Aerosol-generating device

Abstract

An aerosol-generating device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an oscillation unit for generating microwaves; a resonance part for accommodating an aerosol-generating article and heating the aerosol-generating article by outputting an electric field based on resonance of the microwaves to the aerosol-generating article; and a processor that controls an output of the oscillation portion to move a maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol-generating article.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating article by dielectric heating, and more particularly, to an aerosol generating device that can move a maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for systems that generate aerosol by heating cigarettes (or "aerosol generating articles") using an aerosol generating device rather than burning the cigarettes.

[0003] In addition, conventional aerosol generating devices heat aerosol generating materials by resistance heating, induction heating, and ultrasonic heating. However, such conventional aerosol generating devices have problems such as slow preheating speed and inability to heat uniformly compared to dielectric heating.

[0004] Furthermore, although some of the existing aerosol generating devices use a dielectric heating method, this is limited to a method of radiating microwaves using an antenna, and thus there is a problem that the power transmission efficiency is significantly reduced. Summary of the invention

[0005] Technical issues to be solved

[0006] The technical problem of the present disclosure is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an aerosol generating device capable of heating an aerosol generating article by a dielectric heating method utilizing microwave resonance.

[0007] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems can be derived through the following embodiments.

[0008] Solutions to technical problems

[0009] According to one aspect, an aerosol generating device includes: an oscillating portion for generating microwaves; a resonating portion for accommodating an aerosol generating article and heating the aerosol generating article by outputting an electric field based on the resonance of the microwaves to the aerosol generating article; and a processor for controlling the output of the oscillating portion to move a maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the aerosol generating article.

[0010] Effects of the Invention

[0011] The aerosol generating device disclosed herein utilizes microwave resonance to heat a dielectric, and thus has the advantage of significantly improving the efficiency of electric power transmission.

[0012] Furthermore, the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure utilizes microwave resonance to heat the aerosol generating article, and thus can quickly preheat the aerosol generating article.

[0013] Furthermore, the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure can significantly reduce power consumption when heating an aerosol generating article by utilizing microwave resonance.

[0014] Furthermore, the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure can move the maximum electric field absorption region based on microwave resonance within the aerosol generating article, thereby providing a uniform taste throughout the entire heating zone.

[0015] The effects of the invention are not limited to those described above, and more effects are included in this specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Internal block diagram of the dielectric heating section.

[0019] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to an embodiment.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a schematic representation Figure 4 A perspective view of a heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 0026] A cross-sectional view of a heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0022] Figure 7 It is a schematic representation Figure 4 A perspective view of the electric field distribution of the heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a schematic representation of Figure 4 A perspective view of the heating density distribution of an aerosol-generating article heated by the heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0024] Fig. 9 FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram for explaining an output control method of an oscillating unit according to an embodiment.

[0025] Fig.10 is shown for controlling Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram of power distribution of the output of the oscillation section of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0026] Fig.11 is the maximum electric field absorption area based on Fig.10 FIG. 4 is a diagram of the movement of the power distribution of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0027] Fig.12 This is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] According to one aspect, an aerosol generating device includes: an oscillating portion for generating microwaves; a resonating portion for accommodating an aerosol generating article and heating the aerosol generating article by outputting an electric field based on the resonance of the microwaves to the aerosol generating article; and a processor for moving a maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the aerosol generating article by controlling the output of the oscillating portion.

[0029] In addition, the resonating portion includes: a first plate surrounding an area of ​​the aerosol generating article; a second plate separated from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article and surrounding other areas of the aerosol generating article; and a connecting portion for connecting the first plate and the second plate; the microwaves are resonated through the first plate, the second plate and the connecting portion, and the aerosol generating article is heated by the electric field output from the ends of the first plate and the second plate.

[0030] In addition, the length of the first plate and the second plate is formed to be smaller than the length of the tobacco rod in the aerosol generating article, and the tobacco rod is arranged at a position protruding from the ends of the first plate and the second plate in the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article, so that at the initial stage of heating, the maximum electric field absorption area is generated in a specified area of ​​the tobacco rod in the direction of the ends of the first plate and the second plate.

[0031] Furthermore, the processor controls the output of the oscillating unit to move the maximum electric field absorption region along the length direction of the tobacco rod included in the aerosol generating article.

[0032] Furthermore, within the tobacco rod, the region of maximum electric field absorption moves in a direction opposite to a direction toward an opening for receiving the aerosol generating article.

[0033] Furthermore, the processor adjusts the magnitude of microwave power output from the oscillating portion according to a preset power profile to move the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article.

[0034] Furthermore, the processor controls the oscillating unit to output a microwave power of a first magnitude in a preheating interval.

[0035] Furthermore, when the smoking interval begins after the preheating interval, the processor controls the oscillating unit to output a second microwave power smaller than the first microwave power, and as the smoking interval progresses, the power output from the oscillating unit is progressively increased, so that the maximum electric field absorption region moves.

[0036] Furthermore, the processor tracks in real time a change in the resonance frequency of the resonance portion due to depletion of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article, and adjusts an output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation portion based on the change in the resonance frequency of the resonance portion.

[0037] In addition, the processor individually controls the magnitude of the microwave power and the output frequency of the microwave power.

[0038] Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Regardless of the figure numbers, the same or similar components are given the same figure numbers, and repeated description thereof will be omitted.

[0039] The suffixes "module" and "unit" of the constituent elements used in the following description are only given or used interchangeably in consideration of the convenience of completing the description, and they themselves do not have different meanings or functions from each other.

[0040] In addition, when describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that the specific description of the related known technology makes the subject matter of the embodiments disclosed in this specification unclear, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are not limited by the drawings, and it should be understood that all changes, equivalents and substitutes within the ideas and technical scope of this disclosure are included.

[0041] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited to the terms. The terms are only used to distinguish one component from other components.

[0042] When a certain component is “connected” or “joined” to another component, it should be understood that it can be directly connected or joined to the other component, and other components may exist between the two. On the contrary, when a certain component is “directly connected” or “directly joined” to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components between the two.

[0043] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, an expression in the singular includes an expression in the plural form.

[0044] Figure 1is a three-dimensional diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 An aerosol generating device 100 according to an embodiment may include: a housing 110 capable of accommodating an aerosol generating article 10 ; and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 accommodated in the housing 110 .

[0046] The housing 110 may form the overall appearance of the aerosol generating device 100, and the components of the aerosol generating device 100 may be arranged in the internal space (or "installation space") of the housing 110. For example, the internal space of the housing 110 may be equipped with a heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor and / or a sensor, but the components arranged in the internal space are not limited thereto.

[0047] An insertion hole 110h may be formed in a region of the housing 110, and at least a portion of the aerosol generating article 10 may be inserted into the interior of the housing 110 through the insertion hole 110h. For example, the insertion hole 110h may be formed in a region of the upper end surface (e.g., the surface facing the z direction) of the housing 110, but the formation position of the insertion hole 110h is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the insertion hole 110h may also be formed in a region of the side surface (e.g., the surface facing the x direction) of the housing 110.

[0048] The heater assembly 200 may be disposed in the inner space of the housing 110 and heat the aerosol generating article 10 inserted through the insertion hole 110h or accommodated inside the housing 110. For example, the heater assembly 200 may be configured to surround at least a portion of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted or accommodated inside the housing 110 to heat the aerosol generating article 10.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can heat the aerosol generating article 10 by dielectric heating. The "dielectric heating method" in the present disclosure refers to a method of heating a dielectric as a heat receiving body by using microwaves and / or the resonance of the electric field (or magnetic field) of microwaves. Microwaves, as an energy source for heating the heat receiving body, are generated by high-frequency power, and therefore, microwaves and microwave power can be used interchangeably hereinafter.

