32 may include a segment that cools the aerosol and a segment that filters certain components contained within the aerosol. Additionally, if necessary, the filter rod 32 may further include at least one segment that performs another function.

The diameter of the aerosol-generating article 3 may be within the range of 5 mm to 9 mm, and the length may be, but is not limited to, approximately 48 mm. For example, the length of the tobacco rod 31 is about 12 mm, the length of the first segment of the filter rod 32 is about 10 mm, the length of the second segment of the filter rod 32 is about 14 mm, and the length of the filter rod 32 is about 14 mm. The length of the third segment may be about 12 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The aerosol-generating article 3 may be packaged by at least one wrapper 34 . At least one hole may be formed in the wrapper 34 through which external air flows in or internal gas flows out. As an example, the aerosol-generating article 3 may be packaged by one wrapper 34. As another example, the aerosol-generating article 3 may be overlappingly wrapped by two or more wrappers 34 . For example, the tobacco rod 31 may be packaged by the first wrapper 341 and the filter rod 32 may be packaged by the wrappers 342, 343, and 344. And, the entire aerosol-generating article 3 can be repackaged by a single wrapper 34. If the filter rod 32 is composed of a plurality of segments, each segment may be wrapped by wrappers 342, 343, and 344.

The first wrapper 341 and the second wrapper 342 may be made of general filter paper. For example, the first wrapper 341 and the second wrapper 342 may be porous wrappers or non-porous wrappers. Additionally, the first wrapper 341 and the second wrapper 342 may be made of oil-resistant paper and/or aluminum laminate packaging.

The third wrapper 343 may be made of hard paper. For example, the basis weight of the third wrapper 343 may be within the range of 88 g/m2 to 96 g/m2, and preferably within the range of 90 g/m2 to 94 g/m2. Additionally, the thickness of the third wrapper 343 may be within the range of 120um to 130um, and may preferably be 125um.

The fourth wrapper 344 may be made of oil-resistant hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 344 may be within the range of 88 g/m2 to 96 g/m2, and preferably within the range of 90 g/m2 to 94 g/m2. Additionally, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 344 may be within the range of 120um to 130um, and may preferably be 125um.

The fifth wrapper 345 may be made of sterile paper (MFW). Here, sterilized paper (MFW) refers to paper specially manufactured to improve tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to general paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 345 may be within the range of 57 g/m2 to 63 g/m2, and preferably 60 g/m2. Additionally, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 345 may be within the range of 64um to 70um, and may preferably be 67um.

The fifth wrapper 345 may be internally added with a predetermined material. Here, an example of a certain material may be silicon, but is not limited thereto. For example, silicone has properties such as heat resistance with little change depending on temperature, oxidation resistance without oxidation, resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, or electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any material having the above-mentioned characteristics can be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 345 without limitation.

The fifth wrapper 345 can prevent the aerosol-generating article 3 from burning. Specifically, when the temperature rises above the ignition point of any one of the materials included in the tobacco rod 31, the aerosol-generating article 3 may combust. Even in this case, since the fifth wrapper 345 includes a non-combustible material, combustion of the aerosol-generating article 3 can be prevented.

Additionally, the fifth wrapper 345 can prevent the aerosol generating device 10 from being contaminated by substances generated from the aerosol generating article 3. Liquid substances may be generated within the aerosol-generating article 3 by the user's puff. For example, liquid substances (eg, moisture, etc.) can be generated by cooling the aerosol generated in the aerosol-generating article 3 by external air. As the fifth wrapper 345 wraps the aerosol-generating article 3, liquid substances generated within the aerosol-generating article 3 can be prevented from leaking out of the aerosol-generating article 3.

The tobacco load 31 contains aerosol-generating material. For example, the aerosol-generating material may include, but is not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. Additionally, the tobacco rod 31 may contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants and/or organic acids. Additionally, a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a moisturizer can be added to the tobacco rod 31 by spraying it on the tobacco rod 31 .

