TW202142136A - Aerosol generation device with adjustable rtd and rtd-based automatic power control - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an aerosol generation device. In particular, the invention relates to an aerosol generation device configured for adjusting a resistance-to-draw (RTD) of the device and for controlling a supplied power based on the RTD. A first aspect of the invention is an aerosol generation device comprising an aerosol generation unit for generating aerosol and an adjusting unit comprising a movable member and configured for being set to a setting of a plurality of settings for mechanically adjusting the resistance-to-draw (RTD) through a mouthpiece by moving the movable member. The plurality of settings allows a user to consistently and predictably adjust the RTD of the device as preferred.

Description

Aerosol generating device with adjustable suction resistance and automatic power control based on suction resistance

The invention relates to an aerosol generating device. Specifically, the aerosol generating device of the present invention is configured to adjust the resistance-to-draw (RTD) of the device and control the supplied power based on the RTD.

The aerosol generating device usually includes an aerosol generating unit. The aerosol generating substrate such as smoke liquid or tobacco stems is heated in the aerosol generating unit to generate aerosol. The generated aerosol can then be consumed by the airflow caused by the user's suction or inhalation operation. The heating control of the substrate is controlled on the one hand by the temperature of the heating element used to heat the substrate, and on the other hand by the cooling effect of the airflow passing through the vaporizer.

In addition, changing the ratio of the air volume to the smoke liquid mixture in conjunction with changing the temperature of the heating element can also change the vapor pressure and boiling point of the mixture. The result of changing the vapor pressure and boiling point of the mixture is to change the chemical composition of the aerosol produced. In order to prevent the generated aerosol from having a physically harmful chemical composition, and to ensure that the generated aerosol can be consumed in an optimal and safe manner, both the temperature of the heating element and the air flow must be controlled.

Some aerosol generating devices allow the user to manually control the power supplied to the heating element to control the heating of the aerosol generating substrate. Other aerosol generating devices allow the user to control the airflow of the device by manually changing the RTD through the outlet opening or nozzle of the device. There are also some aerosol generating devices that allow the user to manually control both power and RTD.

The disadvantage of the above design is that related operations are not easy to operate under optimal conditions, and may even operate under harmful conditions. In order to provide users with the best experience, different users may need different RTDs due to different physical fitness, inhalation strength, inhalation behavior, or suction behavior. The same user may also wish to change the RTD of the device based on, for example, different time of day or different consumables.

However, when changing the RTD of the device, the user may not know whether the temperature of the heating element also needs to be adjusted. And if necessary, it may not know how to adjust the temperature of the heating element and/or what temperature the heating element should be adjusted to. Therefore, the user may adjust the heating element to the wrong or non-optimal temperature, or may simply choose not to adjust the temperature of the heating element. Therefore, it is a difficult and troublesome task to achieve the optimal and safe operation of the aerosol generating device and the optimal and safe consumption of the generated aerosol by the user.

Therefore, there is a need for an aerosol generating device that can ensure the best and safe operation and aerosol consumption, while allowing users to adapt the RTD of the device according to their own preferences.

Some or all of the above objectives of the invention can be achieved by the present invention as defined by the features of the independent claims. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are defined by the characteristics of the dependent claims.

The first aspect of the present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, comprising: an aerosol generating unit for generating aerosol; and an adjusting unit, the adjusting element includes a movable member and is configured to be set to one of a variety of settings , Used to mechanically adjust the suction resistance (RTD) through the nozzle by moving the movable member. Provides a variety of settings to allow users to adjust the RTD of the device in a consistent and predictable manner according to their preferences.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the movable member is configured to be movable relative to the airflow path of the aerosol generating device to change the effective cross section of the airflow path, thereby changing the RTD. This configuration is cost-effective and durable because there is no need to use valves or complicated mechanisms to change the RTD.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the movable member is provided with one or more through holes, and in one of the multiple settings, at least a part of at least one of the through holes Is in the airflow path. The above-mentioned one or more through holes each provide a well-defined cross section for the air flow path, and therefore enable the setting of the adjustment unit to correspond to each well-defined RTD of the aerosol generating device. This design allows the aerosol generating device to operate consistently and predictably.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the way of changing from one setting of the adjustment unit to a different setting includes changing a part of at least one of the through holes in the air flow path to change to A different part of at least one of the through holes is located in the air flow path, or at least one of the through holes at least part of the air flow path is changed to another through hole at least part of the air flow path.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the way of changing the setting of the adjustment unit further includes changing at least a part of the number of through holes in the air flow path. This design can correlate setting changes with well-defined changes in the RTD of the device.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the second face to the fifth face, the movable member is provided with a plurality of through holes, and different through holes have different effective cross sections.

The advantage of any one of the fourth to sixth aspects is that the change setting of the adjustment unit can be correlated with the clearly defined change of the cross section of the airflow path through the adjustment unit, and therefore the change setting can be linked to the aerosol. Produce a well-defined change in the RTD of the device, forming an association. This further improves the consistency and predictability of the operation of the aerosol generating device.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the second face to the sixth face, the movable member is configured to rotate or pivot relative to the air flow path. This allows the movable member to be arranged within the space restriction of the aerosol generating device and to operate within the space restriction. This is because when the movable member rotates or pivots, the rotation or pivot axis of the movable member remains fixed, and no translational movement relative to the aerosol generating device occurs.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the previous face, at least one of the through holes passes through the movable member and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotation or pivot axis of the movable member.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the seventh face to the eighth face, the movable member is arranged such that its rotation or pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to the air flow path.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, at least one of the through holes extends through the movable member in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation or pivot axis of the movable member.

