Aerosol-generating smoking device

Abstract

A heating assembly for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the heating assembly comprises a heater including an electric resistance heating element and a heater substrate; and a heater mounting bracket coupled to the heater, wherein the heating element comprises a first portion and a second portion, and is structured such that when current flows through the heating element, the first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the current, and the heater mounting bracket surrounds the second portion of the heater element.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating assembly suitable for use in an aerosol generation system. In particular, it relates to a heating assembly suitable for insertion into an aerosol-forming substrate of a smoking article to internally heat the aerosol-forming substrate. Background Technology

[0002] There is increasing demand for portable aerosol generators capable of delivering aerosols for users to inhale. One specific area of ​​demand is for smoking devices in which an aerosol-forming substrate is heated to release volatile flavor compounds without combustion. The released volatile compounds are delivered to the user within the aerosol.

[0003] Any aerosol generator that operates by heating an aerosol-forming substrate must include a heating assembly. Most other types of heating assemblies have been proposed for other types of aerosol-forming substrates.

[0004] One type of heating assembly proposed for heated smoking devices operates by inserting a heater into a solid aerosol-forming substrate, such as a cigarette plug. Such devices allow the substrate to be heated directly and efficiently. However, this type of heating assembly faces many technical challenges, including the need to meet requirements for miniaturization, robustness, low manufacturing costs, sufficient operating temperature, and efficient localization of generated heat. The problem to be solved

[0005] It would be desirable to provide a robust and inexpensive heating assembly for an aerosol generator that provides a local supply source to heat an aerosol-forming substrate. means of solving the problem

[0006] According to the first aspect of the present invention, a heating assembly for heating an aerosol-forming substrate is provided, wherein the heating assembly

[0007] A heater comprising an electric resistance heating element and a heater substrate; and

[0008] It consists of a heater mounting bracket that connects to the heater;

[0009] The heating element is composed of a first portion and a second portion, and is structured such that when current flows through the heating element, the first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion, the first portion of the heating element is located in the heating area of ​​the heater substrate, and the second portion of the heating element is located in the gripping area of ​​the heater substrate; and the heater mounting bracket is fixed to the gripping area of ​​the heater substrate. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the front end of an aerosol generating device of the type shown in FIG. 1, in which a heater is inserted into a smoking article. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a heater according to the present invention. Figure 4 illustrates the heater of Figure 3, which is combined with a heater mounting bracket assembled to the heater. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater of Figure 3. Figure 6 illustrates a temperature profile according to the type of heater shown in Figure 3. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0011] The term 'aerosol-forming substrate' as used herein refers to a substrate capable of forming an aerosol by releasing volatile compounds. Such volatile compounds may be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may conveniently be a part of an aerosol-generating article or a smoking article.

[0012] The terms 'aerosol generating article' and 'smoking article' as used herein refer to articles containing an aerosol-forming substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds capable of forming aerosols. For example, an aerosol generating article may be a smoking article that generates an aerosol that can be inhaled directly into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. An aerosol generating article may be disposable. A smoking article consisting of an aerosol-forming substrate containing tobacco may be referred to as a tobacco stick.

[0013] The first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the current flowing through the heating element. In one embodiment, the first portion of the heating element is structured to reach a temperature between about 300°C and about 550°C during use. Preferably, the heating element is structured to reach a temperature between about 320°C and about 350°C.

[0014] The heater mount is provided as a structural support for the heater and can be firmly secured within the aerosol generator. The heater mount may be made of a polymer material, preferably formed from a moldable polymer material such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK). The use of a moldable polymer makes it possible to mold the heater mount around the heater, thereby securely holding the heater. Additionally, it is possible to produce the heater mount in the desired shape and size at a low cost. The heater substrate may have mechanical properties, such as lugs or notches, to enhance the securing of the heater mount to the heater. Of course, other materials, such as ceramic materials, can also be used for the heater mount. Preferably, the heater mount can be formed from a moldable ceramic material.

[0015] The use of a polymer to support the heater implies that the temperature of the heater near the heater mount must be controlled below a temperature at which the polymer could combust, melt, or, on the other hand, degrade. At the same time, the temperature of the heater portion within the aerosol-forming substrate must be sufficient to produce an aerosol with desired properties. Therefore, it is desirable that the second portion of the heating element remain below the maximum permissible temperature during use at at least one point in contact with the heater mount.