The tobacco rod 31 can be manufactured in various ways. For example, the tobacco rod 31 may be manufactured as a sheet or as a strand. Additionally, the tobacco rod 31 may be made of a cut filler made from finely chopped tobacco sheets. Additionally, the tobacco rod 31 may be surrounded by a heat-conducting material. For example, the heat-conducting material may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil such as aluminum foil. As an example, the heat-conducting material surrounding the tobacco rod 31 can improve the heat conductivity applied to the tobacco rod by evenly dispersing the heat transmitted to the tobacco rod 31, thereby improving the taste of the tobacco. .

Filter rod 32 may be a cellulose acetate filter. Meanwhile, there are no restrictions on the shape of the filter rod 32. For example, the filter rod 32 may be a cylindrical rod or a tubular rod with a hollow interior. Additionally, the filter rod 32 may be a recess type rod. If the filter rod 32 is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

The first segment of filter rod 32 may be a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the first segment may be a tube-shaped structure including a hollow interior. The diameter of the hollow included in the first segment may be an appropriate diameter within the range of 2 mm to 4.5 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The length of the first segment may be an appropriate length within the range of 4 mm to 30 mm, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the length of the first segment may be 10 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The hardness of the first segment can be adjusted by adjusting the content of the plasticizer when manufacturing the first segment. Additionally, the first segment may be manufactured by inserting a structure such as a film or tube made of the same or different material into the interior (eg, hollow).

The length or diameter of the second segment may vary depending on the shape of the aerosol-generating article 3. For example, the length of the second segment may be appropriately adopted within the range of 7 mm to 20 mm. Preferably, the length of the second segment may be about 14 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The second segment may be fabricated by weaving polymer fibers. In this case, the flavoring liquid may be applied to fibers made of polymer. Alternatively, the second segment may be manufactured by weaving separate fibers coated with a flavoring agent and fibers made of polymer together. Alternatively, the second segment may be formed by a crimped polymer sheet.

For example, the polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil. It can be made from materials.

As the second segment is formed by woven polymer fibers or crimped polymer sheets, the second segment may include one or a plurality of longitudinally extending channels. Here, the channel refers to a passage through which a gas (eg, air or aerosol) passes.

For example, the second segment comprised of a crimped polymer sheet may be formed from a material having a thickness between about 5 μm and about 300 μm, such as between about 10 μm and about 250 μm. Additionally, the total surface area of the second segment can be between about 300 mm2/mm and about 1000 mm2/mm. Additionally, the aerosol cooling element can be formed from a material having a specific surface area between about 10 mm2/mg and about 100 mm2/mg.

Meanwhile, the second segment may include threads containing volatile flavor components. Here, the volatile flavor component may be, but is not limited to, menthol. For example, the thread may be filled with a sufficient amount of menthol to provide the second segment with more than 1.5 mg of menthol.

The third segment of filter rod 32 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The length of the third segment may be appropriately adopted within the range of 4 mm to 20 mm. For example, the length of the third segment may be about 12 mm, but is not limited thereto.

In the process of manufacturing the third segment, it may be manufactured to generate flavor by spraying a flavoring liquid on the third segment. Alternatively, a separate fiber coated with a flavoring liquid may be inserted into the third segment. The aerosol generated in the tobacco rod 31 is cooled as it passes through the second segment of the filter rod 32, and the cooled aerosol is delivered to the user through the third segment. Therefore, when a flavoring element is added to the third segment, the sustainability of the flavor delivered to the user can be improved.

Additionally, the filter rod 32 may include at least one capsule 33. Here, the capsule 33 may perform a flavor generating function or an aerosol generating function. For example, the capsule 33 may have a structure in which a liquid containing fragrance is wrapped with a film. The capsule 33 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

15, the aerosol-generating article 4 may further include a shear plug 43. The shear plug 43 may be located on one side of the tobacco rod 41 opposite the filter rod 42. The shear plug 43 can prevent the cigarette rod 41 from leaving the cigarette rod 41 and prevent the liquefied aerosol from the cigarette rod 41 from flowing into the aerosol generating device 10 during smoking.

The filter rod 42 may include a first segment 421 and a second segment 422. Here, the first segment 421 may correspond to the first segment of the filter rod 32 in FIG. 14, and the second segment 422 may correspond to the third segment of the filter rod 32 in FIG. 14. You can.

