Aerosol generating device, system and method of use

Abstract

The present invention provides an aerosol generating device, comprising a heater, a driving mechanism, a detection unit and a control element; the heater is used to heat an aerosol generating product; the driving mechanism is connected to the heater and is used to drive the heater to rotate around a rotation axis; the detection unit is used to detect whether the operating position of the heater reaches a preset position; the control element is electrically connected to the driving mechanism; the detection unit comprises a baffle, a sensing element and a sensor; the baffle is provided on the driving mechanism; the sensing element is provided on the baffle; the sensor is electrically connected to the control element, and the sensor is used to send a signal to the control element when the sensing element runs to its sensing area. The present invention can ensure that the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating product during the heating process has good consistency and can improve the heating efficiency. The present invention also provides an aerosol generating system and a method for using the aerosol generating system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of novel tobacco products, and in particular to an aerosol generating device, system and use method. Background Art

[0002] Traditional cigarettes generate smoke by burning tobacco at high temperatures, producing a gaseous dispersion system. This smoke accounts for a significant portion of the smoke and contains a variety of harmful substances. To reduce these harmful substances, a new tobacco product, heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco, has been introduced that requires the use of a device. Compared to traditional cigarettes, which require ignition and inhalation, HNB devices heat tobacco or nicotine products by baking them, gradually evaporating the smoke. This process eliminates the generation of harmful smoke components through combustion and thermal degradation of tobacco in traditional cigarettes.

[0003] When existing aerosol-generating products are heated by aerosol-generating devices, they generally use a central rod heating method, that is, a heater is inserted into the aerosol-generating product. Some aerosol-generating devices also use peripheral heating within the cavity, that is, heating the aerosol-generating substrate in the aerosol-generating product from the outside in. However, regardless of the heating method, during the heating process, because the heater can only contact a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-generating substrate closer to the heater releases aerosol first, while the aerosol-generating substrate farther away from the heater needs to obtain heat through heat transfer. Therefore, it is easy to have poor aerosol release consistency, such as sufficient aerosol release in the first few puffs, but insufficient aerosol release in the later puffs. This phenomenon also leads to low actual heating efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to address the problem of poor aerosol release consistency that is often generated during the heating process of current aerosol-generating products. The present invention can also address the problem of low heating efficiency. To this end, the present invention provides an aerosol-generating device, system, and method of use.

[0005] The present invention provides an aerosol-generating product that generates aerosol by heating with a heater, comprising: an aerosol-generating substrate, the aerosol-generating substrate comprising a first substrate portion and a second substrate portion, the first substrate portion and the second substrate portion being arranged in layers along the same axis, a cavity being provided between the first substrate portion and the second substrate portion, the cavity being used to receive the heater and allowing the heater to move in the cavity during heating.

[0006] Using the above technical solution, the heater is positioned between the first and second substrate portions. The heater simultaneously heats the first and second substrate portions, allowing for uniform heating of all portions of the aerosol-generating substrate, thereby enhancing the consistency of aerosol production. Furthermore, by enabling the heater to move within the cavity, when heating the aerosol-generating substrate, the heater can heat only a portion of the first and second substrate portions. Once the aerosol-generating substrate in that heated region is depleted, the heater moves to the next region, heating the next portion of the first and second substrate portions. This allows the heater to concentrate heating on only a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate within a given period of time, reducing the heater's heat load, improving the heating rate, smoke generation rate, and heating efficiency, and resulting in a more consistent aerosol.

[0007] Optionally, the outer diameter of the second substrate portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the first substrate portion.

[0008] Optionally, a third substrate part is further included, which is arranged in the cavity, the axis of the third substrate part, the axis of the first substrate part and the axis of the second substrate part coincide with each other, and the outer diameter of the third substrate part is between the inner diameter of the first substrate part and the outer diameter of the second substrate part.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, two heaters can be set up, and the two heaters are placed between the first substrate part and the third substrate part, and between the second substrate part and the third substrate part, so as to heat the first substrate part, the second substrate part and the third substrate part at the same time; by increasing the level of the aerosol generating matrix, the consistency of the aerosol release can be further improved, and the heating area of ​​the aerosol generating matrix can be increased, thereby improving the thermal utilization rate of the heater.

[0010] Optionally, a filter rod is also included, which is arranged at the ends of the first substrate part and the second substrate part. The filter rod is provided with an outer annular groove and an inner annular groove. The first substrate part is arranged in the outer annular groove, and the second substrate part is arranged in the inner annular groove.

[0011] Optionally, the first substrate portion and the second substrate portion are bonded to the outer annular groove and the inner annular groove respectively by adhesive.

[0012] Suitable binders for use in the present invention are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, gums such as guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and locust bean gum; cellulosic binders such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose; polysaccharides such as starch, organic acids such as alginic acid, conjugate base salts of organic acids such as sodium alginate, agar, and 30 gelatin; and combinations thereof.

