Aerosol device with drive circuit for matching impedance of ultrasonic vibrator

Abstract

A driving circuit for supplying power to a vibrator according to an exemplary embodiment includes: one or more capacitors connected in parallel; an inductor connected to the first electrical contact; a switch having a drain terminal connected to the first electrical contact; a first power source configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; and a second power source configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and a resistor connected between the gate terminal of the switch and the ground.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol generating devices, and more particularly to impedance matching drive circuits for aerosol generating devices. Background Art

[0002] The demand for electronic cigarettes (i.e., e-cigarettes) continues to increase. The increase in demand for e-cigarettes has also accelerated the continued development of functions related to e-cigarettes. Functions related to e-cigarettes may specifically include functions developed according to the type and characteristics of e-cigarettes. Summary of the invention

[0003] Technical issues to be solved

[0004] One aspect of the present disclosure may provide an impedance matching drive circuit for an aerosol generating device.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure may provide an aerosol generating device that generates an aerosol.

[0006] Technical solutions to the problem

[0007] According to one aspect, a drive circuit is provided, which includes: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, wherein the first electrical contact point can be connected to a first end of a vibrator included in a cigarette cartridge, and the second electrical contact point can be connected to a second end of the vibrator; one or more capacitors, wherein the one or more capacitors are connected in parallel between the first electrical contact point and the second electrical contact point, wherein the first end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the first electrical contact point, and the second end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the second electrical contact point; an inductor, wherein the inductor is connected to the first electrical contact point, wherein the first end of the inductor is connected to the first electrical contact point; a switch, wherein the switch has a drain terminal connected to the first electrical contact point, wherein the source terminal of the switch is connected to a ground portion; a first power supply, wherein the first power supply is configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply, wherein the second power supply is configured to provide a voltage to the second end of the inductor; and a resistor, wherein the resistor is connected between the gate terminal of the switch and the ground portion.

[0008] The drive circuit may also include: one or more matching inductors, which are connected in parallel between the first electrical contact point and the first end of the inductor, wherein the first end of the one or more matching inductors is connected to the first electrical contact point, and the second end of the one or more matching inductors is connected to the drain terminal of the switch.

[0009] The driving circuit may further include a switch connected between the first end of the one or more capacitors and the first electrical contact point or between the second end of the one or more capacitors and the second electrical contact point.

[0010] The drive circuit may further include: a switch connected in parallel with the one or more matching inductors.

[0011] The first power supply may be configured to provide an alternating current (AC) voltage to a gate terminal of the switch.

[0012] The second power supply may be configured to provide a direct current (DC) voltage to a second end of the inductor and a first end of the vibrator.

[0013] According to one aspect, an electronic cigarette is provided, the electronic cigarette comprising the above-mentioned driving circuit.

[0014] According to one aspect, a driving circuit for an electronic device is provided, the driving circuit comprising: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of a vibrator included in a cigarette cartridge, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more matching inductors, the one or more matching inductors being connected to the first electrical contact point, wherein the first ends of the one or more matching inductors are connected to the first electrical contact point, and the one or more matching inductors are connected in parallel; an inductor, the inductor being connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors, wherein the first end of the inductor is connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors; a switch, the switch having a drain terminal connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors, wherein the source terminal of the switch is connected to a ground portion; a first power supply, the first power supply being configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply, the second power supply being configured to provide a voltage to the second end of the inductor; and a resistor, the resistor being connected between the gate terminal of the switch and the ground portion.

[0015] According to one aspect, an electronic device is provided, which includes a main body, which is configured to be connected to a cigarette cartridge, wherein the main body may include: a drive circuit, which is configured to drive a vibrator of the cigarette cartridge when the cigarette cartridge is connected to the main body; and a controller, which is configured to control the operation of the drive circuit. The drive circuit may include: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of the vibrator, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more capacitors, the one or more capacitors being connected in parallel between the first electrical contact point and the second electrical contact point, wherein a first end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the first electrical contact point, and a second end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the second electrical contact point; an inductor, the inductor being connected to the first electrical contact point, wherein a first end of the inductor is connected to the first electrical contact point; a switch, the switch having a drain terminal connected to the first electrical contact point, wherein a source terminal of the switch is connected to a ground portion; a first power supply, the first power supply being configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply, the second power supply being configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and a resistor, the resistor being connected between the gate terminal of the switch and the ground portion.