The diameter and overall length of the aerosol-generating article 4 may correspond to the diameter and overall length of the aerosol-generating article 3 in FIG. 14 . For example, the length of the shear plug 43 is about 7 mm, the length of the tobacco rod 41 is about 15 mm, the length of the first segment 421 is about 12 mm, and the length of the second segment 422 is about 14 mm. However, it is not limited to this.

The aerosol-generating article 4 may be packaged by at least one wrapper 45 . At least one hole may be formed in the wrapper 45 through which external air flows in or internal gas flows out. For example, the shear plug 43 is packaged by the first wrapper 451, the tobacco rod 41 is packaged by the second wrapper 452, and the first segment ( 421) may be packaged, and the second segment 422 may be packaged by the fourth wrapper 454. And, the entire aerosol-generating article 4 can be repackaged by the fifth wrapper 455.

Additionally, at least one perforation 46 may be formed in the fifth wrapper 455. For example, the perforation 46 may be formed in an area surrounding the tobacco rod 41, but is not limited thereto.

Additionally, the second segment 422 may include at least one capsule 44. Here, the capsule 44 may perform a flavor generating function or an aerosol generating function. For example, the capsule 44 may have a structure in which a liquid containing fragrance is wrapped with a film. The capsule 44 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

The first wrapper 451 may be a metal foil such as aluminum foil combined with a general filter wrapper. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 451 may be within the range of 45um to 55um, and may preferably be 50.3um. Additionally, the thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 451 may be within the range of 6um to 7um, and may preferably be 6.3um. Additionally, the basis weight of the first wrapper 451 may be within the range of 50 g/m2 to 55 g/m2, and may preferably be 53 g/m2.

The second wrapper 452 and the third wrapper 453 may be made of general filter paper. For example, the second wrapper 452 and the third wrapper 453 may be porous wrappers or non-porous wrappers.

For example, the porosity of the second wrapper 452 may be 35000CU, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the thickness of the second wrapper 452 may be within the range of 70um to 80um, and may preferably be 78um. Additionally, the basis weight of the second wrapper 452 may be within the range of 20 g/m2 to 25 g/m2, and may preferably be 23.5 g/m2.

For example, the porosity of the third wrapper 453 may be 24000CU, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the thickness of the third wrapper 453 may be within the range of 60um to 70um, and may preferably be 68um. Additionally, the basis weight of the third wrapper 453 may be within the range of 20 g/m2 to 25 g/m2, and may preferably be 21 g/m2.

The fourth wrapper 454 may be made of PLA lamination. Here, PLA laminate refers to three layers of paper including a paper layer, a PLA layer, and a paper layer. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 454 may be within the range of 100um to 120um, and may preferably be 110um. Additionally, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 454 may be within the range of 80 g/m2 to 100 g/m2, and may preferably be 88 g/m2.

The fifth wrapper 455 may be made of sterile paper (MFW). Here, sterilized paper (MFW) refers to paper specially manufactured to improve tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to regular paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 455 may be within the range of 57 g/m2 to 63 g/m2, and preferably 60 g/m2. Additionally, the thickness of the fifth wrapper 455 may be within the range of 64um to 70um, and may preferably be 67um.

The fifth wrapper 455 may be internally added with a predetermined material. Here, an example of a certain material may be silicon, but is not limited thereto. For example, silicone has properties such as heat resistance with little change depending on temperature, oxidation resistance without oxidation, resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, or electrical insulation. However, even if it is not silicon, any material having the above-mentioned characteristics can be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 455 without limitation.

The shear plug 43 may be made of cellulose acetate. As an example, the shear plug 43 may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (eg, triacetin) to cellulose acetate tow. The mono denier of the filament constituting the cellulose acetate tow may be within the range of 1.0 to 10.0, and preferably within the range of 4.0 to 6.0. More preferably, the mono denier of the filament of the shear plug 43 may be 5.0. Additionally, the cross section of the filament constituting the shear plug 43 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the shear plug 43 may be within the range of 20,000 to 30,000, and preferably within the range of 25,000 to 30,000. More preferably, the total denier of the shear plug 43 may be 28000.

