Aerosol generating device and resistance heater

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of smoking articles and provides an aerosol generating device and a resistive heater. The aerosol generating device includes a chamber for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate, at least one resistive heater, and a power supply for powering the resistive heater. The resistive heater includes: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface facing each other; the first surface is disposed proximate to the chamber; a plurality of resistive heating elements, each of which is at least partially disposed on the first surface, with adjacent resistive heating elements spaced apart; the plurality of resistive heating elements are sequentially connected in series and then coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power supply. In the present application, the plurality of resistive heating elements are spaced apart on the first surface of the substrate, so that the heat generated by the resistive heating elements can be directly conducted to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. This results in a rapid heating rate, relatively uniform heating, and high energy efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of smoking articles, and in particular to an aerosol generating device and a resistance heater. Background Art

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars burn tobacco to produce smoke during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these tobacco-burning articles by creating products that release compounds without burning them. Examples of such products are so-called heat-not-burn products, which release compounds by heating the tobacco rather than burning it.

[0003] Existing low-temperature heat-not-burn smoking devices primarily utilize a resistive heating element on the outer surface of a base body to heat the cigarette through conduction through the base body. Problems with these smoking devices include slow heating rates, uneven heating, and low energy efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides an aerosol generating device and a resistance heater, aiming to solve the problem of low energy utilization rate in existing smoking articles.

[0005] In one aspect, the present application provides an aerosol-generating device for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol for inhalation; comprising a chamber for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate, at least one resistive heater, and a power supply for powering the resistive heater;

[0006] The resistance heater comprises:

[0007] A substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; the first surface is disposed adjacent to the chamber;

[0008] A plurality of resistance heating elements, each of which is at least partially arranged on the first surface, and adjacent resistance heating elements are kept apart; the plurality of resistance heating elements are sequentially connected in series and then coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power supply.

[0009] In another aspect, the present application provides a resistive heater for an aerosol-generating device, the aerosol-generating device comprising a chamber for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate and a power supply for powering the resistive heater; the resistive heater comprising:

[0010] A substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; the first surface is disposed adjacent to the chamber;

[0011] A plurality of resistance heating elements, each of which is at least partially arranged on the first surface, and adjacent resistance heating elements are kept apart; the plurality of resistance heating elements are sequentially connected in series and then coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power supply.

[0012] The aerosol generating device and the resistive heater provided in the present application have a plurality of resistive heating elements spaced apart on the first surface of the substrate. The heat generated by the resistive heating elements can be directly conducted to heat the aerosol-forming matrix; the heating rate is fast, the heating is relatively uniform, and the energy utilization rate is high. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated by pictures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute proportional limitations.

[0014] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0015] Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a resistance heater provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the resistance heater provided by an embodiment of the present application with the base and conductive pins removed;

[0018] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a substrate in a resistance heater provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a resistance heating element in a resistance heater provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 7 This is another schematic diagram of a resistance heater provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present application, the present application is described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or there can be one or more centered elements therebetween. When an element is described as "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or there can be one or more centered elements therebetween. The terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside" and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in this specification and in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0023] Figure 1-Figure 2 An aerosol generating device 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a housing 6 and a resistive heater 10. The resistive heater 10 (only the base 11 is shown in the figure) is disposed within the housing 6. The housing 6 includes an outer shell 61, a fixed shell 62, a base, and a bottom cover 64. The fixed shell 62 and the base are both fixed within the housing 61. The base is used to fix the base 11 and is disposed within the fixed shell 62. The bottom cover 64 is disposed at one end of the housing 61 and covers the housing 61.

[0024] Specifically, the base includes a base 15 that is sleeved on the first end A of the base 11 and a base 16 that is sleeved on the second end B of the base 11. The base 15 and the base 16 are both arranged in a fixed shell 62. An air intake pipe 641 is protruding from the bottom cover 64. The end of the base 16 facing away from the base 15 is connected to the air intake pipe 641. The base 15, the base 11, the base 16 and the air intake pipe 641 are coaxially arranged, and the base 11 and the base 15 and the base 16 can be sealed by a seal. The base 16 and the air intake pipe 641 can also be sealed. The air intake pipe 641 is connected to the outside air so that the user can smoothly intake air when inhaling.