[0016] According to one aspect, an electronic device is provided, which includes a main body, which is configured to be connected to a cigarette cartridge, wherein the main body may include: a drive circuit, which is configured to drive a vibrator of the cigarette cartridge when the cigarette cartridge is connected to the main body; and a controller, which is configured to control the operation of the drive circuit. The drive circuit may include: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of a vibrator, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more matching inductors, the one or more matching inductors being connected to the first electrical contact point, wherein a first end of the one or more matching inductors is connected to the first electrical contact point, and the one or more matching inductors are connected in parallel; an inductor, the inductor being connected to a second end of the one or more matching inductors, wherein a first end of the inductor is connected to a second end of the one or more matching inductors; a switch, the switch having a drain terminal connected to a first end of the one or more matching inductors, wherein a source terminal of the switch is connected to a ground; a first power supply, the first power supply being configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply, the second power supply being configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and a resistor, the resistor being connected between the gate terminal of the switch and the ground.

[0017] Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to exemplary embodiments described herein, there is provided a driving circuit for driving a vibrator of an aerosol generating device.

[0019] According to exemplary embodiments described herein, an aerosol generating device for generating an aerosol is provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to an exemplary embodiment in which a cartridge and a body are separated from each other.

[0023] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device in which a cartridge and a body are coupled to each other according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5aA driving circuit including a capacitor according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Figure 5b A driving circuit including a matching inductor according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 5c A driving circuit including a capacitor and a matching inductor according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Figure 6 is a full-bridge driving circuit according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Figure 7 is a driving circuit for switching between a full-bridge mode and a half-bridge mode according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8 is an equivalent circuit of a driving circuit operating in a half-bridge mode according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following detailed structural or functional description is provided for the purpose of example only, and various modifications and variations may be made to the examples. Here, the examples should not be interpreted as being limited by the disclosure, and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents or alternatives within the conceptual and technical scope of the disclosure.

[0031] Although the terms "first", "second", etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another component. For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component, or similarly, a second component may also be referred to as a first component.

[0032] It should be noted that if one component is described as being “connected,” “coupled” or “linked” to another component, a third component may be “connected,” “coupled” or “linked” between the first and second components, but the first component may be directly connected, coupled or linked to the second component.

[0033] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well. It will also be understood that the terms "include / comprise" and / or "comprising / including" when used herein indicate the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0034] As used herein, "at least one of A, B, and C" and "at least one of A, B, or C" should be understood to include only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0036] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When the exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals refer to like components and repeated descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0037] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 The aerosol generating device 100 may include a controller 110, a sensing unit 120, an output unit 130, a battery 140, an atomizer 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 internal structure shown. A person skilled in the art of the present disclosure will understand that, depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 100, the Figure 1 Some of the components shown may be changed or new components may be added.

[0039] The sensing unit 120 can detect the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the state of the environment around the aerosol generating device 100, and transmit the sensed information to the controller 110. The controller 110 can control the aerosol generating device 100 to perform multiple functions based on the sensed information, such as controlling the operation of the atomizer 150, restricting smoking, determining whether to insert an aerosol generating product (e.g., an aerosol generating substance, a cigarette cartridge, etc.), and displaying a notification.

[0040] The sensing unit 120 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 122 , an insertion detection sensor 124 , or a suction sensor 126 , but examples thereof are not limited thereto.

[0041] The temperature sensor 122 can sense the temperature of the atomizer 150 (or the aerosol generating substance). The aerosol generating device 100 can include a separate temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the atomizer 150, or the atomizer 150 itself can function as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 122 can be arranged around the battery 140 to monitor the temperature of the battery 140.

[0042] The insertion detection sensor 124 can sense whether the aerosol generating article is inserted or removed. For example, the insertion detection sensor 124 can include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistance sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, or an infrared sensor, and the insertion detection sensor 124 can sense the signal change caused by the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article.

[0043] The suction sensor 126 can sense the suction from the user 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 one of temperature change, flow change, voltage change and pressure change.