[0050] Inside the heater assembly 200, the charges or ions of the dielectric included in the aerosol generating article 10 may vibrate or rotate due to microwave resonance, and the heat generated in the dielectric due to the frictional heat generated by the charges or ions during the vibration or rotation process may heat the aerosol generating article 10.

[0051] As the aerosol-generating article 10 is heated by the heater assembly 200, an aerosol may be generated from the aerosol-generating article 10. In the present disclosure, "aerosol" may refer to gas particles generated by mixing air and steam generated when the aerosol-generating article 10 is heated.

[0052] The aerosol generated in the aerosol generating article 10 may be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100 through the aerosol generating article 10 or through the empty space between the aerosol generating article 10 and the insertion hole 110h. The user contacts an area of ​​the aerosol generating article 10 exposed to the outside of the housing 110 with the oral cavity, and can smoke by inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0053] The aerosol generating device 100 of one embodiment may further include: a cover 111, which is movably disposed on the housing 110 to open or close the insertion hole 110h. For example, the cover 111 may be slidably coupled to the upper end surface of the housing 110, so that the insertion hole 110h is exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100, or the insertion hole 110h is covered so that the insertion hole 110h cannot be exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0054] In one example, the cover 111 may expose the insertion hole 110h to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100 in the first position (or "open position"). If the aerosol generating device 100 is exposed to the outside, the aerosol generating article 10 may be inserted into the housing 110 through the insertion hole 110h.

[0055] In another example, the cover 111 may cover the insertion hole 110h at the second position (or "closed position") so that the insertion hole 110h cannot be exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100. At this time, when the aerosol generating device 100 is not in use, the cover 111 may prevent external foreign matter from flowing into the interior of the heater assembly 200 through the insertion hole 110h.

[0056] Although Figure 1 2 and 3 , only the aerosol generating device 100 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 in a solid state is shown, but the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0057] The aerosol generating device according to another embodiment may also generate aerosol by heating the aerosol generating substance in a liquid or gel state of the aerosol generating article 10 in a non-solid state through the heater assembly 200 .

[0058] According to another embodiment, the aerosol generating device includes a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 and an aerosol generating substance in a liquid or gel state, and may also include a cartridge (or "vaporizer") for heating the aerosol generating substance. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating substance may move to the aerosol generating article 10 through an airflow channel connecting the cartridge and the aerosol generating article 10, and after mixing with the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating article 10, pass through the aerosol generating article 10 and pass to the user.

[0059] Figure 2 FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0060] Reference Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 100 may include an input portion 102 , an output portion 103 , a sensor portion 104 , a communication portion 105 , a memory 106 , a battery 107 , an interface portion 108 , a power conversion portion 109 and a dielectric heating portion 200 .

[0061] The input unit 102 may receive user input. For example, the input unit 102 may be configured as a single pressure-type button. As another example, the input unit 102 may be a touch panel including at least one touch sensor. The input unit 102 may transmit an input signal to the processor 101. The processor 101 may supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the user input, or may output a user notification by controlling the output unit 103.

[0062] The output unit 103 may output information about the state of the aerosol generating device 100. The output unit 103 may output the charge / discharge state of the battery 107, the heating state of the dielectric heating unit 200, the insertion state of the aerosol generating article 10, and error information of the aerosol generating device 100. To this end, the output unit 103 may include a display, a haptic motor, and an audio output unit.

[0063] The sensor unit 104 can sense the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the surrounding state of the aerosol generating device 100 and send the sensed information to the processor 101. The processor 101 can control the aerosol generating device 100 based on the sensed information to perform various functions such as heating control of the dielectric heating unit 200, smoking restriction, insertion judgment of the aerosol generating article 10, notification display, etc.

[0064] The sensor part 104 may include a temperature sensor, a suction sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor.

[0065] The temperature sensor may sense the temperature inside the dielectric heating portion 200 in a non-contact manner, or may directly acquire the temperature of the resonator by contacting the dielectric heating portion 200. According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor may also sense the temperature of the aerosol generating article 10. In addition, the temperature sensor may be arranged adjacent to the battery 107 to acquire the temperature of the battery 107. The processor 101 may control the power supply to the dielectric heating portion 200 based on the temperature information of the temperature sensor.

[0066] The suction sensor can sense the user's suction. The suction sensor can sense the user's suction based on at least one change in temperature change, flow change, power change, and pressure change. The processor 101 can control the power supply to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the suction information of the suction sensor. For example, the processor 101 counts the number of puffs, and when the number of puffs reaches a preset maximum number of puffs, the power supply to the dielectric heating unit 200 can be blocked. As another example, when no puff is sensed to last for more than a preset time, the processor 101 can block the power supply to the dielectric heating unit 200.

[0067] The insertion sensing sensor can be arranged in the receiving space ( Figure 4 The insertion sensing sensor may be configured inside the insertion hole 110h or adjacent to the accommodation space 220h to be able to sense the insertion and removal of the aerosol generating article 10 accommodated in the insertion hole 110h. For example, the insertion sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitive sensor. When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 110h, the processor 101 may supply power to the dielectric heating portion 200.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the sensor unit 104 may further include a reuse sensing sensor, a motion sensing sensor, a humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a cover removal sensing sensor, a position sensor (GPS), and a proximity sensor, etc. The functions of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from their names, so a specific description will be omitted.

[0069] The communication unit 105 may include at least one communication module for communicating with an external electronic device. The processor 101 may control the communication unit 105 to send information of the aerosol generating device 100 to the external electronic device. Alternatively, the processor 101 may receive information from the external electronic device through the communication unit 105 and control the structure provided in the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the information transmitted between the communication unit 105 and the external electronic device may include user authentication information, firmware update information, user smoking mode information, etc.

[0070] The memory 106 is hardware for storing various data processed in the aerosol generating device 100, and can store data processed in the processor 101 and data to be processed. For example, the memory 106 can store data such as the working time of the aerosol generating device 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature distribution, and the smoking pattern of the user.

[0071] The battery 107 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 to heat the aerosol generating article 10. In addition, the battery 107 can supply power required for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 107 can be a rechargeable battery or a detachable battery.

[0072] The interface unit 108 may include a connection terminal that can be physically connected to an external electronic device. The connection terminal may include at least one of an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector), or a combination thereof. The interface unit 108 may send / receive information or charge with an external electronic device through the connection terminal.

[0073] The power conversion section 109 may convert the DC power received from the battery 107 into AC power. In addition, the power conversion section 109 may provide the converted AC power to the dielectric heating section 200. The power conversion section 109 may be an inverter including at least one switching element, and the processor 101 may convert the DC power into AC power by controlling the ON / OFF of the switching element included in the power conversion section 109. The power conversion section 109 may be configured as a full-bridge or a half-bridge.

[0074] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol generating article 10 by dielectric heating. Figure 1 The heater assembly 200 has a corresponding structure.

[0075] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol generating article 10 using microwaves and / or microwave electric fields (hereinafter referred to as microwaves or microwave power if no distinction is necessary). The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol generating article 10 by generating microwaves in a resonant structure, rather than by radiating microwaves using an antenna. The resonant structure will refer to Figure 4 This will be described later.

[0076] The dielectric heating unit 200 can output high-frequency microwaves to the resonance unit ( Figure 3The microwave may be a power of an industrial, scientific and medical equipment (ISM) frequency band that is allowed to be used for heating, but is not limited thereto. The resonating portion 220 may be designed by considering the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave can resonate in the resonating portion 220.

