WO2023286116A1

WO2023286116A1 - Inhalation device, substrate, and control method

Info

Publication number: WO2023286116A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/026106
Authority: WO
Inventors: 泰弘小野; 和俊芹田; 玲二朗川崎; 寛手塚
Original assignee: 日本たばこ産業株式会社
Priority date: 2021-07-12
Filing date: 2021-07-12
Publication date: 2023-01-19
Also published as: TW202302000A

Abstract

Provided is a mechanism enabling further increase in the quality of a puff experience of a user. This inhalation device is provided with: an AC power generation unit for generating AC power; a storage unit capable of storing a substrate containing an aerosol source in an inner space; a circuit unit that is provided with an electromagnetic induction source disposed on the outer periphery of the storage unit, and is disposed to generate a variable magnetic field using the AC power and to cause the generated variable magnetic field to enter a susceptor; a sensor unit that is disposed in the vicinity of the circuit unit and detects vibration of the circuit unit to acquire a characteristic value of the circuit unit; and a control unit that instructs a preset drive frequency for driving the circuit unit, and controls the drive of the circuit unit on the basis of the characteristic value acquired as a result of the drive of the circuit unit. Heat generated from the susceptor is transmitted to the aerosol source in the substrate to vaporize or atomize the aerosol source.

Description

Suction device, substrate, and control method

The present disclosure relates to suction devices, substrates, and control methods.

Inhalation devices, such as electronic cigarettes and nebulizers, that produce substances that are inhaled by the user are widespread. For example, the suction device uses a base material including an aerosol source for generating an aerosol and a flavor source for imparting a flavor component to the generated aerosol to generate an aerosol imparted with a flavor component. A user can enjoy the flavor by inhaling the flavor component-applied aerosol generated by the suction device. A sucking action in which the user sucks the aerosol is hereinafter also referred to as a puff or a puffing action.

Previously, suction devices that used an external heat source such as a heating blade were the mainstream. Further, in recent years, an induction heating type suction device has attracted attention (Patent Documents 1 and 2). An induction heating suction device drives a resonance circuit at a predetermined drive frequency to induction heat a susceptor. The heated susceptor then vaporizes or atomizes the aerosol source to produce an aerosol.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-512662 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-516014

In an induction heating suction device, for example, repeated use by the user causes the circuit elements to deteriorate over time, which may cause errors in the operation of the circuit elements. Such errors can affect various control actions associated with the suction device, and thus the quality of the user's puff experience.

This disclosure has been made in view of such problems. That is, an object of the present disclosure is to enable various control operations relating to the suction device to be executed more accurately, and to provide a mechanism capable of further improving the quality of the user's puff experience. It is in.

In order to solve the above problems, according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, an AC power generation unit that generates AC power, a storage unit that can accommodate a base material containing an aerosol source in an internal space, and the storage unit a circuit unit comprising an electromagnetic induction source arranged on the outer periphery of the circuit, the circuit unit being arranged to generate a fluctuating magnetic field by the AC power and to allow the generated fluctuating magnetic field to enter the susceptor; a sensor unit arranged near the circuit unit to detect the vibration of the circuit unit and acquire a characteristic value of the circuit unit; a control unit that controls driving of the circuit unit based on the characteristic value obtained as a result, and heat generated from the susceptor is transmitted to the aerosol source of the base material, whereby the aerosol source is A suction device is provided that is vaporized or atomized.

The control unit may be configured to control driving of the circuit unit according to deviation from a predetermined reference value regarding the acquired characteristic value.

wherein the control unit corrects the predetermined drive frequency when the deviation amount is smaller than a predetermined first threshold; and the circuit unit when the deviation amount is equal to or greater than the first threshold. It may be configured to perform one or both of the non-driving.

The control unit is further configured to perform heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile, and the characteristic value is obtained while the heating control based on the heating profile is being performed. good.

The control unit may be further configured to perform heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile, and the characteristic value may be obtained before performing heating control based on the heating profile. .

The sensor unit may be further configured to detect pressing of a button of the suction device, and the characteristic value may be obtained in response to detection of pressing of the button.

The sensor unit is further configured to detect that the base material has been accommodated in the accommodation unit, and the characteristic value is set to may be obtained.

The characteristic value is further acquired after the heating control based on the heating profile is completed, and the control unit further acquires the characteristic value acquired before the heating control is executed and the heating control is executed. The driving of the circuit unit may be controlled based on a difference value from the characteristic value obtained after the characteristic value is obtained.

The control unit corrects the predetermined drive frequency when the difference value is smaller than a predetermined second threshold, and does not drive the circuit unit when the difference value is greater than or equal to the second threshold. may be configured to do one or both of

The circuit section may include an RLC circuit, and the characteristic value may be an oscillation frequency accompanying oscillation of a capacitor when the RLC circuit is driven by the driving frequency.

The susceptor may be arranged in thermal proximity to the aerosol source inside the base material.

The susceptor forms part of the enclosure and is positioned in thermal proximity to the aerosol source by at least partially contacting a surface of the substrate contained within the interior space. may be

The susceptor may be cylindrically formed of stainless steel.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, according to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a base material is provided that is used in the suction device described above and is housed in the suction device.

Also, in order to solve the above problems, according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling the operation of a suction device is provided. The suction device comprises a housing part capable of housing a base material containing an aerosol source in an internal space, and a circuit part provided with an electromagnetic induction source arranged on the outer circumference of the housing part, and the method includes a predetermined a step of instructing a driving frequency to drive the circuit unit, comprising generating and supplying alternating current power to the circuit unit; detecting vibration of the circuit unit based on the driving of the circuit unit to obtain a characteristic value of the circuit unit; and obtaining the characteristic value of the circuit unit. and controlling the driving of the circuit unit based on the value, wherein the heat generated from the susceptor is transferred to the aerosol source of the substrate, thereby vaporizing or atomizing the aerosol source.

The step of controlling driving of the circuit unit corrects the predetermined driving frequency to a first frequency when the amount of deviation from a predetermined reference value regarding the acquired characteristic value is smaller than a predetermined first threshold. may include

The step of controlling further includes: driving the circuit unit at the first frequency for a predetermined period of time; estimating a first temperature of the susceptor after the predetermined period of time; Determining whether the temperature is within a predetermined tolerance range and, if the first temperature is within the predetermined tolerance range, notifying that heating control of the aerosol source can be performed based on a predetermined heating profile. may include doing and

The controlling step further comprises further correcting the predetermined drive frequency from the first frequency to a second frequency when the first temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range; and the second frequency. for a predetermined time, estimating a second temperature of the susceptor after the predetermined time has elapsed, and determining whether the second temperature is within a predetermined acceptable range. and signaling that controlled action of heating of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile is possible if the second temperature is within a predetermined tolerance range.

The controlling step may further include not driving the circuit unit when the second temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range.

The controlling step may include not driving the circuit unit when the deviation amount is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, a mechanism is provided that can further improve the quality of the user's puff experience.

It is a schematic diagram which shows typically the structural example of the suction device which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to induction heating by the suction device of FIG. 1; Figure 2 shows an equivalent circuit of a circuit involved in induction heating by the suction device of Figure 1; 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control unit included in the control device of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of processing of the control method according to the present embodiment; 6 is a flow diagram showing an example of details of part of the process shown in FIG. 5; FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the flow of processing of the control method according to the embodiment; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the flow of processing of the control method according to the embodiment; FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing an example of details of part of the process shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the flow of processing of the control method according to the embodiment;

Hereinafter, the suction device, substrate, and control method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions of the same or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Also, features illustrated in one embodiment are applicable to other embodiments as long as they are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic and do not necessarily correspond to actual dimensions, proportions, and the like. Even between the drawings, there are cases where portions with different dimensional relationships and ratios are included.

<1. Configuration example of suction device>
The suction device according to this configuration example is an example of an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol by heating a substrate including an aerosol source through induction heating (IH (Induction Heating)) of a susceptor. The suction device according to this configuration example is configured using a known resonance circuit. In suction devices, the resonant circuit is typically driven by a fixed resonant frequency (ie drive frequency).

A suction device configured using a resonance circuit may have an error in the actual drive frequency with respect to the drive frequency instructed for the resonance circuit. It is known that this is mainly caused by changes in the reactance of coils and capacitors due to excessive use and aged deterioration. Drive frequency errors can affect various control actions for the suction device (eg, heating actions based on a heating profile). On the other hand, in order to strictly evaluate the error of the drive frequency, it is necessary to install special equipment in the suction device, which is technically and economically unrealistic.

