Method for controlling a heating system of an aerosol generating assembly and associated aerosol generating assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a heating system of an aerosol generating assembly containing a vaporizable material. The method comprises: - a preheating phase comprising controlling the temperature of the susceptor based on at least one vaporizable material property inherent to the vaporizable material or at least one device property inherent to the aerosol generating assembly or an environmental property inherent to an environmental region; - a heating phase comprising controlling the temperature of the susceptor based on a temperature measurement provided by a heating temperature sensor and a predetermined offset.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating component.

[0002] The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating assembly associated with such a method for controlling a heating system. The aerosol generating assembly may, for example, include an aerosol generating device and a cartridge. Background Technology

[0003] Different types of aerosol generating devices are known in the art. Typically, such devices include a storage section for storing a vaporizable material, which may include, for example, a liquid or a solid. A heating system is formed by one or more electrically activated resistance heating elements arranged to heat the vaporizable material to generate an aerosol. The aerosol is released into a flow path extending between the inlet and outlet of the device. This outlet may be arranged as a mouthpiece for delivering the aerosol, which a user inhales through.

[0004] In some aerosol generating devices, the vaporizable material is stored in a removable cartridge. Therefore, when the vaporizable material is depleted, the cartridge can be easily removed and replaced. To attach the removable cartridge to the device body, for example, a threaded connection can be used.

[0005] Different types of heating systems can be used to heat the vaporizable material in such a device. For example, in the case of a liquid vaporizable material, the heating system can be formed by a resistor arranged in a flow path and wound around a wicking element that communicates with the liquid vaporizable material. Thus, the vaporizable material carried by the wicking element can be evaporated by the resistor arranged in the flow path. According to another example, the heating system includes a heating plate in direct contact with the vaporizable material, which can be, for example, a solid vaporizable material. Therefore, the plate can heat the vaporizable material to form vapor.

[0006] According to another example of a heating system, a vaporizable material can be heated by a sensing element arranged in contact with it. This sensing element is magnetically coupled to a coil connected to a battery in the device, and thus can heat the vaporizable material by induction heating. The heat generated originates from hysteresis losses and / or eddy current losses. In this case, the coil is connected to the battery via a self-oscillating circuit, thereby generating an alternating current in the coil. A controller is typically provided to control this current and thus the temperature of the vaporizable material. This last type of heating system is commonly used with solid vaporizable materials, and aerosol generating devices integrating such systems are called "heat-without-burning" devices. In fact, these heating systems should be able to heat vaporizable materials without burning them. Additionally, to provide a better user experience, the vaporizable material can be heated according to a predefined heating profile.

[0007] Therefore, it is conceivable that precise temperature control is crucial for aerosol generating devices. In this field, some heating systems with integrated self-oscillating circuits cannot provide such control. For example, vaporizable materials may be heated too slowly or conversely, too quickly. This can cause the vaporizable material to burn and / or provide a poor user experience. Other heating systems may have complex structures, which increases the cost of the device and may affect its design. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a method for controlling a heating system of an aerosol generating component, which enables precise temperature control of vaporizable materials without increasing costs or affecting the design of the aerosol generating device.

[0009] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a heating system for an aerosol generating assembly, the aerosol generating assembly including a storage portion for storing a vaporizable material, the heating system including: a sensor disposed in the storage portion; and a heating temperature sensor disposed adjacent to or inside the storage portion and configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material.

[0010] The method includes:

[0011] - Preheating stage, which includes controlling the temperature of the sensor based on at least one vaporizable material property inherent to the vaporizable material or at least one device property inherent to the aerosol generating component or environmental properties inherent to the environmental region.

[0012] - Heating phase, which includes a temperature control sensor based on temperature measurements provided by a heating temperature sensor and a predetermined offset of the temperature measurements.