[0077] The aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the resonance part 220, and the dielectric in the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the resonance part 220. For example, the aerosol generating article 10 may include a polar material, and the molecules in the polar material may be polarized inside the resonance part 220. The molecules may vibrate or rotate by the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol generating article 10 may be heated by friction heat or the like generated in the process. Figure 3 , the dielectric heating unit 200 is described in more detail.

[0078] The processor 101 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. The processor 101 can be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or can be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing programs executable by the microprocessor. In addition, it can also be implemented by other forms of hardware.

[0079] The processor 101 can control the direct current supplied by the battery 107 to the power conversion unit 109 and / or the alternating current supplied by the power conversion unit 109 to the dielectric heating unit 200 according to the required power of the dielectric heating unit 200. In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 100 may include a converter that steps up or steps down the direct current, and the processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the direct current by controlling the converter. In addition, the processor 101 can control the alternating current supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 by adjusting the switching frequency and duty cycle of the switching element included in the power conversion unit 109.

[0080] The processor 101 can control the heating temperature of the aerosol generating article 10 by controlling the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 and the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200. Figure 3 The oscillating unit 210 , the isolating unit 240 , the power monitoring unit 250 and the matching unit 260 may also be part of the processor 101 .

[0081] The processor 101 may control the microwave power of the dielectric heating part 200 based on the temperature distribution information stored in the memory 106. In other words, the temperature distribution includes information of the target temperature of the dielectric heating part 200 according to time, and the processor 101 may control the microwave power of the dielectric heating part 200 according to time.

[0082] The processor 101 can adjust the frequency of the microwaves so that the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 is constant. The processor 101 can track the change of the resonant frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 according to the heating of the heated object in real time, and can control the dielectric heating unit 200 to output the microwave frequency according to the changed resonant frequency. In other words, the processor 101 can change the microwave frequency in real time regardless of the temperature distribution stored in advance.

[0083] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Internal block diagram of the dielectric heating section.

[0084] Reference Figure 3 The dielectric heating part 200 may include an oscillating part 210 , an isolating part 240 , a power monitoring part 250 , a matching part 260 , a microwave output part 230 , and a resonating part 220 .

[0085] The oscillating part 210 may receive alternating current from the power converting part 109 to generate high frequency microwave power. According to an embodiment, the power converting part 109 may be a configuration included in the oscillating part 210. The microwave power may be selected from 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz frequency bands included in the ISM frequency band.

[0086] The oscillating part 210 may include a solid-state RF generating device, and the microwave power may be generated by the device. The solid-state RF generating device may be implemented by a semiconductor. If the oscillating part 210 is implemented by a semiconductor, there is an advantage that the dielectric heating part 200 can be miniaturized and the device life is increased.

[0087] The oscillating part 210 can output microwave power to the resonating part 220. The oscillating part 210 includes a power amplifier (power amp) that increases or decreases the microwave power, and the power amplifier can adjust the size of the microwave power under the control of the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier can reduce or increase the amplitude of the microwave. As the amplitude of the microwave is adjusted, the microwave power can also be adjusted.

[0088] The processor 101 may adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 based on a pre-stored power profile. For example, the power profile may include target power information based on a preheating interval and a smoking interval, and the oscillating portion 210 may supply microwave power at a first power in the preheating interval, and may supply microwave power at a second power smaller than the first power in the smoking interval.

[0089] The isolation part 240 can block the microwave power input from the resonance part 220 to the oscillation part 210. Most of the microwave power output from the oscillation part 210 is absorbed by the heat receiving body, but a part of the microwave power is reflected by the heat receiving body according to the heating state of the heat receiving body and transmitted to the oscillation part 210 again. This is because the impedance from the oscillation part 210 to the resonance part 220 changes with the depletion (consumption) of polar molecules based on the heating of the heat receiving body. The meaning of "the impedance from the oscillation part 210 to the resonance part 220 changes" can be the same as the meaning of "the resonant frequency of the resonance part 220 changes". In the case where the microwave power reflected from the resonance part 220 is input to the oscillation part 210, not only does the oscillation part 210 fail, but also the expected output performance cannot be exerted. The isolation part 240 can guide and absorb the microwave power reflected from the resonance part 220 in a predetermined direction instead of returning it to the oscillation part 210. For this purpose, the isolation part 240 can include a circulator and a dummy load.

[0090] The power monitoring part 250 may monitor the microwave power output from the oscillating part 210 and the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonating part 220 , respectively. The power monitoring part 250 may transmit information on the microwave power and the reflected microwave power to the matching part 260 .

[0091] The matching part 260 may match the impedance from the oscillation part 210 to the resonance part 220 with the impedance from the resonance part 220 to the oscillation part 210 to minimize the reflected microwave power. Impedance matching may have the same meaning as "making the frequency of the oscillation part 210 consistent with the resonant frequency of the resonance part 220". Therefore, the matching part 260 may change the frequency of the oscillation part 210 in order to match the impedance. In other words, the matching part 260 may adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation part 210 to minimize the reflected microwave power. The impedance matching of the matching part 260 may be performed in real time regardless of the temperature distribution.

[0092] In addition, the oscillating unit 210, the isolating unit 240, the power monitoring unit 250 and the matching unit 260 described above can be implemented as a microwave source in the form of a chip as separate components distinguished from the microwave output unit 230 and the resonating unit 220 described later. In addition, according to an embodiment, the oscillating unit 210, the isolating unit 240, the power monitoring unit 250 and the matching unit 260 described above can also be implemented as a partial component of the processor 101.

[0093] The microwave output unit 230 is a structure for inputting microwave power to the resonance unit 220, and can be Figure 3The microwave output unit 230 may be implemented in the form of SMA, SMB, MCX, or MMCX connectors. The microwave output unit 230 transmits the microwave power generated in the microwave source to the resonator 220 by connecting the microwave source in the form of a chip to the resonator 220.

[0094] The resonating part 220 can heat the heated object by forming microwaves in the resonant structure. The resonating part 220 includes a storage space for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be exposed to microwaves for dielectric heating. For example, the aerosol generating article 10 can include a polar material, and the molecules in the polar material can be polarized by microwaves inside the resonating part 220. The molecules can vibrate or rotate through the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by friction heat or the like generated in the process.

[0095] The resonance part 220 may include at least one internal conductor to enable microwaves to be resonated, and the microwaves may be resonated inside the resonance part 220 according to the configuration, thickness, length, etc. of the internal conductor.

[0096] The resonator 220 can be designed by considering the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave can be resonated in the resonator 220. In order for the microwave to be resonated inside the resonator 220, a closed end (short end) with a closed end face and an open end (open end) with at least one region of the end face being opened in the opposite direction of the closed end are required. In addition, the length between the closed end and the open end should be set to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. The resonator 220 of the present disclosure selects a length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength to achieve miniaturization of the device. In other words, the length between the closed end and the open end of the resonator 220 can be set to a wavelength length of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0097] The resonating part 220 may include a dielectric storage space. The dielectric storage space is a structure different from the storage space of the aerosol generating article 10, in which a material that can change the overall resonant frequency of the resonating part 220 and miniaturize the resonating part 220 is configured. In one embodiment, the dielectric storage space can accommodate a dielectric (dielectric material) with low microwave absorptivity. This is to prevent the energy that should be transferred to the heated body from being transferred to the dielectric and causing the dielectric itself to heat up. Microwave absorptivity can be expressed as a loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. In one embodiment, a dielectric having a loss tangent below a preset size can be accommodated in the dielectric storage space 227, and the preset size can be 1 / 100. For example, the dielectric can be at least any one of quartz, polytetrafluoroethylene and alumina or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0098] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to an embodiment.