According to the eleventh face of the present invention, in any one of the seventh face to the tenth face, the movable member is arranged such that its rotation or pivot axis is substantially parallel to the air flow path.

Any one of the eighth face to the eleventh face allows the movable member to adopt various shapes and trajectories, such as bending and turning, to form an air flow path through the aerosol generating device.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the second face to the eleventh face, the movable member is a rotating disk, and at least one of the through holes is provided on the rotating disk. The rotating disk provides the advantages of any of the aforementioned aspects, and is simple and cost-effective to manufacture.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in any of the foregoing aspects, the movable member includes an actuating element. The actuating element is located outside the aerosol generating device and/or can be accessed from the outside of the aerosol generating device. When the actuating element is operated, the movable member is moved. The actuation element allows the user to select and/or change the setting of the adjustment unit and the corresponding RTD of the aerosol generating device.

According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the previous face, the actuating element can be moved in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol generating device.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in any of the foregoing aspects, the aerosol generating device includes a detection unit for detecting the setting of the adjustment unit, and a control unit for detecting a result based on the setting of the adjustment unit To control the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit. This design allows the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit to be changed according to the change of the RTD of the device, thereby ensuring that the operating conditions of the aerosol generating device are optimal and safe.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the detection unit includes at least one of a potentiometer, an optical sensor, and a Hall sensor for detecting the setting of the adjustment unit. This type of detection unit can accurately detect the position change or movement of the movable member within the space limitation of the aerosol generating device.

According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the fifteenth aspect to the sixteenth aspect, the control unit is configured to change the supplied power based on the data stored in the database. The database provides different predetermined power settings for the aerosol generating device for different settings of the adjustment unit.

According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the aerosol generating device is configured to store the database. Under this design, the steps of receiving or reading the database can be avoided, and when the setting of the adjustment unit is changed, the control unit can easily access the database.

According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the aerosol generating device is configured to receive the database from an external source, the external source including an electronic device and consumables used with the aerosol generating device. This design allows the aerosol generating device to be provided with a database for controlling the supplied power based on the detected RTD settings. This allows the control of the device to be changed or updated.

According to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the seventeenth aspect to the nineteenth aspect, the data includes one or more database entries, and the one or more database entries will adjust the settings of the unit Correlate with the power supplied. The database entry defines the setting test results of the adjustment unit, and the power that the corresponding aerosol generating device should supply to ensure the best and safe operation of the aerosol generating device.

According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the database includes one or more comparison tables, the one or more comparison tables include one or more entries, and each entry defines the setting and the adjustment unit The corresponding power should be supplied. The comparison table is a simple data array, which is fast to read and process, and therefore reduces the computing power required by the aerosol generating device.

According to the twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the twentieth aspect, the database includes one or more comparison tables, the one or more comparison tables include one or more entries, and each entry defines the setting of the adjustment unit And the corresponding power difference, and the control unit is configured to change the supplied power by subtracting the power difference from a nominal power offset (nominal power offset). This allows the supplied power to be controlled not based on the absolute power but on the nominal power to change the nominal power according to different operating conditions.

According to the twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the previous aspect, the one or more items further define the setting of the adjustment unit and the corresponding maximum power, and the control unit is configured to offset the value based on the nominal power The result of subtracting the power difference, and the lower power value of the maximum power, is used as the changed supply power. In this way, any power calculated based on the nominal power will not exceed the power limit. In this way, the heating temperature of the aerosol-generating substrate can be prevented from being too high. Ensure the safe operation of the aerosol generating device and/or the safe consumption of consumables.

According to the twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the twenty-first aspect to the twenty-third aspect, one or more comparison tables are associated with at least one of the following: the time of day, and the atmosphere Consumables used with the aerosol generator and the operating conditions of the aerosol generator. Providing different comparison tables for different operating conditions can make the operation of the device adapt to the operating conditions and operate according to different operating conditions.

According to the twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the twenty-second aspect to the twenty-fourth aspect, the nominal power can be set by the user.

According to the twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the twenty-second aspect to the twenty-fifth aspect, one or more power differences can be set by the user.

The twenty-fifth aspect and the twenty-sixth aspect allow the user to adjust the operation of the aerosol generating device based on personal preference.

According to the twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the fifteenth aspect to the twenty-sixth aspect, the control unit is configured to be based on the duration of the supplied power and the detection result of the setting of the adjustment unit, Come to limit or suspend the power supply for a short time. In this way, by preventing the aerosol generating substrate from heating to an excessively high temperature, the safe operation of the aerosol generating device and/or the safe consumption of consumables can be ensured.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show the aerosol generating device 100. The aerosol generating device 100 includes an outlet opening or suction nozzle 110. The outlet opening or suction nozzle is located downstream of the aerosol generating unit 130 in the airflow direction of the airflow path 120 extending from the air inlet to the suction nozzle 110. The aerosol generating device 100 includes: an adjusting unit 200 located in the airflow path 120, for adjusting the resistance to suction (RTD) of the aerosol generating device; a detecting unit 300 for detecting the setting of the adjusting unit 200; and a control unit 400 for To control the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130. The aerosol generating unit 130 is configured to generate aerosol by heating the aerosol generating substrate.