[0013] Because the sensor is located inside the storage section, its temperature control is very challenging, as it is inaccessible from the outside. Therefore, in most cases, the temperature sensor can be positioned adjacent to the storage section and configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material rather than the sensor temperature. However, it has been observed that when the vaporizable material is sufficiently heated, its temperature deviates from the sensor temperature by a certain offset, which can be determined empirically. Therefore, a heating phase can be performed where the sensor temperature is controlled very precisely based on the temperature measurement and offset provided by the temperature sensor. It has also been observed that during the preheating phase, the sensor temperature may differ significantly from the vaporizable material temperature and may exhibit different behaviors. For this purpose, a preheating phase is proposed according to the method of the invention, wherein sensor temperature control is performed independently of the vaporizable material temperature. In this case, the sensor temperature can be controlled based on at least one additional parameter, which is either an inherent vaporizable material characteristic of the vaporizable material, a device characteristic inherent to the aerosol generating component, or an environmental characteristic inherent to the ambient area. Therefore, both the preheating and heating phases can be performed by modeling the sensor temperature, which can be used to control the vaporizable material temperature very precisely.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the vaporizable material property, or each vaporizable material property, corresponds to an element selected from the group consisting of:

[0015] -Vaporizable material components;

[0016] - Consistency in the manufacturing of vaporizable materials;

[0017] - The size of at least one vaporizable material component;

[0018] - The concentration of at least one vaporizable material component.

[0019] Because of these characteristics, the sensor temperature during the preheating stage can be determined based on the properties of the vaporizable material included in the storage section. Specifically, one or more relationships between the sensor temperature and the aforementioned properties of the vaporizable material can be defined. These relationships can be determined empirically and, for example, programmed in the aerosol generating assembly according to the properties of the vaporizable material. Furthermore, these relationships can be easily adjusted in the event of changes in the vaporizable material.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the device characteristic, or each device characteristic, corresponds to an element selected from the group consisting of:

[0021] - Storage section design;

[0022] -Receptor design;

[0023] -Receptor material;

[0024] -Receptor arrangement in the storage section;

[0025] - Aging of at least one electrical component of the aerosol generating assembly.

[0026] Because of these characteristics, the sensor temperature during the preheating phase can be determined based on at least one of the aforementioned properties of the device.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the environmental characteristics correspond to the ambient temperature or the near-surround temperature of the aerosol generating component as measured by the aerosol generating component.

[0028] Because of these characteristics, environmental characteristics can be dynamically determined during the preheating phase using, for example, a temperature sensor arranged on the housing of the aerosol generating assembly.

[0029] According to some embodiments, the preheating stage includes controlling the temperature of the sensor based on the properties of at least one vaporizable material and the properties of at least one device.

[0030] Because of these characteristics, the temperature control of the sensor can be more precise. This control can be performed, for example, using a predetermined relationship between the properties of the vaporizable material and the characteristics of the device. This relationship can, for example, include weighted parameters relative to the properties, which can be determined empirically.

[0031] According to some embodiments, during the preheating phase, the temperature of the sensor is further controlled based on environmental characteristics.

[0032] Because of these characteristics, the control of the sensor temperature can be more precise. For example, a predetermined relationship depending on the characteristics of each of the aforementioned types can be used. Regarding the properties of the vaporizable material and the device, environmental characteristics can be incorporated into the relationship through weighted parameters determined empirically.

[0033] According to some embodiments, a preheating phase is performed during a predetermined time interval after the aerosol generating component is activated.

[0034] According to some embodiments, the predetermined time interval is less than about 10 seconds, preferably less than about 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 seconds and 4 seconds, and advantageously substantially equal to 2 seconds.

[0035] Because of these characteristics, the timing of initiating the heating phase can be determined.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the predetermined offset remains constant over time.

[0037] Because of these characteristics, a predetermined offset of the same value can be used throughout the entire heating phase.

[0038] According to some embodiments, the temperature of the sensor is controlled according to a predetermined preheating temperature curve during the preheating phase and according to a predetermined heating temperature curve during the heating phase.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the temperature of the sensor is controlled by controlling the heat generation on the sensor according to the corresponding temperature curve.

[0040] Because of these characteristics, the temperature of vaporizable materials can be optimally controlled to ensure the best user experience. Furthermore, the curve can be determined by the user according to their own preferences.

[0041] According to some embodiments, the control phase includes controlling the vaporizable material by comparing temperature measurements provided by a heating temperature sensor with a predetermined behavior curve.

[0042] According to some embodiments, the control phase further includes stopping the operation of the aerosol generating component if the temperature measurement result does not match a predetermined behavior curve.

[0043] Because of these features, the properties of the vaporizable material used by the user can be controlled. For example, in the case of unauthorized or counterfeit vaporizable materials, their behavior curve may differ from a predetermined curve stored in the component or accessible remotely, for example, on a server. In this case, the operation of the aerosol generating device can be prevented. These features can be advantageously used when the vaporizable material is stored in a removable cartridge. In this case, for example, it can prevent the use of the cartridge after a predetermined number of uses or prevent the use of counterfeit or modified cartridges.

