Aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes a housing including an article insertion portion for receiving an aerosol generating article, a cartridge insertable into the housing and including a flexible portion, and an actuator disposed in the housing and configured to change a volume of the cartridge by deformation of the flexible portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The following embodiments relate to an aerosol generating apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Technologies have been developed to introduce airflow into aerosol-generating products to improve atomization performance. For example, aerosol-generating devices are being developed to generate aerosols from aerosol-generating products in a non-combustion manner. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Technical issues

[0004] According to the embodiments, the aerosol generating apparatus can deliver one or more liquid flavorings stored in a cigarette cartridge to an aerosol-generated product.

[0005] Technical solutions to solve technical problems

[0006] According to one embodiment, an aerosol generating apparatus includes: a housing, the housing including an article insertion portion for receiving an aerosol generating article; a cartridge, the cartridge being insertable into the housing and including a flexible portion; and an actuator disposed in the housing, the actuator being configured to change the volume of the cartridge by deforming the flexible portion.

[0007] In one embodiment, the cartridge may include: a first cartridge portion configured to contain a first liquid flavoring; and a second cartridge portion configured to contain a second liquid flavoring; and the actuator may include: a first striking bar configured to strike one end of the first cartridge portion; and a second striking bar configured to strike one end of the second cartridge portion.

[0008] In one embodiment, the cartridge may include: a cartridge portion configured to contain a liquid flavoring agent; and a liquid injection needle protruding from one end of the cartridge portion and configured to communicate with the interior of the cartridge portion, wherein the flexible portion is a membrane disposed at the other end of the cartridge portion. The actuator may include: a striking rod extending to the membrane; and a driving element configured to transmit forward and backward driving forces to the striking rod.

[0009] In one embodiment, the housing may include: a first housing portion configured to receive a cartridge and an actuator; and a second housing portion connected to the first housing portion and having an insert portion for receiving an article of interest. The first housing portion may have a cartridge receiver, and the insert portion may be formed to penetrate the second housing portion for alignment with the cartridge receiver. The first and second housing portions may be connected by a hinge. The diameter of the cartridge receiver may be larger than the diameter of the insert portion for receiving an article of interest.

[0010] In one embodiment, one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion may include a protrusion that protrudes toward the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the protrusion forming a partition space between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, and the partition space and the article insertion portion being in communication with each other to form an airflow path.

[0011] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may further include a cartridge holder disposed on the side of the second housing portion facing the first housing portion, wherein the cartridge holder may contact one side of the cartridge to hold the cartridge in place within the cartridge receiver.

[0012] In one embodiment, a heater may be provided on at least a portion of the periphery of the insert portion of the article.

[0013] According to one embodiment, an aerosol generating apparatus includes: a housing, the housing including an article insertion portion for receiving an aerosol-generated article; a cartridge, the cartridge being insertable into the housing and including a plurality of cartridge portions for containing different liquids; and an actuator disposed in the housing and configured to strike the cartridge portions; wherein at least one cartridge portion is configured to change the volume of the at least one cartridge, and the actuator can strike the cartridge portion individually, such that liquids can be combined and delivered to the article insertion portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cartridge may include: a first cartridge portion configured to contain a first liquid flavoring; and a second cartridge portion configured to contain a second liquid flavoring, wherein a portion of at least one of the first cartridge portion and the second cartridge portion may include a membrane, and the actuator may include a plurality of striking rods configured to strike the first cartridge portion and the second cartridge portion respectively, such that when the membrane is deformed by the striking rods, the first liquid flavoring and the second liquid flavoring can be combined and delivered to the article insertion portion.

[0015] In one embodiment, the housing may include a first housing portion and a second housing portion connected to the first housing portion by a hinge. A cartridge receiver may be provided on the side of the first housing portion facing the second housing portion to receive the cartridge. An article insertion portion may be formed to penetrate the second housing portion. The actuator, the cartridge receiver and the article insertion portion may be aligned in a straight line.

[0016] Beneficial effects of the invention

[0017] According to the embodiments, flavoring agents or combinations of flavoring agents may optionally be added to the aerosol-generating article to be inserted into the aerosol-generating device.

[0018] According to the implementation method, the amount of flavoring agent or combination of flavoring agents to be added to the aerosol-generating product can be precisely controlled.

[0019] The effects of the aerosol generating apparatus according to the embodiments are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The foregoing and other aspects, features and advantages of the various embodiments in this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 The open state of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 The image shows a state in which a smoke cartridge of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment is inserted.

[0024] Figure 4a An example is shown of inserting multiple cartridge portions into an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment. Figure 4b It shows along Figure 4a The state in which the plurality of smoke cartridges of the aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment are inserted, as observed from direction A. Figure 4c It is along Figure 4a The view observed from direction B.

[0025] Figure 5 An aerosol generation system according to one embodiment is shown.

[0026] Figure 6 A smoke cartridge and actuator of an aerosol generating apparatus according to one embodiment are shown.