Additionally, if necessary, the shear plug 43 may include at least one channel, and the cross-sectional shape of the channel may be manufactured in various ways.

The cigarette rod 41 may correspond to the cigarette rod 31 described above with reference to FIG. 14 . Therefore, detailed description of the tobacco rod 41 will be omitted below.

The first segment 421 may be made of cellulose acetate. For example, the first segment may be a tube-shaped structure including a hollow interior. The first segment 421 may be manufactured by adding a plasticizer (eg, triacetin) to cellulose acetate tow. For example, the mono denier and total denier of the first segment 421 may be the same as the mono denier and total denier of the shear plug 43 .

The second segment 422 may be made of cellulose acetate. The mono denier of the filament constituting the second segment 422 may be within the range of 1.0 to 10.0, and preferably within the range of 8.0 to 10.0. More preferably, the mono denier of the filaments of second segment 422 may be 9.0. Additionally, the cross-section of the filament of the second segment 422 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the second segment 422 may be within the range of 20,000 to 30,000, and may preferably be 25,000.

Figure 16 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

The aerosol generating device 10 includes a control unit 1000, a sensing unit 2000, an output unit 3000, a battery 4000, a heater 5000, a user input unit 6000, a memory 7000, and a communication unit 8000. It can be included. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 10 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 16. That is, those skilled in the art can understand that, depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 10, some of the configurations shown in FIG. 16 may be omitted or new configurations may be added. there is.

The sensing unit 2000 may detect the state of the aerosol generating device 10 or the state surrounding the aerosol generating device 10 and transmit the sensed information to the control unit 1000. Based on the sensed information, the control unit 1000 performs various functions such as controlling the operation of the heater 5000, restricting smoking, determining whether to insert an aerosol-generating article (e.g., cigarette, cartridge, etc.), displaying a notification, etc. The aerosol generating device 10 can be controlled.

The sensing unit 2000 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 2100, an insertion detection sensor 2200, and a puff sensor 2300, but is not limited thereto.

The temperature sensor 2100 may detect the temperature at which the heater 5000 (or an aerosol-generating material) is heated. The aerosol generating device 10 may include a separate temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heater 5000, or the heater 5000 itself may serve as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 2100 may be disposed around the battery 4000 to monitor the temperature of the battery 4000.

Insertion detection sensor 2200 may detect insertion and/or removal of an aerosol-generating article. For example, the insertion detection sensor 2200 may include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, where the aerosol-generating article is inserted and/or Signal changes can be detected as it is removed.

The puff sensor 2300 may detect the user's puff based on various physical changes in the airflow passage or airflow channel. For example, the puff sensor 2300 may detect the user's puff based on any one of temperature change, flow change, voltage change, and pressure change.

In addition to the sensors 2100 to 2300 described above, the sensing unit 2000 includes a temperature/humidity sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., GPS), It may further include at least one of a proximity sensor and an RGB sensor (illuminance sensor). Since the function of each sensor can be intuitively deduced by a person skilled in the art from its name, detailed descriptions may be omitted.

The output unit 3000 may output information about the status of the aerosol generating device 10 and provide it to the user. The output unit 3000 may include at least one of a display unit 3100, a haptic unit 3200, and an audio output unit 3300, but is not limited thereto. When the display unit 3100 and the touch pad form a layer structure to form a touch screen, the display unit 3100 can be used as an input device in addition to an output device.

The display unit 3100 can visually provide information about the aerosol generating device 10 to the user. For example, the information about the aerosol generating device 10 may include the charging/discharging state of the battery 4000 of the aerosol generating device 10, the preheating state of the heater 5000, the insertion/removal state of the aerosol generating article, or the aerosol generating state. It may refer to various information such as a state in which the use of the device 10 is restricted (e.g., abnormal item detection), and the display unit 3100 may output the information to the outside. The display unit 3100 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) or an organic light emitting display panel (OLED). Additionally, the display unit 3100 may be in the form of an LED light-emitting device.