[0099] Reference Figure 4 The heater assembly 200 according to an embodiment may include an oscillation part 210 and a resonance part 220 . Figure 4 It may be an embodiment of the heater assembly 200 and the dielectric heating unit 200 described above, and repeated descriptions will be omitted below.

[0100] The oscillating unit 210 may generate microwaves of a specified frequency band by receiving power. The microwaves generated by the oscillating unit 210 may be transferred to the resonating unit 220 through a coupler (not shown).

[0101] The resonance part 220 may include a storage space 220h for storing at least one area of ​​the aerosol generating article 10, and the aerosol generating article 10 may be heated by dielectric heating by resonating the microwaves generated in the oscillation part 210. For example, the electric charge of glycerin included in the aerosol generating article 10 may be vibrated or rotated by the resonance of the microwaves, and heat may be generated in the glycerin by frictional heat generated when the electric charge is vibrated or rotated, thereby heating the aerosol generating article 10.

[0102] According to an embodiment, the resonating part 220 may be made of a material having a low microwave absorptivity to prevent the microwaves generated in the oscillating part 210 from being absorbed by the resonating part 220 .

[0103] Below, refer to Figure 5 The specific structure of the resonance part 220 of the heater assembly 200 will be described.

[0104] Figure 5 It is a schematic representation Figure 4 A perspective view of a heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0105] Reference Figure 5 ,according to Figure 5 The heater assembly 200 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 may include: a resonance portion 220 for generating microwave resonance; and a coupler 211 for supplying microwaves to the resonance portion 220 .

[0106] The resonating part 220 may include: a housing 221 ; a plurality of plates 223 a , 223 b ; and a connecting part 222 for connecting the plurality of plates 223 a , 223 b and the housing 221 .

[0107] The coupler 211 may supply microwaves to at least one of the plurality of plates 223 a , 223 b to generate microwave resonance in the resonance portion 220 .

[0108] The resonating part 220 may surround at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted into the aerosol generating device. The coupler 211 may supply the microwave generated by the oscillating part (not shown) to the resonating part 220. When the microwave is supplied to the resonating part 220, the microwave resonates in the resonating part 220, and thus the resonating part 220 may heat the aerosol generating article 10. For example, the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 generates heat by the electric field generated by the microwave inside the resonating part 220, and the aerosol generating article 10 may be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0109] The housing 221 of the resonance part 220 functions as an “outer conductor.” The housing 221 may be formed into a hollow shape with its interior being empty, and thus the components of the resonance part 220 may be arranged inside the housing 221 .

[0110] The housing 221 may include: a storage space 220h capable of storing the aerosol generating article 10; and an opening 221a capable of inserting the aerosol generating article 10. The opening 221a may be connected to the storage space 220h. The opening 221a is open to the outside of the housing 221, so the storage space 220h is connected to the outside via the opening 221a. Therefore, the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted into the storage space 220h of the housing 221 via the opening 221a of the housing 221.

[0111] Although the housing 221 shown in the figure has a square cross-sectional shape, the shape of the housing 221 can be deformed into various shapes. For example, the structure of the housing 221 can be deformed into various cross-sectional shapes such as a rectangle, an ellipse or a circle. The housing 221 can extend long in one direction.

[0112] A plurality of plates 223 a and 223 b that can function as “inner conductors” of the resonance unit 220 may be disposed inside the housing 221 .

[0113] The plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be arranged spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article 10 accommodated in the accommodation space 220h. The plurality of plates 223a, 223b may include: a first plate 223a arranged to surround one area of ​​the aerosol generating article 10; and a second plate 223b arranged to surround the other area of ​​the aerosol generating article 10.

[0114] The plurality of plates 223a and 223b may be connected to the housing 221 via the connection portion 222. In addition, one end of the first plate 223a and one end of the second plate 223b of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b may be connected to each other via the connection portion 222. Therefore, an end portion closed by the connection portion 222 may be formed at one end of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b.

[0115] The other end 223af of the first plate 223a and the other end 223bf of the second plate 223b of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b are spaced apart from each other so as to be open. The other ends of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b are spaced apart from each other so as to form open ends at the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b.

[0116] The plurality of plates 223a, 223b and the connection portion 222 are connected to each other, so that the resonator assembly can be completed. The shape of the cross section cut along the length direction of the resonator assembly may include a "horseshoe-shape".

[0117] The plurality of plates 223a and 223b extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 10. At least a portion of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b is curved so as to bulge outward from the center of the aerosol-generating article 10 in the longitudinal direction.

[0118] For example, when the aerosol generating article 10 is made into a cylindrical shape, the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be formed to be curved in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral surface of the aerosol generating article 10. The radius of curvature of the cross section of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol generating article 10. The radius of curvature of the cross section of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be changed to various shapes. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross section of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be greater than or less than the radius of curvature of the aerosol generating article 10.

[0119] The structure in which the plurality of plates 223 a and 223 b are bent in the circumferential direction along the outer circumferential surface of the aerosol-generating article 10 can form a more uniform electric field in the resonance portion 220 , so that the heater assembly 200 can uniformly heat the aerosol-generating article 10 .

[0120] The opened ends of the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be arranged to face the opening 221a of the housing 221. The opening 221a of the housing 221 may be arranged at a position spaced apart from the ends of the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b in a direction away from the ends of the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b.

[0121] The open ends of the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be aligned with the opening 221a of the housing 221. Therefore, when the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted through the opening 221a of the housing 221 and is located in the accommodation space 220h, a portion of the aerosol generating article 10 located in the accommodation space 220h may be surrounded by the plurality of plates 223a, 223b.

[0122] Two of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b may be arranged at opposite positions relative to the center in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 10. The embodiment does not limit the number of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b, for example, the number of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b may be three or more than four.

[0123] The plurality of plates 223 a and 223 b may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 10 (ie, the direction in which the aerosol-generating article 10 extends).

[0124] At least one of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be in contact with the coupler 211 connected to the oscillating portion (not shown). Specifically, at least a portion of the first plate 223a may be in contact with the coupler 211. When the microwave is transmitted to the first plate 223a through the coupler 211, the resonance of the microwave is formed between the plurality of plates 223a, 223b. In addition, the resonance of the microwave is also formed between the first plate 223a and the upper side plate of the housing 221 and between the second plate 223b and the lower side plate of the housing 221. Therefore, an electric field can also be generated between the plurality of plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222, between the first plate 323a and the upper side plate of the housing 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower side plate of the housing 321.

[0125] The coupler 211 passes through the housing 221, so that one end of the coupler 211 can contact the oscillating portion (not shown), and the other end of the coupler 211 can contact an area of ​​the first plate 223a. As the microwave generated in the oscillating portion (not shown) is transmitted to the plurality of plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222 through the coupler 211, an electric field can be generated inside the assembly of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222.

[0126] In addition, according to the structure of the resonating part 220 of the heater assembly 200, a triple resonance mode can be formed in the resonating part 220. A resonance of a transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM mode) of microwaves is formed between the plurality of plates 223a and 223b. In addition, a resonance of a TEM mode different from the resonance formed between the plurality of plates 223a and 223b is formed between the first plate 223a and the upper plate of the housing 221, and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the housing 221. Figure 5 The resonating portion 220 can realize TEM mode resonance based on the plurality of plates 223a and 223b, and therefore can be manufactured in a smaller size than a conventional cylinder-shaped resonator that can realize only TE (transverse electric) and TM (transverse magnetic mode) modes.