[0027] Figure 7 An aerosol-generated article according to one embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The terminology used in the embodiments is selected from commonly used terms that are currently widely used, taking into account their function in the embodiments. However, these terms may vary depending on the intent of those skilled in the art, precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. Furthermore, in certain cases, these terms may be arbitrarily chosen by the applicant of this disclosure, and the meanings of these terms will be described in detail in the corresponding sections of the detailed description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure are not names of terms, but are defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of this disclosure.

[0029] It will be understood that, unless expressly stated herein, when a particular part “includes” a particular component, that part does not exclude other components, but may also include other components. Furthermore, terms used in this application, such as “unit”, “module”, etc., may refer to a part used to perform at least one function or operation, and may be implemented as hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0030] As used herein, expressions such as "at least one of..." following a listed component do not modify each of the listed components but rather all of them. For example, the expression "at least one of a, b, or c" should be interpreted as including a, including b, including c, including a and b, including a and c, including b and c, or including a, b, and c.

[0031] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be an apparatus that generates aerosol by electrically heating a cigarette contained in an internal space.

[0032] The aerosol generating apparatus may include a heater. In one embodiment, the heater may be a resistance heater. For example, the heater may include a conductive track, and the heater may be heated when current flows through the conductive track.

[0033] The heater may include tubular heating elements, plate heating elements, needle heating elements, or rod heating elements, and the heater may heat the inside or outside of the cigarette depending on the shape of the heating element.

[0034] Cigarettes may include tobacco sticks and filter sticks. The tobacco stick can be formed as a sheet, shreds, or it can be formed from finely cut tobacco leaves. Additionally, the tobacco stick can be surrounded by a heat-conducting material. For example, the heat-conducting material can be metal foil, such as aluminum foil. However, the implementation is not limited to these.

[0035] The filter rod may be a cellulose acetate filter. The filter rod may include at least one section. For example, the filter rod may include a first section for cooling the aerosol and a second section for filtering predetermined components contained in the aerosol.

[0036] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be an apparatus that uses a smoke cartridge containing aerosol generating material to generate aerosols.

[0037] The aerosol generating device may include a cartridge containing an aerosol-generating substance and a body supporting the cartridge. The cartridge may be detachably attached to the body. However, the implementation is not limited to this. The cartridge may be integrally formed with the body, or the cartridge may be assembled with the body as a single unit, and the cartridge may be secured to the body to prevent disassembly by the user. The cartridge may be mounted on the body while the aerosol-generating substance is contained within it. However, the implementation is not limited to this. The aerosol-generating substance may be injected into the cartridge while it is attached to the body.

[0038] The cartridge can contain aerosol-generating substances in various states, such as liquid, solid, gas, and gel. The aerosol-generating substances can include liquid compositions. For example, the liquid composition can be a liquid containing tobacco-containing substances having volatile tobacco aroma components, or it can be a liquid containing non-tobacco substances.

[0039] The cartridge can operate via electrical or wireless signals transmitted from the main body to perform the function of generating aerosols by converting the phase of the aerosol-generating substance within the cartridge into a gaseous phase. An aerosol can refer to a gaseous mixture of vaporized particles generated by the aerosol-generating substance and air.

[0040] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device can generate an aerosol by heating a liquid composition, and the generated aerosol can be delivered to the user through the cigarette. That is, the aerosol generated from the liquid composition can travel along the airflow path of the aerosol generating device, and the airflow path can be configured to allow the aerosol to be delivered to the user through the cigarette.

[0041] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may be an apparatus that generates aerosols from aerosol generating substances using ultrasonic vibration. In this case, ultrasonic vibration can refer to a method of generating aerosols by atomizing the aerosol generating substances using ultrasonic vibrations generated by a vibrator.

[0042] The aerosol generating apparatus may include a vibrator, and the aerosol generating material may be atomized by generating vibrations at short intervals using the vibrator. The vibrations generated by the vibrator may be ultrasonic vibrations, and the frequency band of the ultrasonic vibrations may be from about 100 kHz to about 3.5 MHz. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0043] The aerosol generating apparatus may also include a core for absorbing the aerosol-generating material. For example, the core may be arranged to surround at least one region of the vibrator, or may be arranged to contact at least one region of the vibrator.

[0044] When a voltage (e.g., AC voltage) is applied to the vibrator, the vibrator can generate thermal and / or ultrasonic vibrations, and the thermal and / or ultrasonic vibrations generated by the vibrator can be transmitted to aerosol-generating substances absorbed in the core. The aerosol-generating substances absorbed in the core can be converted into a gaseous phase by the thermal and / or ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the vibrator, and thus aerosols can be generated.

[0045] For example, the viscosity of the aerosol-generating material absorbed in the core can be reduced by the heat generated by the vibrator, and the aerosol-generating material with reduced viscosity can be broken into tiny particles by ultrasonic vibration generated by the vibrator, thus enabling the generation of aerosols. However, the implementation is not limited to this.

[0046] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus may be an apparatus that generates aerosols by heating the aerosol generating article disposed in the aerosol generating apparatus through induction heating.