The haptic unit 3200 may convert an electrical signal into mechanical stimulation or electrical stimulation and tactilely provide information about the aerosol generating device 10 to the user. For example, the haptic unit 3200 may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The sound output unit 3300 can provide information about the aerosol generating device 10 audibly to the user. For example, the audio output unit 3300 may convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal and output it to the outside.

The battery 4000 may supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device 10. The battery 4000 may supply power so that the heater 5000 can be heated. In addition, the battery 4000 may be connected to other components provided in the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., sensing unit 2000, output unit 3000, user input unit 6000, memory 7000, and communication unit 8000). It can supply the power required for operation. The battery 4000 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 4000 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

The heater 5000 may heat the aerosol-generating material by receiving power from the battery 4000. Although not shown in FIG. 16, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a power conversion circuit (eg, DC/DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 4000 and supplies it to the heater 5000. Additionally, when the aerosol generating device 10 generates an aerosol by induction heating, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a DC/AC converter that converts direct current power of the battery 4000 into alternating current power.

The control unit 1000, the sensing unit 2000, the output unit 3000, the user input unit 6000, the memory 7000, and the communication unit 8000 may perform their functions by receiving power from the battery 4000. Although not shown in FIG. 16, it may further include a power conversion circuit that converts the power of the battery 4000 and supplies it to each component, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit.

In one embodiment, heater 5000 may be formed from any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, suitable electrically resistive materials include titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, etc. It may be a metal or metal alloy containing, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the heater 5000 may be implemented as a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate with electrically conductive tracks, a ceramic heating element, etc., but is not limited thereto.

In another embodiment, the heater 5000 may be an induction heating type heater. For example, the heater 5000 may include a heating element that heats the aerosol-generating material by generating heat through a magnetic field applied by a coil.

The user input unit 6000 may receive information input from the user or output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 6000 includes a key pad, a dome switch, and a touch pad (contact capacitive type, pressure resistance type, infrared detection type, surface ultrasonic conduction type, and integral type). Tension measurement method, piezo effect method, etc.), jog wheel, jog switch, etc., but are not limited thereto. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 16, the aerosol generating device 10 further includes a connection interface such as a USB (universal serial bus) interface, and is connected to other external devices through a connection interface such as a USB interface. This allows information to be transmitted and received or the battery 4000 to be charged.

The memory 7000 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 10, and can store data processed by the control unit 1000 and data to be processed. The memory 7000 is a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory, etc.), and RAM. (RAM, random access memory) SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), magnetic memory, magnetic disk , and may include at least one type of storage medium among optical disks. The memory 7000 may store the operation time of the aerosol generating device 10, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and data on the user's smoking pattern.

The communication unit 8000 may include at least one component for communication with other electronic devices. For example, the communication unit 8000 may include a short-range communication unit 8100 and a wireless communication unit 8200.

The short-range wireless communication unit 8100 includes a Bluetooth communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication unit, a Near Field Communication unit, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, and an infrared (IrDA) communication unit. , infrared Data Association) communication unit, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, Ant+ communication unit, etc., but is not limited thereto.

The wireless communication unit 8200 may include, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, and a computer network (eg, LAN or WAN) communication unit. The wireless communication unit 8200 may identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 10 within the communication network using subscriber information (eg, International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)).

The control unit 1000 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 10. In one embodiment, the control unit 1000 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed on the microprocessor. Additionally, those skilled in the art can understand that this embodiment may be implemented with other types of hardware.

The control unit 1000 can control the temperature of the heater 5000 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 4000 to the heater 5000. For example, the control unit 1000 may control power supply by controlling switching of a switching element between the battery 4000 and the heater 5000. In another example, the heating direct circuit may control power supply to the heater 5000 according to a control command from the control unit 1000.

The control unit 1000 may analyze the results sensed by the sensing unit 2000 and control subsequent processes. For example, the control unit 1000 may control the power supplied to the heater 5000 to start or end the operation of the heater 5000 based on the result detected by the sensing unit 2000. For another example, based on the results detected by the sensing unit 2000, the control unit 1000 adjusts the power supplied to the heater 5000 so that the heater 5000 can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintain an appropriate temperature. You can control the amount and time at which power is supplied.