Therefore, the suction device according to this configuration example focuses on the operation of the capacitor, which is a component of the resonance circuit for induction heating the susceptor. In other words, it is possible to appropriately grasp the state of the resonance circuit through the suction device according to this configuration example, thereby making it possible to cope with the influence of the control operation due to the error in the drive frequency. In addition, the suction device according to this configuration example can be controlled to appropriately adjust the operation of the resonance circuit according to the state of the resonance circuit.

This makes it possible to limit the use of the suction device and/or correct the drive frequency so as to drive the RLC circuit under more appropriate conditions. That is, it becomes possible to more appropriately control the operation of the induction heating type suction device.

This configuration example will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a configuration example of a suction device. As shown in FIG. 1, the suction device 100 according to this configuration example includes a power supply unit 111, a sensor unit 112, a notification unit 113, a storage unit 114, a communication unit 115, a control unit 116, a susceptor 161, an electromagnetic induction source 162, and A retainer 140 is included. The user performs suction while the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held by the holding portion 140 . Each component will be described in order below.

The power supply unit 111 accumulates power. The power supply unit 111 supplies electric power to each component of the suction device 100 . The power supply unit 111 may be composed of, for example, a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery. The power supply unit 111 may be charged by being connected to an external power supply via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or the like. Also, the power supply unit 111 may be charged in a state of being disconnected from the device on the power transmission side by wireless power transmission technology. Alternatively, only the power supply unit 111 may be detached from the suction device 100 or may be replaced with a new power supply unit 111 .

The sensor unit 112 detects various information regarding the suction device 100 . The sensor unit 112 then outputs the detected information to the control unit 116 . As an example, the sensor unit 112 is configured by a pressure sensor such as a condenser microphone, a flow rate sensor, or a temperature sensor. When the sensor unit 112 detects a numerical value associated with the user's suction, the sensor unit 112 outputs information indicating that the user has performed suction to the control unit 116 . As another example, the sensor unit 112 is configured by an input device, such as a button or switch, that receives information input from the user. In particular, the sensor unit 112 includes a power button, and instructs the power supply unit 111 to start/stop power supply in response to pressing of the power button by the user. Further, the sensor unit 112 instructs start/stop of aerosol generation. The sensor unit 112 then outputs the information input by the user to the control unit 116 .

Furthermore, as an example, the sensor unit 112 may be configured by a motion sensor (for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc.) that is arranged near the resonance circuit and detects vibration of a capacitor included in the resonance circuit. Such a motion sensor is particularly arranged on the substrate of the resonant circuit so that, for example, as a result of driving the resonant circuit, the vibration of the capacitor is detected, and the vibration frequency caused by "ringing" (described later) is detected. do. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor unit 112 may comprise an acoustic sensor, such as a miniature microphone, that detects the sound produced by the vibration of the capacitor. Such sound sensors detect, for example, the frequency of sound produced by "ringing".

Furthermore, the sensor section 112 may be configured with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the susceptor 161 . Such a temperature sensor detects the temperature of the susceptor 161 based on the electrical resistance value of the electromagnetic induction source 162, for example. The sensor section 112 may detect the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 held by the holding section 140 based on the temperature of the susceptor 161 .

Furthermore, the sensor section 112 may be configured by a pressure sensor arranged on the inner wall of the holding section 140 . For example, when the stick-shaped base material 150 is held inside the holding part 140, the pressure sensor comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the stick-shaped base material 150. Detect contact pressure. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor unit 112 may be configured by a capacitive proximity sensor provided near the opening 142 . Such a proximity sensor is a capacitance type proximity sensor that generates an electric field and detects an object based on a change in capacitance or dielectric constant when the object enters the electric field. It detects the capacitance or dielectric constant of the nearby partial space.

The notification unit 113 notifies the user of information. As an example, the notification unit 113 is configured by a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode). In this case, the notification unit 113 emits light in different light emission patterns when the power supply unit 111 is in a charging required state, when the power supply unit 111 is being charged, when an abnormality occurs in the suction device 100, and the like. . The light emission pattern here is a concept including color, timing of lighting/lighting out, and the like. The notification unit 113 may be configured by a display device that displays an image, a sound output device that outputs sound, a vibration device that vibrates, or the like, together with or instead of the light emitting device. In addition, the notification unit 113 may notify information indicating that suction by the user has become possible. Information indicating that the suction by the user is enabled is notified when the temperature of the stick-shaped base material 150 heated by electromagnetic induction reaches a predetermined temperature.

The storage unit 114 stores various information for the operation of the suction device 100 . The storage unit 114 is configured by, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as flash memory. An example of the information stored in the storage unit 114 is information regarding the OS (Operating System) of the suction device 100, such as control details of various components by the control unit 116. FIG. Another example of the information stored in the storage unit 114 is information related to suction by the user, such as the number of times of suction (the number of puffs), the time of suction, and the accumulated suction time. Further, the storage unit 114 may store a heating profile, which is information defining the time-series transition of the target temperature, which is the target value of the temperature of the susceptor 161 .

The communication unit 115 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving information between the suction device 100 and other devices. The communication unit 115 performs communication conforming to any wired or wireless communication standard. As such a communication standard, for example, wireless LAN (Local Area Network), wired LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like can be adopted. As an example, the communication unit 115 transmits information about suction by the user to the smartphone so that the smartphone displays information about suction by the user. As another example, the communication unit 115 receives new OS information from the server in order to update the OS information stored in the storage unit 114 .

The control unit 116 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the general operations within the suction device 100 according to various programs. The control unit 116 is realized by an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor. In addition, the control unit 116 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing programs to be used and calculation parameters, etc., a RAM (Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing parameters that change as appropriate, and a timer. The suction device 100 executes various processes under the control of the controller 116 . Power supply from power supply unit 111 to other components, charging of power supply unit 111, detection of information by sensor unit 112, notification of information by notification unit 113, storage and reading of information by storage unit 114, and communication unit 115 Transmission and reception of information is an example of processing controlled by the control unit 116 . Other processes executed by the suction device 100, such as information input to each component and processing based on information output from each component, are also controlled by the control unit 116. FIG.

The holding part 140 has an internal space 141 and holds the stick-shaped base material 150 while accommodating a part of the stick-shaped base material 150 in the internal space 141 . The holding part 140 has an opening 142 that communicates the internal space 141 with the outside, and holds the stick-shaped substrate 150 inserted into the internal space 141 through the opening 142 . For example, the holding portion 140 is a tubular body having an opening 142 and a bottom portion 143 as a bottom surface, and defines a columnar internal space 141 . The holding part 140 is configured such that the inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the stick-shaped base material 150 at least in part in the height direction of the cylindrical body, and holds the stick-shaped base material 150 inserted into the internal space 141. The stick-shaped substrate 150 can be held by pressing from the outer periphery. The retainer 140 also functions to define air flow paths through the stick-shaped substrate 150 . An air inlet hole, which is an inlet for air into the flow path, is arranged, for example, in the bottom portion 143 . On the other hand, the air outflow hole, which is the exit of air from such a channel, is the opening 142 .

The stick-shaped base material 150 is a stick-shaped member. The stick-type substrate 150 includes a substrate portion 151 and a mouthpiece portion 152 .

The base material part 151 contains an aerosol source. The aerosol source is vaporized or atomized by heating to produce an aerosol. The aerosol source may be tobacco-derived, such as, for example, a processed product of cut tobacco or tobacco material formed into granules, sheets, or powder. Aerosol sources may also include non-tobacco sources made from plants other than tobacco, such as mints and herbs. By way of example, the aerosol source may contain perfume ingredients such as menthol. If the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source may contain a medicament for inhalation by the patient. The aerosol source is not limited to solids, and may be, for example, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and propylene glycol, and liquids such as water. At least part of the base material part 151 is accommodated in the internal space 141 of the holding part 140 in a state in which the stick-shaped base material 150 is held by the holding part 140.