[0047] An aerosol generating apparatus may include a susceptor and a coil. In one embodiment, the coil may apply a magnetic field to the susceptor. When the aerosol generating apparatus supplies power to the coil, a magnetic field can be formed within the coil. In one embodiment, the susceptor may be a magnetic body that generates heat through an external magnetic field. When the susceptor is positioned inside the coil and heat is generated using the applied magnetic field, the aerosol generating article can be heated. Alternatively, the susceptor may be positioned within the aerosol generating article.

[0048] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device may also include a cradle.

[0049] The aerosol generating device and the separate bracket can be used together to form a system. For example, the bracket can be used to charge the battery of the aerosol generating device. Alternatively, when the bracket and the aerosol generating device are connected to each other, a heater can be used for heating.

[0050] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to readily implement the disclosure. The present disclosure may be implemented in a form that can be carried out in an aerosol generating apparatus according to the various exemplary embodiments described above, or the present disclosure may be implemented and practiced in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0051] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Reference Figure 1 The aerosol generating device 100 may include a controller 110, a sensing unit 120, an output unit 130, a battery 140, a heater 150, a user input unit 160, a memory 170, and a communication unit 180. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to... Figure 1 The structure shown is illustrated. Those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that, according to the design of the aerosol generating apparatus 100, this can be omitted. Figure 1 Some of the components shown may be additional components that can be added.

[0053] The sensing unit 120 can sense the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the state of the surrounding environment of the aerosol generating device 100, and transmit the sensing information obtained by sensing to the controller 110. Based on the sensing information, the controller 110 can control the aerosol generating device 100 to control the operation of the heater 150, restrict smoking, determine whether an aerosol generating product (e.g., a cigarette, a cartridge, etc.) has been inserted, display a notification, and perform other functions.

[0054] The sensing unit 120 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 122, an insertion detection sensor 124, or a suction sensor 126. However, the implementation is not limited thereto.

[0055] Temperature sensor 122 can sense the temperature at which heater 150 (or aerosol generating material) is heated. Aerosol generating apparatus 100 may include a separate temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of heater 150, or heater 150 itself may perform the function of a temperature sensor. Alternatively, temperature sensor 122 may be arranged around battery 140 to monitor the temperature of battery 140.

[0056] Insertion detection sensor 124 can sense whether an aerosol-generating article has been inserted or removed. For example, insertion detection sensor 124 may include at least one of, for example, a membrane sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistance sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, which can sense signal changes caused by the insertion or removal of the aerosol-generating article.

[0057] The suction sensor 126 can sense the user's suction based on various physical changes in the airflow path or airflow channel. For example, the suction sensor 126 can sense the user's suction based on any of the following: temperature change, flow change, voltage change, and pressure change.

[0058] In addition to the sensors 122 to 126 described above, the sensing unit 120 may also include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a position sensor (e.g., a Global Positioning System, GPS), a proximity sensor, and a red-green-blue (RGB) sensor (e.g., an illuminance sensor). The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by those skilled in the art from its name; therefore, a more detailed description of these sensors will be omitted here.

[0059] The output unit 130 can output information about the status of the aerosol generating apparatus 100 and provide that information to the user. The output unit 130 may include at least one of a display 132, a tactile unit 134, or a sound output unit 136. However, the implementation is not limited thereto. When the display 132 and the touchpad are arranged in a layered structure to form a touch screen, the display 132 may function as an input device in addition to being an output device.

[0060] Display 132 can visually provide information about the aerosol generating apparatus 100 to the user. This information may include, for example, the charging / discharging status of the battery 140, the preheating status of the heater 150, the insertion / removal status of the aerosol-generating article, and any limitations on the use of the aerosol generating apparatus 100 (e.g., detection of an abnormal article), and display 132 can output this information externally. Display 132 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or a similar device. Display 132 may also be in the form of a light-emitting diode (LED) device.

[0061] The tactile unit 134 can provide information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user in a tactile manner by converting electrical signals into mechanical or electrical stimulation. The tactile unit 134 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0062] The sound output device 136 can provide information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user in an audible manner. For example, the sound output device 136 can convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and output the sound signal to the outside.

[0063] Battery 140 can supply power for the operation of aerosol generating apparatus 100. Battery 140 can supply power to heat heater 150. Furthermore, battery 140 can supply power for the operation of other components included in aerosol generating apparatus 100 (e.g., sensing unit 120, output unit 130, user input unit 160, memory 170, and communication unit 180). Battery 140 can be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. Battery 140 can be, for example, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery. However, the implementation is not limited to this.

[0064] Heater 150 can receive power from battery 140 to heat the aerosol-generating material. Although not in Figure 1 As shown, the aerosol generating apparatus 100 may also include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a direct current (DC) to direct current (DC / DC) converter) that converts the power from the battery 140 and supplies the power to the heater 150. Additionally, when the aerosol generating apparatus 100 generates aerosols by induction heating, the aerosol generating apparatus 100 may also include a direct current to direct current (AC) converter (DC / AC) that converts the DC power from the battery 140 to alternating current (AC) power.