The opening 110 can be adapted according to the type of consumable. For example, in the case of an e-vapor device, the shape of the opening 110 may be a mouthpiece ergonomically conforming to the shape of the user's mouth. For a tobacco vapor (t-vapor) device, the opening can be configured to receive a part of the tobacco stem from one end of the tobacco stem, while the other end of the tobacco stem is kept outside the device, so that the user can use the other end for smoking. In addition, although the positions of the air inlet and the air outlet of the air flow path are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B as being located on the opposite or adjacent surfaces of the device, the air inlet and outlet can be independently arranged in any suitable part of the device. On the surface. The air flow path 120 may have more than one air inlet. Although the airflow path is shown as having a straight trajectory and two straight trajectories connected by a 90-degree turn, the airflow path may have any suitable trajectory. For example, the airflow path may include one or more spirals, U-turns, wave-shaped trajectories, or a combination thereof.

At least a part of the adjustment unit 200 is located in the air flow path 120. The adjustment unit is configured to change the RTD, which is felt by the user due to smoking through the mouthpiece or outlet opening 110. The operation of the adjustment unit 200 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2A to 7B. Although the figure shows that the adjusting unit 200 is located in the aerosol generating device 100 and upstream of the aerosol generating unit 130 in the direction of the air flow passing through the air flow path 120, the adjusting unit 200 can also be arranged at any suitable position. For example, the adjustment unit 200 may be arranged downstream of the aerosol generating unit 130. Another method is to arrange the adjustment unit 200 close to or adjacent to the air inlet, or make the adjustment unit 200 basically form the air inlet.

The detection unit 300 may be arranged adjacent to or close to the adjustment unit for detecting the setting of the device and the corresponding RTD. In particular, the detection unit 300 may be configured to detect translational movement, rotational movement, or a combination of translational and rotational movement of the movable member 210 of the adjustment unit 200. The details of the detection unit will be described in more detail in the context of FIGS. 2A to 7B.

2A and 2B show the movable member 210 of the adjustment unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The movable member 210 is configured to rotate about a rotation axis 210R, which extends into and is perpendicular to the viewing plane of FIG. 2A. Although the figure shows that the movable member 210 is circular, the movable member 210 may have any suitable shape, such as an ellipse, a polygon, or an irregular shape. In addition, the movable member 210 may form a rotating disk. In addition, although the figure shows that the rotation axis 210R is substantially located at the center of the circle of the movable member 210, the rotation axis may be located at any suitable position. For example, the rotation axis 210R may not extend through the movable member 210, but may be positioned to extend on a line located outside the movable member 210. The movable member 210 includes one or more through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214, which extend in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 210R and pass through the movable member. Although the figure shows that the movable member 210 has four through holes, the movable member may have any suitable number of through holes. Although the figures show that the through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 are substantially round, the through holes may have any suitable shape, such as a triangle, a rectangle, a polygon, an ellipse, or the like. In addition, different through holes may have different shapes or different sizes, that is, different through holes may have different cross-sections. The through holes 211, 212, 213, 214 may be arranged in a circular shape, and may be arranged to be concentric with the circular shape of the movable member 210. Another method is to arrange the through holes 211, 212, 213, 214 to form any suitable shape. In addition, the through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 may be arranged such that the centers of the through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 are equally spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the circular movable member 210. An alternative method is to make the through holes on the movable member 210 spaced apart from each other by any suitable distance or distances in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 2B, the adjustment unit 200 is positioned such that the rotation axis 210R is substantially parallel to the air flow direction of the air flow path 120, and a part of the movable member is positioned in the air flow path 120. The arrows shown in FIGS. 2A to 2F show the direction of the air flow through the air flow path 120. The cross-sections of the through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 are preferably equal to or smaller than the cross-section of the airflow path 120 (shown as a dashed circle) where the movable member 210 is located in the airflow path 120.

In the first setting, one of the through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 is substantially located in the airflow path 120, so that the airflow flowing through the airflow path 120 passes through the through holes 211, 212, and 213 of the movable member 210 214, this one through hole 213. The through hole has a well-defined cross section. Positioning the through hole in the air flow path 120 can clearly define the RTD of the aerosol generating device 100. By moving or rotating (as shown in the figure) the movable member 210, the setting of the adjustment unit can be changed. By rotating the movable member 210 so that different through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 are positioned in the air flow path 120, the setting of the adjustment unit 200 can be changed to different settings. As shown in FIGS. 2C to 2F, since different through holes 211, 212, 213, and 214 have different cross-sections, different settings of the adjustment unit 200 can correspond to different RTDs of the aerosol generating device 100. Therefore, the reduction of the cross-sectional area positioned in the air flow path 120 will increase the RTD of the aerosol generating device. Conversely, an increase in the area of the cross-section can reduce the RTD of the aerosol generating device.