The mouthpiece 152 is a member held by the user when inhaling. At least part of the mouthpiece 152 protrudes from the opening 142 when the stick-shaped base material 150 is held by the holding part 140 . Then, when the user holds the mouthpiece 152 protruding from the opening 142 and sucks, air flows into the inside of the holding part 140 from an air inlet hole (not shown). The air that has flowed in passes through the internal space 141 of the holding part 140 , that is, passes through the base material part 151 and reaches the inside of the user's mouth together with the aerosol generated from the base material part 151 .

Furthermore, the stick-type substrate 150 includes a susceptor 161 inside. The susceptor 161 generates heat by electromagnetic induction. The susceptor 161 is made of a conductive material such as metal. As an example, the susceptor 161 is configured in a plate shape. The susceptor 161 is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the susceptor 161 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150 .

Here, the susceptor 161 is arranged inside the stick-shaped substrate 150 so as to be in thermal proximity to the aerosol source. The susceptor 161 being thermally close to the aerosol source means that the susceptor 161 is arranged at a position where heat generated in the susceptor 161 is transferred to the aerosol source. For example, the susceptor 161 is contained in the substrate portion 151 along with the aerosol source and is surrounded by the aerosol source. With such a configuration, the heat generated from the susceptor 161 can be efficiently used to heat the aerosol source.

It should be noted that the susceptor 161 may not be accessible from the outside of the stick-shaped substrate 150 . For example, the susceptors 161 may be distributed in the central portion of the stick-shaped substrate 150 and not distributed near the periphery.

The electromagnetic induction source 162 causes the susceptor 161 to generate heat by electromagnetic induction. The electromagnetic induction source 162 is composed of, for example, a coiled conductor wire, and is arranged so as to wrap around the outer periphery of the holding portion 140 . The electromagnetic induction source 162 generates a magnetic field when alternating current is supplied through the power supply section 111 . The electromagnetic induction source 162 is arranged at a position where the internal space 141 of the holding section 140 overlaps the generated magnetic field. Therefore, when a magnetic field is generated while the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held by the holding portion 140, an eddy current is generated in the susceptor 161 and Joule heat is generated. The Joule heat heats the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 to vaporize or atomize it, thereby generating an aerosol.

That is, the susceptor 161 is heated by the induction heating of the susceptor 161 by the electromagnetic induction source 162 , and the heat is transferred to the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped base material 150 . This vaporizes or atomizes the aerosol source.

As an example, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, power may be supplied and an aerosol may be generated accordingly. Then, when the temperature of the stick-shaped substrate 150 induction-heated by the susceptor 161 and the electromagnetic induction source 162 reaches a predetermined temperature, the suction by the user may be enabled. After that, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been performed, the power supply may be stopped. As another example, power may be supplied and aerosol may be generated during a period in which the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has inhaled.

Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which the susceptor 161 is included in the base material portion 151 of the stick-shaped base material 150, this configuration example is not limited to such an example. Alternatively, for example, the holding portion 140 may take on the function of the susceptor 161 , that is, the susceptor 161 may form part of the holding portion 140 . Susceptor 161 is placed in thermal proximity to the aerosol source by at least partially contacting the surface of stick-shaped substrate 150 housed in interior space 141 . In this case, the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction source 162 generates an eddy current in the holding portion 140 and generates Joule heat. Then, the Joule heat heats the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped substrate 150 to vaporize or atomize it, thereby generating an aerosol.

In this example, the holding part 140 is preferably made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel. This enables effective heat transfer from the holding portion 140 to the stick-shaped substrate 150 and the substrate portion 151 therein.

Note that the combination of the suction device 100 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 may be regarded as one system in that aerosol can be generated by combining the suction device 100 and the stick-shaped substrate 150 .

<2. Induction heating>
Induction heating is described in detail below.

Induction heating is the process of heating a conductive object by penetrating a varying magnetic field into the object. Induction heating involves a magnetic field generator that generates a fluctuating magnetic field, and a conductive heated object that is heated by being exposed to the fluctuating magnetic field. An example of a varying magnetic field is an alternating magnetic field. The electromagnetic induction source 162 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a magnetic field generator. The susceptor 161 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of the object to be heated.

In a state in which the magnetic field generator and the object to be heated are arranged in relative positions such that the fluctuating magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator penetrates into the object to be heated, when the fluctuating magnetic field is generated from the magnetic field generator, the object to be heated Eddy currents are induced. When the eddy current flows through the object to be heated, Joule heat corresponding to the electrical resistance of the object to be heated is generated and the object to be heated is heated. Such heating is also referred to as joule heating, ohmic heating, or resistance heating.

The object to be heated may have magnetism. In that case, the object to be heated is further heated by magnetic hysteresis heating. Magnetic hysteresis heating is the process of heating a magnetic object by impinging it with a varying magnetic field. When a magnetic field penetrates a magnetic body, the magnetic dipoles contained in the magnetic body align along the magnetic field. Therefore, when a fluctuating magnetic field penetrates a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipole changes according to the applied fluctuating magnetic field. Due to such reorientation of the magnetic dipoles, heat is generated in the magnetic material, and the object to be heated is heated.

Magnetic hysteresis heating typically occurs at temperatures below the Curie point and does not occur at temperatures above the Curie point. The Curie point is the temperature at which a magnetic material loses its magnetic properties. For example, when the temperature of an object to be heated which has ferromagnetism at a temperature below the Curie point exceeds the Curie point, the magnetism of the object to be heated undergoes a reversible phase transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism. When the temperature of the object to be heated exceeds the Curie point, magnetic hysteresis heating does not occur, so the rate of temperature increase slows down.

It is desirable that the object to be heated is made of a conductive material. Furthermore, it is desirable that the object to be heated is made of a ferromagnetic material. In the latter case, it is possible to increase the heating efficiency by combining resistance heating and magnetic hysteresis heating. For example, the object to be heated is made of one or more materials selected from a group of materials including aluminum, iron, nickel, cobalt, conductive carbon, copper, stainless steel, and the like.

In both resistance heating and magnetic hysteresis heating, heat is generated inside the object to be heated, not by heat conduction from an external heat source. Therefore, rapid temperature rise of the object to be heated and uniform heat distribution can be realized. This can be realized by appropriately designing the material and shape of the object to be heated and the magnitude and direction of the varying magnetic field. That is, by appropriately designing the distribution of the susceptors 161 included in the stick-shaped substrate 150, a rapid temperature rise and uniform heat distribution of the stick-shaped substrate 150 can be achieved. Therefore, the time required for preheating can be shortened, and the quality of flavor that the user can enjoy can be improved.

Since induction heating directly heats the susceptor 161 included in the stick-shaped base material 150, the base material can be heated more efficiently than when the stick-shaped base material 150 is heated from the outer periphery or the like by an external heat source. It is possible. Moreover, when heating is performed by an external heat source, the temperature of the external heat source is inevitably higher than that of the stick-shaped substrate 150 . On the other hand, when performing induction heating, the electromagnetic induction source 162 does not become hotter than the stick-shaped substrate 150 . Therefore, the temperature of the suction device 100 can be kept lower than when an external heat source is used, which is a great advantage in terms of user safety.

The electromagnetic induction source 162 uses power supplied from the power supply unit 111 to generate a varying magnetic field. As an example, the power supply unit 111 may be a DC (Direct Current) power supply. In that case, the power supply unit 111 supplies AC power to the electromagnetic induction source 162 via a DC/AC (Alternate Current) inverter. In that case, the electromagnetic induction source 162 can generate an alternating magnetic field.

The electromagnetic induction source 162 causes the fluctuating magnetic field generated from the electromagnetic induction source 162 to penetrate the susceptor 161 which is arranged in thermal proximity to the aerosol source contained in the stick-shaped base material 150 held by the holding part 140 . It is placed in the position where The susceptor 161 generates heat when a fluctuating magnetic field enters. The electromagnetic induction source 162 shown in FIG. 1 is a solenoid coil. The solenoid-type coil is arranged so that the conductive wire is wound around the outer periphery of the holding portion 140 . When a current is applied to the solenoid type coil, a magnetic field is generated in the central space surrounded by the coil, that is, the internal space 141 of the holding part 140 . As shown in FIG. 1, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held by the holding portion 140, the susceptor 161 is surrounded by the coil. Therefore, the fluctuating magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction source 162 enters the susceptor 161 and heats the susceptor 161 by induction.

<3. Technical features>
(1) Detailed Internal Configuration A configuration related to induction heating according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to induction heating by the suction device 100 according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the suction device 100 includes a power supply section 111, a drive circuit 169, and a control section 116.