[0044] The present invention also relates to an aerosol generating assembly comprising a storage section for storing vaporizable materials and a heating system controlled by the method defined above. Attached Figure Description

[0045] The invention and its advantages will be better understood after reading the following description, which is given only by way of non-limiting example and is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0046] - Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing an aerosol generating assembly according to the present invention, which includes a heating system;

[0047] - Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the heating system;

[0048] - Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Detailed views of an exemplary arrangement of the heating system; and

[0049] - Figure 4It demonstrates the control Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the heating system method. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Before describing the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction details set forth in the following description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, who will benefit from this disclosure, that the invention can have other embodiments and can be practiced or performed in various ways.

[0051] As used herein, the term "aerosol generating device" or "device" can include an inhalation device for delivering aerosols (including aerosols for inhalation) to a user via an aerosol generating unit (e.g., an aerosol generating element that generates vapor that condenses into an aerosol before being delivered to an outlet of the device (e.g., at a mouthpiece) for inhalation). The device can be portable. "Portable" can mean that the device is intended for use while held by a user. The device can be adapted to generate a variable amount of aerosol, for example by activating a heater system for a variable period of time (different from a metered dose of aerosol), which can be controlled by a trigger. The trigger can be user-activated, such as an inhalation button and / or an inhalation sensor. The inhalation sensor can be sensitive to inhalation intensity and duration to enable the delivery of a variable amount of vapor (thus mimicking the effect of inhaling conventional combustible smoking products such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes). The device may include a temperature control for driving the heater and / or the heated aerosol-generating substance (aerosol precursor) to a specified target temperature, and then maintaining the temperature at the target temperature that enables effective aerosol generation.

[0052] As used herein, the term "aerosol" can include a suspension of one or more of the following: solid particles; droplets; gases. The suspension may be in a gas including air. Aerosols herein may generally represent / contain vapors. Aerosols may contain one or more components of a vaporizable material.

[0053] As used herein, the terms "vaporizable material," "precursor," "aerosol-forming substance," or "substance" are used to designate any material that can be vaporized in air to form an aerosol. Vaporization is typically achieved by raising the temperature to the boiling point of the vaporizable material, for example, at temperatures below 400°C, preferably up to 350°C. Vaporizable materials may include or consist of, for example, aerosol-generating liquids, gels, waxes, foams, etc., aerosol-generating solids containing treated tobacco material that may be in rod form, rolled sheets or oriented strips of reconstituted tobacco (RTB), or any combination thereof. Vaporizable materials may include one or more of the following: nicotine, caffeine, or other active ingredients. The active ingredient may be carried by a carrier, which may be a liquid. The carrier may include propylene glycol or glycerin. Flavorings may also be present. Flavorings may include ethyl vanillin (vanilla), menthol, isoamyl acetate (banana oil), or the like.

[0054] Reference Figure 1 The aerosol generating assembly 10 according to the invention includes an aerosol generating device 12 and a smoke cartridge 14 configured to store vaporizable material. Figure 1 In the example, cartridge 14 is a removable cartridge that can be inserted into the payload compartment of the aerosol generating device 12, as will be explained in detail below. In this case, when the vaporizable material is depleted, cartridge 14 can be replaced or refilled, for example. According to another embodiment (not shown), the cartridge can be formed from the payload compartment of the aerosol generating device. Therefore, when the vaporizable material is depleted, the cartridge can be refilled.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, the aerosol generating device 12 includes a device housing 21 that extends along the device axis X between the battery end 22 and the nozzle end 24.

[0056] The device housing 21 defines an internal portion of the aerosol generating device 12, which includes a power supply block 32 designed to power the device 12, at least a portion of a heating system 34 powered by the power supply block 32, and a controller 36. The device housing 21 also defines a payload compartment 38, which may be arranged within the internal portion of the device 12 and / or at least partially defined by at least one wall of the device housing 21. Additionally, in Figure 1 In one example, at the mouthpiece end 24, the device housing 21 defines a mouthpiece 40. The mouthpiece 40 is in fluid communication with the payload compartment 38 and defines an airflow outlet configured to deliver aerosol to a user when the aerosol generating device 12 operates together with the cartridge 14. According to another embodiment, the mouthpiece 40 may be integrated into the cartridge 14. The device housing 21 may further include other internal components performing various functions of the device 12 known in the art.