The control unit 1000 may control the output unit 3000 based on the results detected by the sensing unit 2000. For example, when the number of puffs counted through the puff sensor 2300 reaches a preset number, the control unit 1000 operates at least one of the display unit 3100, the haptic unit 3200, and the sound output unit 3300. Through this, it is possible to notify the user that the aerosol generating device 10 will soon be shut down.

One embodiment may also be implemented in the form of a recording medium containing instructions executable by a computer, such as program modules executed by a computer. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. Additionally, computer-readable media may include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Communication media typically includes computer readable instructions, data structures, other data such as program modules, modulated data signals, or other transmission mechanisms, and includes any information delivery medium.

The description of the above-described embodiments is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention should be determined by the appended claims, and all differences within the equivalent scope of what is stated in the claims should be interpreted as being included in the scope of protection determined by the claims.

Those skilled in the art related to this embodiment will understand that the above-described substrate can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics. Therefore, the disclosed methods should be considered from an explanatory rather than a restrictive perspective. The scope of the present invention is indicated in the claims, not the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent scope should be construed as being included in the present invention.

1: Aerosol generation system
10: Aerosol generating device
11: Receiving part
110: opening
111: Receptor housing
112: heating element
1121: Part 1
1122: Part 2
1123: Third part
113: protrusion
114: air inlet
12: Coil part
13: Humidity sensor
14: control unit
15: battery
20: Aerosol generating article
21: first area
22: Second area

Claims (15)

A receiving portion including a receiving portion housing and a heating element that, together with the receiving portion housing, forms a receiving space for accommodating an aerosol-generating article and generates heat by an externally applied magnetic field to heat the aerosol-generating article; and
It includes a coil portion disposed outside the receiving portion and generating a magnetic field as electricity is applied,
The heating element includes: a first portion having a first thickness in the radial direction of the receiving portion; and a second portion having a second thickness greater than the first thickness in the radial direction of the receiving portion. According to paragraph 1,
An aerosol generating device wherein the inner surface of the receiving unit housing and the inner surface of the heating element are connected to form the receiving space. According to paragraph 2,
The heating element is. Multiple dogs are placed,
An aerosol generating device in which a plurality of the coil units are disposed to correspond to the plurality of heating elements. According to paragraph 1,
The coil unit is wound around a central axis in a direction transverse to the direction in which the receiving unit extends, and generates a magnetic field. According to clause 4,
The second portion of the heating element is disposed at a position corresponding to the central axis of the coil. According to paragraph 1,
An aerosol generating device further comprising a coil support portion disposed outside the receiving portion and supporting the coil portion. According to clause 6,
The coil support portion includes a protrusion that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the accommodating portion from at least one area on the outer side of the accommodating portion housing to support the coil portion. In clause 7,
The protrusion is disposed at a position corresponding to the second portion of the heating element. According to paragraph 1,
The heating element has the shape of a thin film and is located on the inner surface of the accommodating housing facing the accommodating space. According to paragraph 1,
An aerosol generating device wherein the thickness of the heating element gradually changes between the first portion and the second portion. According to paragraph 1,
An aerosol generating device wherein the thickness of the heating element changes linearly or curvedly between the first part and the second part. According to paragraph 1,
The first part and the second part of the heating element are disposed separately from each other. According to paragraph 1,
The heating element further includes one or more third parts that protrude from the inside of the receiving portion toward the receiving space and support the aerosol generating article. According to paragraph 1,
It further includes a humidity sensor that generates a signal regarding the humidity inside the receiving unit,
The receiving portion includes an opening for inserting the aerosol-generating article into the receiving space; And an air inlet formed on the opposite side of the opening through which air flows into the receiving portion,
The heating element is arranged to be spaced apart from the air inlet in the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion,
The humidity sensor is an aerosol generating device disposed between the air inlet and the heating element in the longitudinal direction of the receiving portion. The aerosol generating device of any one of claims 1 to 14; and
an aerosol-generating article comprising a first region containing an aerosol-generating material and a second region containing a flavoring element that imparts flavor to the aerosol,
wherein the second portion of the heating element is disposed at a position corresponding to the first region of the aerosol-generating article or at a position corresponding to the second region.

Images