[0016] In an electric resistance heater, the heat generated by the heater depends on the resistance of the heating element. At a given current, increasing the resistance of the heating element generates more heat. It is desirable that most of the generated heat be produced in the first portion of the heating element. Therefore, it is desirable that the first portion of the heating element have a higher electrical resistance per unit length than the second portion of the heater member.

[0017] Preferably, the heating element includes a portion formed of a different material. A first portion of the heating element may be formed of a first material, and a second portion of the heating element may be formed of a second material, and the first material has a greater electrical resistivity coefficient than the second material. For example, the first material may be Ni-Cr (nickel-chromium), platinum, tungsten, or alloy wire, and the second material may be gold, silver, or copper. The sizes of the first and second portions of the heating element may differ from each other to provide low electrical resistance per length in the second portion.

[0018] Materials for the first and second parts of the heating element can be selected for their thermal properties as well as their electrical properties. It is desirable for the second part of the heating element to have low thermal conductivity to reduce heat conduction from the heating area to the heater mount. Therefore, the selection of a material for the second part of the heating element can strike a balance between high and low thermal conductivity in the region between the first part of the heating element and the heater mount. In particular, it has been found that gold is a good choice as a material for the second part of the heating element. Alternatively, silver can be used as the material for the second part.

[0019] Preferably, the second portion of the heating element consists of two sections, and each of the two sections is individually connected to the first portion of the heating element to form an electric path from one section of the second portion to the first portion and then to the other section of the second portion. The heater mounting bracket may surround both sections of the second portion. Of course, the second portion may be composed of two or more portions and each may be electrically connected to the first portion.

[0020] The heating element may include a third part structured to be electrically connected to a power supply, wherein the third part is located on the opposite side of the heater mounting base with respect to the first part of the heating element. The third part may be formed of a material different from that of the first and second parts and may be selected to provide low electrical resistance and good connection characteristics, such as easy soldering. In particular, it has been found that silver is a good choice for the third part. Alternatively, gold may be used as a material for the third part. The third part may be composed of a plurality of sections, each of which is connected to a section of the second part of the heating element.

[0021] The heating element may be overlapped with other parts to ensure a good electrical connection. For example, the first and third parts may partially cover the second part above or below. Furthermore, the heating element may consist of three or more separate parts.

[0022] The heater substrate may preferably be formed from an electrically insulating material and may be a ceramic material such as zirconia or alumina. The heater substrate may provide a mechanically stable support for the heating element over a wide temperature range and may provide a structure that is suitable for insertion into an aerosol-forming substrate. The heater substrate has a heating element positioned on a flat surface, and the tapered end is structured so that the heating element can be inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate. The heater substrate preferably has a thermal conductivity of less than or equal to 2 W / m·K.

[0023] In one embodiment, a first portion of the heating element is formed of a material having a defined relationship between temperature and resistivity. This enables the heater to be used for both heating an aerosol-forming substrate and monitoring its temperature during use. Preferably, the first portion has a greater thermal resistance coefficient than the second portion. This primarily ensures that the resistance value of the heater member reflects the temperature of the first portion of the heater member. It has been found that platinum is a good choice for the first portion of the heater member.

[0024] Preferably, the first portion of the heating element is spaced apart from the heater mount. The heater portion between the first portion of the heating element and the heater mount has a thermal gradient between the high temperature at the first portion of the heater element and the low temperature at the heater mount. The distance between the first portion of the heating element and the heater mount is selected so that a sufficient temperature drop can be obtained. However, in order to reduce the size of the heater assembly and make the heater assembly as robust as possible, it may be desirable that the distance not be larger than necessary. If the length of the heater is large far from the heater mount, it has a much greater tendency to snap or bend upon dropping, repeated insertion, or withdrawal from the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0025] Preferably, under normal operating conditions, when the first portion of the heating element is at a temperature between about 300°C and about 550°C at the point where it contacts the heater base, the second portion is at a temperature of 200°C or lower. In this context, 'normal operating conditions' refers to standard ambient temperature and pressure, where the temperature is 298.15K (25°C, 77°F) and the absolute pressure is 100 kPa (14.504 psi, 0.986 atm). Normal operating conditions include the operation of the heater assembly when located inside or outside the housing of the aerosol generator.

[0026] Preferably, the heater assembly is in the case where the maximum temperature of the first part is T1, the ambient temperature is T0, and the temperature of the second part of the heater member in contact with the heater mounting base is T2.

[0027] (T1-T0) / (T2-T0)>2

[0028] It is structured to satisfy [condition].