[0065] The controller 110, sensing unit 120, output unit 130, user input unit 160, memory 170, and communication unit 180 can receive power from battery 140 to perform their functions. Although not explicitly stated... Figure 1 As shown, the aerosol generating apparatus may also include a power conversion circuit that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies the power to the various components. This power conversion circuit may be, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage regulation circuit.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the heater 150 can be formed of a suitable predetermined resistive material. For example, the resistive material can be a metal or metal alloy, including, for example, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nickel-chromium metal, etc. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. Furthermore, the heater 150 can be implemented as a metal heating wire, a metal heating plate on which conductive traces are arranged, a ceramic heating element, etc. However, the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0067] In another embodiment, heater 150 may be an induction heater. For example, heater 150 may include a base that heats the aerosol-generating material by means of a magnetic field applied by a coil.

[0068] User input unit 160 can receive information input by the user or output information to the user. For example, user input unit 160 may include a keyboard, a dome switch, a touchpad (e.g., capacitive contact, pressure resistance film, infrared sensing, surface ultrasonic conduction, integrated tension measurement, piezoelectric effect method, etc.), a scroll wheel, a scroll wheel switch, etc. However, the implementation is not limited thereto. Although not described in detail... Figure 1 As shown, the aerosol generating device 100 may also include a connection interface, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, and the aerosol generating device 100 may be connected to other external devices via the connection interface, such as the USB interface, to transmit and receive information or to charge the battery 140.

[0069] The memory 170, serving as hardware for storing various data segments processed in the aerosol generating apparatus 100, can store data processed by the controller 110 and data to be processed by the controller 110. The memory 170 may include at least one storage medium selected from flash memory, hard disk memory, multimedia card micro-memory, card-type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), magnetic storage, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The memory 170 can store data such as the operating time of the aerosol generating apparatus 100, maximum number of puffs, current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and data associated with the user's smoking pattern.

[0070] The communication unit 180 may include at least one component for communicating with other electronic devices. For example, the communication unit 180 may include a short-range communication unit 182 and a wireless communication unit 184.

[0071] The short-range wireless communication unit 182 may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication unit, a near-field communication unit, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an Infrared Data Protocol (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication unit, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) communication unit, and an Ant+ communication unit, etc. However, the implementation is not limited to this.

[0072] The wireless communication unit 184 may include, for example, a cellular network communicator, an internet communicator, a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) communicator, etc. However, the implementation is not limited to this. The wireless communication unit 184 may use subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) to identify and verify the aerosol generating device 100 in the communication network.

[0073] The controller 110 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating apparatus 100. In one embodiment, the controller 110 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or the processor may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Furthermore, those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that the controller may be implemented in other types of hardware.

[0074] The controller 110 can control the temperature of the heater 150 by controlling the power supplied from the battery 140 to the heater 150. For example, the controller 110 can control the power supply by controlling the switching of the switching element between the battery 140 and the heater 150. In another example, the direct heating circuit can control the power supplied to the heater 150 according to control commands from the controller 110.

[0075] The controller 110 can analyze the sensing results obtained by the sensing unit 120 and control the subsequent process. For example, the controller 110 can control the power supplied to the heater 150 based on the sensing results obtained by the sensing unit 120, so as to start or stop the operation of the heater 150. As another example, based on the sensing results obtained by the sensing unit 120, the controller 110 can control the amount of power supplied to the heater 150 and the duration of power supply, so that the heater 150 can heat to a predetermined temperature or maintain a desired temperature.

[0076] The controller 110 can control the output unit 130 based on the sensing results obtained by the sensing unit 120. For example, when the number of suctions counted by the suction sensor 126 reaches a preset number, the controller 110 can notify the user that the aerosol generating device 100 is about to terminate through at least one of the display 132, the tactile part 134, or the sound output part 136.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the controller 110 can control the power supply time and / or power supply amount for the heater 150 based on the state of the aerosol generating article sensed by the sensing unit 120. For example, when the aerosol generating article (e.g., aerosol generating article 201) is in an over-humidified state, the controller 110 can control the power supply time for the induction coil to increase the preheating time compared to when the aerosol generating article (e.g., aerosol generating article 201) is in a normal state.

[0078] Reference Figures 2 to 7 The aerosol generation system 20 may include an aerosol generation device 200 and an aerosol generation article 201. The aerosol generation device 200 may house the aerosol generation article 201 within an internal space (e.g., Figure 2 The aerosol generating product 201 is electrically heated in the insert portion 2121 to generate aerosol.

[0079] Reference Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 200 may include a housing 210, a smoke cartridge 220, and an actuator 230.