[0013] The present invention also provides an aerosol-generating device for heating any of the aforementioned aerosol-generating articles, comprising:

[0014] a heater for heating the aerosol-generating article;

[0015] The driving mechanism is connected to the heater and is used to drive the heater to move relative to the aerosol generating product.

[0016] When the heater heats the aerosol-generating article, it heats only a portion of the first and second substrate portions. Once the aerosol-generating substrate in that heated portion is depleted, the drive mechanism moves the heater to the next portion, heating the next portion of the first and second substrate portions. This technical solution allows the heater to concentrate heating on only a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate within a given period of time, reducing the heater's thermal load and increasing both the heating rate and the smoke generation rate, thereby ensuring a more consistent aerosol.

[0017] Optionally, the driving mechanism can drive the heater to rotate around the rotation axis.

[0018] Optionally, the heater is arc-shaped, and is provided with an outer arc surface and an inner arc surface, and the axis of the first substrate part, the axis of the second substrate part, the axis of the outer arc surface, the axis of the inner arc surface and the rotation axis coincide with each other.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the shape of the heater is set to be an arc, so that the heater can fit the shapes of the first substrate part and the second substrate part, thereby improving the heating effect of the first substrate part and the second substrate part.

[0020] Optionally, the central angle corresponding to the heater is the heater central angle, and the value of the heater central angle is Where n is a positive integer.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, when the angle of each rotation of the heater is equal to the central angle of the heater, the number of rotations of the heater can be an integer after completing one rotation, so that there is no repeated heating area between the first substrate part and the second substrate part, and no omitted heating area, thereby ensuring that the aerosol generating matrix is ​​completely heated and the heating efficiency is improved.

[0022] Optionally, the value of the central angle of the heater is 180°.

[0023] Optionally, a heat insulating portion is further included to prevent heat generated by the heater heating the aerosol-generating article from being transferred outward. The heat insulating portion may be provided independently of the housing. Alternatively or additionally, the housing itself may have a heat insulating function without providing a separate heat insulating portion.

[0024] Specifically, the insulation portion or the shell with insulation function can be formed by insulation material. For example, it can be formed by polymeric materials such as polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, poly(vinyl chloride), polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethersulfone and polyetherimide. The shell with insulation function may include a base layer and a covering layer, and at least one insulation gap may be provided between the base layer and the covering layer, and the insulation gap may be at least partially filled with air. Additionally or alternatively, the insulation gap may be at least partially filled with solid insulation material. For example, suitable solid insulation materials may include at least one of the following: glass, metal, metal oxide, ceramic, polymeric material, stone material and combinations thereof. Particularly suitable materials include woven and non-woven glass fiber materials, basalt fiber, pumice and aramid polymers. Other suitable thermal insulation materials include those listed under Class C in the JIS C 4003 standard (thermal insulation materials rated to withstand temperatures of 180°C or higher), including at least one of the following: mica, ceramics, glass, quartz, polytetrafluoroethylene resin, lacquered glass cloth adhered, impregnated, or coated with silicone resin, and combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the solid thermal insulation material may include at least one of the following: calcium silicate, porous glass, porous aramid, vermiculite, glass fiber, a molded or extruded compound of polytetrafluoroethylene resin and glass fiber, and minerals.

[0025] Optionally, the driving mechanism includes:

[0026] Motor;

[0027] The tray is connected to the output end of the motor, and the heater is arranged on the tray.

[0028] Optionally, it further includes a cavity for receiving the aerosol-generating product, the cavity is cylindrical, the tray is arranged in the cavity, and the axis of the tray coincides with the axis of the cavity.

[0029] Optionally, a limiting mechanism is further included, which is provided between the tray and the inner wall of the cavity, and is used to limit the movement of the tray along the axial direction of the cavity.

[0030] Optionally, the limiting mechanism includes:

[0031] A limiting groove is provided on the circumferential surface of the tray;

[0032] The protrusion is provided on the circumferential surface of the cavity, and the protrusion is located in the limiting groove.

[0033] Optionally, a limiter is provided on the circumferential surface of the cavity, and the limiter is used to limit the depth of insertion of the aerosol generating article into the cavity.

[0034] Optionally, it also includes:

[0035] a housing, wherein the cavity is disposed within the housing;

[0036] a power supply electrically connected to the heater and configured to supply power to the heater;

[0037] The control element is electrically connected to the power supply and the driving mechanism.

[0038] Optionally, a timer is provided in the control element, and the timer is used to count the heating time of the heater.

[0039] Optionally, a detection unit is further included to detect whether the operating position of the heater reaches a preset position.

[0040] By adopting the above technical solution and providing a detection unit, it can be ensured that the angle of the heater's rotation each time is equal to the heater's central angle.

[0041] Optionally, the detection unit includes:

[0042] A baffle, provided on the driving mechanism;

[0043] The sensing element is provided on the baffle;

[0044] The sensor is arranged in the cavity and is electrically connected to the control element. The sensor is used to send a signal to the control element when the sensing piece runs to its sensing area.