3A to 3E show a part of the adjustment unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The adjustment unit 200 includes a single through hole 211 having a cut-out-shaped cross-section. A notch-shaped cross section is formed on the movable member 210 to extend in the circumferential direction of the movable member 210 perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis 210R. The rotation axis 210R extends substantially perpendicular to the observation plane and extends into the observation plane, and may be the rotation axis described in the context of FIGS. 2A to 2F. The through hole 211 extends through the movable member 210 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 210R. The notch-shaped cross section includes an arc or curved shape configured such that in one circumferential direction, the notch gradually becomes narrower, and in the opposite circumferential direction, the notch gradually becomes wider. An alternative approach is to make the cross section narrow in one direction of the circumferential direction of the movable member 210 and any other suitable shape that widens in the opposite direction. Although the figure shows that the cross section of the airflow path 120 is rectangular in this case (dotted rectangle), the airflow path 120 may be the airflow path described in the context of FIGS. 2A to 2F. The adjustment unit 200 may be positioned so that the rotation axis 210R is substantially parallel to the airflow direction of the airflow path 120 and a part of the movable member is positioned in the airflow path 120. In the first setting, as shown in FIG. 3C, the through hole 211 has a clearly defined cross-section and only a part of it is located in the air flow path 120, thereby limiting the RTD of the aerosol generating device. As shown in FIG. 3D again, when the movable member 210 is rotated to a different angle, the adjustment unit changes to a different setting. Under this different setting, the through hole 211 has a different part with a clearly defined cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section shown in FIG. 3C, and is positioned in the airflow path 120, thereby defining a more RTD than the RTD set in FIG. 3C. Big RTD. As also shown in FIG. 3E, when the movable member 210 is rotated to another different angle, the adjustment unit is changed to another different setting. Under this other different setting, another different part of the through hole 211 with a clearly defined cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section shown in FIG. 3C and FIG. The RTD is larger than the RTD set in Figure 3D. Although the figure shows three different settings, the movable member 210 can be rotated to any suitable angle to provide multiple settings with different well-defined cross-sections and associated RTDs. In any of the embodiments described in the context of FIGS. 2A to 3E, the adjustment unit may include the following setting: no through hole or no part of the through hole is positioned in the air flow path 120 at this setting to close Airflow path 120. For example, if the device is not in use, and you want to prevent the entry of unwanted particles or liquids to protect the aerosol generating device 100, this design can be used. Compared with the embodiment described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the adjustment unit 200 described in the context of FIGS. 3A to 3E may not only include a series of discrete settings, but also a series of continuous settings and corresponding RTD.

4A to 4E show a part of an adjustment unit 200 having a movable member 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen in FIG. 4A, the adjustment unit 200 is suitable for being arranged in an airflow path with a substantially rectangular turn in the track. The adjustment unit 200 is arranged in this turn. The inlet opening of the adjustment unit 200 communicates with the upstream portion 120a of the air flow path 120, which will be described with reference to FIGS. 4B to 4E. The outlet opening of the adjustment unit 200 communicates with the downstream portion 120b of the air flow path 120, and this portion is also described with reference to FIGS. 4B to 4E. An alternative approach is to not make the air flow path 120 communicate with the upstream portion 120a, and make the inlet opening directly communicate with the outside of the aerosol generating device. The arrows show the trajectory of the air flowing into and out of the adjusting unit 200. The shown upstream part 120a and downstream part 120b are only used to show the direction of the airflow passing through the airflow channel and the direction of the adjustment unit 200 relative to the airflow path 120. The adjustment unit 200 is arranged in the air flow path such that any air flowing through the air flow path 120 must pass through the adjustment unit 200. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid any gaps formed between the upstream portion 120a, the adjustment unit 200, and the downstream portion 120b to prevent air from leaving the airflow path 120 through these gaps.

As shown in FIGS. 4B to 4E, the movable member 210 includes a tubular shape arranged on the outer side of the member main body 210a having a corresponding tubular shape, and the outer side is relative to the rotation axis 210R substantially perpendicular to the direction of the observation plane. . An alternative method is to arrange the movable member 210 inside the member main body 210a. As shown in FIG. 4B, the movable member 210 and the member main body 210a each include an opening that opens in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 210R. As shown in FIG. 4B, the adjustment unit 200 further includes a wall 210b that closes the tubular movable member 210 and the tubular member main body 210a in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 210R. When in the first setting, the movable member is rotated to substantially coincide with the inlet opening positions of the movable member 210 and the member main body 210a to open the inlet opening of the adjustment unit 200. The opening of the movable member 210 that is not closed by the wall 210 b (opposite the opening on the movable member 210 that is closed by the wall 210 b of the member main body 210 a) forms an outlet opening of the adjustment unit 200. The arrow in FIG. 4C shows the direction of air flow through the adjustment unit 200. Air enters the through hole 211 through the inlet opening opened due to the coincidence of the openings of the movable member 210 and the member main body 210a, and exits through the outlet opening formed by the opening of the tubular movable member 210 not closed by the wall 210b. When the air flow path 120 passing through the aerosol generating device includes not only a straight trajectory, but also turns and/or curves, this configuration of the adjustment unit 200 may be used. This design can be used when the air inlet of the aerosol generating device and the air outlet of the aerosol generating device are arranged as shown in FIG. 1A. In this case, the rotation axis 210R is perpendicular to the airflow direction at the upstream portion 120a of the airflow path 120, and is parallel to the airflow direction at the downstream portion 120b of the airflow path 120, as shown in FIG. 4A. Although the figure shows the component main body 210a and the wall 210b as part of the adjustment unit 200, the component main body 210a and the wall 210b may be formed by a wall that forms at least a part of the airflow path 120 through the aerosol generating device 100 and/or similar restrictive arrangements. .

The setting of the adjustment unit 200 may be the configuration shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The inlet opening of the adjustment unit 200 is opened when the opening of the movable member coincides with the opening of the member main body 210a. The inlet opening has a well-defined cross-section and therefore defines the RTD of the aerosol generating device. By rotating the movable member 210 around the rotation axis 210R against the member main body 210a, the adjustment unit 200 can be changed to different settings as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D. In this different setting, due to the rotation of the movable member, the opening of the movable member is only partially overlapped with the opening of the member main body 210a, so that the formed inlet opening is compared with the set inlet opening shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. With different cross-sections, the situation shown in the figure is smaller. Therefore, compared with the setting shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, different RTDs can be defined for the change of this setting, and the situation shown in the figure is larger. Like the embodiment described in the context of FIGS. 3A to 3E, the embodiment described in the context of FIGS. 4A to 4E can include not only a series of discrete settings, but also a series of continuous settings and associated RTD.