[0044] In addition to the above-mentioned sensors 122 to 126, the sensing unit 120 may further include at least one of the following: a temperature / humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a position sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)), a proximity sensor, or a red, green, and blue (RGB) sensor (e.g., an illuminance sensor). The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from its name by a person of ordinary skill in the art, and thus a more detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0045] The output unit 130 may output information about the state of the aerosol generating device 100 and provide the information to the user. The output unit 130 may include at least one of a display 132, a tactile portion 134, or a sound outputter 136, but examples thereof are not limited thereto. When the display 132 and a touch pad are provided in a layered structure to form a touch screen, the display 132 may be used as an input device in addition to being used as an output device.

[0046] The display 132 may provide information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user in a visual manner. The information about the aerosol generating device 100 may include various information, such as the charge / discharge state of the battery 140 of the aerosol generating device 100, the preheating state of the atomizer 150, the insertion / removal state of the aerosol generating product, the use restriction state of the aerosol generating device 100 (e.g., abnormal product detection), etc., and the display 132 may output the information to the outside. The display 132 may be provided in the form of, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) panel, an organic light emitting display (OLED) panel, etc. The display 132 may also be provided in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) device.

[0047] The haptic portion 134 may convert the electrical signal into mechanical stimulation or electrical stimulation and provide information about the aerosol generating device 100 to the user in a tactile manner. The haptic portion 134 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0048] The sound outputter 136 may provide the user with information about the aerosol generating device 100 in the form of sound. For example, the sound outputter 136 may convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and output the sound signal to the outside.

[0049] The battery 140 may supply power for operating the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 140 may supply power to operate the atomizer 150. In addition, the battery 140 may also supply power required for other components (such as the sensing unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180) included in the aerosol generating device 100 to perform their operations. The battery 140 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. The battery 140 may be, for example, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but examples thereof are not limited thereto.

[0050] The nebulizer 150 may receive power from the battery 140 to nebulize the aerosol-generating substance. Figure 1 Although not shown in the figure, the aerosol generating device 100 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a direct current (DC) to DC (DC / DC) converter) that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies the power to the atomizer 150. In addition, when the aerosol generating device 100 generates aerosol by ultrasonic vibration, the aerosol generating device 100 may further include a DC to alternating current (AC) (DC / AC) converter that converts the DC power of the battery 140 into AC power.

[0051] The controller 110, the sensing unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180 may receive power from the battery 140 to perform functions. Figure 1 Although not shown in the figure, the aerosol generating device 100 may further include a power conversion circuit, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, which converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies the power to each component.

[0052] According to an exemplary embodiment, the atomizer 150 may include a vibrator configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations by an applied signal (e.g., electricity). For example, the material of the vibrator may include piezoelectric ceramics, but examples thereof are not limited thereto. The vibrator may include a piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body according to the exemplary embodiment is a conversion element that can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, and can generate ultrasonic vibrations under the control of the controller 110. In an exemplary embodiment, when AC power is applied to the piezoelectric body obtained by polarization, the piezoelectric body can repeatedly expand and contract. Due to the repeated expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric body, the vibrator can vibrate at a characteristic frequency. When a signal is applied to the vibrator, a short high-frequency vibration can be generated, and the generated vibration can crush the aerosol-generating substance into small particles to atomize the aerosol-generating substance into an aerosol.

[0053] The user input unit 160 may receive information input from the user or may output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 160 may include, for example, a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad (e.g., a contact capacitance type, a pressure resistance film type, an infrared sensing type, a surface ultrasonic conduction type, an overall tension measurement type, a piezoelectric effect type method, etc.), a roller, a roller switch, etc., but the examples are not limited thereto. In addition, although Figure 1 Not shown, the aerosol generating device 100 may also include a connection interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and may use a connection interface such as a USB interface to connect to another external device to transmit and receive information, or to charge the battery 140.

[0054] The memory 170 is hardware for storing various data processed in the aerosol generating device 100, and the memory 170 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 type of storage medium among a flash memory type memory, a hard disk type memory, a multimedia card micro type memory, a card type memory (e.g., an SD or XD memory), a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. For example, the memory 170 can store the working time of the aerosol generating device 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature curve, data associated with the smoking pattern of the user, and the like.

[0055] The communication unit 180 may include at least one component for communicating with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit 180 may include a short-range wireless communication unit 182 and a wireless communication unit 184 .

[0056] The short-range wireless communication unit 182 may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication unit, a Near Field Communication (NFC) unit, a wireless local area network (WLAN) (e.g., Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra wideband (UWB) communication unit, and an Ant+ communication unit, but examples thereof are not limited thereto.