[0057] In some embodiments, the device housing 21 further includes an ambient temperature sensor 39 configured to measure the ambient temperature near the device housing, such as the temperature inside the device housing 21, the temperature on the outer surface of the device housing 21, or the temperature near the aerosol generating assembly 10. Figure 1 In this example, the ambient temperature sensor 39 is disposed in the battery terminal 22 of the device housing 21. In some other embodiments, the device housing 21 includes a plurality of ambient temperature sensors disposed at different locations on the housing 21.

[0058] It should be noted that Figure 1 Only schematic diagrams of different components of the aerosol generating device 12 are shown, but the actual physical arrangement and dimensions of these components are not necessarily shown. Specifically, this arrangement can be selected based on the design of the aerosol generating device 12 and the technical characteristics of its components.

[0059] Power block 32 includes battery 32B ( Figure 2 (As shown) and a battery charger. Battery 32B is, for example, a known battery, designed to be charged using a power supply provided by an external source and to provide a direct current (DC) with a predetermined voltage. Battery 32B defines a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal, the first battery terminal being, for example, a positive voltage terminal V. + The second battery terminal is, for example, a negative voltage terminal V. - A battery charger is capable of connecting a battery to an external source and includes a power connector (such as a mini-USB connector) or a wireless charging connector for this purpose. The battery charger can also control the power delivered to the battery from the external source according to, for example, a predetermined charging curve. This charging curve can, for example, limit the battery's charging voltage based on the battery's charge level.

[0060] The controller 36 is capable of controlling the operation of the aerosol generating device 12. Specifically, the controller 36 is configured to supply power from the power block 32 to the heating system 34, according to the method for controlling the heating system, which will be explained in further detail below, to generate vapor from the vaporizable material. The controller 36 can be actuated by a user via a suction button or after a trigger event (e.g., detecting a user sucking). The controller 36 can perform any other additional functions known to the device 12 itself. Such functions may, for example, involve the device 12's ability to communicate with external devices, maintenance capabilities, analytical capabilities, etc.

[0061] The payload compartment 38 defines a cavity designed to receive the smoke cartridge 14. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cavity has a cylindrical shape. Figure 1In one example, the payload compartment 38 extends along the device axis X between a pair of parallel walls 41, 42 of the device housing 21. In the same example, the payload compartment 38 is further defined by at least one side wall 43 extending along the device axis X between the parallel walls 41, 42. In this case, the payload compartment 38 may further define an opening for inserting a cartridge 14 into the payload compartment 38. This opening may extend, for example, perpendicular to the device axis X, and is formed when a removable portion of the device housing 21 moves away from a fixed portion of the device housing 21 (particularly including the payload compartment 38). The removable portion may, for example, include a mouthpiece 24 and walls 42. The removable portion may be hinged or threaded to the fixed portion. In an embodiment where the mouthpiece 40 is integrated into the cartridge 14, the opening of the payload compartment 38 may extend, for example, perpendicular to the device axis X at the mouthpiece end 24 of the device 10. In this case, the cartridge 14 can be inserted into the payload compartment 38 along the device axis X. In an embodiment where the cartridge 14 is formed by a payload compartment 38, the opening of the payload compartment 38 can be used to refill the payload compartment with a vaporizable material.

[0062] Each of the parallel walls 41 and 42 is, for example, perpendicular to the device axis X. Wall 41 is adjacent to the battery end 22 and defines an orifice adapted to an airflow passage between an airflow channel formed inside the device housing 21 and the cartridge 14. Wall 42 is adjacent to the mouthpiece end 24 and defines an orifice adapted to an airflow passage between the cartridge 14 and the airflow outlet of the mouthpiece 40.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the cartridge 14 includes the portion of the cartridge housing 51 and the heating system 34 that is not included in the aerosol generating device 12, which will be explained in more detail below. The cartridge housing 51 extends along the cartridge axis Y between the device end and the mouthpiece end, and defines two parallel walls 61, 62 perpendicular to the cartridge axis Y and at these ends at at least one lateral wall 63 extending along the cartridge axis Y between the parallel walls 61, 62. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge housing 51 has a cylindrical shape. In this case, the parallel walls 61, 62 may have a circular shape. The walls 61, 62, 63 of the cartridge housing 51 are made of a dielectric material (e.g., a plastic material). Advantageously, according to the invention, the walls 61, 62, 63 can be formed as a single piece manufactured by a suitable industrial process. The walls 61, 62, 63 of the cartridge housing 51 define a storage portion 66 configured to store aerosol forming precursors.