5A to 5E show a part of the adjustment unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen in FIG. 5A, the adjustment unit 200 may be arranged in an air flow path having a substantially linear trajectory. The inlet opening of the adjustment unit 200 communicates with the upstream portion 120a of the airflow path 120, and the outlet opening of the adjustment unit 200 communicates with the downstream portion 120b of the airflow path 120. This part will be described with reference to FIGS. 5B to 5E. An alternative approach is to not make the inlet opening communicate with the upstream portion 120a of the air flow path 120, and make the inlet opening directly communicate with the outside of the aerosol generating device. The arrows show the trajectory of the air flowing into and out of the adjusting unit 200. The shown upstream part 120a and downstream part 120b are only used to show the direction of the airflow through the airflow channel and the orientation of the adjustment unit 200 relative to the airflow path 120. The adjustment unit 200 is arranged in the air flow path such that any air flowing through the air flow path 120 must pass through the adjustment unit 200. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid any gaps between the upstream portion 120a, the adjustment unit 200, and the downstream portion 120b to prevent air from leaving the airflow path 120 through the gaps.

Similar to the embodiment described in the context of FIGS. 4A to 4E, the adjustment unit 200 includes a movable member 210 that includes a tubular shape. The movable member 210 is arranged inside a main body member 210a including a corresponding tubular shape. An alternative method is to arrange the main body member 210 a inside the movable member 210. The adjustment unit 200 further includes two walls 210b (only one wall 210b is shown in the figure). The two walls close the tubular movable member and/or in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation and perpendicular to the direction of airflow indicated by the arrow. Component body. The rotation axis 210R is perpendicular to the air flow direction, which is the direction from the upstream portion 120 a of the air path 120 into the adjustment unit 200 and from the adjustment unit 200 to the downstream portion 120 b of the air path. Although the figure shows that the component main body 210a and the wall 210b are part of the adjustment unit 200, the component main body 210a and the wall 210b may be formed of one or more walls that form an air flow path 120 through the aerosol generating device 100 At least part of it. It can also be formed by a similar restriction arrangement. The movable member 210 and the main body member 210a each include two corresponding openings, which are diametrically opposed to the rotation axis 210R of the movable member, and the rotation axis extends into the observation plane and is parallel to the observation plane. When the corresponding openings of the movable member 210 and the member main body 210a at least partially overlap, the inlet opening of the adjustment unit 200 and the corresponding outlet opening diametrically opposite to each other are opened. The through hole 211 of the adjustment unit is thus opened, and extends from the inlet opening through the inner space of the tubular movable member 210 to the outlet opening in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 210R.

The setting of the adjustment unit 200 may be configured as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The movable member 210 abuts against the member main body 210a and rotates so that the corresponding openings of the movable member 210 and the member main body 210a are completely overlapped, so that the through hole 211 is completely opened. In this setting, both the inlet opening and the outlet opening have a clearly defined cross-section, and therefore the RTD of the aerosol generating device 100 associated with this setting is defined. The different settings of the adjustment unit 200 can be configured as shown in FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D. The movable member 210 abuts against the member main body 210a and rotates so that the corresponding opening portions of the movable member 210a and the member main body 210a are overlapped, so that the through hole 211 is partially opened. In this different setting, both the inlet opening and the outlet opening have clearly defined cross-sections, but they are different from the corresponding cross-sections of the through holes when they are fully opened. Therefore, the aerosol generating device 100 can be defined to be associated with the different settings. Different RTD. Under another different setting, the movable member can be rotated to completely close the through hole 211, and the corresponding openings of the movable member 210 and the member main body 210a do not overlap at all at this time.

It should be noted that although the opening of the movable member 210 and the opening of the member main body 210a are arranged radially opposite to each other, that is, spaced apart by a rotation angle of approximately 180° in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis 210R of the movable member, they may The corresponding opening of the moving member 210 and the corresponding opening of the member main body 210a may also be spaced apart from the rotation axis 210 by different rotation angles in the circumferential direction. In this way, the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the adjustment unit can be spaced apart by different rotation angles relative to the rotation axis 210R in the circumferential direction. Like the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A to 4D, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A to 5E may also include not only a series of discrete settings, but also a series of continuous settings and an RTD associated therewith.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 5A to 5E, and the movable member 210 is not formed into a tube shape, but a cylinder. This embodiment can be configured to be applied to a turn where the air flow path has one or more turning trajectories. The through hole 211 extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 210R and passes through the movable member. The rotation axis 210R is perpendicular to the airflow direction. The other through hole 212 has a smaller cross section than the through hole 211 and extends through the movable member in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 210R and different from the extending direction of the through hole 211. Although the figures show that the through holes 211 and 212 perpendicularly intersect each other, the through holes 211 and 212 may intersect each other at any suitable angle, and may not intersect at all, for example, deviate from each other in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 210R. The movable member rotates about the rotation axis 210R with respect to the member main body 210a. The component main body 210a includes two openings diametrically opposite to each other. The cross section of the two openings of the member main body 210a is preferably larger than that of the through holes 211 and 212. Although the member main body 210a is shown as a part of the adjustment unit 200 in the figure, the member main body 210a may also be formed by one or more walls. The one or more walls form at least a part of the air flow path 120 through the aerosol generating device 100. It can also be formed by a similar restriction arrangement. In addition, the movable member 210 may include more than two through holes, and the through holes may have different cross-sections.