[0057] The wireless communication unit 184 may include a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, and a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) communication unit, etc., but examples thereof are not limited thereto. The wireless communication unit 184 may use subscriber information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 100 within the communication network.

[0058] The controller 110 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 110 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as a plurality of logic gate arrays, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executable by the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs that the controller may be implemented in other types of hardware.

[0059] The controller 110 may control the operation of the atomizer 150 by controlling the power supply from the battery 140 to the atomizer 150. For example, the controller 110 may control the power supply by controlling the switching of the switching element of the driving circuit 138 provided between the battery 140 and the atomizer 150.

[0060] The controller 110 may analyze the sensing result obtained by the sensing of the sensing unit 120 and control the subsequent process to be performed. For example, the controller 110 may control the power to be supplied to the atomizer 150 based on the sensing result obtained by the sensing unit 120 so that the operation of the atomizer 150 starts or ends. For another example, the controller 110 may control the amount of power supplied to the atomizer 150 and the time for supplying power to the atomizer 150 based on the sensing result obtained by the sensing unit 120 so that the atomizer 150 vibrates at a predetermined frequency or maintains a desired frequency.

[0061] The controller 110 may control the output unit 130 based on the sensing result obtained by the sensing unit 120. For example, when the number of puffs counted by the puff sensor 126 reaches a preset number, the controller 110 may notify the user through at least one of the display 132, the tactile portion 134, or the sound outputter 136 that the aerosol generating device 100 is about to stop.

[0062] According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller 110 may control the driving circuit 138 based on the state of the aerosol generating product sensed by the sensing unit 120, thereby controlling the power supply time and / or the power supply amount to the atomizer 150. For example, the controller 110 may control the vibration frequency of the vibrator of the atomizer 150 based on the type and remaining amount of the aerosol generating product.

[0063] The exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented in the form of a storage medium, which includes instructions that can be executed by a computer, for example, a program module that can be executed by a computer. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and include all volatile (volatile) media, non-volatile (non-volatile) media, removable (removable) media, and all of non-removable (non-removable) media. In addition, computer-readable media may include computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media (computer storage medium) includes all volatile media, non-volatile media, removable media, and non-removable media for storing information such as computer-readable instructions (computer-readableinstruction), data structures (data structure), program modules or other data implemented by any method or technology. Communication media generally include computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data (such as program modules) or other transmission mechanisms in modulated data signals (modulated data signals), and communication media include any information transmission media.

[0064] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0065] Reference Figure 2 , aerosol generating device 200 (e.g., Figure 1 The aerosol generating device 100 may include a cartridge 220 containing an aerosol generating substance and a body 210 connected to the cartridge 220.

[0066] The cartridge 220 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be coupled to the body 210 in which the aerosol generating substance is stored. For example, when at least a portion of the cartridge 220 is inserted into the body 210, the cartridge 220 and the body 210 may be coupled. For another example, when at least a portion of the body 210 is inserted into the cartridge 220, the cartridge 220 and the body 210 may be coupled.

[0067] The cartridge 220 and the body 210 may be coupled by at least one of a snap-fit ​​method, a threaded coupling method, a magnetic coupling method, or an interference fit method, but the coupling method of the cartridge 220 and the body 210 is not limited to the above exemplary methods.

[0068] According to an exemplary embodiment, the cigarette cartridge 220 may include a housing 222 , a mouthpiece 224 , a storage portion 230 , a transmission portion 240 , a vibrator 250 , and an electronic terminal 260 .

[0069] The housing 222 of the aerosol generating device 200 may form the overall appearance of the cartridge 220 together with the mouthpiece 224, and components for operating the cartridge 220 may be disposed inside the housing 222. For example, the housing 222 may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the shape of the housing 222 is not limited thereto. According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing 222 may be formed in other polyhedral (e.g., triangular prism, pentagonal prism) shapes or cylindrical shapes.

[0070] The nozzle 224 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be disposed in an area of ​​the housing 222, and the nozzle 224 of the aerosol generating device 200 may include an outlet 224e for discharging the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating substance to the outside. For example, the nozzle 224 may be placed in another area of ​​the cartridge 220 opposite to an area coupled to the body 210. When the user brings the mouth into contact with the nozzle 224 and inhales, the user may receive the aerosol from the cartridge 220.