[0064] exist Figure 1In the example, when cartridge 14 is received into the payload compartment 38 of aerosol generating device 12, the cartridge axis Y coincides with the device axis X, and the parallel walls 61, 62 of cartridge housing 51 contact the parallel walls 41, 42 of payload compartment 38. Specifically, in this case, wall 61 contacts wall 41 and defines an airflow inlet facing a corresponding hole in wall 41 to allow airflow into cartridge 14. Similarly, wall 62 contacts wall 42 and defines an airflow outlet facing a corresponding hole in wall 42 to allow airflow to exit from cartridge 14.

[0065] Figure 2 The heating system 34 is shown in more detail. See this. Figure 2 The heating system 34 includes: a coil 72 arranged near the storage section 66 when the cartridge 14 is received in the payload compartment 38; a sensor 74 arranged in the storage section 66; an oscillating circuit system 76 configured to generate an AC current in the coil 72 from a DC current supplied from the battery 32B; and a heating temperature sensor 78 configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material.

[0066] Coil 72 and sensor 74 are arranged separately such that sensor 74 can heat the vaporizable material after magnetic interaction with coil 72. A specific example of this arrangement is... Figure 3 As shown in the image.

[0067] See Figure 3 Coil 72 (also) Figure 1 (As shown by the dashed line) is intended to be arranged around the storage portion 66 of the cartridge 14 along the cartridge axis Y when the cartridge 14 is received in the payload compartment 38. Specifically, in Figure 1 and Figure 3 In this example, the coil 72 is intended to extend around the side wall 63 of the cartridge housing 51, and preferably, significantly along the entire length of the side wall 63. For this purpose, the coil 72 is integrated into or protrudes from the side wall 43 of the payload compartment 38 to extend around the payload compartment 38 along the device axis X. Thus, the coil 72 is integrated into the device 12, and when the cartridge 14 is received in the payload compartment 38, the coil 72 extends around the side wall 63 of the cartridge housing 51, and thus around the storage portion 66 of the cartridge 14.

[0068] The sensor 74 is preferably arranged along the Y-axis of the cartridge in the storage portion 66 of the cartridge 14. The sensor 74 is made of a conductive material, such as a metal (e.g., aluminum or aluminum alloy) or a ferromagnetic material (e.g., low-carbon steel). The shape and size of the sensor 74 are chosen to optimize magnetic coupling with the coil 72 and thus optimize energy transfer efficiency. The shape and size of the sensor 74 are also selected according to the form of the cartridge. Figure 3 For example, the receptor 74 has a parallelepiped shape extending along the Y-axis of the cartridge. According to another example, the receptor 74 has a thin tubular shape also extending along the Y-axis of the cartridge. For example, the tube can be defined with a wall thickness between 30 μm and 150 μm and, for example, substantially equal to 50 μm. A larger wall thickness can be chosen to simplify the manufacturing process. According to both examples, the length of the receptor 74 can be chosen between 5 mm and 13 mm, advantageously between 7 mm and 11 mm. In general, the shape of the receptor 74 is chosen to better concentrate the electromagnetic field generated by the coil 72. For example, for a coil 72 with a circular shape (where the field strength is lowest at the geometric center), the shape of the receptor 74 is chosen to be closer to the winding of the coil 72. According to some embodiments, the receptor 74 can be made from several separate elements having substantially the same shape and size or different shapes and / or sizes.

[0069] A heating temperature sensor 78 is arranged to measure the temperature of a vaporizable material. For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the heating temperature sensor 78 may be adjacent to at least one wall of the cartridge housing 51, such as adjacent to one of the parallel walls 61, 62. According to another example, the heating temperature sensor 78 may at least partially form such a wall. According to yet another embodiment, the heating temperature sensor 78 is arranged within the storage portion 66. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heating temperature sensor 78 is arranged to contact a vaporizable material. The heating temperature sensor 78 may correspond to any known sensor, such as the "PT100" sensor.