[0025] The aerosol generating device 100 also includes a control circuit board 3 and a power supply 7. The power supply 7 can be a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. In this example, the power supply 7 is a rechargeable battery. The fixed shell 62 includes a front shell 621 and a rear shell 622. The front shell 621 and the rear shell 622 are fixedly connected. The control circuit board 3 and the power supply 7 are both arranged in the fixed shell 62. The power supply 7 is electrically connected to the control circuit board 3. The button 4 is protruding on the shell 61. By pressing the button 4, the resistance heating element on the surface of the substrate 11 can be powered on or off. The control circuit board 3 is also connected to a charging interface 31. The charging interface 31 is exposed on the bottom cover 64. The user can charge or upgrade the aerosol generating device 100 through the charging interface 31 to ensure the continuous use of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0026] The aerosol generating device 100 also includes an insulating tube 17 disposed within the fixed housing 62 and around the periphery of the base 11. This prevents excessive heat transfer to the housing 61, which could cause the user to feel hot. The insulating tube 17 is made of an insulating material, which may include insulating glue, aerogel, aerogel felt, asbestos, aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, zirconium oxide, and the like. The insulating tube 17 may also be a vacuum insulated tube.

[0027] The aerosol generating device 100 also includes a temperature sensor 2, such as an NTC temperature sensor, a thermocouple, or a sensor with a resistance temperature coefficient. The temperature sensor 2 is used to detect the real-time temperature of the resistance heater 10 and transmit the detected real-time temperature to the control circuit board 3. The control circuit board 3 adjusts the magnitude of the current flowing through the resistance heating element according to the real-time temperature.

[0028] Specifically, when the temperature sensor 2 detects a low real-time temperature of the resistive heater 10, for example, when the detected temperature of the resistive heater 10 is less than 150°C, the control circuit board 3 controls the power supply 7 to output a higher voltage to the resistive heater 10, thereby increasing the current fed into the resistive heating element, increasing the heating power of the aerosol-forming matrix, and reducing the waiting time for the user to take their first puff. When the temperature of the resistive heater 10 detected by the temperature sensor 2 is between 150°C and 200°C, the control circuit board 3 controls the power supply 7 to output a normal voltage to the resistive heater 10. When the temperature of the resistive heater 10 detected by the temperature sensor 2 is between 200°C and 250°C, the control circuit board 3 controls the power supply 7 to output a lower voltage to the resistive heater 10. When the temperature of the resistive heater 10 detected by the temperature sensor 2 is 250°C or above, the control circuit board 3 controls the power supply 7 to stop outputting voltage to the resistive heater 10.

[0029] Figure 3-Figure 6 The resistance heater 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0030] The substrate 11 has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; the first surface is disposed adjacent to a chamber; and the chamber is used to receive an aerosol-forming substrate.

[0031] Please refer to Figure 5As shown, in this example, the substrate 11 is configured as a tube extending along the axial direction of the chamber and surrounding the chamber. The substrate 11 includes a first end (or proximal end) A and a second end (or distal end) B. The surface extending between the first end A and the second end B comprises an inner surface of the substrate 11 forming the first surface, and an outer surface of the substrate 11 forming the second surface. The substrate 11 may be cylindrical, prismatic, or other cylindrical shapes, or a non-cylindrical shape (e.g., a plate). The substrate 11 is preferably cylindrical, with a cylindrical hole extending through the middle of the substrate 11 forming at least a portion of the chamber. The inner diameter of the hole is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the aerosol-forming article, facilitating placement of the aerosol-forming article within the chamber for heating.

[0032] The substrate 11 can be made of materials such as ceramics and glass, or can be made of a metal tube with a surface insulation treatment, such as an aluminum tube with a surface oxidation treatment.

[0033] An aerosol-forming substrate is a substrate capable of releasing volatile compounds that can form an aerosol. Such volatile compounds can be released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate can be solid or liquid or comprise both solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate can be adsorbed, coated, impregnated, or otherwise loaded onto a carrier or support. The aerosol-forming substrate can conveniently be part of an aerosol-generating article.

[0034] The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise nicotine. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise tobacco, for example, may comprise a tobacco-containing material comprising volatile tobacco flavour compounds which are released from the aerosol-forming substrate when heated. A preferred aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a homogenised tobacco material, for example, fallen leaf tobacco. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise at least one aerosol-forming agent, which may be any suitable known compound or mixture of compounds which, in use, facilitates the formation of a dense and stable aerosol and is substantially resistant to thermal degradation at the operating temperature of the aerosol generating system. Suitable aerosol-forming agents are well known in the art and include, but are not limited to, polyols such as triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerol; esters of polyols such as glycerol mono-, di- or triacetate; and fatty acid esters of mono-, di- or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. Preferred aerosol formers are polyhydric alcohols or mixtures thereof, such as triethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol and most preferably glycerol.