[0029] The heating assembly may consist of one or more layers of material covering the heating element. Preferably, a protective layer formed from, for example, glass may be provided over the heating element to prevent oxidation or other corrosion of the heating element. The protective layer may completely cover the heater substrate. The protective layer, or other layers, may be provided over the heater to improve thermal distribution and to make the heater easier to clean. To improve thermal distribution to the heater, a base layer of a material such as glass may be provided between the heating element and the heater substrate. The base layer of the material may also be used to improve the process of forming the heating element.

[0030] The size of the heater can be selected to suit the application of the heating assembly, and it is evident that the width, length, and thickness of the heater can be selected independently of each other. In one embodiment, the heater is substantially blade-shaped and has a tapered end to be inserted into an aerosol-forming substrate. The heater may have a length between about 10 mm and about 30 mm, preferably between about 15 mm and about 25 mm. The surface of the heater where the heating element is located may have a width between about 2 mm and about 10 mm, preferably between about 3 mm and about 6 mm. The heater may have a thickness between about 0.2 mm and about 0.5 mm, preferably between 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm. The heating active region of the heater corresponds to the heater portion where the first portion of the heating element is located, and may have a length between 5 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 8 mm and 15 mm. The heater mounting bracket may be in contact with the heater over a length between 2 mm and 5 mm, preferably about 3 mm. The distance between the heater mounting bracket and the first portion of the heating element may be at least 2 mm, preferably at least 2.5 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between the heater mounting bracket and the first portion of the heating element is 3 mm.

[0031] As a second aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating device is provided comprising: a housing; a heating assembly according to the first aspect, wherein a heating mounting bracket is coupled to the housing and an electric power supply unit connected to a heating element; and a control member having a structure for controlling power supply from the power supply unit to the heating element.

[0032] Here, the housing comprises a cavity surrounding a heating element and a first portion, and the cavity is structured to accommodate an aerosol-forming article including an aerosol-forming substrate.

[0033] The term 'aerosol generating device' as used herein refers to a device that generates aerosols by interacting with an aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate may be a part of an aerosol-generating article. For example, it may be a part of a smoking article. The aerosol generating device may be a smoking device that generates aerosols by interacting with the aerosol-forming substrate of an aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol may be inhaled directly into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. The aerosol generating device may be a holder.

[0034] The heater mounting bracket can form a surface that seals one end of the cavity.

[0035] The device is preferably a portable device that can be handled easily enough to be held between the fingers of one hand. The device is substantially cylindrical in shape and has a length between 70 mm and 120 mm. The maximum diameter of the device is preferably between 10 mm and 20 mm. In one embodiment, the device has a polygonal cross-section and a protruding button is formed on one side. In this embodiment, the diameter of the device is between 12.7 mm and 13.65 mm when cut from one plane to the opposite plane, between 13.4 mm and 14.2 mm when cut from one edge to the opposite edge (e.g., from the intersection of two faces on one side of the device to the corresponding intersection on the other side), and between 14.2 mm and 15 mm when cut from the top of the bottom to the opposite bottom plane.

[0036] The above device may be an electrically heated smoking device.

[0037] The above device may include other heaters in addition to the heating assembly according to the first sun. For example, the device may include an external heater of the cavity and is located around the outer periphery of the cavity. The external heater may take any suitable form. For example, the external heater may take the form of one or more flexible heating foils on a dielectric substrate such as polyimide. The flexible heating foil may have a shape that matches the periphery of the cavity. Alternatively, the external heater may take the form of a metallic grid or grids, a flexible printed circuit board, a molded circuit component (MID), a ceramic heater, a flexible carbon fiber heater, or may be formed using a coating technique such as plasma deposition on a substrate of a suitable shape. The external heater may be formed using a metal having a defined relationship between temperature and resistivity. In such an exemplary device, the metal may be formed as a track between two layers of suitable insulating material. An external heater formed in this manner may be used to monitor heating and the temperature of the external heater during operation.

[0038] The power supply may be any suitable power supply, such as a DC voltage source like a battery. In one embodiment, the power supply is a lithium-ion battery. Alternatively, the power supply may be a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a lithium-based battery, such as a lithium-cobalt, lithium-phosphate, lithium titanate, or lithium-polymer battery.

[0039] The control element can be a simple switch. Alternatively, the control element can be an electrical circuit and one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers.

[0040] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating system is provided comprising an aerosol generating device according to the second aspect of the present invention and one or more aerosol forming articles having a structure that can be accommodated in a cavity of said aerosol generating device.