[0045] By adopting the above technical solution, the rotation angle of the heater is confirmed by detecting the rotation position of the heater. Since the cost of the sensor and the induction component is low, the production cost can be saved.

[0046] Optionally, the number of sensors is 360° divided by the central angle of the heater, and the sensors are evenly distributed around the cavity; or,

[0047] The number of the induction elements is a value obtained by dividing 360° by the central angle of the heater, and the induction elements are evenly distributed around the cavity.

[0048] Optionally, the sensor is a photoelectric sensor, and the sensing element is made of reflective material.

[0049] Optionally, the sensing element is made of aluminum foil.

[0050] Optionally, the sensor is a Hall sensor, and the induction element is made of magnetic material.

[0051] Optionally, the induction element is made of magnetic powder sprayed on the baffle.

[0052] Optionally, the detection unit includes an encoder, which is provided on the driving mechanism and is used to detect the rotation angle of the heater to infer whether the operating position of the heater reaches a preset position.

[0053] By adopting the above technical solution, the rotation angle of the heater can be directly detected, so there is no need to determine whether the heater is in the preset position after the aerosol generating article is inserted, thereby making the detection process simpler and more flexible.

[0054] The present invention also provides an aerosol-generating device for heating the aforementioned aerosol-generating article comprising a third substrate portion, comprising:

[0055] two heaters, one heater being located between the first substrate portion and the third substrate portion, and the other heater being located between the second substrate portion and the third substrate portion, the heaters being configured to heat the aerosol-generating article;

[0056] The driving mechanism is connected to the heater and is used to drive the heater to move relative to the aerosol generating product.

[0057] The present invention also provides an aerosol generating system comprising any one of the aforementioned aerosol generating products and any one of the aforementioned aerosol generating devices.

[0058] The present invention also provides a method for using the aforementioned aerosol generating system, comprising:

[0059] Starting step: starting the heater to heat the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area;

[0060] Change step: After the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is exhausted, the heater stops heating, the driving mechanism drives the heater to move to the next heating area, and the heater restarts to heat the aerosol generating substrate in the next heating area;

[0061] The switching steps were repeated until the aerosol-generating substrate was exhausted.

[0062] By adopting the above technical solution, the heater only concentrates on heating a part of the aerosol generating matrix within a certain period of time, which can reduce the heat load of the heater, increase the heating rate and smoke generation rate, and thus make the generated aerosol have good consistency.

[0063] Optionally, in the changing step, after the heater stops heating, the driving mechanism drives the heater to rotate relative to the aerosol-generating article, so that the heater moves to the next heating zone.

[0064] Optionally, after the driving mechanism drives the heater to rotate and before the heater is restarted, the method further includes:

[0065] Determining whether the heater is located at a preset position or rotated at a preset angle;

[0066] If not, the driving mechanism drives the heater to continue rotating;

[0067] If so, the heater stops rotating and restarts to heat the aerosol-generating substrate in the next heating zone.

[0068] Optionally, in the transformation step, the heating time of the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is compared with a preset time to determine whether the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is exhausted; if the heating time of the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area reaches the preset time, it is determined that the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is exhausted.

[0069] Optionally, if it is determined in the changing step whether the heater is located at the preset position, before starting the heater in the starting step, the method further includes:

[0070] Determine whether the heater is in the starting position;

[0071] If not, the driving mechanism drives the heater to rotate until the heater rotates to the starting position and the heater stops rotating.

[0072] Optionally, a baffle is provided on the driving mechanism, a sensing element is provided on the baffle, and a sensor is provided on the housing of the aerosol generating device. If the sensing element moves into the sensing area of ​​the sensor, it is determined that the heater is located at a preset position.

[0073] Optionally, the heater is arc-shaped, and the preset angle is equal to the value of the central angle of the heater.

[0074] Optionally, before the starting step, a preparation step is further included, the preparation step comprising: inserting the aerosol-generating article into the aerosol-generating device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075] Figure 1 FIG2 shows a top view of an aerosol generating device provided by one embodiment of the present invention;

[0076] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 AA section view;

[0077] Figure 3 Show Figure 2 BB cross-sectional view;

[0078] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an aerosol generating article provided by one embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0079] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a heater provided in one embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0080] Figure 6 A flow chart illustrating a method for using an aerosol generating system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0081] Figure 7 A flow chart illustrating a method for using an aerosol generating system provided by another embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] Reference numerals:

[0083] 1. Aerosol-generating article; 11. First substrate portion; 12. Second substrate portion; 13. Outer wrapping paper; 14. Inner wrapping paper; 2. Housing; 21. Cavity; 3. Tray; 4. Heater; 5. Detection unit; 51. Baffle; 52. Inductive element; 53. Sensor; 6. Drive shaft; 7. Limiting mechanism; 71. Limiting groove; 72. Protrusion; 8. Limiting member; 9. Motor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] The following is an explanation of the embodiments of the present invention by specific specific examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention will be introduced in conjunction with the preferred embodiment, this does not mean that the features of this invention are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the invention in conjunction with the embodiment is to cover other options or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present invention. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present invention, the following description will contain many specific details. The present invention can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or blurring the focus of the present invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0085] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0086] In the description of this embodiment, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this embodiment based on specific circumstances.