The first setting of the adjustment unit 200 may be the configuration shown in FIG. 6A. At this time, the through hole 211 is aligned with the opening of the component main body 210a, and is therefore positioned in the airflow path 120 of the aerosol generating device 100. The through hole 211 has a clearly defined cross-section, and therefore defines the RTD of the aerosol generating device. In different settings, the movable member is rotated so that the through hole 212 is located in the air flow path 120. The through hole 212 has a well-defined cross section that is different from the through hole 211 and therefore defines an RTD different from the through hole 211. An alternative approach is to make the through hole 211 have a non-linear trajectory as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. As shown in the figure, the through holes 211 and 212 may have a trajectory including a 90-degree turn. Another approach is to make the trajectory of the through hole turn at different angles.

In any of the above embodiments, the detection unit 300 is arranged in the aerosol generating device 100 to detect the setting of the adjustment unit 200. The detection unit 300 may include at least one of a potentiometer, an optical sensor, and a Hall sensor. The detection unit 300 and the adjustment unit may be configured such that the detection unit detects the rotation of the movable member 210 around the adjustment unit, the movement along the pivot axis, and/or the change in orientation. For example, the detection unit 300 and the adjustment unit 200 may be configured to cause the rotation of the movable member 210 as described above to cause a change in the resistance of the potentiometer. As another example, a mark may be provided on the movable member 210 so that the mark can be detected by an optical sensor such as a camera or an optical scanner. The mark may be configured such that the orientation or movement of the movable member 210 can be detected by the optical sensor. As yet another example, the movable member 210 may be provided with magnetic marks, and the magnetic marks may be detected by a magnetic sensor such as a Hall sensor. The marks can be configured such that the movement or change of orientation of the movable member can be detected by the magnetic sensor as a change in signal strength.

In general, there are many possible implementations of the sensor mechanism, which are well known to those skilled in the field of actuators and related sensors. The sensor should generally be kept outside the airflow path to avoid contamination of the airflow passing through the airflow path. An alternative approach is to encapsulate or encapsulate the sensor in an inert protective material, which should be transparent to the medium to be sensed. If the sensor is an optical sensor, the protective material should be transparent to light, so it may include, for example, transparent food-safe plastic materials (such as polycarbonate) or transparent ceramic materials (such as glass or quartz) or similar materials. If the sensor is a magnetic sensor, the protective material should allow the magnetic field to pass, so it can include, for example, food-safe plastic materials (such as polycarbonate) or ceramic materials or similar materials. A particularly preferred configuration is to use the movable member and the corresponding sensor as a user interface operation, so as to perform additional operations in addition to controlling the RTD and the associated power. For example, in the case of an RTD setting where the air flow path is completely closed, such as to prevent dust or dirt from entering the air flow path, additional operations can be performed to switch the device to a low power or sleep state (this position can therefore be called the "off" position) . In addition, further movement in the "closed" direction (which may interfere with the bias spring and automatically return the actuator to the "closed" position) can cause the device to display the remaining battery power of the device, such as a set of one or Multiple color LEDs, or display with electronic displays, etc.

The aerosol generating device may be provided with an actuating element, which may be located outside the device and/or can be operated from outside the device. Such actuating elements may be mechanical elements such as dials, knobs or sliders. By moving the mechanical actuation element, the movable member 210 of the aerosol generating device 100 is moved or rotated, and the setting of the adjustment unit 200 is changed. The movement of the mechanical actuating element can be coupled to the movement and/or rotation of the movable member by a mechanical linkage device such as a lever, a rotating gear or the like, or it can be connected by a magnetic element. The actuation element may also be an electromechanical element. Suitable electromechanical elements include: a motor configured to move and/or rotate the movable member 210; and input elements such as touch-sensitive areas or buttons. When the input element is operated, the motor can be activated to move and/or rotate the movable member.

The actuating element may additionally have another button or sensor included therein to enable the actuating element or actuator to perform more functions and provide user control. For example, a button or touch-sensitive area may be included for switching between a suction-actuated device and a button-actuated device. When inhaling the actuated device, the device detects the user's inhalation through a pressure or air flu sensor. In the case of a button-actuated device, the actuator may additionally include a button or a touch-sensitive area for controlling the activation of the heater.

FIG. 8A schematically shows the structure of a part of the database DB according to an embodiment of the present invention. The database DB includes one or more database entries DE1, DE2, DE3, and the database entries include information indicating the relationship between the setting of the adjustment unit 200 and the power P supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 to generate aerosols. . The database DB may be stored in the aerosol generating device 100. The database DB or one or more database entries DE1, DE2, DE3 may additionally or alternatively be received by the aerosol generating device from an external source (such as an external electronic device or consumables). For example, each consumable may have a database DB or one or more database entries DE1, DE2, DE3, and an aerosol generating device 100 configured to optimize and control the use of the consumable. In addition, an alternative method is to create the database and/or one or more database entries by the user, or automatically create it based on the user's suction behavior, so as to achieve optimal control of the aerosol generating device 100 based on the suction behavior. the goal of. The database and/or one or more database entries DE1, DE2, DE3 can also be connected and received by the aerosol generating device 100 via a data communication key. The external device can be a computer device (for example, a server computer), which can be accessed remotely by the aerosol generating device, for example, via the Internet, and connected to an intermediary device (for example, a smart phone, a personal computer, or a router) for storage. Pick. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the external device may be a consumable used with the aerosol generating device. In this case, the consumable device includes a digital memory storing the database. The database may communicate with the aerosol generating device via a wired connection. For example, the consumables may include a printed circuit board having a memory and a printed electrical connection to establish a data connection with the aerosol generating device when connected to the device. In another alternative approach, digital memory can be part of a self-contained wireless module such as an "RFID tag." The digital memory can be passive, that is, it can obtain energy from the RF signal generated by the aerosol generating device, or it can be active, that is, it contains its own power source, usually in the form of a small battery. Especially if a passive wireless module is used, it is not necessary to store the comparison table of the entire database for consumables, but simply store the identification symbol for the comparison table, so that the aerosol generating device can search for the corresponding symbol based on the identification symbol. The comparison table, for example, obtains the applicable table from a remote server, from the local register of the aerosol generating device, or from an intermediate device such as a smart phone or a router. In addition, regardless of how the database is obtained, it is better to allow users to modify the table. The preferred method is to modify the table within the limits set by the device manufacturer, so that user preferences etc. can be reflected in the database.