[0070] Now, special reference will be made Figure 4 The method for controlling the heating system 34 is also referred to as the control method. As described above, this method is executed, for example, by the controller 36. According to the invention, the control method includes a preheating stage aimed at preheating the vaporizable material and a heating stage aimed at heating the vaporizable material to generate an aerosol.

[0071] The preheating phase is activated by the controller 36 after, for example, detecting an activation or trigger event of the user's sucking button (e.g., detecting user sucking). During this phase, the controller 36 supplies power to the heating system 34 to induce a predetermined preheating temperature profile on the sensor 74. This predetermined preheating temperature profile is determined empirically, for example, to ensure an optimal user experience. According to another embodiment, the predetermined preheating temperature profile is selected by the user according to his / her own preferences.

[0072] To induce a predetermined preheating profile on the sensor 74, the controller 36 can control the operation of the heating system 34 by controlling the operation of the oscillating circuit system 76 that powers the coil 72. The coil 72 induces a current in the sensor 74, which is converted into heat. During the preheating phase, the control of the heating system 34 performed by the controller 36 is based on at least one vaporizable material characteristic inherent to the vaporizable material, or on at least one device characteristic inherent to the aerosol generating component 10, or on environmental characteristics inherent to the environmental region. Therefore, during the preheating phase, the heating system 34 is controlled using at least one external characteristic, meaning the heating system is controlled according to open-loop control. In some embodiments, the controller 36 can control the operation of the heating system 34 using at least two different types of said characteristics. In some embodiments, the operation of the heating system 34 is performed using all types of said characteristics. For example, the controller 36 can control the operation of the heating system 34 based on at least one vaporizable material characteristic and at least one device characteristic. Additionally, this control can be further performed based on environmental characteristics.

[0073] Specifically, in some cases, the controller 36 can control the power supply to the heating system 34 based on at least one of the aforementioned characteristics. For this purpose, the controller 36 can use, for example, a predetermined relationship between at least one of the aforementioned characteristics and the power delivered from the battery 32B to the heating system 34. This relationship can be expressed in the following form:

[0074] P = F(c),

[0075] Where P is the power delivered to the heating system 34, and c is at least one of the stated characteristics. As previously mentioned, the function F may depend on several characteristics of different types. Furthermore, the function may also depend on, for example, several values ​​of the same characteristic that vary over time. Further, the function F may depend on time. For example, in the first second of the preheating phase, 100% of the available power may be supplied to the heating system 34. In the next second, the power may be reduced to 80%, and in the following second, to 50%. In variations, the predetermined relationship between at least one of the stated characteristics and the power delivered to the heating system 34 may be expressed in the form of a lookup table based, for example, empirical data.

[0076] According to the present invention, each vaporizable material property corresponds to an element selected from the group consisting of:

[0077] -Vaporizable material components;

[0078] - Consistency in the manufacturing of vaporizable materials;

[0079] - The size of at least one vaporizable material component;

[0080] - The concentration of at least one vaporizable material component.

[0081] Therefore, each vaporizable material characteristic can be determined based on the properties of the vaporizable material contained in the cartridge 14. This characteristic can be provided, for example, by the manufacturer and stored by the controller 36. Thus, upon detecting a new cartridge 14, the controller 36 determines, for example, the properties of the vaporizable material, and determines at least one vaporizable material characteristic based on these properties. For this purpose, the cartridge 14 may include a memory (such as an NFC tag) capable of transmitting data related to the properties of the vaporizable material to the controller 36. Alternatively, the properties of the vaporizable material can be provided by a user using, for example, a suitable user interface integrated into the aerosol generating assembly 10 or an external device communicating with the controller 36. According to yet another embodiment, when a new cartridge 14 is detected, the controller 36 directly determines at least one vaporizable material characteristic based on data provided by the cartridge 14. Alternatively, this characteristic can be provided by the user.

[0082] According to the present invention, each device characteristic corresponds to an element selected from the group consisting of:

[0083] - Storage section design, such as the shape and size of storage section 66;

[0084] - Receptor design, such as the shape, form (whether it is unique) and size of the receptor;

[0085] -Receptor material;

[0086] -Receptor arrangement in the storage section;

[0087] - Aging of at least one electrical component of the aerosol generating assembly.

[0088] The last element may involve, for example, the aging of the sensor 74, coil 72 and / or battery 32B, and may be stored by the controller 36 and changed over time.