[0080] In one embodiment, housing 210 may include a first housing portion 211 and a second housing portion 212 coupled to the first housing portion 211. For example, the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 may be rotatably connected around a hinge 213. Housing 210 may change state from an open mode to a closed mode. In the open mode, the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 may be separated around the hinge 213. In the closed mode, the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 may be coupled to be in close contact with each other. In the open mode, a surface of the second housing portion 212 facing the first housing portion 211 may be exposed. Additionally, a cartridge receiver 2111 may also be exposed outside the second housing portion 212 so that a cartridge 220 can be inserted into the cartridge receiver 2111.

[0081] In one embodiment, the cartridge receiver 2111 may be disposed on one side of the first housing portion 211, such that the cartridge 220 may be inserted into the cartridge receiver 2111. The cartridge receiver 2111 may be implemented as a space recessed inward from one surface of the first housing portion 211.

[0082] In one embodiment, actuator 230 may be arranged adjacent to cartridge receiver 2111 within the first housing portion 211. Actuator 230 may enable cartridge 220 received in cartridge receiver 2111, as will be described in detail later. Power supply unit (e.g., battery) (not shown) and controller (not shown) may be arranged adjacent to actuator 230 to assist in activation by actuator 230.

[0083] Reference Figure 3 According to one embodiment, the cartridge 220 can be inserted into the cartridge receiver 2111 of the aerosol generating device 200, and the external shape of the cartridge 220 can be made to correspond to the shape of the cartridge receiver 2111. For example, liquid flavoring can be contained in the cartridge 200, and the liquid flavoring can be discharged from the cartridge 200 through liquid injection needles 2211, 2221, 2231 protruding from the cartridge 200.

[0084] The protruding length of the liquid injection needles 2211, 2221, 2231 can be set to a length that allows at least a portion of the liquid injection needles 2211, 2221, 2231 to protrude to the outside of the first housing portion 211 when the cartridge 220 is inserted into the cartridge receiver 2111.

[0085] Reference Figures 4a to 4c According to one embodiment, the cartridge 220 of the aerosol generating apparatus 200 may include multiple cartridge portions 221, 222, and 223 for containing different liquid flavorings. For example, the cartridge 220 may include a first cartridge portion 221, a second cartridge portion 222, and a third cartridge portion 223. The number of cartridge portions 221, 222, and 223 is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the cartridge 220 may include only the first cartridge portion 221 and the second cartridge portion 222.

[0086] In one embodiment, the first cartridge portion 221 may contain a first liquid flavoring, the second cartridge portion 222 may contain a second liquid flavoring, and the third cartridge portion 223 may contain a third liquid flavoring. For example, the first, second, or third liquid flavoring may be different concentrates, and may include menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, various fruit flavoring components, etc., or may include ingredients that provide the user with various aromas and flavors. Furthermore, the first cartridge portion 221, second cartridge portion 222, or third cartridge portion 223 may contain a vitamin mixture; for example, the first cartridge portion 221, second cartridge portion 222, or third cartridge portion 223 may contain vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, or a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. However, the embodiments are not limited to these.

[0087] In one embodiment, the cartridge receiver 2111 may include a plurality of compartments, said plurality of compartments being divided such that each compartment receives a corresponding cartridge portion (e.g., a first cartridge portion 221, a second cartridge portion 222, or a third cartridge portion 223). For example, as Figure 4b As shown, the cartridge receiver 2111 may include three compartments separated by partition walls. Because the cartridge receiver 2111 includes separate compartments, the cartridge portion can be easily replaced when the liquid flavoring contained in one of the cartridge portions 221, 222, and 223 is depleted. The cartridge receiver 2111 may have a circular cross-section when viewed from the second housing portion 212, and the plurality of compartments of the cartridge receiver 2111 may be equally spaced. In this case, the first cartridge portion 221, the second cartridge portion 222, and the third cartridge portion 223 may also have an equally spaced and cut cylindrical shape.

[0088] In one embodiment, a first liquid injection needle 2211 may be disposed at one end of a first cartridge portion 221, a second liquid injection needle 2221 may be disposed at one end of a second cartridge portion 222, and a third liquid injection needle 2231 may be disposed at one end of a third cartridge portion 223. The first liquid injection needle 2211, the second liquid injection needle 2221, and the third liquid injection needle 2231 may be arranged near the center point where cartridge portions 221, 222, and 223 intersect, and the cartridge receiver 2111 may be formed to have a diameter D larger than the diameter d of the article insertion portion 2121. Therefore, the front end (upstream side) of the aerosol generating article 201 may be guided to intersect with the first liquid injection needle 2211, the second liquid injection needle 2221, and the third liquid injection needle 2231.

[0089] In one embodiment, actuator 230 can individually activate the first cartridge portion 221, the second cartridge portion 222, and the third cartridge portion 223. For example, actuator 230 can allow a first liquid flavoring contained in the first cartridge portion 221 to be expelled in a predetermined amount through the first liquid injection needle 2211, and allow a second liquid flavoring contained in the second cartridge portion 222 to be expelled in a predetermined amount through the second liquid injection needle 2221, thereby allowing a predetermined combination of the first and second liquid flavorings to be supplied to the article insertion portion 2121. This allows the combination of the first and second liquid flavorings to be supplied to the aerosol generating article 201. This is merely an example, and the implementation is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, actuator 230 may activate the first cartridge portion 221 to supply only the first liquid flavoring to aerosol generating article 201, or actuator 230 may activate the first cartridge portion 221, the second cartridge portion 222, and the third cartridge portion 223 individually to supply a combination of the first to the third liquid flavoring to aerosol generating article 201.