[0087] The term "aerosol-generating article" is used herein to describe an article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate that can be heated to generate an aerosol and deliver it to a consumer. The term "aerosol-forming substrate" refers to a substrate that is capable of releasing volatile compounds to generate an aerosol when heated. During use, the volatile compounds are released from the aerosol-forming substrate by heat transfer. The term "aerosol-generating substrate" refers to an article consisting of or comprising an aerosol-forming substrate that is capable of releasing volatile compounds to generate an aerosol when heated. The aerosol-generating substrate may be a solid aerosol-generating substrate. The aerosol-generating substrate may include a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds that are released from the substrate upon heating. The aerosol-generating substrate may include a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-generating substrate may include an aerosol-forming agent. The aerosol-forming agent may include at least one of glycerol and propylene glycol. In embodiments where the aerosol-generating substrate is a solid aerosol-generating substrate, the solid aerosol-generating substrate can comprise one or more of a powder, granules, pellets, shreds, stem tubes, strips, or sheets containing one or more of herbaceous plant leaves, tobacco leaves, tobacco ribs, reconstituted tobacco, homogenized tobacco, extruded tobacco, and expanded tobacco. The solid aerosol-generating substrate can be in a loose form. The aerosol-generating substrate can comprise a rod of the solid aerosol-generating substrate. The packaging material can enclose the rod of the solid aerosol-generating substrate. The packaging material can comprise paper.

[0088] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clear, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0089] To this end, an embodiment of the present invention provides an aerosol-generating article that generates aerosol by heating with a heater, such as Figure 4 As shown, it includes: an aerosol generating substrate, the aerosol generating substrate includes a first substrate part 11 and a second substrate part 12, the first substrate part 11 and the second substrate part 12 are arranged in layers along the same axis, and there is a cavity between the first substrate part 11 and the second substrate part 12, the cavity is used to receive the heater 4 and allow the heater 4 to move in the cavity during the heating process.

[0090] The first substrate portion 11 and the second substrate portion 12 are both cylindrical. The first substrate portion 11 is sleeved on the outside of the second substrate portion 12 , and the cavity is located between the inner circumference of the first substrate portion 11 and the outer circumference of the second substrate portion 12 .

[0091] Using the above technical solution, heater 4 is positioned between first substrate portion 11 and second substrate portion 12. Heater 4 simultaneously heats both first and second substrate portions 11, 12, enabling uniform heating of all portions of the aerosol-generating substrate, thereby enhancing the consistency of the aerosol produced. Furthermore, by enabling heater 4 to move within the cavity, heater 4 can heat only a portion of the first and second substrate portions 11, 12 when heating the aerosol-generating substrate. Once the aerosol-generating substrate in that heated region is depleted, heater 4 moves to the next region, heating the next portion of the first and second substrate portions 11, 12. This allows heater 4 to concentrate heating on only a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate within a given period of time, reducing the heat load on heater 4 and improving the heating rate, smoke generation rate, and heating efficiency, further enhancing the consistency of the generated aerosol.

[0092] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the second substrate portion 12 is smaller than the inner diameter of the first substrate portion 11. An outer splicing paper 13 is provided on the outer circumference of the first substrate portion 11, and an inner splicing paper 14 is provided on the inner circumference of the second substrate portion 12. Figure 4 shown.

[0093] Furthermore, a third substrate portion is included. The third substrate portion is disposed within the cavity. The axis of the third substrate portion coincides with the axis of the first substrate portion 11 and the axis of the second substrate portion 12. The outer diameter of the third substrate portion is between the inner diameter of the first substrate portion 11 and the outer diameter of the second substrate portion 12. Specifically, the third substrate portion is cylindrical, with a certain gap between the outer wall of the third substrate portion and the inner wall of the first substrate portion 11, and a certain gap between the inner wall of the third substrate portion and the outer wall of the second substrate portion 12.

[0094] By adopting the above technical solution, two heaters 4 can be set up, and the two heaters 4 are placed between the first substrate part 11 and the third substrate part, and between the second substrate part 12 and the third substrate part, so as to heat the first substrate part 11, the second substrate part 12 and the third substrate part at the same time; by increasing the level of the aerosol generating matrix, the consistency of the aerosol release can be further improved, and the heating area of ​​the aerosol generating matrix can be increased, thereby improving the heat utilization rate of the heater 4.