[0041] The aerosol-forming article may be a smoking article. When the smoking article containing an aerosol-forming substrate is operated, it may be partially contained within an aerosol generating device.

[0042] The smoking article may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The smoking article may be substantially elongated. The smoking article may have a length and a circumference substantially perpendicular to that length. The aerosol-forming substrate may be substantially cylindrical in shape. The aerosol-forming substrate is substantially elongated. The aerosol-forming substrate may also have a length and a circumference perpendicular to that length.

[0043] The smoking article may have an overall length between approximately 30 mm and approximately 100 mm. The smoking article may have an outer diameter between approximately 5 mm and approximately 12 mm. The smoking article may include a filter plug. The filter plug may be located at the downstream end of the smoking article. The filter plug may be a cellulose acetate plug. In one embodiment, the filter plug is approximately 7 mm in length, but may have a length between approximately 5 mm and approximately 10 mm.

[0044] In one embodiment, the smoking article has an overall length of approximately 45 mm. The smoking article has an outer diameter of approximately 7.2 mm. Additionally, the aerosol-forming substrate may have a length of approximately 10 mm. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may have a length of approximately 12 mm. Also, the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate may be between approximately 5 mm and approximately 12 mm. The smoking article may include an outer paper wrapper. Additionally, the smoking article may include a separator between the aerosol-forming substrate and the filter plug. The separator may be approximately 18 mm, but may be in the range of approximately 5 mm to approximately 25 mm.

[0045] The aerosol-forming substrate may be a solid aerosol-forming substrate. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may consist of both solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate may consist of a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds released from the substrate upon heating. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may consist of a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may also include an aerosol-forming agent that facilitates the formation of a dense and stable aerosol. Suitable aerosol-forming agents include glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0046] If the aerosol-forming substrate is a solid aerosol-forming substrate, the solid aerosol-forming substrate may consist of one or more powders, granules, pellets, shreds, spaghetti, strips, or sheets, for example, including one or more herb leaves, tobacco leaves, fragments of tobacco ribs, reconstituted tobacco, homogenized tobacco, extruded tobacco, cast leaf tobacco, and expanded tobacco. The solid aerosol-forming substrate may be provided in a loosened form or in a suitable container or cartridge. Optionally, the solid aerosol-forming substrate may additionally include tobacco or non-tobacco volatile flavor compounds that are released upon heating of the substrate. The solid aerosol-forming substrate may also include capsules, for example, capsules containing additional tobacco or non-tobacco volatile flavor compounds, which may dissolve upon heating of the solid aerosol-forming substrate.

[0047] The homogeneous tobacco used herein refers to a material formed by forming finely divided tobacco into a lump. The homogeneous tobacco may be in the form of a sheet. The homogeneous tobacco material may contain an aerosol-forming agent of 5% or more based on dry weight. Alternatively, the homogeneous tobacco material may contain an aerosol-forming agent between 5% and 30% based on dry weight. A sheet of the homogeneous tobacco material may be formed by forming finely divided tobacco obtained by grinding into a lump, or alternatively, by combining one or both of tobacco leaf flakes and tobacco leaf stems. Alternatively, or additionally, a sheet of the homogeneous tobacco material may include, for example, one or more tobacco dust, tobacco powder, and other finely divided tobacco by-products formed during the processing, handling, and shipment of tobacco. A sheet of the homogeneous tobacco material may include one or more endogenous binders, one or more exogenous binders, or a combination thereof to help form the finely divided tobacco into a lump. Alternatively, or additionally, the sheet of homogeneous tobacco material may include other additives, for example, but not limited to tobacco and non-tobacco fibers, aerosol-forming agents, wetting agents, plasticizers, flavoring agents, fillers, water-soluble and water-insoluble solvents, and combinations thereof.

[0048] Optionally, the solid-forming substrate may be provided in or embedded in a thermally stable carrier. The carrier may take the form of powder, granules, pellets, shreds, spaghetti, strips, or sheets. Alternatively, the carrier may be a tubular carrier having a thin layer of the solid-forming substrate disposed on its inner surface, its outer surface, or both the inner and outer surfaces. Such a tubular carrier may be formed from, for example, paper, or paper-like material, non-woven carbon fiber mat, low-mass open mesh metallic screen, porous metallic foil, or other thermally stable polymer matrix.