[0127] As triple resonance is generated in the resonance portion 220 of the heater assembly 200 , the aerosol-generating article 10 may be heated more efficiently and uniformly.

[0128] The resonator 220 of the above-mentioned embodiment may include: a closed end (short end) whose end surface is closed; and an open end (open end) located in the opposite direction of the closed end and at least one area of ​​the end surface is opened, so as to have a length (λ / 4) of 1 / 4 of the wavelength (λ) of the microwave.

[0129] exist Figure 5 In the embodiment, the region of one end of the resonance part 220 corresponding to the left region is connected to the housing 221 through the structure of connecting one end of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b and the connecting part 222 to form a closed end. Figure 5 In the embodiment, the region of the other end of the resonance part 220 corresponding to the right region is opened to the outside through the opening 221a of the housing 221 to form an open end. With the structure of the resonance part 220 as described above, the resonance part 220 can operate as a resonator having a length of 1 / 4 wavelength of microwaves.

[0130] According to the resonance structure of the resonance part 220 described above, the electric field may not propagate in the outer region of the resonance part 220. Therefore, the heater assembly 200 may prevent the electric field from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 200 even without an additional shielding member for shielding the electric field.

[0131] The aerosol generating article 10 inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the housing 221 can be surrounded by the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b and heated by dielectric heating. For example, a portion of the aerosol generating article 10 including a dielectric can be arranged in the space between the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. The dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 generates heat by the electric field generated in the space between the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, thereby the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated.

[0132] In addition, secondary heating of the aerosol generating article 10 can be achieved by the action of the electric field generated by the resonance modes formed between the first plate 223a and the upper plate of the shell 221 and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the shell 321.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating article 10 may include a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12 .

[0134] The tobacco rod 11 aerosol generating substance may be made of a sheet or strand material, or may be made of shredded tobacco obtained by cutting tobacco sheets into fine pieces. For example, the aerosol generating substance may include at least one of glycerol, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the tobacco rod 11 may contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. In addition, a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may be added to the tobacco rod 11 by spraying it onto the tobacco rod 11.

[0135] The filter rod 12 may be a cellulose acetate filter. In addition, the shape of the filter rod 12 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 12 may be a cylindrical rod, or a tubular rod with a hollow interior. In addition, the filter rod 12 may also be an embedded rod. If the filter rod 12 is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments may be made into a different shape.

[0136] At least a portion of the aerosol generating substance (eg, glycerin) contained in the aerosol generating article 10 may be a dielectric having polarity in an electric field. Such at least a portion of the aerosol generating substance may generate heat by dielectric heating, thereby heating the aerosol generating article 10 .

[0137] When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the interior of the resonance portion 220 through the accommodation space 220h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol generating article 10 may be located between the plurality of plates 223a, 223b.

[0138] The length L4 of the tobacco rod 11 can be formed to be longer than the length L1 of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b. Therefore, the front end 11f of the tobacco rod 11 connected to the filter rod 12 is located in a direction toward the opening 221a of the housing 221 and is located at a position more protruding than the other end 223af of the first plate 223a and the other end 223bf of the second plate 223b.

[0139] The other ends of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b that operate as resonators form a resonance peak, and can generate a stronger electric field than other areas. When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the heater assembly 200, the tobacco rod 11 including a dielectric that can generate heat due to the electric field is arranged in a manner corresponding to the area with the strongest electric field, thereby improving the heating efficiency of the heater assembly 200 (or "dielectric heating efficiency").

[0140] Reference Figure 5 , the length L1 of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be set to be smaller than the length (L1+L2) of the internal space of the housing 221. Therefore, the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be located further inside the housing 221 than the opening 221a. That is, the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be located at a position spaced apart from the rear end of the opening 221a by a distance L2.

[0141] The length of the opening 221a from the rear end of the opening 221a connected to the housing 221 to the front end of the opening 221a where the opening 221a is open may be L3. The entire length of the housing 221 in the length direction of the housing 221 may be L. The entire length L of the housing 221 may be determined based on the sum of the length L1 of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b, the length L2 of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b spaced from the rear end of the opening 221a, and the length L3 of the opening 221a protruding from the housing 221.

[0142] In order to prevent microwave leakage, the front end of the opening 221a where the opening 221a is opened is set to protrude from the shell 221 by a length of L3. Since the opening 221a of the shell 221 protrudes from the shell 221, the opening 221a can prevent the microwave inside the shell 221 of the resonance part 220 from leaking to the outside of the shell 221.

[0143] The resonance part 220 may further include a dielectric accommodation space 227 for accommodating a dielectric. The dielectric accommodation space 227 may be formed as an empty space between the housing 221 and the plurality of plates 223a, 223b. The dielectric accommodation space 227 may accommodate a dielectric having a low microwave absorption rate.

[0144] The heater assembly 200 can reduce the overall size of the resonance portion 220 by configuring the dielectric inside the dielectric accommodating space 227, thereby generating an electric field at the same level as the electric field generated in the resonance portion without the dielectric. That is, the size of the resonance portion 220 can be reduced by configuring the dielectric inside the dielectric accommodating space 227, thereby reducing the installation space of the resonance portion 220 in the aerosol generating device, and as a result, the aerosol generating device can be miniaturized.

[0145] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a heater assembly of the illustrated embodiment.

[0146] Reference Figure 6 When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the support tube 225 of the resonance part 220, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol generating article 10 can be located between the plurality of plates 223a, 223b. The closed surface at one end of the support tube 225 supports the left end of the tobacco rod 11, thereby limiting the movement of the aerosol generating article 10 to the left.

[0147] The length L1 of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be set to be smaller than the length (L1+L2) of the internal space of the housing 221. Therefore, the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be located at a position spaced from the opening 221a toward the inner side of the housing 221. That is, the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be located at a position spaced from the rear end of the opening 221a by a distance of L2.

[0148] The length of the opening 221a protruding from the housing 221 may be L3. The entire length of the housing 221 in the length direction of the housing 221 may be L. The entire length L of the housing 221 may be set in the range of 25 mm to 35 mm. Figure 6 The entire length L of the housing 221 is about 29 mm. In order to prevent microwave leakage, the length L3 of the opening 221a may be more than 5 mm.

[0149] The height H of the housing 221 in the direction transverse to the length direction of the housing 221 can be set in the range of 13 mm to 25 mm. Figure 6 The height H of the housing 221 is approximately 16 mm.

[0150] The front end of the dielectric 224 disposed inside the resonator 220 may protrude from the other ends of the plurality of plates 223a and 223b in the longitudinal direction of the housing 221. Figure 6 In the embodiment, the front end of the dielectric 224 may be in contact with the inner surface of the housing 221. The length L2 of the front end of the dielectric 224 protruding from the other end of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may be changed to various lengths. Therefore, the front end of the dielectric 224 may be spaced from the inner surface of the housing 221 so that the front end of the dielectric 224 protrudes more than the other end of the plurality of plates 223a, 223b but does not contact the inner surface of the housing 221.

[0151] At least a portion of the first plate 223a among the plurality of plates 223a, 223b may contact the coupler 211. The position where the coupler 211 and the first plate 223a contact each other may be defined as a position closer to the connection portion 222 than the opening 221a in the section from the opening 221a to the connection portion 222.