[0089] The environmental characteristics may correspond to the ambient temperature measured by the ambient temperature sensor 39 or the near-surround temperature of the aerosol generating assembly 10. In a variant, the environmental characteristics may correspond to the average temperature of several temperature values ​​determined by different temperature sensors arranged at different locations on the aerosol generating assembly 10.

[0090] In one embodiment of the invention, the duration of the preheating phase is fixed to a predetermined time interval. This duration may be, for example, less than about 10 seconds, preferably less than about 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 and 4 seconds, and advantageously substantially equal to 2 or 3 seconds. In this case, the controller 36 detects the end of the predetermined time interval and initiates the heating phase. According to another embodiment of the invention, the duration of the preheating phase is dynamically determined by the controller 36 based on at least one of the characteristics described above. For example, the duration of the preheating phase can be determined based on the ambient temperature. In this case, the controller 36 first determines the duration of the preheating phase, then ends the preheating phase and initiates the heating phase based on this duration. Advantageously, in both cases, it is assumed that at the end of the preheating phase, the vaporizable material is heated until a stable temperature is reached, for example, until the temperature that causes aerosol generation.

[0091] Similar to the preheating phase, during the heating phase, controller 36 supplies power to heating system 34 to induce a predetermined heating temperature profile on sensor 74. This predetermined heating temperature profile is determined empirically, for example, to ensure an optimal user experience. According to another embodiment, the predetermined heating temperature profile is selected by the user according to his / her own preferences. For example, a predetermined heating temperature profile can be selected to maintain the same temperature of sensor 74 throughout all inhalation sessions.

[0092] To induce a predetermined heating temperature profile on sensor 74, as during the preheating phase, controller 36 can control the operation of heating system 34 by controlling the operation of oscillating circuit system 76 and, in particular, the power supply to coil 72. However, during the heating phase, controller 36 controls the operation of heating system 34 based on temperature measurements provided by heating temperature sensor 78 and a predetermined offset. Since no external characteristics are used besides the temperature measurements, this type of control is called closed-loop control. In some embodiments, the temperature measurements may be emitted from several heating temperature sensors arranged near and / or inside storage section 66.

[0093] The predetermined offset corresponds to the difference between the temperature of sensor 74 and the temperature measured by heating temperature sensor 78 (i.e., the temperature measurement result of the vaporizable material). The offset may be a constant value over time. According to another embodiment, the offset may vary over time according to, for example, a predetermined rule. In both cases, the offset may be determined empirically. In some embodiments, the offset may be a function of at least one of the aforementioned characteristics. Specifically, the offset may be determined as a function of at least one vaporizable material characteristic inherent to the vaporizable material and / or at least one device characteristic inherent to the aerosol generating component 10 and / or environmental characteristics inherent to the environmental area. For example, the offset may be determined based on the storage section and / or sensor design. Specifically, in some embodiments, the offset may be proportional to the distance between sensor 74 and temperature sensor 78.

[0094] Similar to the previous case, in order to control the sensor temperature, the controller 36 can use, for example, a predetermined relationship between the temperature measurement result and offset on one hand, and the power delivered from the battery 32B to the heating system 34 on the other hand, to control the power supply to the heating system 34. This relationship can be written in the following form:

[0095] P = f(T) k ,O),

[0096] Where P is the power delivered to the heating system 34, and T k It is the temperature measurement result at time k, and O is the predetermined offset, which can depend on one or more characteristics, as mentioned above.

[0097] Figure 4 Different temperature measurements are shown during the preheating phase PHP and the heating phase HP when performing the control method according to the invention. Figure 4 In the diagram above, curve L1 corresponds to the temperature measurement result of the ambient area far from the aerosol generating component 10, curve L2 corresponds to the temperature measurement result performed on the surface of the aerosol generating component 10 using, for example, an ambient temperature sensor 39, curve L3 corresponds to the temperature measurement result of the vaporizable material performed, for example, by a heating temperature sensor 78, and curve L4 corresponds to the temperature measurement result of the sensor 74. It can be seen that curve L1 remains substantially constant throughout the inhalation session, and curve L2 shows a slight temperature increase after the preheating phase. As for curves L3 and L4, it can be seen that their behavior differs significantly during the preheating phase PHP. In particular, the sensor temperature increases significantly during the preheating phase PHP compared to the vaporizable material temperature. Their maximum difference D can be several times the offset during the heating phase HP. However, as mentioned above, the sensor temperature can be modeled using one or more of the aforementioned characteristics. Conversely, during the heating phase HP, the difference between the sensor temperature and the vaporizable material temperature is more regular and can be modeled by offset.