The power supply unit 111 is a DC (Direct Current) power supply. The power supply unit 111 supplies DC power to the drive circuit 169 .

The drive circuit 169 includes an RLC circuit 168 (described later) including an electromagnetic induction source 162 and an inverter circuit 163 . The drive circuit 169 may further include other circuits such as a matching circuit. The drive circuit 169 is driven by AC power supplied from the power supply unit 111 and converted by the inverter circuit 163 . The drive circuit 169 causes the electromagnetic induction source 162 arranged on the outer periphery of the holding portion 140 to generate a varying magnetic field by AC power. Further, the drive circuit 169 is arranged at a position with respect to the susceptor 161 such that the generated varying magnetic field penetrates the susceptor 161 .

The inverter circuit 163 is a DC/AC (Alternate Current) inverter that converts DC power into AC power. As an example, inverter circuit 163 is configured as a half-bridge inverter or a full-bridge inverter having one or more switching elements. Examples of switching elements include MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) and IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors). The power supply unit 111 and the inverter circuit 163 are examples of an AC power generation unit that generates AC power.

In addition, the holding part 140 having the electromagnetic induction source 162 arranged on the outer periphery can accommodate the stick-shaped base material 150, which is a base material containing the aerosol source, and the susceptor 161, which is thermally adjacent to the aerosol source, in the internal space 141. It is an example of an accommodation part. It is understood that the stick substrate 150 may have multiple susceptors 161 .

The electromagnetic induction source 162 uses the AC power supplied from the inverter circuit 163 to generate a fluctuating magnetic field in the internal space 141 . The electromagnetic induction source 162 is positioned so as to correspond to the susceptor 161 when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held (that is, housed) in the holding portion 140 . Specifically, the susceptor 161 is surrounded by the electromagnetic induction source 162 while the stick-shaped base material 150 is held by the holding portion 140 . Thereby, the electromagnetic induction source 162 can induction-heat the susceptor 161 . A plurality of susceptors 161 may be arranged at different positions along the insertion direction of the stick-shaped substrate 150 . be done.

The control unit 116 controls induction heating by the electromagnetic induction source 162 . Specifically, control unit 116 controls power supply to electromagnetic induction source 162 . For example, the control unit 116 estimates the temperature of the susceptor 161 based on information on DC power supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the drive circuit 169 . Then, the control unit 116 controls power supply to the electromagnetic induction source 162 based on the temperature of the susceptor 161 . For example, the control unit 116 controls power supply to the electromagnetic induction source 162 so that the temperature of the susceptor 161 changes according to the heating profile. Note that the temperature of the susceptor 161 may be detected by the temperature sensor of the sensor section 112 .

An example of a controlled object is the voltage of DC power supplied from the power supply unit 111 to the drive circuit 169 . Another example of the controlled object is the switching period in the inverter circuit 163 . Another example of a controlled object is the operation of each of the multiple switches 164 .

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit of a circuit involved in induction heating by the suction device 100 according to this embodiment. _Apparent electrical resistance value _RA _shown in FIG. resistance value. As shown in FIG. 3, the apparent electrical resistance value R _A corresponds to the series connection formed by the electrical resistance value R _C of the drive circuit 169 and the electrical resistance value R _S of the susceptor 161 . Here, since there is a very monotonic relationship between the apparent electrical resistance value _RA and the temperature of the susceptor 161, the temperature of the susceptor 161 can be estimated based on the apparent electrical resistance value _RA . .

The drive circuit 169 of this configuration example includes an RLC circuit 168 . The RLC circuit 168 is an example of a circuit section that is driven at a predetermined driving frequency in order to generate a varying magnetic field and induction heat the susceptor 161 . RLC circuit 168 is a resonant circuit known per se. Here, the resistance value of the resistor, the inductance value of the inductor, and the capacitance value of the capacitor are adjusted and set in advance so that the resonance frequency becomes a predetermined driving frequency.

The exemplary RLC circuit 168 has resistance (R) provided by a resistor, inductance (L) provided by an inductor, and capacitance (C) provided by a capacitor connected in series. The inductor is the electromagnetic induction source 162 described above, and is composed of, for example, a coiled wire. Also, the capacitor is, for example, a high dielectric constant ceramic capacitor. Although the RLC circuit 168 has been described assuming that it is composed of an RLC series circuit, it is understood that it is not limited to this and may be composed of an RLC parallel circuit.

The RLC circuit 168 may exhibit electrical resonance at a particular resonant frequency when the imaginary parts of the impedances or admittances of circuit elements cancel each other out. Resonance occurs in the RLC circuit 168 as the collapsing inductor's magnetic field generates current in the inductor winding that charges the capacitor, while the discharging capacitor provides current that generates the magnetic field in the inductor. When the RLC circuit 168 is driven at a particular resonant frequency, the series impedance of inductance and capacitance is minimized and the circuit current is maximized. Accordingly, effective and/or efficient induction heating can be provided by driving the RLC circuit 168 at a particular resonant frequency (ie, drive frequency).

It is known that the capacitor (eg, ceramic capacitor) of the RLC circuit 168 has the property that the dielectric deforms and distorts when an AC voltage is applied to the dielectric. Therefore, for example, when an AC voltage of a certain frequency is applied to the capacitor, the capacitor physically vibrates, and the vibration is transmitted to the substrate of the RLC circuit 168 and amplified, resulting in the generation of sound. This is the so-called "ringing" phenomenon.

In the present embodiment, attention is paid to the "sound noise" that occurs with the vibration of the capacitor, and the characteristics of the RLC circuit 168 are grasped by acquiring characteristic values related to the "sound noise." .

The oscillation frequency regarding the oscillation of the capacitor is an example of the characteristic value of the RLC circuit 168. The oscillation frequency of the capacitor when "ringing" occurs is related to the driving frequency with which the RLC circuit 168 is driven. That is, by obtaining the oscillation frequency of the capacitor with respect to the driving frequency of the RLC circuit 168, the characteristics of the RLC circuit 168 can be effectively and/or efficiently grasped. Then, the driving of the RLC circuit 168 can be effectively controlled.

For example, the oscillation frequency of the capacitor with respect to a specific drive frequency is measured in advance and stored in the storage unit 114 as a reference value (that is, normal value). The oscillation frequency obtained while actually driving the RLC circuit 168 is then measured to determine the deviation from the reference value. Such a deviation is an error from the normal value. Then, depending on the degree of error in the vibration frequency, the corresponding error from a specific drive frequency relative to the actual drive frequency can be estimated.

The state of the RLC circuit 168 can be grasped based on the estimated drive frequency error. Such a method is advantageous in that the drive frequency error can be easily estimated, and that it is not necessary to strictly detect the drive frequency using dedicated equipment. The state of the RLC circuit 168 may include, for example, a degraded state and a failure state, and in this embodiment, driving of the RLC circuit 168 can be controlled based on such states.

(2) Configuration Example of Control Unit FIG. 4 is a block diagram functionally showing a configuration example of the control unit 116 of the suction device 100 according to this embodiment. The control unit 116 includes a power supply instruction unit 116a, an acquisition unit 116b, a circuit control unit 116c, a heating control unit 116d, and a notification instruction unit 116e.

The power supply instruction unit 116a instructs the power supply unit 111 to supply power to the drive circuit 169 or stop it.

The acquisition unit 116b instructs the sensor unit 112 to detect the vibration of the capacitor of the RLC circuit 168 and acquire the characteristic value of the RLC circuit 168 (particularly, the vibration frequency of the capacitor due to "ringing"). It should be noted that the characteristic value is not limited to the vibration frequency of the capacitor, and may include the frequency of sound generated by "ringing".

The circuit control unit 116 c instructs a predetermined driving frequency for driving the RLC circuit 168 . Further, the circuit control unit 116c controls the driving of the RLC circuit 168 based on the vibration frequency obtained by the obtaining unit 116b as a result of driving the RLC circuit 168 . Specifically, the circuit control unit 116c controls the driving of the RLC circuit 168 according to the deviation from the predetermined reference value regarding the vibration frequency described above.