[0152] When the microwave is transmitted to the first plate 223a through the coupler 211, the resonance of the microwave is formed between the multiple plates 223a and 223b. In addition, the resonance of the microwave is also formed between the first plate 223a and the upper plate of the shell 221, and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the shell 221. Therefore, an electric field can also be generated between the multiple plates 223a, 223b and the connecting portion 222, between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the shell 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the shell 321. In particular, resonance peaks are formed at the ends 223af and 223bf of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b that act as resonators, thereby generating a stronger electric field than other areas.

[0153] In addition, the front end of the tobacco rod 11 connected to the filter rod 12 is located in a position that is more protruding than the other end 223af of the first plate 223a and the other end 223bf of the second plate 223b along the direction toward the opening 221a of the housing 221. Thus, in the initial stage of heating, the tobacco rod 11 in the direction of the ends 223af and 223bf of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b can be provided with a maximum electric field absorption area 610. The maximum electric field absorption area 610 can be increased or decreased according to the output of the oscillating unit 210. In addition, the initial stage of heating refers to the period from the start of the smoking interval to the elapse of a predetermined time.

[0154] Below, through Figure 7 The electric field distribution in the resonator is used to observe the maximum electric field generation area in the resonator, and the Figure 8 The heating density distribution of the tobacco rod 11 in the pipe is used to observe the maximum electric field absorption area.

[0155] Figure 7 It is a schematic representation Figure 4 A perspective view of the electric field distribution of the heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0156] Figure 7 The electric field distribution shown in represents the intensity of the voltage (V / m) per unit length of the resonance portion.

[0157] Reference Figure 7 According to the structure of the resonating part 220 of the heater assembly, a triple resonance mode can be formed in the resonating part 220. A resonance of a transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM mode) of microwaves is formed between the plurality of plates 223a and 223b. In addition, a resonance of a TEM mode different from the resonance formed between the plurality of plates 223a and 223b is formed between the first plate 223a and the upper plate of the shell 221, and between the second plate 223b and the lower plate of the shell 221. In particular, a resonance peak is formed at each end of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, so that it can be confirmed that a stronger electric field is generated than in other areas.

[0158] Figure 8 It is a schematic representation of Figure 4 A perspective view of the heating density distribution of an aerosol-generating article heated by the heater assembly of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0159] Figure 8 The heating density distribution shown in FIG. 1 represents the temperature energy per unit volume (W / m 3 ).

[0160] Reference Figure 8 By generating a strong electric field at the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, the maximum heating density region 810 can be arranged in the tobacco rod 11 in the direction of the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. The heating density, as the temperature energy per unit volume, is related to the electric field absorption, and therefore, the maximum heating density region 810 can be the same as the maximum electric field absorption region 610.

[0161] In addition, the temperature energy per unit volume of the maximum heating density region 810 is higher, so the heating speed of the dielectric is faster than that of other regions. In other words, the region of the tobacco rod 11 that contacts the filter rod is heated first. Therefore, there is an advantage of reducing the initial inhalation resistance of the aerosol generating article 10.

[0162] In addition, when the maximum electric field absorption area is fixed in the tobacco rod 11, the material arranged in the specific area will be quickly consumed (burned), so it is impossible to provide a uniform taste in the entire smoking interval. In order to solve this problem, the present disclosure controls the power supplied to the oscillating unit 210 according to time, so that the maximum electric field absorption area moves in the tobacco rod 11.

[0163] Fig. 9 This is an internal block diagram for explaining an output control method of an oscillating unit according to an embodiment.

[0164] In more detail, Fig. 9 Only the aerosol generating device 100 is shown. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The structure for adjusting the magnitude and frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillating part 210 is omitted in the following description. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 Repeat instructions.

[0165] Reference Fig. 9 The aerosol generating device 100 may include a memory 106 , an oscillating unit 210 , a power monitoring unit 250 , a resonating unit 220 , and a processor 101 .

[0166] The oscillation part 210 may output microwaves having a preset output frequency and a preset magnitude of power. The oscillation part 210 may provide the generated microwaves to the resonance part 220 .

[0167] The resonance part 220 accommodates the aerosol generating article 10 and resonates the microwaves supplied from the oscillation part 210, thereby heating the aerosol generating article 10. The internal structure of the resonance part 220 may be similar to Figures 1 to 6 same.

[0168] The memory 106 may include temperature distribution information and electric power distribution information. The temperature distribution includes information on the target temperature of the resonance part 220 based on time, and the processor 101 controls the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillation part 210 based on the temperature distribution information. In addition, the power distribution includes information on the target power of the oscillation part 210 based on time, and the processor 101 may control the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillation part 210 based on the power distribution. In the following, although the method of controlling the magnitude of the microwave power based on the power distribution is described, the following description is also applicable to the method of controlling the magnitude of the microwave power based on the temperature distribution.

[0169] The processor 101 may control the oscillating unit 210 according to the power distribution, thereby outputting a first magnitude of microwave power in the preheating interval. In addition, the processor 101 may control the oscillating unit 210 in the smoking interval after the preheating interval, thereby outputting a second magnitude of microwave power that is smaller than the first magnitude. In addition, the processor 101 may progressively increase the magnitude of microwave power in the smoking interval. As the magnitude of microwave power is progressively increased in the smoking interval, the maximum electric field absorption region may be moved within the tobacco rod 11.

[0170] The oscillating unit 210 includes a power amplifier, and the processor 101 controls the power amplifier to adjust the power of the microwave. The power amplifier can increase or decrease the amplitude of the microwave according to the control of the processor 101, thereby adjusting the power of the microwave. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillating unit 210 to output a microwave having any power selected from the range of 3W to 20W.

[0171] In addition, regardless of the control of the magnitude of the microwave power described above, the processor 101 can track the change of the resonant frequency of the resonating portion 220 in real time, and integrate (match) the output frequency of the oscillating portion 210 and the resonant frequency of the resonating portion 220. In other words, the processor 101 can integrate the output frequency of the oscillating portion 210 and the resonant frequency of the resonating portion 220 in real time while adjusting the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 according to a preset power distribution. As the output frequency of the oscillating portion 210 and the resonant frequency of the resonating portion 220 are integrated, the power transfer efficiency is significantly improved, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be uniformly heated.

[0172] The power monitoring unit 250 may be provided to practically track the change in the resonance frequency of the resonance unit 220 .

[0173] In more detail, as the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 is heated and consumed by the microwave, the impedance of the resonance part 220 may change. In the case where the oscillation part 210 is controlled to a fixed output even if the impedance of the resonance part 220 changes, the first impedance from the oscillation part 210 toward the resonance part 220 and the second impedance from the resonance part 220 toward the oscillation part 210 may be inconsistent. In other words, the first impedance and the second impedance may not match each other. In addition, the impedance matching is related to the maximum power transfer condition, so the maximum power transfer condition may not be satisfied. As a result, the power supplied from the oscillation part 210 cannot be completely transferred to the resonance part 220, and a part of it is reflected from the resonance part 220 and input again in the direction of the oscillation part 210.

[0174] In order to match the first impedance and the second impedance, the power monitoring unit 250 can measure the second power P2 output from the oscillation unit 210 and input to the resonance unit 220 and the second power P2 reflected from the resonance unit 220 and input to the oscillation unit 210. At this time, the first power P1 and the second power P2 can refer to the magnitude of the power.

[0175] The power monitoring unit 250 may provide information on the first power P1 and the second power P2 to the processor 101 .

[0176] The processor 101 may match the first impedance and the second impedance based on the information about the first power P1 and the second power P2 provided by the power monitoring unit 250. Impedance matching may be achieved by adjusting the output frequency of the oscillating unit 210. This is because impedance is a parameter associated with frequency.