[0049] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the aerosol-forming substrate comprises a collected crimp sheet of homogeneous tobacco material. As used herein, the term "cimp sheet" refers to a sheet having a plurality of or substantially parallel folds or creases. Preferably, when the aerosol-generating article is assembled, the substantially parallel folds or creases extend along or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article. This preferably facilitates the collection of the crimp sheets of homogeneous tobacco material to form the aerosol-forming substrate. However, when assembling the aerosol-generating article, it will be apparent that the crimp sheets of homogeneous tobacco material to be included in the aerosol-generating article may have a plurality of substantially parallel folds or creases arranged at an acute or obtuse angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article in other ways. In a specific embodiment, the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a collected sheet of homogeneous tobacco material that is substantially uniformly textured over substantially its entire surface. For example, the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a collected crimp sheet of homogeneous tobacco material consisting of a plurality of substantially parallel bends or folds.

[0050] A solid aerosol-forming substrate may be placed on the surface of a carrier in the form of, for example, a sheet, foam, gel, or slurry. The solid aerosol-forming substrate may be placed on the entire surface of the carrier or in a pattern to provide non-uniform flavor delivery during use.

[0051] An aerosol generating system comprises a combination of an aerosol generating device and one or more aerosol generating articles for use with said device. However, the aerosol generating system may include additional components, such as a charger for recharging an on-board power supply to an electrically operated or electric aerosol generating device.

[0052] As a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a heating assembly,

[0053] Step of providing a heater substrate;

[0054] Step of placing one or more electric resistance heating elements on the above substrate

[0055] Herein, each heating element is composed of a first portion and a second portion, and is structured such that when current flows through the heating element, the first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the current, and the first portion of the heating element is positioned in the heating area of ​​the heater substrate, and the second portion of the heating element is positioned in the gripping area of ​​the heater substrate; and

[0056] The step consists of molding a heater mounting bracket onto the gripping area of ​​the heater substrate.

[0057] Preferably, the heater mount is formed by injection molding. The heater mount can be formed from an injection-moldable polymer such as PEEK.

[0058] Preferably, the heater mounting bracket is substantially in the shape of a blade. The components of the heating assembly can be described with reference to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0059] In the molding step, the heater mounting bracket can be molded to surround the gripping area of ​​the substrate. The heater mounting bracket can be placed directly on the second part of the heating element.

[0060] As a further aspect of the present invention, a heater for heating an aerosol-forming substrate is provided, said heater

[0061] The heating element is composed of a heater and a heater substrate, wherein the heating element is composed of a first portion formed of a first material and a second portion formed of a second material different from the first material, and is structured such that when current flows through the first heating element, the first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the current.

[0062] As a further aspect of the present invention, a heating assembly for heating an aerosol-forming substrate is provided, wherein the heating assembly

[0063] A heater composed of an electric resistance heating element; and

[0064] It is composed of a heater mounting bracket connected to the above heater,

[0065] The heating element is composed of a first portion and a second portion, and when current flows through the heating element, the first portion is heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the current; and the heating mounting base is formed from a polymer material that surrounds and molds the second portion of the heating element.

[0066] Even if the disclosure is made with reference to other aspects, it will be apparent that the features described in relation to one aspect of the disclosure are applicable to other aspects of the disclosure. In particular, a heater, assembly, device system, or method according to one aspect of the present invention may be applicable to any other aspect of the present invention. Furthermore, even if the disclosure is made with reference to smoking devices, it will be apparent that medical inhaler-type devices may use the features, devices, and functions described herein.

[0067] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail merely for illustrative purposes, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0068] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device.

[0069] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the front end of an aerosol generating device of the type shown in FIG. 1, in which a heater is inserted into a smoking article.

[0070] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a heater according to the present invention.

[0071] Figure 4 illustrates the heater of Figure 3, which is combined with a heater mounting bracket assembled to the heater.

[0072] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater of Figure 3.

[0073] Figure 6 illustrates a temperature profile according to the type of heater shown in Figure 3.

[0074] In FIG. 1, the components of an embodiment of an electric heating type aerosol generating system (100) are shown in a simplified manner. In particular, the elements of the electric heating type aerosol generating system (100) are not depicted in the scale of FIG. 1. To understand this embodiment, irrelevant elements have been omitted for the sake of simplicity in FIG. 1.

[0075] An electric heating type aerosol generating system (100) comprises a housing (10) and an aerosol generating device having an aerosol forming article (12), for example, a cigarette stick. The aerosol forming article (12) contains an aerosol forming substrate and is pressed into the housing (10) so as to be thermally close to a heater (14). The aerosol forming substrate will continuously release volatile compounds at different temperatures. To reduce the selective release of undesirable compounds, the maximum operating temperature of the electric heating type aerosol generating system (100) can be controlled to prevent the release of volatile compounds.