Specifically, the circuit control unit 116c estimates that the RLC circuit 168 is in a degraded state when the amount of deviation from a predetermined reference value for the obtained vibration frequency is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and instructs the drive frequency correct. Also, if the amount of deviation is greater than or equal to the threshold, it is assumed that the RLC circuit 168 is in a faulty state, and the RLC circuit 168 is disabled so as not to be driven. Note that the control here may perform one or both of correcting the drive frequency and disabling the RLC circuit 168 so as not to drive it. As a result, it is possible to appropriately deal with malfunctions due to overuse or aged deterioration of the suction device 100 .

The heating control unit 116d performs heating control of the aerosol source based on the heating profile. The heating profile is information that defines the time series transition of the target temperature, which is the target value of the temperature of the susceptor 161 . The suction device 100 controls power supply to the electromagnetic induction source 162 so that the actual temperature of the susceptor 161 changes in accordance with the time series transition of the target temperature specified in the heating profile. This produces an aerosol as planned by the heating profile. The heating profile is typically designed to optimize the flavor experienced by the user when the user inhales the aerosol produced from the stick-shaped substrate 150 . That is, by controlling the operation of the electromagnetic induction source 162 based on the heating profile, it is possible to optimize the flavor tasted by the user.

The notification instruction unit 116e instructs the notification unit 113 to perform a predetermined notification operation. For example, the notification is made in response to the control of the driving of the RLC circuit 168 by the circuit control unit 116c. Specifically, the notification unit 113 may be caused to notify that the drive frequency should be driven at the corrected drive frequency and/or that the driving of the RLC circuit 168 has been disabled.

(3) Flow of Processing An example of the flow of processing executed by the suction device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of processing of the control method according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of details of part of the processing shown in FIG. It should be noted that each processing step shown here is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this, and arbitrary other processing steps may be included, or some processing steps may be omitted. Also, the order of each processing step shown here is merely an example, and is not limited to this, and may be in any order, or may be executed in parallel in some cases.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are particularly an example of a process flow in which the oscillation frequency of the capacitor, which is a characteristic value of the RLC circuit 168, is acquired while the heating control of the aerosol source is being performed based on the heating profile. be.

As shown in FIG. 5, when this process is started, the control unit 116 first causes the sensor unit 112 to detect a suction request. In response, the power supply instruction unit 116a instructs the power supply unit 111 to start supplying power to the drive circuit 169 (step S11). A puff request is a user action that the user requests to generate an aerosol. An example of a suction request is a user operation on the suction device 100, such as pressing a button provided on the suction device 100 by the user.

Another example of a suction request is a user's operation of inserting the stick-shaped substrate 150 into the suction device 100 . The fact that the stick-shaped base material 150 is held by the holding part 140 is detected by a pressure sensor arranged in the holding part 140 through detection of the contact pressure between the pressure sensor and the held stick-shaped base material 150. may be Specifically, when the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted and held, the pressure sensor arranged on the inner wall of the holding part 140 comes into contact with the outer circumference of the stick-shaped substrate 150 . Then, the control unit 116 can determine that the stick-shaped base material 150 is held by the holding unit 140 by causing the pressure sensor to detect the contact pressure.

In another example, a capacitive proximity sensor provided near the opening 142 detects the stick-shaped substrate 150 based on changes in capacitance or dielectric constant caused by the stick-shaped substrate 150 being inserted therein. 150 being held by the holding portion 140 may be detected. Specifically, a proximity sensor provided near the opening 142 detects the capacitance, dielectric constant, or the like of a partial space near the opening 142 in the internal space 141 . As the stick-shaped substrate 150 is inserted/removed, various portions of the stick-shaped substrate 150 (a portion including the susceptor 161 and a portion not including the susceptor 161) pass through the partial spaces. Accompanying this, the capacitance and dielectric constant of the partial space will change. That is, the control unit 116 can determine that the stick-shaped substrate 150 is held by the holding unit 140 according to the time-series change in the capacitance or dielectric constant of the partial space.

Subsequently, the circuit control unit 116c drives the RLC circuit 168 by instructing the RLC circuit 168 with a predetermined drive frequency (step S12). As a result, AC power is supplied to the electromagnetic induction source 162 of the RLC circuit 168 to generate a varying magnetic field. As a result, a fluctuating magnetic field penetrates the susceptor 161 and the susceptor 161 is heated by induction.

Next, the heating control unit 116d starts heating control of the aerosol source based on the heating profile (step S13). Here, as a result of induction heating of the susceptor 161 in step S12, the heating control of the aerosol source in step S13 is preferably executed in response to the temperature of the susceptor 161 reaching a predetermined threshold temperature.

As a result of step S13, while the heating control is being performed, the acquisition unit 116b causes the sensor unit 112 to acquire the vibration frequency of the capacitor associated with the "ringing" caused by the driving of the RLC circuit 168 ( step S14). Note that the acquisition of the vibration frequency by the acquisition unit 116b may be periodically acquired during the heating control.

Next, the circuit control unit 116c determines whether the obtained oscillation frequency of the capacitor is within a predetermined range (step S15).

If it is determined in step S15 that the oscillation frequency of the capacitor is within the predetermined range (Yes), it may be assumed that the RLC circuit 168 is in a normal state, and the heating control unit 116d performs heating control based on the heating profile. Execution is continued (step S16). A termination condition is associated with the heating profile, and step S16 is continued until the termination condition is satisfied.

An example of an end condition is that the heating control period (that is, the heating time) has passed a predetermined period of time. In another example, the termination condition may be that the user has reached a predetermined number of puffs over the duration of the heating control.

Next, when the heating control unit 116d determines that the conditions for ending the heating control are satisfied, it ends the heating control based on the heating profile (step S17).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S15 that the vibration frequency of the capacitor is not within the predetermined range (No), it may be assumed that the RLC circuit 168 is not in a normal state, and the heating controller 116d sets the heating profile is stopped (step S18).

Next, the circuit control unit 116c controls driving of the RLC circuit 168 (step S19/FIG. 6).

After the heating control is finished in step S17 or the driving control of the RLC circuit 168 is executed in step S19, this process is finished.

Regarding step S19, the process of controlling the driving of the RLC circuit 168 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

After stopping the heating control in step S18, the circuit control unit 116c first calculates the amount of deviation from the predetermined reference value for the obtained vibration frequency (step S19a). Next, the circuit control unit 116c determines whether the amount of deviation is less than a predetermined threshold (step S19b).

When it is determined in step S19b that the amount of deviation is less than the predetermined threshold (Yes), the circuit control unit 116c determines that the RLC circuit 168 is in a deteriorated state (step S19c). In such a deteriorated state, it is preferable to continue adjusting the RLC circuit 168 to be driven from the next time onward. Specifically, the circuit control unit 116c corrects the predetermined drive frequency (step S19d).

Since the drive frequency of the RLC circuit 168 and the oscillation frequency of the capacitor of the RLC circuit 168 are pre-related, correction of the drive frequency is performed in such a way that the corresponding oscillation frequency is closer to the reference value. It's good. For example, if the oscillation frequency of the capacitor is obtained to be lower than the reference value, it is preferable to correct the drive frequency so that it increases (eg, from the original 100 kHz to 105 kHz). The relationship between the drive frequency of the RLC circuit 168 and the oscillation frequency of the capacitor of the RLC circuit 168 is defined in advance by a predetermined regression formula determined by a known method, and the drive frequency is calculated during correction. you can Alternatively, the amount of correction of the drive frequency may be defined in advance in a table according to the range of the amount of deviation, and this may be referred to during correction.

In response to the correction of the drive frequency in step S19d, the notification instruction unit 116e causes the notification unit 113 to notify that the circuit control unit 116c should drive the RLC circuit 168 with the corrected drive frequency (step S19e). ). For example, in order to drive the RLC circuit 168 at the corrected drive frequency, it is preferable to prompt the user to perform a suction re-request operation by pressing the button again. Notifications are preferably presented to the user in the form of predetermined colors and lighting patterns of the LEDs.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S19b that the amount of deviation is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold value (No), the circuit control section 116c determines that the RLC circuit 168 is in a failure state (step S19f). The failure state here may be a permanent failure state. In the case of failure, the circuit control unit 116c disables the RLC circuit 168 so that it will not be driven at all (step S19g).

In response to the invalidation of the RLC circuit 168 in step S19g, the notification instruction unit 116e causes the notification unit 113 to notify that the RLC circuit 168 has been invalidated (step S19h). The notification may present to the user that use of the suction device 100 has been prohibited in the form of a predetermined color and lighting pattern of the LEDs.