[0090] In one embodiment, a protrusion 2122 protruding toward the other of the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 may be provided on one surface of the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212. For example, see reference to Figure 4bThe protrusion 2122 may be formed on a surface of the first housing portion 211 facing the second housing portion 212. As another example, the protrusion 2122 may be formed on a surface of the second housing portion 212 facing the first housing portion 211. Multiple protrusions 2122 may be provided, and each protrusion 2122 may include a rigid material to prevent surface contact between the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212. A separation space between the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 may be formed by the protrusion 2122, and this separation space may be in fluid communication with the article insertion portion 2121 to allow for the formation of an airflow path from the outside of the aerosol generating apparatus 200 to the article insertion portion 2121.

[0091] Specifically, refer to Figure 4c According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating apparatus 200 may further include a cartridge holder 2124. The cartridge holder 2124 may be disposed on a surface of the second housing portion 212 facing the first housing portion 211, and specifically, the cartridge holder 2124 may be disposed at the end of the article insertion portion 2121 facing the first housing portion 211. The cartridge holder 2124 may contact at least a portion of the cartridge 220 to hold the cartridge 220 in place within the cartridge receiver 2111.

[0092] For example, the cartridge holder 2124 can be formed to overlap with the outer side of the upper portion of the first cartridge portion 221 (e.g., the surface where the first liquid injection needle 2211 is arranged), but not with the inner side of the upper portion where the first liquid injection needle 2211 is arranged. Similarly, the cartridge holder 2124 can be formed to overlap with the outer side of the upper portion of the second cartridge portion 222 (e.g., the surface where the second liquid injection needle 2221 is arranged), but not with the inner side of the upper portion where the second liquid injection needle 2221 is arranged. Additionally, the cartridge holder 2124 can be formed to overlap with the outer side of the upper portion of the third cartridge portion 223 (e.g., the surface where the third liquid injection needle 2231 is arranged), but not with the inner side of the upper portion where the third liquid injection needle 2231 is arranged. In this case, the diameter W formed by the non-overlapping portion of the cartridge holder 2124 can be smaller than the diameter D of the cartridge receiver 2111. Furthermore, the cartridge holder 2124 may include a plurality of bars covering the boundary regions of the cartridge portions 221, 222, and 223. Therefore, when the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 are connected, the cartridge holder 2124 can hold the cartridge portions 221, 222, and 223 in place when they are pressed into the cartridge receiver 2111, and the first liquid injection needle 2211, the second liquid injection needle 2221, and the third liquid injection needle 2231 can protrude beyond the cartridge holder 2124 and extend into the article insertion portion 2121.

[0093] Reference Figures 5 to 7 According to one embodiment, the aerosol generation system 20 may include an aerosol generation apparatus 200 and an aerosol generation article 201. Specifically, Figure 5 The image shows an aerosol generating article 201 according to one embodiment being inserted into an aerosol generating apparatus 200. Figure 6 A portion of a smoke cartridge 220 and a portion of an actuator 230 according to one embodiment are shown. Figure 7 An aerosol-generating article 201 according to one embodiment is shown.

[0094] Specifically, refer to Figure 5According to one embodiment, in the off mode of the aerosol generating apparatus 200, the actuator 230, the cartridge 220, and the article insertion portion 2121 can be aligned in a straight line. Thus, the aerosol generating article 201 inserted into the article insertion portion 2121 can also be aligned in a straight line with the cartridge 220 and the actuator 230, thereby engaging the first liquid injection needle 2211, the second liquid injection needle 2221, and the third liquid injection needle 2231 in the front end of the aerosol generating article 201, allowing one or more of the first to third liquid flavorings to be supplied to the aerosol generating article 201.

[0095] In one embodiment, the article insertion portion 2121 may be formed to extend through the second housing portion 212. In the closed mode, the centerline of the article insertion portion 2121 may pass through the cartridge receiver 2111 and the actuator 230.

[0096] In one embodiment, the diameter of the cigarette cartridge receiver 2111 (e.g., Figure 4b The diameter D of the cartridge receiver in the cartridge can be larger than the diameter of the insert portion 2121 (for example, Figure 4b The diameter d of the insert portion of the product. This can effectively prevent the cartridge 220 from separating from the insert portion 2121 in the closed mode when the cartridge 220 is placed in the cartridge receiver 2111 and the first housing portion 211 and the second housing portion 212 are connected.