[0095] Furthermore, the aerosol-generating matrix further includes a filter stick, which is disposed at the ends of the first substrate portion 11 and the second substrate portion 12. The filter stick is provided with an outer annular groove and an inner annular groove, with the first substrate portion 11 disposed within the outer annular groove and the second substrate portion 12 disposed within the inner annular groove. If the aerosol-generating matrix also includes a third substrate portion, the filter stick is correspondingly provided with an intermediate annular groove, with the third substrate portion disposed within the intermediate annular groove.

[0096] Furthermore, the first substrate portion 11 and the second substrate portion 12 are bonded to the outer annular groove and the inner annular groove respectively through an adhesive.

[0097] In particular, suitable binders for use in the present invention are known in the art and include, but are not limited to: gums such as guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic and locust bean gum; cellulose binders such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose; polysaccharides such as starch, organic acids such as alginic acid, conjugate base salts of organic acids such as sodium alginate, agar and 30 gelatin; and combinations thereof.

[0098] An embodiment of the present invention further provides an aerosol generating device for heating any of the aforementioned aerosol generating articles, such as Figure 2 As shown, including:

[0099] A heater 4, for heating the aerosol generating substrate;

[0100] The driving mechanism is connected to the heater 4 and is used to drive the heater 4 to move relative to the aerosol generating article 1.

[0101] When heater 4 heats the aerosol-generating article 1, it heats only a portion of the first substrate portion 11 and the second substrate portion 12. Once the aerosol-generating substrate in that heated region is depleted, the drive mechanism moves heater 4 to the next region, where it heats the next region of the first substrate portion 11 and the second substrate portion 12. This technical solution allows heater 4 to concentrate heating on only a portion of the aerosol-generating substrate within a given period of time, reducing the heat load on heater 4 and increasing the heating rate and smoke generation rate, thereby ensuring a consistent aerosol.

[0102] Furthermore, the driving mechanism can drive the heater 4 to rotate around the rotation axis (the rotation direction is as follows Figure 4 shown in the R direction).

[0103] Furthermore, when the aerosol generating article further includes a third substrate portion, the number of heaters 4 is two, one heater 4 is located between the first substrate portion 11 and the third substrate portion, and the other heater 4 is located between the second substrate portion 12 and the third substrate portion.

[0104] Furthermore, the heater 4 is in an arc shape, such as Figure 1 、 Figure 3 The heater 4 is provided with an outer arc surface and an inner arc surface, and the axis of the first substrate portion, the axis of the second substrate portion, the axis of the outer arc surface, the axis of the inner arc surface and the rotation axis coincide with each other.

[0105] By adopting the above technical solution, the shape of the heater 4 is set to be an arc, so that the heater 4 can fit the shapes of the first substrate part 11 and the second substrate part 12, thereby improving the heating effect of the first substrate part 11 and the second substrate part 12.

[0106] Furthermore, the central angle corresponding to the heater 4 is the central angle of the heater (eg Figure 5 The value of the central angle of the heater is Where n is a positive integer.

[0107] By adopting the above technical solution, when the angle of each rotation of the heater 4 is equal to the central angle of the heater, the number of rotations of the heater 4 can be an integer after the heater 4 completes one rotation, so that there is no repeated heating area of ​​the first substrate part 11 and the second substrate part 12, and no heating area is omitted, thereby ensuring that the aerosol generating matrix is ​​completely heated and the heating efficiency is improved.

[0108] Furthermore, the value of the central angle of the heater is 180°.

[0109] Furthermore, the driving mechanism includes:

[0110] Motor;

[0111] The tray 3 is connected to the output end of the motor, and the heater 4 is arranged on the tray 3.

[0112] Furthermore, it includes a cavity 21 for receiving the aerosol generating product 1 . The cavity 21 is cylindrical. The tray 3 is arranged in the cavity 21 . The axis of the tray 3 coincides with the axis of the cavity 21 .

[0113] Furthermore, a limiting mechanism 7 is included. The limiting mechanism 7 is provided between the tray 3 and the inner wall of the cavity 21 . The limiting mechanism 7 is used to limit the movement of the tray 3 along the axial direction of the cavity 21 .

[0114] Furthermore, the limiting mechanism 7 includes:

[0115] The limiting groove 71 is provided on the circumferential surface of the tray 3;

[0116] The protrusion 72 is provided on the circumferential surface of the cavity 21 , and the protrusion 72 is located in the limiting groove 71 .

[0117] Furthermore, a limiter 8 is provided on the circumferential surface of the cavity 21 , and the limiter 8 is used to limit the depth of the aerosol generating article 1 inserted into the cavity 21 .

[0118] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0119] The housing 2, wherein the cavity 21 is provided in the housing 2;

[0120] a power supply, electrically connected to the heater 4 and used to supply power to the heater 4;

[0121] The control element is electrically connected to the power supply and the driving mechanism.

[0122] Furthermore, a heat insulating portion is included to prevent heat generated by the heater 4 heating the aerosol-generating article 1 from being transferred outward. The heat insulating portion may be provided independently of the housing 2. Alternatively or in addition, the housing 2 may have a heat insulating function without providing a separate heat insulating portion.