In this processing example, the operating state of the RLC circuit 168 can be continuously checked during heating control based on the heating profile. As a result, it is possible to appropriately deal with malfunctions due to excessive use of the suction device 100 or deterioration over time.

<4. Change example>
<4.1. First modification example>
In the above-described embodiment, the oscillation frequency of the capacitor is acquired while heating control of the aerosol source is performed based on the heating profile. Instead, in this modified example, the vibration frequency is acquired after the suction request is detected and before the heating control based on the heating profile is executed. FIG. 7 is an example of the flow of processing according to this modification.

As shown in FIG. 7, when this process is started, the control unit 116 first causes the sensor unit 112 to detect a suction request. In response, the power supply instruction unit 116a instructs the power supply unit 111 to start supplying power to the drive circuit 169 (step S21). Subsequently, the circuit control unit 116c drives the RLC circuit 168 by instructing the RLC circuit 168 with a predetermined driving frequency (step S22). The processing of steps S21 and S22 may be the same as steps S11 and S12 described above. As described above, the suction request includes a user operation of the suction device 100 such as operating a button provided on the suction device 100 and a user operation of inserting the stick-shaped substrate 150 into the suction device 100. At least one may be included.

Subsequently, the acquiring unit 116b acquires the vibration frequency of the capacitor associated with the "ringing" caused by driving the RLC circuit 168 (step S23). That is, the acquisition unit 116b acquires the vibration frequency of the capacitor in response to the user's suction request. The processing of step S23 may be the same as that of step S14 described above.

Next, the circuit control unit 116c determines whether the vibration frequency of the capacitor obtained in step S23 is within a predetermined range (step S24). The processing of step S24 may be the same as that of step S15 described above.

When it is determined in step S24 that the vibration frequency of the capacitor is within the predetermined range (Yes), the heating control unit 116d starts heating control based on the heating profile (step S25). The heating control unit 116d continues the heating control until the termination condition is satisfied (step S26), and terminates when the termination condition is satisfied (step S27). The processing of steps S26 and S27 may be the same as steps S16 and S17 described above.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S24 that the vibration frequency of the capacitor is not within the predetermined range (No), the circuit control unit 116c controls the RLC circuit 168 without performing heating control based on the heating profile. Drive control is executed (step S28). The processing of step S28 may be the same as that of step S19 described above. That is, the circuit control unit 116c executes each process shown in FIG.

After the heating control is finished in step S27 or the driving control of the RLC circuit 168 is executed in step S28, the process of this modification is finished.

In this modified example, the operating state of the RLC circuit 168 can be checked before heating control. As a result, it is possible not only to take appropriate measures against malfunctions due to overuse or deterioration over time, but also to improve the safety of the suction device 100 . Also, waste due to unnecessary heating of the aerosol source can be prevented.

<4.2. Second example of modification>
In the first modified example described above, the driving of the RLC circuit 168 is controlled according to the deviation from the acquired predetermined reference value for the vibration frequency. Instead of this, in this modified example, in addition to obtaining the vibration frequency of the capacitor before the heating control based on the heating profile is performed, as in the first modified example described above, the heating control is further performed. Get the vibration frequency even after it is executed. Then, the drive of the RLC circuit 168 is controlled according to the difference value between the vibration frequencies before and after the heating control. 8 and 9 are examples of the flow of processing according to this modification.

As shown in FIG. 8, when this process is started, the control unit 116 causes the sensor unit 112 to detect a suction request. In response, the power supply instruction unit 116a instructs the power supply unit 111 to start supplying power to the drive circuit 169 (step S31). Subsequently, the circuit control unit 116c drives the RLC circuit 168 by instructing the RLC circuit 168 with a predetermined driving frequency (step S32). Then, the obtaining unit 116b obtains the vibration frequency of the capacitor associated with the "ringing" caused by the driving of the RLC circuit 168 (step S33). The processing of steps S31, S32 and S33 may be the same as steps S21, S22 and S23 described above.

Subsequently, the heating control unit 116d starts heating control based on the heating profile (step S34). The heating control unit 116d continues the heating control until the termination condition is satisfied (step S35), and terminates when the termination condition is satisfied (step S36). The processing of steps S34, S35 and S36 may be the same as steps S25, S26 and S27 described above.

In this modified example, after the heating control unit 116d finishes the heating control based on the heating profile, the obtaining unit 116b further obtains the vibration frequency of the capacitor (step S37). That is, the vibration frequency is obtained both before and after the execution of heating control.

The circuit control unit 116c calculates a difference value between the vibration frequency acquired before the heating control is executed in step S33 and the vibration frequency acquired after the heating control is executed in step S37. It is determined whether it is within a predetermined range (step S38).

If it is determined in step S38 that the difference value is within the predetermined range (Yes), the circuit control unit 116c determines that the RLC circuit 168 is in a normal state, and terminates this process as it is. . On the other hand, if it is determined that the difference value is not within the predetermined range (No), the circuit control unit 116c controls the driving of the RLC circuit 168 (step S39), and then the process ends.

With reference to FIG. 9, the processing related to the control of driving the RLC circuit 168 in step S39 will be described in more detail.

First, the circuit control unit 116c determines whether the difference value calculated in step S38 is less than a predetermined threshold (step S39a).

When it is determined in step S39a that the difference value is less than the predetermined threshold (Yes), the circuit control unit 116c determines that the RLC circuit 168 is in a deteriorated state (step S39b). In this case, the circuit control unit 116c corrects the predetermined driving frequency in order to adjust the operation of the RLC circuit 168 to be driven from the next time (step S39c).

In response to correcting the drive frequency in step S39c, the notification instruction unit 116e causes the notification unit 113 to notify that the RLC circuit 168 should be driven at the corrected drive frequency (step S39d). The processing of steps S39b, S39c and S39d may be the same as steps S19c, S19d and S19e.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S39a that the difference value is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value (No), it is determined that the RLC circuit 168 is in a failure state (particularly, a permanent failure state) (step S39e). In this case, the RLC circuit 168 is disabled so as not to be driven at all (step S39f). In response, the notification instruction unit 116e causes the notification unit 113 to notify that the RLC circuit 168 has been disabled (step S39g). The processing of steps S39e, S39f and S39g may be the same as steps S19f, S19g and S19h.

In this modified example, it is possible to pinpoint the state of operation of the RLC circuit 168 before and after heating control. As a result, it is possible to take appropriate measures against malfunctions due to overuse or aged deterioration.

<4.3. Third modification>
In the above-described embodiments, when the amount of deviation from the reference value for the oscillation frequency of the capacitor is less than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the RLC circuit 168 is in a degraded state, and the driving frequency of the RLC circuit 168 is corrected. (Steps S19b to S19d). In this modified example, in addition to this, by evaluating the induction heating operation of the susceptor 161 using the corrected drive frequency, appropriate heating control based on the heating profile is made possible.

FIG. 10 is an example of the flow of processing according to this modified example. When controlling the driving of the RLC circuit in step S28 of FIG. 7, the process according to this modification is executed after correcting the driving frequency of the RLC circuit 168 in step S19d of FIG.

First, the circuit control unit 116c determines whether the drive frequency after correction is appropriately set according to the state of the RLC circuit 168. Specifically, the circuit control unit 116c drives the RLC circuit 168 at the corrected drive frequency (first frequency) for a predetermined time (step S191a).

After a predetermined period of time has passed, the heating controller 116d determines the first temperature of the susceptor 161 (step S191b). The temperature of the susceptor 161 may be estimated based on information on the DC power supplied to the drive circuit 169, or may be detected by the temperature sensor of the sensor section 112. FIG.

The circuit control unit 116c determines whether the first temperature is within a predetermined allowable range (step S191c). Here, it is determined whether or not a desired temperature change can be obtained with respect to the induction heating of the susceptor 161 by performing a trial operation of the drive circuit 169 for a predetermined period of time. It should be noted that the predetermined period of time may be, for example, the period between the preheating stages of the heating profile.