[0076] Inside the housing (10), there is an electric energy supply unit (16), for example, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. A controller (18) is connected to a heater (14), an electric energy supply unit (16), and a user interface (20), for example, a button or a display. The controller (18) controls the power supplied to the heater (14) to regulate the temperature. Generally, the aerosol-forming substrate is heated to a temperature between 250°C and 450°C.

[0077] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the front end of an aerosol-forming article of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein a heater (14) is inserted into an aerosol-forming article (12) corresponding to a smoking article in this embodiment. An aerosol generating device is illustrated in a state connected to the aerosol-generating article (12) for consumption of the aerosol-generating article (12) by a user.

[0078] The housing (10) of the aerosol generating device forms a cavity, with the proximal end (or mouse end) open, and accommodates an aerosol generating article (12) for consumption. The distal end of the cavity is covered by a heating assembly (24) comprising a heater (14) and a heater stand (26). Since the heater (14) is supported by the heater stand (26), the heating active area of ​​the heater is located within the cavity. When the aerosol generating article (12) is fully accommodated within the cavity, the heating active area of ​​the heater (14) is located within the distal end of the aerosol generating article (12).

[0079] The heater (14) is in the form of a blade ending at a single point. That is, the heater is longer in length than in width and longer in thickness. The first and second surfaces of the heater are defined by the width and length of the heater.

[0080] An exemplary aerosol-forming article illustrated in FIG. 2 can be described as follows. The aerosol-generating article (12) consists of four elements: an aerosol-forming substrate (30), a supporting member such as a hollow tube (40), a delivery member (50), and a mouthpiece filter (60). These four elements are aligned in succession and coaxially and are assembled by a cigarette paper (70) to form a rod. When assembled, the aerosol-forming article (45) has a length of 45 mm and a diameter of 7 mm.

[0081] The aerosol-forming substrate consists of bundled cast-leaf tobacco and is wrapped in filter paper (not shown) to form a plug. The cast-leaf tobacco contains one or more aerosol-forming agents, such as glycerin.

[0082] A hollow tube (40) is located immediately adjacent to the aerosol-forming substrate (30) and is formed from a tube of cellulose acetate. The tube (40) has a hole with a diameter of 3 mm. One function of the hollow tube (40) is to position the aerosol-forming substrate (30) toward the distal end (23) of the rod (21) so that it can come into contact with the heater. The hollow tube (40) prevents the aerosol-forming substrate (30) from being subjected to force along the rod toward the mouthpiece when the heater is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate (30).

[0083] The delivery section (50) is made of a thin wall with a length of 18 mm. The delivery section (50) enables volatile substances released from the aerosol-forming substrate (30) to pass along the article toward the mouthpiece filter (60). The volatile substances can be cooled in the delivery section to form an aerosol.

[0084] The mouse filter (60) is a conventional mouse filter formed from cellulose acetate and has a length of approximately 7.5 mm.

[0085] The four elements listed above are assembled by being tightly packed inside a cigarette paper (70). The paper used in this specific embodiment is a standard cigarette paper and has standard characteristics or grades. The paper used in this specific embodiment is a conventional cigarette paper. The interface between the paper and each element is where the elements are located and constitutes an aerosol-forming article (12).

[0086] As the aerosol-forming article (12) is pushed into the cavity, the tapered end of the heater is engaged with the aerosol-forming substrate (30). When force is applied to the aerosol-forming article, the heater penetrates into the aerosol-forming substrate (30). When the aerosol-forming article (12) is properly engaged with the aerosol generator, the heater (14) is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate (30). When the heater is activated, the aerosol-forming substrate (30) is heated and a volatile substrate is generated or released. When the user sucks on the mouthpiece filter (60), air is drawn into the aerosol-forming article, and the volatile substance condenses to form an inhalable aerosol. This aerosol passes through the mouthpiece filter (60) of the aerosol-forming article and enters the user's mouth.

[0087] FIG. 3 illustrates in more detail the type of heater element (14) shown in FIG. 2. The heater (14) is made of an electrically insulating heater substrate (80) and forms the shape of the heater element (14). The heater substrate (80) may be formed from an electrically insulating material, for example, alumina (Al2O3) or stable zirconia (ZrO2). The electrically insulating material may be any suitable electrically insulating material, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many ceramic materials are suitable for use as electrically insulating materials. The heater substrate (80) is substantially blade-shaped. That is, the heater substrate has a length, width, and thickness that extend along the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-forming article to which the heater is connected during use. The width is greater than the thickness. The heater substrate (80) ends at an end point or spike (90) to penetrate the aerosol-forming substrate (30).