[0123] Specifically, the insulation portion or the shell 2 with insulation function can be formed of an insulation material. For example, it can be formed of a polymer material, such as polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide, poly(vinyl chloride), polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethersulfone and polyetherimide. The shell 2 with insulation function may include a base layer and a covering layer, and at least one insulation gap may be provided between the base layer and the covering layer, and the insulation gap may be at least partially filled with air. Additionally or alternatively, the insulation gap may be at least partially filled with a solid insulation material. For example, suitable solid insulation materials may include at least one of the following: glass, metal, metal oxide, ceramic, polymer material, stone material and a combination thereof. Particularly suitable materials include woven and non-woven glass fiber materials, basalt fiber, pumice and aramid polymers. Other suitable thermal insulation materials include those listed under Class C in the JIS C 4003 standard (thermal insulation materials rated to withstand temperatures of 180°C or higher), including at least one of the following: mica, ceramics, glass, quartz, polytetrafluoroethylene resin, lacquered glass cloth adhered, impregnated, or coated with silicone resin, and combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the solid thermal insulation material may include at least one of the following: calcium silicate, porous glass, porous aramid, vermiculite, glass fiber, a molded or extruded compound of polytetrafluoroethylene resin and glass fiber, and minerals.

[0124] Furthermore, a timer is provided within the control element for counting the heating time of the heater 4. When the heating time reaches a preset time, indicating that the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating area has been exhausted, the timer sends a signal to the control element, which then controls the heater 4 to stop heating.

[0125] Furthermore, a detection unit 5 is included for detecting whether the operating position of the heater 4 reaches a preset position.

[0126] By adopting the above technical solution and providing the detection unit 5 , it can be ensured that the angle of each rotation of the heater 4 is equal to the central angle of the heater.

[0127] The present invention does not limit the specific structure of the detection unit 5. In some embodiments, the detection unit 5 is used to detect the rotation position of the heater 4. Its specific structure is as follows: Figure 2 、 Figure 3 As shown, including:

[0128] A baffle 51 is provided on the driving mechanism;

[0129] The sensing element 52 is provided on the baffle 51;

[0130] The sensor 53 is disposed in the cavity 21 and is electrically connected to the control element. The sensor 53 is used to send a signal to the control element when the sensing element 52 moves to its sensing area. The control element then controls the motor to stop running.

[0131] By adopting the above technical solution, the rotation angle of the heater 4 can be confirmed by detecting the rotation position of the heater 4. Since the cost of the sensor 53 and the induction member 52 is relatively low, the production cost can be saved.

[0132] Furthermore, sensor 53 may be a photoelectric sensor, with sensing element 52 made of a reflective material. For example, sensing element 52 may be made of aluminum foil. When the aluminum foil rotates to a position opposite to the photoelectric sensor, the photoelectric sensor can detect the light reflected from the aluminum foil, and then the photoelectric sensor sends a signal to the control element. Furthermore, sensor 53 may also be a Hall effect sensor, with sensing element 52 made of a magnetic material. For example, sensing element 52 may be made of magnetic powder sprayed on baffle 51. When the magnetic material rotates to a position opposite to the Hall effect sensor, the Hall effect sensor can detect the magnetism of the magnetic material, and then the Hall effect sensor sends a signal to the control element.

[0133] Furthermore, the number of sensors 53 is 360° divided by the value of the central angle of the heater, and the number of the induction element 52 can be 1, such as Figure 3 As shown, the sensors 53 are evenly distributed around the cavity 21; or,

[0134] The number of the sensing elements 52 is 360° divided by the central angle of the heater. The number of the sensor 53 may be one. The sensing elements 52 are evenly distributed around the cavity 21 .

[0135] Furthermore, in some embodiments, detection unit 5 may also be an encoder. A transmission shaft 6 is provided between the drive mechanism and tray 3. The encoder is disposed on transmission shaft 6 or the drive shaft of the motor. The encoder is used to detect the rotation angle of tray 3 and heater 4 to infer whether the operating position of heater 4 has reached a preset position. When the rotation angle of tray 3 and heater 4 reaches the preset angle, the encoder sends a signal to the control element, which then controls the drive mechanism to stop operation.

[0136] By adopting the above technical solution, the rotation angle of the heater 4 can be directly detected, so there is no need to determine whether the heater 4 is located at the preset position after the aerosol generating article 1 is inserted, thereby making the detection process simpler and more flexible.

[0137] An embodiment of the present invention further provides an aerosol generating system comprising any of the aforementioned aerosol generating products and any of the aforementioned aerosol generating devices.