[0071] Through the inhalation or suction performed by the user, a pressure difference may be generated between the outside of the cartridge 220 and the inside of the cartridge 220, and the aerosol generated in the cartridge 220 may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the outlet 224e by means of the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the cartridge 220. That is, when the user brings the mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224 and inhales, the user may receive the aerosol discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the outlet 224e.

[0072] The storage portion 230 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be disposed in the internal space of the housing 222 and store an aerosol generating substance. Hereinafter, the expression "storing an aerosol generating substance" may mean a function of simply containing an aerosol generating substance, serving as a container, or may involve an additional function of retaining an aerosol generating substance by using a sponge, cotton, cloth, or a porous ceramic structure.

[0073] The storage unit 230 may store the aerosol generating substance in one state, for example, liquid, solid, gas, or gel.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, the aerosol-generating substance may include a liquid composition. The liquid composition may be, for example, a liquid including a tobacco-containing substance containing volatile tobacco aroma components, or may be a liquid including a non-tobacco-containing substance.

[0075] Liquid compositions can include, for example, any one of water, solvents, ethanol, plant extracts, spices, flavoring agents, and vitamin mixtures, or mixtures thereof. Spices can include the following non-limiting examples: menthol, peppermint, green mint oil, various fruity aroma ingredients, and the like.

[0076] The flavoring agent may include ingredients that provide different flavors or smells to the user. The vitamin mixture may be a mixture of at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, or vitamin E, but examples thereof are not limited thereto. The liquid composition may also include an aerosol former such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0077] The liquid composition may include, for example, glycerol and propylene glycol solutions in any weight ratio of nicotine salts. The liquid composition may also contain two or more nicotine salts. Nicotine salts may be formed by adding a suitable acid (including an organic acid or an inorganic acid) to nicotine. Nicotine may be naturally occurring nicotine or synthetic nicotine, and nicotine may have a concentration of any suitable weight relative to the total solution weight of the liquid composition.

[0078] The acid used to form the nicotine salt may be appropriately selected in consideration of the absorption rate of nicotine in the blood, the operating temperature of the aerosol generating device 200, the aroma or taste, the solubility, etc. As a non-limiting example, the acid used to form the nicotine salt may include a single acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, saccharic acid, malonic acid, or malic acid.

[0079] The transfer part 240 of the aerosol generating device 200 may absorb the aerosol generating substance. For example, the aerosol generating substance stored or contained in the storage part 230 may be transferred from the storage part 230 to the vibrator 250 through the transfer part 240, and the vibrator 250 may generate an aerosol by atomizing the aerosol generating substance of the transfer part 240 or the aerosol generating substance received from the transfer part 240. In this case, the transfer part 240 may include at least one of cotton fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, or porous ceramic, but examples thereof are not limited thereto.

[0080] According to an exemplary embodiment, the transfer portion 240 may be disposed adjacent to the storage portion 230 to receive the liquid aerosol generating substance from the storage portion 230. For example, the aerosol generating substance stored in the storage portion 230 may be discharged to the outside of the storage portion 230 through a liquid supply port formed in a region of the storage portion 230 facing the transfer portion 240, and the transfer portion 240 may absorb at least a portion of the aerosol generating substance discharged from the storage portion 230 to absorb the aerosol generating substance discharged from the storage portion 230.

[0081] According to an exemplary embodiment, the smoke bomb 220 may further include an absorbent (not shown), which is arranged to cover at least a portion of the vibrator 250 that generates the aerosol, and the absorbent transfers the aerosol generating substance absorbed by the transfer portion 240 to the vibrator 250. The absorbent may be made of a material capable of absorbing the aerosol generating substance. The absorbent may include, for example, at least one material in SPL 30 (H), SPL 50 (H) V, NP 100 (V8), SPL 60 (FC) and melamine. Since the smoke bomb 220 also includes an absorbent, in addition to the transfer portion 240, the aerosol generating substance may also be absorbed by the absorbent, thereby increasing the amount of the aerosol generating substance absorbed.

[0082] The vibrator 250 of the aerosol generating device 200 may be disposed inside the housing 222, and generates aerosol by changing the phase of the aerosol generating substance stored in the cartridge 220. For example, the vibrator 250 may generate aerosol by heating or vibrating the aerosol generating substance.