[0088] A heating element (82) formed from an electrically conductive material is laminated onto a flat surface of a heater substrate (80) using evaporation or any other suitable technique. The heating element is divided into three distinct sections. The first section (84) is located in the heating active area (91). This section is a heater area that reaches a maximum temperature and provides heat to the aerosol-forming substrate during use. The first section is U-shaped or hairpin-shaped. The second section (86) is formed from gold and consists of two parallel tracks, each connected to the end of the first section (84). The second section is positioned in the gripping area (93) of the heater and is a heater area that comes into contact with the heater mount (26), as illustrated in FIG. 4. The third section (88) is formed from silver. The third section is located in the connection area (95) and provides a bonding pad that can secure an external wire using solder paste or other bonding techniques. The third part consists of two parallel pads, each of which is connected to the end of one of the parallel tracks of the second part (86). The third part (88) is located on the opposite side of the gripping area (93) for the first part.

[0089] The shape, thickness, and width of the first, second, and third parts can be selected to provide the desired resistance and temperature distribution during use. However, the first part has the highest electrical resistance per length compared to the second and third parts. As a result, when current passes through the heating element (82), the first part generates the most heat and reaches the highest temperature. The second and third parts are structured to have very low electrical resistance, thus providing very low Joule heat. The total electrical resistance of the heating element is about 0.80 Ω at 0°C and increases to about 2 Ω when the heating active region (91) reaches 400°C. Since the battery voltage of the lithium-ion battery is about 3.7 volts, the typical peak current supplied from the power supply (at 0°C) is about 4.6 A.

[0090] Since platinum has a positive resistance temperature coefficient, the electrical resistance of the first part (84) increases as the temperature increases. Gold and silver have low resistance temperature coefficients, and the second and third parts will not experience a greater temperature rise than the first part. This means that the change in resistance of the second and third parts will be smaller compared to the change in resistance of the first part. As a result, the resistance of the heating element (82) can be used to provide a temperature measurement of the first part (84) of the heating element, which is the temperature of the heater part in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate. An arrangement for use as a resistance element for both the heater and the temperature sensor is described in EP2110033 B1.

[0091] FIG. 4 illustrates a heater (14) assembled on a heater mount (26) to form a heating assembly. The heater mount (26) is formed from polyester ether ketone (PEEK) and injection molded around the heater to surround the gripping area (93). The heater substrate (80) may form cutouts or protrusions in the gripping area to ensure a strong fixation between the heater mount and the heater. In this embodiment, the heater mount (26) has a circular cross-section to be connected to the circular housing (10) of the aerosol generator. However, the heater mount may be molded to have any desired shape and any desired connection structure to be connected to other components of the aerosol generator.

[0092] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heater of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows the first, second, and third portions of the heater member overlapping. The structure of the heater can be described as follows. The heater substrate (80) is covered with glass layers (92, 96). This protects the substrate and improves thermal distribution across the surface of the heater in the heating active area. Then, a gold track forming the second portion (86) of the heating element is placed on the glass layer (92). Next, a platinum track forming the first portion (84) of the heating member is placed on the glass layer (92) in an overlapping relationship with the gold track to ensure low electrical resistance contact between the first portion and the second portion. Finally, an upper glass layer (94) is formed to cover the heating member (82) and protect the heating member from corrosion. Then, the heater mounting bracket can be molded around the heater.

[0093] The heater is structured such that the heating active area corresponding to the first part of the heating element is spaced apart from the heater mounting base. The heater area extending into the cavity of the aerosol generator can be referred to as the insertion area (97). The portion of the second part (86) of the heating element extending into the insertion area (97) provides an energy transfer area.