[0035] A plurality of resistance heating elements 12 are each at least partially disposed on the first surface, and adjacent resistance heating elements 12 are spaced apart; the plurality of resistance heating elements 12 are sequentially connected in series and then coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power supply 7.

[0036] Please combine Figure 4 For better understanding, in this example, the resistance heater 10 includes four resistance heating elements 12, with adjacent resistance heating elements 12 separated by a gap 112. It should be noted that the number of resistance heating elements 12 is not limited herein. If the number of resistance heating elements 12 is excessive, to prevent short circuits between adjacent resistance heating elements 12, the gaps 112 may be filled with insulating material or the surfaces of the resistance heating elements 12 may be insulated.

[0037] In this example, adjacent resistance heating elements 12 can be connected in series via electrical connectors 13, such as Figure 4 As shown, four resistance heating elements 12 are connected in series via three electrical connectors 13. Generally, the resistance of a resistance heating element 12 is relatively low. By connecting multiple resistance heating elements 12 in series, the resistance can be increased to meet the heating requirements of the resistance heater. Furthermore, the resistance heating elements 12 do not require special processing and can be made from common resistance heating materials, such as nickel, chromium, and their alloys. The electrical connectors 13 can be made from materials with good electrical conductivity, such as silver, gold, copper, nickel, and other metals. Furthermore, the electrical connectors 13 and the four resistance heating elements 12 can be integrally formed.

[0038] In this example, four resistive heating elements 12 are connected in series and coupled between the positive and negative poles of a power source 7 via conductive pins 14. Specifically, conductive pins 14 include a first conductive pin 141 and a second conductive pin 142. After the four resistive heating elements 12 are connected in series, the first and last two resistive heating elements 12 are coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power source 7 via the first and second conductive pins 141, 142, respectively. The connection points (or welding points) between the first and last resistive heating elements 12 and the first and second conductive pins 141, 142 are both located on the second surface and at the same end of the substrate 11. This facilitates coupling to the power source 7 and shortens the wiring path. It also prevents the connection points from becoming detached due to heat, which could lead to unstable coupling to the power source 7. After coupling to the power source 7, a portion of the heat generated by the resistive heating elements 12 is directly transferred to the aerosol-forming substrate, while the remaining portion is rapidly and evenly distributed around the aerosol-forming substrate through the substrate 11, thereby rapidly heating the aerosol-forming substrate and improving energy utilization. It should be noted that, in other examples, it is also feasible to arrange the connection points (or welding points) between the first and last resistance heating elements 12 and the first conductive pin 141 and the second conductive pin 142 at different ends of the base 11 .

[0039] Please refer to Figure 6As shown, in this example, the resistance heating element 12 includes a heating portion 121 and at least one retaining portion 122; the heating portion 121 is disposed on the inner surface of the substrate 11 and extends in the axial direction of the substrate 11, and the retaining portion 122 is configured to retain one end of the heating portion 121 on the end wall of the substrate 11. Specifically, the retaining portion 122 extends from one end of the heating portion 121 in the radial direction of the substrate 11, is then bent, and is closely attached to the outer surface of the substrate 11. The electrical connector 13 connects the retaining portions 122 of adjacent resistance heating elements 12 in series and is disposed between the retaining portion 122 and the outer surface of the substrate 11.

[0040] In this example, the resistance heating element 12 is provided with two retaining portions 122, which respectively retain the two ends of the heating portion 121 on the two end walls of the substrate 11. The provision of the retaining portions 122 ensures that the heating portion 121 is in close contact with the inner surface of the substrate 11.

[0041] For further information, please refer to Figure 5 As shown, the end wall of the base 11 further has a limiting portion 111. The limiting portion 111 is formed by a recessed portion of the end wall of the base 11. The retaining portion 122 extends along the radial direction of the base 11 through the limiting portion 111. The limiting portion 111 provides a certain limit to the retaining portion 122, which can better ensure that the heating portion 121 is in close contact with the inner surface of the base 11.

[0042] Furthermore, the resistance heater 10 may further include a fixing member for fixing the holding portion 122 and the electrical connector 13 to the outer surface of the base 11. The fixing member may be a heat shrink tube, which can fix the holding portion 122 and the electrical connector 13 to the outer surface of the base 11 after being heated.

[0043] It should be noted that, in other examples, it is also feasible that all the resistance heating elements 12 are arranged on the first surface. Correspondingly, the electrical connector 13 can be arranged on the first surface, or on the first surface and the second surface, that is, across the end wall of the substrate 11; the connection points between the first and last resistance heating elements 12 and the first conductive pin 141 and the second conductive pin 142 can also be arranged on the first surface, which is also feasible.