The entries DE1, DE2, and DE3 of the database may be comparison tables LT1, LT2, and LT3. The comparison tables include table entries defining the settings S1, S2, S3 of the adjustment unit 200 and the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130. The corresponding relationship between them is shown in the comparison table LT1 in FIG. 8B. The comparison tables LT1, LT2, LT3 may additionally or alternatively include table entries to define the correspondence between the settings S1, S2, S3 of the adjustment unit 200 and the power differences PΔ1, PΔ2, PΔ3, as shown in the comparison in FIG. 8C As shown in Table LT2. The power difference PΔ1, PΔ2, PΔ3 represents the value by which the nominal power of the aerosol generating device 100 supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 should be increased or decreased. In addition, the comparison tables LT1, LT2, LT3 can also define the comparison between the settings S1, S2, and S3 of the adjustment unit 200 and the corresponding maximum power P _max 1, P _max 2, P _max 3 that can be supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 relation. The nominal power may be a standard power predetermined by the manufacturer of the aerosol generating device and/or consumable, or it may be set and adjusted by the user based on personal preference. The corresponding maximum power can be used to protect the user and/or the aerosol generating device 100 by preventing the operating temperature of the aerosol generating unit 130 from reaching a temperature sufficient to generate physically harmful aerosols or damaging the non-maximum aerosol generating device. Optimal temperature or harmful temperature. It should be noted that different maximum powers can be associated with different settings of the adjustment unit.

In addition, different database entries, such as different comparison tables, can be associated with different operating conditions or parameters. For example, different database entries can be associated with different users to change settings based on different smoking behaviors, and/or can be associated with different times of the day, based on smoking behaviors at different times of the day or Preference changes, changes in settings, and/or can be associated with different consumables to change settings based on different heating requirements of different aerosol generating substrates, and/or can be associated with different ambient air temperature or ambient air humidity changes , To change the setting according to different air composition and characteristics. Alternatively, a single comparison table can be applied to different values within a certain range, such as the time of day, the type of consumables in use, and/or the operating conditions of the device. The values in this comparison table can be modified according to the twenty-second aspect and twenty-third aspect of the present invention using the difference value, which is based on the time of day, the type of consumables, and/or the operating conditions of the device One or more of the decisions.

Although the power difference PΔ1, PΔ2, PΔ3 can be set by the user, it is better not to allow the user to change the maximum power setting, because the maximum power is based on the possible operating conditions of the device and each type of consumables. Set for each combination. It is a better practice to set the above-mentioned maximum power value when the aerosol generating device is manufactured, and/or set or adjust the setting by a remote server. The remote server may be associated with aerosol device manufacturers or other credible third parties, for example.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a flow chart of a method for determining the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 based on the detected setting of the adjusting unit 200. As shown in the figure, in step S0, the detection unit detects the setting of the adjustment unit 200. In S1, the control unit reads the database DB and determines that the database DB includes one or more database entries DE. In step S2, the control unit then selects the corresponding database entry DE. In this step, the selection can be made based on the above-mentioned operating conditions or parameters. The selection can also be made based on identification symbols such as ID tags, which provide consumables or user identification information. The selection may also be based on an electronic signal, which may be provided by the internal clock of the aerosol generating device, or one or more sensors for detecting the environmental conditions of the aerosol generating device. In the next step, the control unit then determines the power to be supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130. If the database entry selected in step S2 is the comparison table LT1 such as shown in FIG. 8B, the control unit obtains the power value corresponding to the detected setting, and proceeds to step S9 to supply the corresponding power to the aerosol Generating unit 130. If the database entry selected in step S2 is a look-up table LT2 such as that shown in FIG. 8C, then in step S4, the control unit obtains the power difference corresponding to the detected setting. Next, in step S5, the nominal power of the aerosol generating device 100 is detected. As the final step S9, after the detected nominal power is increased or decreased according to the corresponding power difference, the resulting power is provided to the sol generating unit 130. If the database entry selected in step S2 is a look-up table LT3 such as that shown in FIG. 8D, then in step S6, the control unit obtains the power difference corresponding to the detected setting. Next, in step S7, the nominal power of the aerosol generating device 100 is detected. In the next step S8, the power value to be supplied is selected. The power value is the power value obtained by subtracting the corresponding power difference from the detected nominal power, and the corresponding maximum power value, whichever is smaller. In step S9, the selected power is supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130.