[0097] In one implementation, such as Figure 6 As shown, the first cartridge portion 221 may include: a first cartridge upper end portion 2212, in which a first liquid injection needle-like member 2211 is disposed; a first cartridge side portion 2213, which is vertically connected to the first cartridge upper end portion 2212; and a first cartridge base portion 2214, which is vertically connected to the first cartridge side portion 2213. The first cartridge upper end portion 2212, the first cartridge side portion 2213, and the first cartridge base portion 2214 may define a receiving space for containing the first liquid flavoring, and the receiving space may have a variable volume.

[0098] In one embodiment, the first cartridge base 2214 may include a flexible material. For example, the first cartridge base 2214 may include a flexible film. Alternatively, at least a portion of the first cartridge base 2214 and the first cartridge side portion 2213 may include a flexible material. For example, each of the first cartridge base 2214 and the first cartridge side portion 2213 may include a flexible film. Similarly, the second cartridge portion 222 and the third cartridge portion 223 may also be formed in a similar manner to the first cartridge portion 221.

[0099] In one embodiment, the actuator 230 may include: a first striking rod 231, which extends toward a first cartridge base 2214 of the first cartridge portion 221 to strike the first cartridge base 2214 of the first cartridge portion 221; and a drive element (not shown) configured to transmit a driving force to move the first striking rod 231 forward and backward. For example, the first striking rod 231 and the drive element may be connected by a crankshaft or by a rack and pinion gear, such that the rotational motion of the drive element can be converted into linear motion and transmitted to the first striking rod 231.

[0100] Similarly, actuator 230 may include: a second striking rod 232, which extends toward the base of the second cartridge portion 222 (not shown) to strike the base of the second cartridge portion 222; and a driving element (not shown) configured to transmit a driving force to move the second striking rod 232 forward and backward. Additionally, actuator 230 may include: a third striking rod 233, which extends toward the base of the third cartridge portion 223 (not shown) to strike the base of the third cartridge portion 223; and a driving element (not shown) configured to transmit a driving force to move the third striking rod 233 forward and backward.

[0101] When the first striking rod 231 strikes (i.e., presses) the base 2214 of the first cartridge (e.g., a flexible membrane), the volume of the first cartridge portion 221 may change (i.e., shrink) due to the deformation of the flexible membrane, and thus the first liquid flavoring can be supplied to the front end of the aerosol generating article 201 via the first liquid injection needle 2211. For example, a controller (not shown) can command the first striking rod 231 to drive forward and backward a predetermined length at a predetermined speed, thereby controlling the amount of the first liquid flavoring to be expelled. In this manner, the first liquid flavoring, the second liquid flavoring, or the third liquid flavoring can be precisely supplied to the aerosol generating article 201.

[0102] Specifically, refer to Figure 7 The aerosol generating article 201 may sequentially include a humectant container 2011, a medium container 2012, and a filter 2013.

[0103] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 201 may be packaged in at least one package. Furthermore, the humectant containment 2011 may include a material having waterproof, water-repellent, oil-repellent, or heat-resistant properties, and the humectant containment 2011 may include, for example, aluminum foil. The medium containment 2012 may include a tobacco medium, such as raw-cut tobacco leaves or tobacco pellets. Furthermore, the medium containment 2012 may contain other additives, such as flavoring agents or organic acids. The humectant containment 2011 may contain a humectant, and the humectant may include, for example, glycerin, propylene glycol (PG), and water. Additionally, the humectant may also include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, or oleyl alcohol. The filter section 2013 may include at least one segment, and the filter section 2013 may include a tobacco filter package surrounding said at least one segment. The filter section 2013 may include at least one of a tubular filter, a cooling structure, or a concave filter. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0104] Because the glycerol contained in the humectant has a high molecular weight, the humectant needs to be heated at a high temperature to aerosolize the glycerol. When the aerosol generating article 201 includes a humectant container 2011 containing the humectant, the content of the humectant contained in the medium container 2012 can be reduced or the humectant can be removed from the medium container 2012, thereby lowering the heating temperature of the medium container 2012. At the same time, the humectant contained in the humectant container 2011 can maintain the moisture in the aerosol generated during heating at an appropriate level, thereby making the unique flavor of tobacco smoother and increasing the amount of vaporization.

[0105] In one embodiment, the heater 2123 may be disposed in at least a portion of the periphery of the article insertion portion 2121. The heater 2123 may include a first heater 2123-1 disposed around the humectant container portion 2011 or a second heater 2123-2 disposed around the medium container portion 2012. In this case, the second heater 2123-2 for heating the medium container portion 2012 may be omitted.

[0106] For example, the aerosol generating apparatus 200 can use a first heater 2123-1 and a second heater 2123-2 to heat the humectant container 2011 and the medium container 2012, respectively. The first heater 2123-1 can heat the humectant container 2011 to a first temperature range. The first temperature range can be 200°C to 300°C, preferably 200°C to 250°C. The second heater 2123-2 can heat the tobacco medium to a second temperature range to aerosolize the nicotine contained in the medium container 2012. The second temperature range can be 150°C to 200°C. However, the first and second temperature ranges are not limited to these.