If it is determined in step S191c that the first temperature is within the predetermined allowable range (Yes), it can be determined that the correction of the drive frequency in step S19d was appropriate. Subsequently, the notification instruction unit 116e causes the notification unit 113 to notify that the heating control of the aerosol source based on the heating profile can be executed (for example, that the preheating stage can be shifted to the heating stage) (step S191d). ). Note that the notification in step S191d may be executed instead of the notification in step S19e of FIG. 6 indicating that the RLC circuit 168 should be driven at the corrected driving frequency.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S191c that the first temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range (No), the circuit control unit 116c determines that the dynamic frequency correction in step S19d was not appropriate. That is, the power supply instruction unit 116a stops power supply, and the circuit control unit 116c again corrects the driving frequency of the RLC circuit 168 from the first frequency to the second frequency (step S191e). Here, for example, the temperature of the susceptor 161 and the driving frequency may be associated in advance in order to correct the driving frequency of the RLC circuit 168 again. Further, the temperature of the susceptor 161 after driving the RLC circuit 168 at a specific driving frequency for a predetermined period of time may be determined in advance as a reference temperature (that is, normal temperature). Then, in step S191e, the drive frequency of the RLC circuit 168 may be corrected again according to the deviation between the first temperature and the reference temperature.

Next, as in step S191a, the circuit control unit 116c drives the RLC circuit 168 again for a predetermined period of time at the corrected second frequency (step S191f). Subsequently, similarly to step S191b, the heating control unit 116d determines the second temperature of the susceptor 161 after a predetermined period of time has passed (step S191g).
Then, similarly to step S191c, the circuit control unit 116c determines whether the second temperature is within a predetermined allowable range (step S191h).

If it is determined in step S191h that the second temperature is within the predetermined allowable range (Yes), the process proceeds to step S191d. Specifically, the notification instruction unit 116e causes the notification unit 113 to notify that the heating control of the aerosol source based on the heating profile can be executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the second temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range (No), the process proceeds to step S19f described above, and it is determined that the RLC circuit 168 is in a failed state. In other words, it is preferable not to drive the RLC circuit 168 from now on.

In this modified example, the driving frequency of the RLC circuit 168 is corrected multiple times, so the accuracy of estimating the state of the RLC circuit 168 can be improved, and the RLC circuit 168 can be driven more accurately. As a result, it is possible to appropriately deal with malfunctions due to excessive use of the suction device 100 or deterioration over time. Also, the safety of the RLC circuit 168 in the heating operation can be improved.

<5. Supplement>
Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can conceive of various modifications or modifications within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims. It is understood that these also belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the stick-shaped base material 150 contains the susceptor 161 or an example in which the susceptor 161 forms part of the holding portion 140 has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. That is, the susceptor 161 can be placed at any location where the susceptor 161 is in thermal proximity to the aerosol source. As an example, the susceptor 161 may be configured in a blade shape and arranged to protrude from the bottom portion 143 of the holding portion 140 into the internal space 141 . Then, when the stick-shaped base material 150 is inserted into the holding part 140, the blade-shaped susceptor 161 may be inserted so as to pierce the base part 151 from the end of the stick-shaped base material 150 in the insertion direction. .

A series of processes by each device described in this specification may be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. Programs constituting software are stored in advance in a recording medium (non-transitory media) provided inside or outside each device, for example. Each program, for example, is read into a RAM when executed by a computer that controls each device described in this specification, and is executed by a processor such as a CPU. The recording medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, or the like. Also, the computer program may be distributed, for example, via a network without using a recording medium.

The following configuration also belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.
(1)
an AC power generator that generates AC power;
a housing part capable of housing a substrate containing an aerosol source in its internal space;
A circuit unit including an electromagnetic induction source arranged on the outer periphery of the housing unit,
generating a fluctuating magnetic field with the AC power;
a circuitry arranged to cause the generated varying magnetic field to penetrate a susceptor;
a sensor unit arranged near the circuit unit for detecting vibration of the circuit unit and acquiring a characteristic value of the circuit unit;
a control unit that instructs a predetermined driving frequency for driving the circuit unit and controls driving of the circuit unit based on the characteristic value obtained as a result of driving the circuit unit;
wherein heat generated from the susceptor is transferred to an aerosol source on the substrate to vaporize or atomize the aerosol source.
(2)
In the suction device of (1) above,
The suction device, wherein the control unit is configured to control driving of the circuit unit according to deviation from a predetermined reference value for the obtained characteristic value.
(3)
In the suction device of (2) above,
The control unit
correcting the predetermined drive frequency if the amount of deviation is less than a predetermined first threshold;
not driving the circuit unit when the amount of deviation is greater than or equal to the first threshold;
a suction device configured to perform one or both of
(4)
In the suction device of (1) to (3) above,
the controller is further configured to perform heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained while heating control based on the heating profile is being performed.
(5)
In the suction device according to any one of (1) to (3) above,
the controller is further configured to perform heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained before the heating control based on the heating profile is performed.
(6)
In the suction device of (5) above,
The sensor unit is further configured to detect that a button of the suction device has been pressed,
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained in response to a detected pressing of the button.
(7)
In the suction device of (5) above,
The sensor unit is further configured to detect that the substrate has been accommodated in the accommodation unit,
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained in response to detection of the substrate being accommodated in the accommodation portion.
(8)
In the suction device according to any one of (5) to (7) above,
the characteristic value is further obtained after the heating control based on the heating profile is completed;
The control unit further controls the circuit unit based on a difference value between the characteristic value obtained before the heating control is performed and the characteristic value obtained after the heating control is performed. A suction device configured to control the drive.
(9)
In the suction device of (8) above,
The control unit
correcting the predetermined drive frequency if the difference value is smaller than a predetermined second threshold;
not driving the circuit unit when the difference value is equal to or greater than the second threshold;
a suction device configured to do one or both of
(10)
In the suction device according to any one of (1) to (9),
the circuitry includes an RLC circuit;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is a vibration frequency associated with vibration of a capacitor when the RLC circuit is driven by the drive frequency.
(11)
In the suction device according to any one of (1) to (9),
the circuitry includes an RLC circuit;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is the frequency of sound associated with vibration of a capacitor when the RLC circuit is driven by the driving frequency.
(12)
In the suction device according to any one of (1) to (11),
An aspiration device, wherein the susceptor is positioned within the substrate and in thermal proximity to the aerosol source.
(13)
In the suction device according to any one of (1) to (11),
The susceptor forms part of the enclosure and is positioned in thermal proximity to the aerosol source by at least partially contacting a surface of the substrate contained within the interior space. Suction device.
(14)
In the suction device of (13) above,
The suction device, wherein the susceptor is cylindrically formed of stainless steel.
(15)
A substrate used in the suction device according to any one of (1) to (14) and accommodated in the suction device.
(16)
A method of controlling operation of a suction device, said suction device comprising:
a housing part capable of housing a substrate containing an aerosol source in its internal space;
a circuit unit comprising an electromagnetic induction source disposed on the outer periphery of the housing unit, the method comprising:
A step of instructing a predetermined drive frequency to drive the circuit unit,
generating and supplying alternating current power to the circuit unit;
causing the electromagnetic induction source to generate the varying magnetic field with the AC power such that the varying magnetic field penetrates the susceptor;
detecting vibration of the circuit unit based on driving of the circuit unit to obtain a characteristic value of the circuit unit;
a step of controlling driving of the circuit unit based on the obtained characteristic value;
The method, wherein heat generated from the susceptor is transferred to the substrate aerosol source to vaporize or atomize the aerosol source.
(17)
In the method of (16) above,
The step of controlling driving of the circuit unit corrects the predetermined driving frequency to a first frequency when the amount of deviation from a predetermined reference value regarding the acquired characteristic value is smaller than a predetermined first threshold. method, including
(18)
In the method of (17) above,
The controlling step further comprises:
driving the circuitry at the first frequency for a predetermined time;
determining a first temperature of the susceptor after the predetermined period of time;
determining if the first temperature is within a predetermined tolerance;
notifying that heating control of the aerosol source can be performed based on a predetermined heating profile when the first temperature is within a predetermined allowable range;
A method, including
(19)
In the method of (18) above,
The controlling step further comprises:
further correcting the predetermined drive frequency from the first frequency to a second frequency when the first temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range;
driving the circuitry at the second frequency for a predetermined time;
determining a second temperature of the susceptor after the predetermined period of time;
determining if the second temperature is within a predetermined tolerance;
signaling that controlled action of heating of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile is possible when the second temperature is within a predetermined tolerance;
A method, including
(20)
In the method of (19) above,
The method, wherein the controlling step further includes not driving the circuit unit when the second temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range.
(21)
In any one of the methods (17) to (20),
The method, wherein the step of controlling includes not driving the circuit unit when the amount of deviation is equal to or greater than the first threshold.
(22)
The method according to any one of (16) to (21) above, further comprising:
performing heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile;
The method, wherein the characteristic value is obtained while heating control based on the heating profile is being performed.
(23)
The method according to any one of (16) to (21) above, further comprising:
performing heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile;
The method, wherein the characteristic value is obtained prior to the step of performing heating control based on the heating profile.
(24)
The method of (23) above, further comprising:
detecting that a button of the suction device has been pressed;
The method, wherein the characteristic value is obtained in response to a detected pressing of the button.
(25)
The method of (23) above, further comprising:
detecting that the base material is accommodated in the accommodation unit;
The method, wherein the characteristic value is obtained in response to detection of accommodation of the substrate in the accommodation portion.
(26)
In any one of the methods (23) to (25),
the characteristic value is further obtained after the heating control based on the heating profile is completed;
The method, wherein the controlling step is further based on a difference value between the characteristic value obtained before the heating control is performed and the characteristic value obtained after the heating control is performed.
(27)
In the method of (26) above,
The controlling step includes:
correcting the predetermined drive frequency if the difference value is smaller than a predetermined second threshold;
not driving the circuit unit when the difference value is equal to or greater than the second threshold;
A method comprising one or both of
(28)
A program for causing a processor of a computer to execute any one of the methods (16) to (27).
(29)
an AC power generator that generates AC power;
a housing part capable of housing a substrate containing an aerosol source in its internal space;
A circuit unit comprising an electromagnetic induction source and a capacitor arranged on the outer periphery of the housing unit,
generating a varying magnetic field in the internal space by the AC power;
circuitry positioned to cause the generated varying magnetic field to penetrate a susceptor positioned within the substrate and in thermal proximity to the aerosol source;
a sensor unit arranged on the substrate of the circuit unit and detecting vibration of the capacitor;
a control unit that instructs a predetermined driving frequency for driving the circuit unit and controls the driving of the circuit unit based on the vibration frequency obtained as a result of driving the capacitor;
a suction device.
(30)
an AC power generator that generates AC power;
a housing part capable of housing a substrate containing an aerosol source in its internal space;
A circuit unit comprising an electromagnetic induction source and a capacitor arranged on the outer periphery of the housing unit,
generating a fluctuating magnetic field with the AC power;
a circuit unit arranged to cause the generated varying magnetic field to penetrate a susceptor forming part of the housing unit;
a sensor unit arranged on the substrate of the circuit unit and detecting vibration of the capacitor;
a control unit that instructs a predetermined driving frequency for driving the circuit unit and controls the driving of the circuit unit based on the vibration frequency obtained as a result of driving the capacitor;
wherein the susceptor is arranged to at least partially contact a surface of the substrate contained in the interior space.
(31)
In the suction device of (30) above,
The suction device, wherein the susceptor is cylindrically formed of stainless steel.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100... Suction apparatus 111... Power supply part 112... Sensor part 113... Notification part 114... Storage part 115... Communication part 116... Control part 116a... Power supply instruction|indication part 116b... Acquisition part 116c... Circuit control Part 116d Heating control part 116e Notification instruction part 140 Holding part 141 Internal space 150 Stick-type base material 151 Base material part 161 Susceptor 162 Electromagnetic induction source, inverter circuit... 163, 168... RLC circuit, 169... drive circuit