[0044] Figure 7 is another resistance heater 20 provided in the embodiment of the present application, and Figure 3-Figure 6The resistance heater 10 shown is different in that: the resistance heater 20 includes a resistance heater 21 and a resistance heater 22 formed on the same substrate 25, and the resistance heater 21 and the resistance heater 22 are arranged along the axial direction of the substrate 25; the four resistance heating elements in the resistance heater 21 are connected in series in sequence and then coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power supply 7 through the conductive pin 23, and the conductive pin 23 includes a first conductive pin 231 and a second conductive pin 232; the four resistance heating elements in the resistance heater 22 are connected in series in sequence and then coupled between the positive and negative poles of the power supply 7 through the conductive pin 24, and the conductive pin 24 includes a first conductive pin 241 and a second conductive pin 242; the substrate 25 has a plurality of through holes, and the retaining portion of the resistance heating element can be bent through the through holes and tightly attached to the outer surface of the substrate 25; through the conductive pin 23 and the conductive pin 24, the resistance heater 21 and the resistance heater 22 can be controlled to start independently to heat different parts of the aerosol-forming matrix, thereby achieving segmented heating.

[0045] In other examples, it is also feasible that the resistance heater 21 and the resistance heater 22 are formed on different substrates.

[0046] It should be noted that the preferred embodiments of the present application are given in the specification and drawings of this application. However, the present application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. These embodiments are not intended to be additional limitations on the content of this application. The purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the understanding of the disclosure of this application more thorough and comprehensive. In addition, the above-mentioned technical features can be combined with each other to form various embodiments not listed above, which are all considered to be within the scope of the description of this application; further, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that improvements or changes can be made based on the above description, and all such improvements and changes should fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to this application.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol for inhalation; comprising a chamber for receiving the aerosol-forming substrate, at least one resistive heater, and a power supply for powering the resistive heater; characterized in that The resistance heater comprises: A substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; the first surface is disposed adjacent to the chamber; a plurality of resistance heating elements, each resistance heating element being at least partially disposed on the first surface, with adjacent resistance heating elements spaced apart; the plurality of resistance heating elements being sequentially connected in series and coupled between the positive and negative electrodes of the power supply; The base is configured in a tubular shape extending axially along the chamber and surrounding the chamber, and each resistance heating element includes a heating portion and at least one holding portion; The heating portion is provided on the first surface and extends in the axial direction of the base, and the holding portion is configured to hold one end of the heating portion on the base; The holding portion extends from one end of the heating portion along the radial direction of the base, and then is bent and located on the second surface; The resistance heater further includes at least one electrical connector for connecting adjacent resistance heating elements in series and disposed between the holding portion and the second surface of the substrate.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein The base body is provided with a limiting portion, and the retaining portion extends and bends along the radial direction of the base body through the limiting portion.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein The resistance heater further includes a fixing member for fixing the resistance heating element and the electrical connection member on the second surface.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein The plurality of resistance heating elements are integrally formed with the electrical connector.

5. The aerosol generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The resistance heater further includes a first conductive pin and a second conductive pin; After the multiple resistance heating elements are connected in series, the first and last resistance heating elements are coupled between the positive and negative electrodes of the power supply through the first conductive pin and the second conductive pin respectively.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, characterized in that The connection points between the first and last resistance heating elements and the first conductive pin and the second conductive pin are both arranged on the second surface.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6, wherein: The connection points are all arranged at the same end of the base.

8. A resistive heater for an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising a chamber for receiving an aerosol-forming substrate and a power supply for powering the resistive heater; The resistance heater comprises: A substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; the first surface is disposed adjacent to the chamber; a plurality of resistance heating elements, each resistance heating element being at least partially disposed on the first surface, with adjacent resistance heating elements spaced apart; the plurality of resistance heating elements being sequentially connected in series and coupled between the positive and negative electrodes of the power supply; The base is configured in a tubular shape extending axially along the chamber and surrounding the chamber, and each resistance heating element includes a heating portion and at least one holding portion; The heating portion is provided on the first surface and extends in the axial direction of the base, and the holding portion is configured to hold one end of the heating portion on the base; The holding portion extends from one end of the heating portion along the radial direction of the base, and then is bent and located on the second surface; The resistance heater further includes at least one electrical connector for connecting adjacent resistance heating elements in series and disposed between the holding portion and the second surface of the substrate.

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