[0107] Since the humectant container 2011 is located at the upstream end of the medium container 2012, when a user smokes a cigarette, the air introduced from the upstream end of the cigarette can be heated by the first heater 2123-1 as it passes through the humectant container 2011, and the humectant (e.g., glycerin) can be aerosolized. Furthermore, the air passing through the humectant container 2011 can be heated by the second heater 2123-2 as it passes through the medium container 2012, and the medium (e.g., nicotine) can also be aerosolized. At this time, since the air introduced into the medium container 2012 is high-temperature air heated by the first heater 2123-1, the medium container 2012 can absorb heat from the high-temperature air and the second heater 2123-2 to aerosolize the medium.

[0108] For example, a controller (not shown) can be configured to identify whether the aerosol generating article 201 is inserted into the article insertion portion 2121 and the type of the aerosol generating article 201. The controller can transmit an activation signal to the actuator 230 based on a preset liquid flavoring combination ratio according to the type of the aerosol generating article 201. Thus, the preset combination of liquid flavoring can be supplied from the cartridge 220 to the humectant container 2011 of the aerosol generating article 201. The controller can heat the periphery of the humectant container 2011 at a heating temperature set according to the type of the aerosol generating article. Thus, an aerosol with the optimal flavor combination and atomization amount according to the type of the aerosol generating article 201 can be delivered to the user's mouth via the filter portion 2013.

[0109] The description of the above embodiments is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalents can be made to these embodiments. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences falling within the equivalent scope described in the claims should be interpreted as including within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

[0110] The features and aspects of any of the above embodiments can be combined with the features and aspects of any other embodiments without explicit technical conflict.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating apparatus, the aerosol generating apparatus comprising: A housing, the housing including an article insertion portion for receiving an aerosol-generated article; A cartridge, which can be inserted into the housing, and the cartridge includes a flexible portion, a cartridge portion and a liquid injection needle, the cartridge portion being configured to contain liquid flavoring, and the liquid injection needle protruding from one end of the cartridge portion and configured to communicate with the interior of the cartridge portion; as well as An actuator is disposed in the housing and configured to change the volume of the cartridge portion by deforming the flexible portion.

2. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The cigarette cartridge includes: A first tobacco cartridge portion, the first tobacco cartridge portion being configured to contain a first liquid flavoring; and The second cartridge portion is configured to contain a second liquid flavoring agent, and The actuator includes: A first striking lever, configured to strike one end of the first cartridge portion; and The second striking lever is configured to strike one end of the second cartridge portion.

3. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, in, The flexible part is a membrane disposed at the other end of the cartridge portion.

4. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The actuator includes: A striking rod, the striking rod being extendable to the membrane; and A drive element configured to transmit forward and backward driving forces to the striking rod.

5. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The housing includes: A first housing portion, configured to receive the cartridge and the actuator; and A second housing portion is connected to the first housing portion, and the second housing portion includes the article insertion portion. The first housing portion includes a cartridge receiving member for receiving the cartridge, and The insert portion is formed to penetrate the second housing portion and is aligned with the cartridge receiver.

6. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The first housing portion and the second housing portion are connected by a hinge.

7. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The diameter of the cartridge receiver is larger than the diameter of the insert portion of the product.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, One of the first housing portion and the second housing portion includes a protrusion that projects toward the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion. The protrusion forms a separation space between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, and The partition space and the product insertion part are connected to each other to form an airflow path.

9. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: A cartridge holder is disposed on the side of the second housing portion facing the first housing portion. The cartridge holder contacts one side of the cartridge to hold the cartridge in place within the cartridge receiver.

10. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heater disposed on at least a portion of the periphery of the article insertion portion.

11. An aerosol generating apparatus, the aerosol generating apparatus comprising: A housing, the housing including an article insertion portion for receiving an aerosol-generated article; A cartridge, which can be inserted into the housing, and the cartridge includes multiple cartridge portions for containing different liquids; as well as An actuator disposed in the housing and configured to strike the cartridge portion; Wherein, at least one of the cartridge portions is configured to change the volume of the at least one cartridge portion, and The actuator individually strikes the cartridge portion, causing the liquid to be combined and delivered to the insert portion of the product. The e-cigarette cartridge includes: A first tobacco cartridge portion, the first tobacco cartridge portion being configured to contain a first liquid flavoring; and The second cartridge portion is configured to contain a second liquid flavoring agent. Wherein, at least one of the first cartridge portion and the second cartridge portion includes a membrane. The actuator includes a plurality of striking rods configured to strike the first cartridge portion and the second cartridge portion respectively, such that when the membrane is deformed by the striking rods, the first liquid flavoring and the second liquid flavoring are combined and delivered to the article insertion portion.

12. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, The housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion connected to the first housing portion by a hinge. A cartridge receiver is provided on the side of the first housing portion facing the second housing portion to receive the cartridge. The article insertion portion is formed to penetrate the second housing portion, and The actuator, the cartridge receiver, and the article insertion portion are aligned in a straight line.

Images