Claims

an AC power generator that generates AC power;
a housing part capable of housing a substrate containing an aerosol source in its internal space;
A circuit unit including an electromagnetic induction source arranged on the outer periphery of the housing unit,
generating a fluctuating magnetic field with the AC power;
a circuitry arranged to cause the generated varying magnetic field to penetrate a susceptor;
a sensor unit arranged near the circuit unit for detecting vibration of the circuit unit and acquiring a characteristic value of the circuit unit;
a control unit that instructs a predetermined driving frequency for driving the circuit unit and controls driving of the circuit unit based on the characteristic value obtained as a result of driving the circuit unit;
wherein heat generated from the susceptor is transferred to an aerosol source on the substrate to vaporize or atomize the aerosol source.
The suction device of claim 1, wherein
The suction device, wherein the control unit is configured to control driving of the circuit unit according to deviation from a predetermined reference value for the obtained characteristic value.
The suction device according to claim 2,
The control unit
correcting the predetermined drive frequency if the amount of deviation is less than a predetermined first threshold;
not driving the circuit unit when the amount of deviation is greater than or equal to the first threshold;
a suction device configured to perform one or both of
In the suction device according to claims 1 to 3,
the controller is further configured to perform heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained while heating control based on the heating profile is being performed.
In the suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
the controller is further configured to perform heating control of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained before the heating control based on the heating profile is performed.
A suction device according to claim 5,
The sensor unit is further configured to detect that a button of the suction device has been pressed,
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained in response to a detected pressing of the button.
A suction device according to claim 5,
The sensor unit is further configured to detect that the substrate has been accommodated in the accommodation unit,
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is obtained in response to detection of the substrate being accommodated in the accommodation portion.
In the suction device according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
the characteristic value is further obtained after the heating control based on the heating profile is completed;
The control unit further controls the circuit unit based on a difference value between the characteristic value obtained before the heating control is performed and the characteristic value obtained after the heating control is performed. A suction device configured to control the drive.
A suction device according to claim 8, wherein
The control unit
correcting the predetermined drive frequency if the difference value is smaller than a predetermined second threshold;
not driving the circuit unit when the difference value is equal to or greater than the second threshold;
a suction device configured to do one or both of
In the suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
the circuitry includes an RLC circuit;
The suction device, wherein the characteristic value is a vibration frequency associated with vibration of a capacitor when the RLC circuit is driven by the drive frequency.
A suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
An aspiration device, wherein the susceptor is positioned within the substrate and in thermal proximity to the aerosol source.
A suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The susceptor forms part of the enclosure and is positioned in thermal proximity to the aerosol source by at least partially contacting a surface of the substrate contained within the interior space. Suction device.
A suction device according to claim 12, wherein
The suction device, wherein the susceptor is cylindrically formed of stainless steel.
A substrate used in the suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and accommodated in the suction device.
A method of controlling operation of a suction device, said suction device comprising:
a housing part capable of housing a substrate containing an aerosol source in its internal space;
a circuit unit comprising an electromagnetic induction source disposed on the outer periphery of the housing unit, the method comprising:
A step of instructing a predetermined drive frequency to drive the circuit unit,
generating and supplying alternating current power to the circuit unit;
causing the electromagnetic induction source to generate the varying magnetic field with the AC power such that the varying magnetic field penetrates the susceptor;
detecting vibration of the circuit unit based on driving of the circuit unit to obtain a characteristic value of the circuit unit;
a step of controlling driving of the circuit unit based on the obtained characteristic value;
The method, wherein heat generated from the susceptor is transferred to the substrate aerosol source to vaporize or atomize the aerosol source.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein
The step of controlling driving of the circuit unit corrects the predetermined driving frequency to a first frequency when the amount of deviation from a predetermined reference value regarding the acquired characteristic value is smaller than a predetermined first threshold. method, including
17. The method of claim 16, wherein
The controlling step further comprises:
driving the circuitry at the first frequency for a predetermined time;
estimating a first temperature of the susceptor after the predetermined time has elapsed;
determining if the first temperature is within a predetermined tolerance;
notifying that heating control of the aerosol source can be performed based on a predetermined heating profile when the first temperature is within a predetermined allowable range;
A method, including
18. The method of claim 17, wherein
The controlling step further comprises:
further correcting the predetermined drive frequency from the first frequency to a second frequency when the first temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range;
driving the circuitry at the second frequency for a predetermined time;
estimating a second temperature of the susceptor after the predetermined time has elapsed;
determining if the second temperature is within a predetermined tolerance;
signaling that controlled action of heating of the aerosol source based on a predetermined heating profile is possible when the second temperature is within a predetermined tolerance;
A method, including
19. The method of claim 18, wherein
The method, wherein the controlling step further includes not driving the circuit unit when the second temperature is not within the predetermined allowable range.
20. The method of any one of claims 16-19,
The method, wherein the step of controlling includes not driving the circuit unit when the amount of deviation is equal to or greater than the first threshold.