[0094] FIG. 6 is a plot (100) showing the temperature of the heater as a function of distance along the length of the heater during operation of the heater exemplified in FIG. 3. Since the heater is shown below the plot, the temperature plot is aligned with the heater. Ideally, the heater becomes hot in the insertion area (97) and cools in the gripping area (93) and the connection area (95). The ideal temperature profile is indicated by the dashed line (106). In reality, the temperature profile can never be that severely stepped. It can be seen from the actual temperature plot (100) that the heater becomes hot in the heating active area where the first part of the heating element is located. During aerosol generation, the peak temperature is about 420°C. In the transfer area between the heating active area and the gripping area, the temperature drops sharply. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the temperature of the heater at the location of the heater mount be 200°C or lower, as indicated by the line (102). The maximum allowable temperature at the heater mount may vary depending on the material used to form the heater mount. The portion of the heater mounting bracket close to the heating active area is indicated by a line (104). The structure is designed so that when the heating active area reaches its maximum temperature during use, the temperature of the heater at the heater mounting bracket (26) can be 200°C or lower. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the distance between the platinum portion of the heating element and the heater mounting bracket is 3 mm. This distance is sufficient to ensure a desired temperature drop. Gold is selected as the material for the second portion of the heating element, as gold has high electrical conductivity and additionally has relatively low thermal conductivity, thus ensuring a rapid temperature drop between the heating active area and the gripping area. An additional temperature drop of approximately 50°C may be desirable at at least one portion of the connection area (95) including the third portion (88) of the heating element. In particular, it is desirable to minimize the temperature of the heating element (14) close to the controller (18), the electric energy supply unit (16), and the user interface (20).For example, such temperature minimization can reduce or eliminate the need to correct for thermally induced deformation in an electronic chip and / or system consisting of a controller (18), a supply unit (16), and an interface (20).

[0095] The exemplary embodiments described above are not intended to be limited to illustrative purposes. In terms of the exemplary embodiments described above, other embodiments consistent with said exemplary embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Explanation of the symbols

[0096] 100: Aerosol generation system 10: Housing 12: Aerosol-generating items 14: Heater / Heater Absence 16: Electric Energy Supply Department 18: Controller 20: User Interface 21: Road 23: Distal end 24: Heating assembly 26: Heater mounting bracket 30: Aerosol-forming substrate 40: Lack of support 50: Delivery unit 60: Mouthpiece Filter 70: Cigarette paper 80: Heater substrate 82: Heating element 84: Part 1 86: Part 2 88: Third part 91: Heating active zone 93: Retention area 95: Connection area 92,96: Glass layer 97: Insertion area 100: Plot 102,104: line 106: Dotted line

Claims

Claim 1 A heating assembly for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, comprising a heater including an electric resistance heating element and a heater substrate, wherein the electric resistance heating element is disposed on the heater substrate; and a heater mounting bracket coupled to the heater, wherein the heating element comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is configured to be heated to a higher temperature than the second portion as a result of the current when current flows through the heating element, and the heater mounting bracket surrounds the second portion of the heating element and is formed of a molded polymer material, and the heating element comprises a third portion configured for electrical connection to a power supply, wherein the third portion is located on the opposite side of the heater mounting bracket with respect to the first portion of the heating element, and the heating element is an extended heating assembly without bending. Claim 2 A heating assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a protective layer covering the heating element. Claim 3 In paragraph 2, the above protective layer is a heating assembly formed of glass. Claim 4 A heating assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a first portion of the heating element is formed of a first material and a second portion of the heating element is formed of a second material, and the first material has an electrical resistance coefficient greater than that of the second material. Claim 5 A heating assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second portion of the heating element comprises two sections, and each of the two sections is individually connected to the first portion of the heating element to form an electric path from one section of the second portion to the first portion and then to the other section of the second portion. Claim 6 In claim 1, the third part is a heating assembly formed of a different material from the first and second parts. Claim 7 In any one of claims 1 to 3, the first portion of the heating element is a heating assembly spaced apart from the heater mounting base. Claim 8 A heating assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, under normal operating conditions, when the first part of the heating element is at a temperature between 300°C and 550°C, the second part is at a temperature lower than 200°C at the point of contact with the heater mounting base. Claim 9 A heating assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first portion has a greater temperature resistance coefficient than the second portion. Claim 10 A heating assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the maximum temperature of the first part is T1, the ambient temperature is T0, and the temperature of the second part of the heating element in contact with the heater mounting base is T2, and (T1-T0) / (T2-T0)> 2. Claim 11 An aerosol generating device comprising: a housing; a heating assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heater mounting bracket is coupled to the housing; an electric power supply unit connected to the heating element; and a control member configured to control power supply from the power supply unit to the heating element. Claim 12 In claim 11, the housing forms a cavity surrounding a first portion of the heating element, and the cavity is configured to accommodate an aerosol-forming article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate. Claim 13 In paragraph 11, the aerosol generating device is an aerosol generating device that is a portable smoking device.

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