The above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention can also be modified as follows. The control unit 400 may be configured to control the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 based on the operation of the actuation element. The actuation element allows the user to select and/or change the settings S1, S2, S3 of the adjustment unit 200, and thereby change the RTD of the aerosol generating device 100 corresponding to the settings S1, S2, S3 of the adjustment unit 200. The actuating element can be operated by the user to enter multiple setting states, and each setting state corresponds to a setting S1, S2, S3 of the adjustment unit 200, and further corresponds to an RTD value. The corresponding relationship between the setting state and the settings S1, S2, and S3 of the adjustment unit 200 may be preset in advance, preferably in a part of the manufacturing process. The database DB may include one or more database entries DE1, DE2, DE3, such as comparison tables LT1, LT2, LT3, etc., which are used to define the relationship between each setting state of the actuation element and the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 The corresponding relationship is as described above in the description of FIGS. 8A to 9. Under this design, the corresponding relationship between the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit 130 and the RTD of the aerosol generating device 100 can be preferably preset, so that the settings S1, S2, S3 of the adjustment unit 200 are not required to be detected. The detection unit 300. The detection unit 300 can be omitted here. Although the above description has described certain embodiments of the present invention and generally associated methods, the changes and replacements of these embodiments and methods are obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the description of the exemplary embodiments in this specification cannot be used to limit or restrict the scope of the present invention. Other changes, substitutions and alterations are also possible without departing from the scope of the present invention defined by independent claims and dependent claims.

100: aerosol generating device 110: suction nozzle 120: air flow path 120a: upstream part of the air flow path 120b: downstream part of the air flow path 130: aerosol generating unit 200: adjusting unit 210: movable member 210a: member main body 210b: wall 211/212/213/214: through hole 210R: rotation/pivot axis 300: detection unit 400: control unit DB: database DE1, DE2, DE3: database entry LT1, LT2, LT3: comparison table S1/S2/ S3: adjustment unit setting P1/P2/P3: power PΔ1/PΔ2/PΔ3: power difference P _max 1/P _max 2/P _max 3: maximum power

1A and 1B show an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and an adjustment unit is arranged in the airflow path of the aerosol generating device; 2A to 2G show a front view, a perspective view, and a cross-sectional view of a movable member of an adjustment unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 3A to 3E show a perspective view and a front view of a movable member of an adjustment unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 4A shows a perspective view of an adjustment unit arranged in an airflow path according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 4B and 4C show a front sectional view and a perspective view of a movable member of the adjustment unit in a first setting, and FIG. 4D And Figure 4E shows a front view and a perspective view of the movable member of the adjustment unit in the second setting; 5A shows a perspective view of an adjustment unit arranged in an air flow path according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 5B and 5C show a front sectional view and a perspective view of a setting of the adjustment unit, and FIGS. 5D and 5E show the adjustment unit The main view and perspective view of the movable member in different settings; 6A and 6B show front sectional views of the movable member of the adjustment unit in one setting and different settings according to an embodiment of the present invention; 7A and 7B show the front view of the movable member of the adjustment unit in one setting and different settings according to an embodiment of the present invention; 8A to 8D show a database and database entries according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 shows a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the method steps of an aerosol generating device having a control unit and a detection unit to adjust the supply power according to the detected RTD setting.

120: Airflow path

211/212/213/214: Through hole

Claims (16)

An aerosol generating device, including: Aerosol generating unit for generating aerosol; and An adjustment unit, the adjustment element includes a movable member and is configured to be set to one of a variety of settings for mechanically adjusting the resistance to suction (RTD) through the nozzle by moving the movable member, Wherein, the movable member is configured to move relative to the airflow path of the aerosol generating device to change the effective cross section of the airflow path, thereby changing the RTD. The aerosol generating device as described in claim 1, additionally including: The control unit is used to control the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, further comprising: a detection unit for detecting the setting of the adjustment unit; and Wherein, the control unit is configured to control the power supplied to the aerosol generating unit according to the detected setting of the adjustment unit. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein the detection unit includes at least one of a potentiometer, an optical sensor, and a Hall sensor for detecting the setting of the adjustment unit. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the control unit is configured to change the supplied power according to the data stored in the database. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, wherein the aerosol generating device is configured to store the database. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claim 5 or 6, wherein the data includes one or more database entries for defining the corresponding relationship between the setting of the adjustment unit and the supplied power. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein the database includes one or more comparison tables, the one or more comparison tables include one or more entries, and each entry corresponds to the setting of the adjustment unit The power supplied. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein the database includes one or more comparison tables, the one or more comparison tables include one or more entries, and each entry corresponds to the setting of the adjustment unit Power difference, and the control unit is configured to change the supplied power by subtracting the power difference from the nominal power. The aerosol generating device according to claim 9, wherein each of the one or more items further corresponds to the setting of the adjustment unit to the maximum power, and the control unit is configured to adjust the nominal power according to the power difference As a result, after comparing with the maximum power, the supplied power is changed according to the smaller value of the two. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein one or more comparison tables establish a corresponding relationship with at least one of the following: time of day, consumption used with the aerosol generating device And the operating conditions of the aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The movable member is provided with one or more through holes, and wherein, In one of the multiple settings, at least a part of at least one of the through holes is arranged in the air flow path, Among them, the method of changing from one setting of the adjustment unit to a different setting: Positioning a part of at least one of the through holes in the air flow path is changed to make a different part of the at least one through hole be located in the air flow path; or At least a part of at least one of the through holes in the airflow path is changed to another through hole at least part of the airflow path. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the movable member is provided with a plurality of through holes, and different through holes have different effective cross sections. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the movable member is configured to rotate or pivot relative to the air flow path. The aerosol generating device described in claim 14, Wherein, at least one of the through holes passes through the movable member and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotation or pivot axis of the movable member, or At least one of the through holes extends through the movable member in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation or pivot axis of the movable member. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the movable member includes an actuating element, and the actuating element is located outside the aerosol generating device and/or can be removed from the aerosol generating device. The outside of the sol generating device is accessible for moving the movable member during operation.

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