[0177] The oscillating unit 210 includes at least one switching element. In order to adjust the output frequency of the oscillating unit 210 , the processor 101 may control the switching element to be turned on and off (ON / OFF).

[0178] The processor 101 may adjust the output frequency of the oscillating unit 210 so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 measured by the power monitoring unit 250 is within a preset reference power range. For example, the reference power range may be 0W to 1W, but is not limited thereto.

[0179] The processor 101 sweeps the output frequency output from the oscillating unit 210 within a preset reference frequency band range, and controls the oscillating unit 210 so that the difference between the first power P1 and the second power P2 is within a preset range. For example, the reference frequency band range may be 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz, but is not limited thereto.

[0180] In addition, the above-mentioned adjustment of the output frequency of the processor 101 can be performed in real time. In other words, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillating unit 210 independently of the adjustment of the power level of the oscillating unit 210.

[0181] Fig.10 is shown for controlling Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram of power distribution of the output of the oscillation section of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0182] Reference Fig.10 , Fig.10 The power distribution of an embodiment is shown in FIG. The power distribution includes information on target power in the preheating interval and the smoking interval. Fig.10In the embodiment, the preheating interval is the same as the first time t1, and the smoking interval is the interval from the first time t1 to the fifth time t5. For example, the first time t1 is 20 seconds, and the fifth time t5 is more than 4 minutes and 30 seconds, but it is not limited thereto.

[0183] The processor 101 controls the oscillating unit 210 during the first time t1, thereby outputting microwave power of the first magnitude Pa. For example, the first magnitude Pa may be 20W.

[0184] In addition, the first time t1 is the same as the preheating interval, and the target power of the first time t1 has nothing to do with the movement of the maximum electric field absorption area. In other words, the first magnitude Pa is greater than the second magnitude Pb to the fifth magnitude Pe described later in order to quickly heat the tobacco rod 11. Since it is only maintained for a short time such as 20 seconds, not only the dielectric cannot be completely consumed in the prescribed area of ​​the tobacco rod 11, but also a relatively high power is supplied to the resonance part 220, so the dielectric is quickly heated as a whole. Therefore, it is not necessary to move the maximum electric field absorption area in the preheating interval.

[0185] The processor 101 controls the oscillating part 210 from the first time t1 to the second time t2, thereby outputting a microwave power having a second magnitude Pb smaller than the first magnitude Pa. The difference between the second time t2 and the first time t1 may be greater than the first time t1. For example, the difference between the second time t2 and the first time t1 may be 1 minute and 30 seconds, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the second magnitude Pb may be any value selected from the range of 3w to 4w.

[0186] When the microwave power of the second magnitude Pb is output to the resonance part 220 , more electric field can be output in a part of the tobacco rod 11 , and thus a maximum electric field absorption region can be generated in the tobacco rod 11 .

[0187] If the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the tobacco rod 11 is not moved, the electric field is concentrated in a specific area, so that the tobacco rod 11 cannot be heated uniformly. Therefore, in order to move the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the tobacco rod 11 in the smoking interval, the processor 101 gradually increases the microwave power.

[0188] The processor 101 controls the oscillating part 210 from the second time t2 to the third time t3, thereby outputting a microwave power having a third size Pc larger than the second size Pb. The difference between the third time t3 and the second time t2 may be greater than or equal to the difference between the second time t2 and the first time t1. For example, the difference between the third time t3 and the second time t2 may be greater than 1 minute and 30 seconds and less than 2 minutes, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the third size Pc may be any value selected from the range of 4w to 5w. As the oscillating part 210 outputs a microwave power having a third size Pc larger than the second size Pb, the maximum electric field absorption area may move within the tobacco rod 11.

[0189] The processor 101 controls the oscillating part 210 from the third time t3 to the fourth time t4, thereby outputting a microwave power having a fourth size Pd greater than the third size Pc. The difference between the fourth time t4 and the third time t3 may be greater than or equal to the difference between the third time t3 and the second time t2. For example, the difference between the fourth time t4 and the third time t3 may be 1 minute and 30 seconds and less than 2 minutes, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the fourth size Pd may be any value selected from the range of 5w to 6w. As the oscillating part 210 outputs a microwave power having a fourth size Pd greater than the third size Pc, the maximum electric field absorption region may move within the tobacco rod 11.

[0190] The processor 101 controls the oscillating part 210 from the fourth time t4 to the fifth time t5, thereby outputting a microwave power having a fifth size Pe greater than the fourth size Pd. The difference between the fifth time t5 and the fourth time t4 may be greater than or equal to the difference between the fourth time t4 and the third time t3. For example, the difference between the fifth time t5 and the fourth time t4 may be greater than 1 minute and 30 seconds and less than 2 minutes, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the fifth size Pe may be any value selected from the range of 6w to 7w. As the oscillating part 210 outputs a microwave power having a fifth size Pe greater than the fourth size Pd, the maximum electric field absorption area may move within the tobacco rod 11.

[0191] Fig.11 is the maximum electric field absorption area based on Fig.10 FIG. 4 is a diagram of the movement of the power distribution of the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0192] Reference Fig.11, the processor 101 can control the oscillating unit 210 in the first interval of the smoking interval, thereby outputting a microwave power having a second size Pb. The first interval may refer to an interval from after the first time t1 to the second time t2, and the second size Pb may be any value selected from the range of 3w to 4w. In the case of outputting a microwave power having the second size Pb, a resonance peak is formed at each end of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b of the resonating unit 220, thereby generating an electric field stronger than other areas. Thus, the first area 1110 of the tobacco rod 11 in the direction of the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b can generate a maximum electric field absorption area.

[0193] In addition, in the aerosol generating device 100 of the present disclosure, since the portion of the tobacco rod 11 that is connected to the filter rod, that is, the first area 1110, is heated first, there is an advantage that the initial inhalation impedance of the aerosol generating article 10 is reduced. It should be noted that when the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the entire heating interval is fixed, there is a problem that the tobacco rod 11 cannot be heated uniformly. Therefore, in order to move the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the tobacco rod 11 in the smoking interval, the processor 101 gradually increases the microwave power.

[0194] The processor 101 gradually increases the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 in such a manner that the maximum electric field absorption region moves along the length direction of the tobacco rod 11. As the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 increases, Fig.11 As shown, the maximum electric field absorption area in the tobacco rod 11 moves in a direction opposite to the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10.

[0195] In more detail, the processor 101 controls the oscillating unit 210 from the first interval to the second interval of the smoking interval, thereby outputting a microwave power having a third size Pc greater than the second size Pb. The second interval may refer to an interval from the second time t2 to the third time t3. There is no dielectric in the filter rod, and the dielectric present in the first area 1110 is consumed quite a lot in the first interval. Therefore, when the microwave power increases to the third size Pc, the maximum electric field absorption area moves in the direction opposite to the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10, that is, the second area 1120.

[0196] In order to move the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the tobacco rod 11 again, the processor 101 controls the oscillating unit 210 from the second interval to the third interval, thereby outputting a microwave power having a fourth size Pd greater than the third size Pc. The third interval may refer to an interval from the third time t3 to the fourth time t4. Similarly, there is no dielectric in the filter rod, and the dielectric present in the second area 1120 is consumed quite a lot in the second interval. Therefore, when the microwave power is increased to the fourth size Pd, the maximum electric field absorption area moves in the direction opposite to the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10, that is, the third area 1130.