[0138] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for using the aforementioned aerosol generating system, comprising:

[0139] Starting step: starting the heater 4 so that the heater 4 heats the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area;

[0140] Change step: After the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating area is exhausted, the heater 4 stops heating, and the driving mechanism drives the heater 4 to move to the next heating area, and the heater 4 restarts to heat the aerosol-generating substrate in the next heating area;

[0141] The switching steps were repeated until the aerosol-generating substrate was exhausted.

[0142] By adopting the above technical solution, the heater 4 only concentrates on heating a part of the aerosol-generating matrix within a certain period of time, which can reduce the heat load of the heater 4, increase the heating rate and the smoke generation rate, and thus make the generated aerosol have good consistency.

[0143] Furthermore, in the transformation step, the driving mechanism drives the heater 4 to rotate.

[0144] Furthermore, after the driving mechanism drives the heater 4 to rotate and before the heater 4 is restarted, the method further includes:

[0145] Determining whether the heater 4 is located at a preset position or rotated at a preset angle;

[0146] If not, the driving mechanism drives the heater 4 to continue rotating;

[0147] If so, the heater 4 stops rotating and restarts to heat the aerosol-generating substrate in the next heating area.

[0148] Furthermore, in the changing step, the heating time of the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating region is compared with a preset time to determine whether the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating region is exhausted. If the heating time of the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating region reaches the preset time, the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating region is determined to be exhausted. The heating time of the smokable substance in the heating region can be measured by a timer in the control element, and the preset time can be obtained by detecting the exhaustion time of the smokable substance in the heating region in advance.

[0149] Furthermore, if it is determined in the changing step whether the heater 4 is located at the preset position, that is, the detection unit includes the sensor 53, the induction member 52 and the baffle 51, then before starting the heater 4 in the starting step, the following steps are further included:

[0150] Determine whether the heater 4 is at the starting position;

[0151] If yes, the heater 4 is activated to heat the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area;

[0152] If not, the driving mechanism drives the heater 4 to rotate until the heater 4 rotates to the starting position, and the heater 4 stops rotating.

[0153] Furthermore, a baffle 51 is provided on the tray 3, and a sensing element 52 is provided on the baffle 51. A sensor 53 is provided on the side wall of the cavity 21. The sensor 53 performs real-time scanning of the sensing element 52 to ensure that the sensor 53 can promptly detect the sensing element 52. When determining whether the heater 4 is at the starting position or the preset position, if the sensor 53 detects the sensing element 52, it means that the heater 4 is at the corresponding starting position or the preset position.

[0154] Here, taking the value of the central angle of the heater as 180° as an example, when the detection unit includes a sensor 53, a sensing element 52 and a baffle 51, the flow chart of the heating method provided by the present invention is as follows: Figure 6 shown.

[0155] By adopting the above technical solution, since the cost of the sensor 53 and the induction element 52 is lower than that of the encoder, the production cost can be saved.

[0156] If it is determined in the transformation step whether the heater 4 has rotated a preset angle, that is, when the detection unit is an encoder, the encoder can be used to directly detect the rotation angle of the heater 4. Here, the value of the central angle of the heater is 180° as an example. When the detection unit includes an encoder, the flow chart of the heating method provided by the present invention is as follows: Figure 7 shown.

[0157] Since the encoder directly detects the rotation angle of the heater 4 , there is no need to determine whether the heater 4 is in the starting position after the aerosol-generating article 1 is inserted, thereby making the detection process simpler and more flexible.

[0158] Furthermore, the heater 4 is arc-shaped, and the preset angle is equal to the value of the heater center angle corresponding to the heater 4 .

[0159] Furthermore, before the starting step, a preparation step is also included, and the preparation step includes: inserting the aerosol generating article 1 into the cavity 21.

[0160] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above description is provided as a further detailed description of the present invention in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, and that the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Those skilled in the art may make various changes in form and details, including simple deductions or substitutions, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device for heating an aerosol generating product, characterized in that The aerosol generating device comprises: A heater for heating an aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises an aerosol-generating substrate; the aerosol-generating substrate comprises a first substrate portion and a second substrate portion, wherein the first substrate portion and the second substrate portion are arranged in layers along the same axis, and a cavity is defined between the first substrate portion and the second substrate portion, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the heater and allow the heater to move within the cavity during heating; a drive mechanism connected to the heater, the drive mechanism being configured to drive the heater to move relative to the aerosol-generating article, the drive mechanism being capable of driving the heater to rotate about a rotation axis; a detection unit, configured to detect whether the operating position of the heater has reached a preset position; a control element, electrically connected to the driving mechanism; The detection unit comprises: a baffle, provided on the driving mechanism; a sensing element, disposed on the baffle; A sensor is electrically connected to the control element, and is used to send a signal to the control element when the induction member moves to its induction area.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The heater is arc-shaped, and the axis of the first substrate portion, the axis of the second substrate portion, and the axis of the heater coincide with the rotation axis.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, wherein: The central angle of the heater is the central angle of the heater, and the value of the central angle of the heater is , where n is a positive integer.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein: The value of the central angle of the heater is 180°.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The aerosol generating article further comprises a heat insulating portion, wherein the heat insulating portion is used to prevent heat generated by the heater heating the aerosol generating article from being transferred outward.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 3, wherein: The driving mechanism comprises: Motor; A tray is connected to the output end of the motor, and the heater is arranged on the tray.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6, wherein: It also includes a cavity for receiving the aerosol generating product, the cavity is cylindrical, the tray and the sensor are both arranged in the cavity, and the axis of the tray coincides with the axis of the cavity.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein: It also includes a limiting mechanism, which is arranged between the tray and the inner wall of the cavity, and is used to limit the movement of the tray along the axial direction of the cavity.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein: The limiting mechanism includes: A limiting groove is provided on the circumferential surface of the tray; A protrusion is provided on the circumferential surface of the cavity, and the protrusion is located in the limiting groove.

10. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein: A limiter is provided on the circumferential surface of the cavity, and the limiter is used to limit the depth of the aerosol generating article inserted into the cavity.

11. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, wherein: Also includes: case; A power supply is electrically connected to the heater and the control element, and is used to supply power to the heater.

12. The aerosol generating device according to claim 11, wherein: A timer is provided in the control element, and the timer is used to count the heating time of the heater.

13. The aerosol generating device according to claim 12, wherein: The number of the sensors is 360° divided by the central angle of the heater, and the sensors are evenly distributed around the cavity; or, The number of the induction elements is a value obtained by dividing 360° by the central angle of the heater, and the induction elements are evenly distributed around the cavity.

14. The aerosol generating device according to claim 13, wherein: The sensor is a photoelectric sensor, and the sensing element is made of reflective material.

15. The aerosol generating device according to claim 14, wherein: The induction element is made of aluminum foil.

16. The aerosol generating device according to claim 13, wherein: The sensor is a Hall sensor, and the induction element is made of magnetic material.

17. The aerosol generating device according to claim 16, wherein: The induction element is made of magnetic powder sprayed on the baffle.

18. The aerosol generating device according to claim 11, wherein: The detection unit includes an encoder, which is provided on the driving mechanism and is used to detect the rotation angle of the heater to calculate whether the operating position of the heater reaches a preset position.

19. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, wherein The aerosol-generating article further includes a third substrate portion, the third substrate portion being disposed within the cavity, the axis of the third substrate portion being coincident with the axis of the first substrate portion and the axis of the second substrate portion, and the outer diameter of the third substrate portion being between the inner diameter of the first substrate portion and the outer diameter of the second substrate portion. The aerosol-generating device comprises: two heaters, wherein one heater is located between the first substrate portion and the third substrate portion, and the other heater is located between the second substrate portion and the third substrate portion, and the heaters are used to heat the aerosol-generating article; The driving mechanism is connected to the heater, and is used to drive the heater to move relative to the aerosol generating article.

20. An aerosol generating system, characterized in that: Comprising an aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. A method of using the aerosol generating system according to claim 20, wherein: include: Starting step: starting the heater to heat the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area; A switching step: after the aerosol-generating substrate in the heating region is exhausted, the heater stops heating, the drive mechanism drives the heater to the next heating region, and the heater restarts to heat the aerosol-generating substrate in the next heating region; The switching steps are repeated until the aerosol-forming substrate is exhausted.

22. The method of use according to claim 21, wherein: In the changing step, after the heater stops heating, the driving mechanism drives the heater to rotate relative to the aerosol-generating article, so that the heater moves to the next heating zone.

23. The method of use according to claim 22, wherein: After the driving mechanism drives the heater to rotate and before the heater is restarted, the method further includes: Determining whether the heater is located at a preset position or rotated at a preset angle; If not, the driving mechanism drives the heater to continue rotating; If so, the heater stops rotating and restarts to heat the aerosol-generating substrate in the next heating zone.

24. The method of use according to claim 23, wherein: In the conversion step, the heating time of the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is compared with the preset time to determine whether the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is exhausted; if the heating time of the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area reaches the preset time, it is determined that the aerosol generating substrate in the heating area is exhausted.

25. The method of use according to claim 23, wherein: If it is determined in the changing step whether the heater is located at the preset position, the method further includes: determining whether the heater is located at a starting position; If not, the driving mechanism drives the heater to rotate until the heater rotates to the starting position, and the heater stops rotating.

26. The method of use according to claim 25, wherein: Also includes: The driving mechanism is provided with a baffle, the baffle is provided with a sensing element, and the housing of the aerosol generating device is provided with a sensor. If the sensing element moves into the sensing area of ​​the sensor, it is determined that the heater is located at the preset position.

27. The method of use according to claim 23, wherein: The heater is in an arc shape, and the preset angle is equal to the value of the central angle of the heater.

28. The method of use according to claim 21, wherein: Before the starting step, a preparation step is further included, and the preparation step includes: inserting the aerosol-generating article into the aerosol-generating device.

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