[0098] According to a specific embodiment of the invention, the control method further includes a control phase, for example, performed during a preheating phase. Specifically, during this control phase, the controller 36 acquires temperature measurements of the vaporizable material, for example, provided by a heating temperature sensor 78, and compares these measurements with a predetermined behavior curve of the vaporizable material. The behavior curve may be stored by the controller 36 and / or remotely accessible, for example, on a server. Such a behavior curve may correspond to the normal behavior of a known vaporizable material during temperature rise in the preheating phase. If the measurement results do not match the predetermined behavior curve, the controller 56 may stop the operation of the heating system 34 and / or issue a corresponding signal to the user. In this case, it should be assumed that the vaporizable material used by the user does not correspond to the vaporizable material intended for use with the aerosol generating component 10. This may occur, for example, when the vaporizable material (or cartridge 14) is counterfeited or when the user intends to use the vaporizable material (or cartridge 14) a second time. In this case, when, for example, the user replaces cartridge 14 with a new cartridge containing a known vaporizable material or a vaporizable material authorized for use by the user, the controller 36 may resume normal operation of the heating system 34.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a heating system (34) of an aerosol generating assembly (10), the aerosol generating assembly (10) including a storage section (66) for storing vaporizable materials, the heating system (34) comprising: A receptor (74) is arranged in the storage section (66); And a heating temperature sensor (78) arranged adjacent to or inside the storage section (66) and configured to measure the temperature of the vaporizable material; The method includes: The preheating phase includes controlling the temperature of the sensor (74) based on at least one vaporizable material characteristic inherent to the vaporizable material or at least one device characteristic inherent to the aerosol generating component (10) or environmental characteristics inherent to the environmental area, wherein the control of the temperature of the sensor (74) during the preheating phase is performed independently of the temperature of the vaporizable material. The heating phase includes controlling the temperature of the sensor (74) based on the temperature measurement results provided by the heating temperature sensor (78). The control of the temperature of the sensor (74) during the heating phase is also based on a predetermined offset of the temperature measurement results, which models the difference between the temperature of the sensor and the temperature of the vaporizable material during the heating phase.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, This vaporizable material property, or each vaporizable material property, corresponds to an element selected from the group consisting of: Vaporizable material composition; Consistency in the manufacturing of vaporizable materials; The size of at least one vaporizable material component; The concentration of at least one vaporizable material component.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, This device characteristic, or each device characteristic, corresponds to an element selected from a group including the following: Storage section (66) design; Receptor (74) design; Receptor (74) material; The receptors (74) in this storage section are arranged; Aging of at least one electrical component of the aerosol generating assembly (10).

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, This environmental characteristic corresponds to the ambient temperature or the temperature near the aerosol generating component (10) as measured by the aerosol generating component (10).

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The preheating stage includes controlling the temperature of the sensor (74) based on the properties of at least one vaporizable material and at least one device property.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, During this preheating phase, the temperature of the sensor (74) is further controlled based on the environmental characteristics.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The preheating phase is performed during a predetermined time interval after the aerosol generating component (10) is activated.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The predetermined time interval is less than 10 seconds.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The predetermined time interval is less than 5 seconds.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The predetermined time interval is between 2 seconds and 4 seconds.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The length of the predetermined time interval is equal to 2 seconds.

12. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The predetermined offset remains constant over time.

13. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The temperature of the sensor (74) is controlled according to a predetermined preheating temperature curve during the preheating phase and according to a predetermined heating temperature curve during the heating phase.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The temperature of the sensor (74) is controlled by controlling the heat generation on the sensor (74) according to the corresponding temperature curve.

15. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control phase, the control phase comprising controlling the vaporizable material by comparing the temperature measurement results provided by the heating temperature sensor (78) with a predetermined behavior curve.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The control phase further includes stopping the operation of the aerosol generating component (10) if the temperature measurement result does not match the predetermined behavior curve.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein, This control phase is performed during the preheating phase.

18. An aerosol generating assembly (10) comprising a storage section (66) for storing vaporizable material and a heating system (34) controlled by the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

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