[0197] In order to move the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the tobacco rod 11 again, the processor 101 controls the oscillation unit 210 from the third interval to the fourth interval, thereby outputting a microwave power having a fifth size Pe that is larger than the fourth size Pd. The fourth interval may refer to the interval from the fourth time t4 to the fifth time t5. Similarly, there is no dielectric in the filter rod, and the dielectric present in the third area 1130 is consumed quite a lot in the third interval. Therefore, when the microwave power is increased to the fifth size Pe, the maximum electric field absorption area moves in the direction opposite to the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10, that is, the fourth area 1140. In addition, in Fig.11 The method of gradually increasing the microwave power in four intervals in total is shown in the figure, but the intervals can be increased or decreased according to the length of the medium and the size of the microwave power.

[0198] Fig.12 This is a flowchart for explaining an operating method of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0199] Reference Fig.12 In step S1210, the oscillating unit 210 may generate microwaves.

[0200] The oscillation part 210 may include a solid-state based RF generating device, and may generate microwaves using the device.

[0201] The oscillating unit 210 may output microwaves having a preset output frequency and a preset power according to the control of the processor 101 .

[0202] The oscillating unit 210 includes a power amplifier, which can adjust the size of the microwave power according to the control of the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier can reduce or increase the amplitude of the microwaves. The microwave power is adjusted by adjusting the amplitude of the microwaves.

[0203] In step S1220 , the resonating section 220 outputs an electric field based on microwave resonance to the aerosol-generating article 10 , thereby heating the aerosol-generating article 10 .

[0204] like Figures 4 to 8 As shown, the resonating portion 220 may include: a first plate 223a surrounding an area of ​​the aerosol generating article 10; a second plate 223b spaced apart from the first plate 223a along the circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article 10 and surrounding other areas of the aerosol generating article 10; and a connecting portion 222 for connecting the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. Through the first plate 223a, the second plate 223b, and the connecting portion 222, microwaves may resonate between the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b and between each of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b and the housing 221 (a triple resonance structure as described above), and the aerosol generating article 10 may be heated by an electric field based on the resonance of the microwaves.

[0205] In particular, the lengths of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b are formed to be shorter than the length of the tobacco rod 11 included in the aerosol generating article 10, and the tobacco rod 11 can be arranged at a position protruding from the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b in the direction of the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10. A strong electric field is generated at the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b, so that at the initial stage of heating, a maximum electric field absorption area can be generated in a predetermined area of ​​the tobacco rod 11 arranged in the direction of the ends of the first plate 223a and the second plate 223b. The initial stage of heating can refer to a period from the start of the smoking interval to the elapse of a predetermined time.

[0206] In addition, when the maximum electric field absorption area is fixed in the tobacco rod 11, only the dielectric arranged in the specified area is quickly exhausted, so it is impossible to provide a uniform taste in the entire smoking interval. In order to solve the above problem, the present disclosure increases the microwave power in the smoking interval to move the maximum electric field absorption area in the tobacco rod 11.

[0207] In step S1230 , the processor 101 may move the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article 10 by controlling the output of the oscillating section 210 .

[0208] The processor 101 may adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 according to a preset power distribution, thereby moving the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article 10 .

[0209] The processor 101 can control the oscillating part 210 to output a microwave power having a first magnitude Pa in the preheating interval. In addition, the microwave power in the preheating interval is a relatively large 20W, and the preheating interval is only maintained for a relatively short time such as 20 seconds, so there is little need to move the maximum electric field absorption area. In other words, in the preheating interval, a relatively high power is supplied to the resonance part 220 in a relatively short time, so that the dielectric is quickly heated as a whole, and therefore, there is little need to move the maximum electric field absorption area in the preheating interval.

[0210] When the smoking interval after the preheating interval begins, the processor 101 controls the oscillating unit 210 to output microwave power having a second magnitude Pb smaller than the first magnitude Pa. The processor 101 progressively increases the power output from the oscillating unit 210 to move the maximum electric field absorption region as the smoking interval progresses.

[0211] In one embodiment, the processor 101 may control the oscillator 210 in the first interval of the smoking interval, thereby outputting a microwave power having a second magnitude Pb. In addition, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210 from the first interval to the second interval, thereby outputting a microwave power having a third magnitude Pc greater than the second magnitude Pb. In addition, the processor 101 controls the oscillator 210, thereby outputting a microwave power having a fourth magnitude Pd greater than the third magnitude Pc from the second interval to the third interval, and outputting a microwave power having a fifth magnitude Pe greater than the fourth magnitude Pd from the third interval to the fourth interval.

[0212] In the smoking interval, as the microwave power increases gradually, the maximum electric field absorption area moves along the length of the tobacco rod 11. In one embodiment, the maximum electric field absorption area can move in the tobacco rod 11 in a direction opposite to the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article 10.

[0213] In addition, regardless of the power distribution, the processor 101 can track in real time the change in the resonant frequency of the resonating portion 220 corresponding to the depletion of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10. In addition, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 based on the change in the resonant frequency. In other words, the processor 101 can control the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillating portion 210 and the output frequency of the microwave power independently of each other.

[0214] Any embodiment or another embodiment of the present disclosure described above is not mutually exclusive or different from each other. The respective structures or functions of any embodiment or another embodiment of the present disclosure described above can be used or combined.

[0215] For example, structure A described in a specific embodiment and / or drawings can be combined with structure B described in another embodiment and / or drawings. That is, even if the combination between structures is not directly described, they can be combined unless described as not being able to be combined.

[0216] The above detailed description is not to be interpreted as limiting in all aspects, but illustrative. The scope of the present invention is determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims and includes all changes within the equivalent scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, characterized in that: include: An oscillating part for generating microwaves; a resonance portion for accommodating an aerosol-generating article and heating the aerosol-generating article by outputting an electric field based on the resonance of the microwave to the aerosol-generating article; as well as A processor controls the output of the oscillating portion to move the maximum electric field absorption area of ​​the aerosol generating article.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The resonating part comprises: a first plate surrounding a region of the aerosol-generating article, a second plate spaced from the first plate along the circumference of the aerosol-generating article and surrounding other areas of the aerosol-generating article, and A connecting portion, used to connect the first plate and the second plate; The microwaves are resonated by the first plate, the second plate, and the connecting portion, and the aerosol-generating article is heated by an electric field output from ends of the first plate and the second plate.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lengths of the first plate and the second plate are formed to be smaller than the length of the tobacco rod contained in the aerosol generating article, and the tobacco rod is arranged at a position protruding from the ends of the first plate and the second plate in the direction toward the opening for accommodating the aerosol generating article, so that at the initial stage of heating, the maximum electric field absorption area is generated in a specified area of ​​the tobacco rod in the direction of the ends of the first plate and the second plate.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor controls the output of the oscillating portion to move the maximum electric field absorption region in a length direction of a tobacco rod included in the aerosol generating article.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: Within the tobacco rod, the region of maximum electric field absorption is shifted in a direction opposite to a direction toward an opening for receiving the aerosol generating article.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor adjusts the magnitude of microwave power output from the oscillating portion according to a preset power distribution to move the maximum electric field absorption region of the aerosol generating article.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The processor controls the oscillating unit to output a first microwave power in a preheating interval.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the smoking interval begins after the preheating interval, the processor controls the oscillating portion to output a second microwave power smaller than the first microwave power, and gradually increases the power output from the oscillating portion as the smoking interval progresses to move the maximum electric field absorption region.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor tracks in real time a change in the resonance frequency of the resonance portion corresponding to consumption of the dielectric contained in the aerosol-generating article, and adjusts an output frequency of microwave power output from the oscillation portion based on the change in the resonance frequency of the resonance portion.

10. The aerosol generating device according to claim 9, characterized in that The processor independently controls the magnitude of the microwave power and the output frequency of the microwave power.

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