[0083] In addition, since the absorbent is configured to cover at least a portion of the vibrator 250, the absorbent can be used as a physical barrier to prevent "splashing" of particles that are not fully atomized and are directly discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 200 during the process of generating aerosol. "Splashing" may refer to a phenomenon in which some large particles of the aerosol generating material are not fully atomized and are discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220. According to an embodiment, the absorbent included in the cartridge 220 can reduce the possibility of splashing, thereby improving the smoking satisfaction of the user.

[0084] In an exemplary embodiment, the absorbent may be disposed between one surface of the vibrator 250 generating the aerosol and the transfer part 240 so that the aerosol supplied to the transfer part 240 is transferred to the vibrator 250. For example, one area of ​​the absorbent may be in contact with an area of ​​the transfer part 240 facing the -z direction, and another area of ​​the absorbent may be in contact with an area of ​​the vibrator 250 facing the +z direction. That is, the absorbent may be disposed on the top surface (e.g., +z direction) of the vibrator 250 to supply the aerosol generating substance absorbed by the transfer part 240 to the vibrator 250.

[0085] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vibrator 250 of the aerosol generating device 200 can change the phase of the aerosol generating substance by utilizing an ultrasonic vibration method, which atomizes the aerosol generating substance by ultrasonic vibration. For example, the vibrator 250 can generate a vibration with a short period, and the vibration generated from the vibrator 250 can be an ultrasonic vibration. The frequency of the ultrasonic vibration can be in the range of about 100 kilohertz (kHz) to about 10 megahertz (MHz) (desirably, in the range of about 100kHz to 3.5MHz), but its example is not limited thereto. When the vibrator 250 generates ultrasonic vibrations of such a frequency band as described above, the vibrator 250 can vibrate along the longitudinal direction (e.g., z-axis direction) of the cigarette cartridge 220 or the housing 222. However, the exemplary embodiment is not limited to the direction along which the vibrator vibrates, and the direction along which the vibrator vibrates can be changed to various vibration directions (e.g., one of the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction or a combination thereof). The aerosol generating substance supplied from the storage portion 230 to the vibrator 250 may be vaporized and / or changed into particles and atomized into an aerosol by such short-period vibration generated by the vibrator 250 .

[0086] For example, the vibrator 250 may include piezoelectric ceramics, and the piezoelectric ceramics may be a functional material that converts electricity and mechanical force into each other by generating electricity (or voltage) from a physical force (or pressure) and vice versa generating vibration (or mechanical force) when electricity is applied. That is, when electricity is applied to the vibrator 250, short-period vibration (or physical force) may be generated, and the generated vibration may separate the aerosol generating substance into small particles and atomize the aerosol generating substance into an aerosol.

[0087] The vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to other components of the aerosol generating device 200 through an electronic terminal 260. The electronic terminal 260 may be disposed on one surface of the cartridge 220. For example, the electronic terminal 260 may be disposed on a connection surface of the cartridge 220, where the cartridge 220 is connected to the body 210 of the aerosol generating device 200. The electronic terminal 260 may be disposed on one surface of the housing 222 opposite to the mouthpiece 224.

[0088] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to at least one of the driving circuit 212 , the controller 214 , or the battery 216 of the body 210 through an electronic terminal 260 disposed inside the housing 222 of the cigarette cartridge 220 .

[0089] For example, the vibrator 250 can be electrically connected to the electronic terminal 260 disposed inside the cigarette cartridge 220 through a first conductor, and the electronic terminal 260 can be electrically connected to the driving circuit 212 of the body 210 through a second conductor. That is, the vibrator 250 can be electrically connected to the components of the body 210 through the electronic terminal 260 as a medium.

[0090] The vibrator 250 may generate ultrasonic vibrations by receiving power from the battery 216 of the body 210 through the electronic terminal 260. In addition, the vibrator 250 may be electrically connected to the controller 214 of the body 210 through the electronic terminal 260, and the controller 214 may control the operation of the vibrator 250 through the driving circuit 212.

[0091] The electronic terminal 260 may include, for example, at least one of a pogo pin, a wire, a cable, a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or a C-clip, but the electronic terminal 260 is not limited to the above examples.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the vibrator 250 can be implemented as a mesh shape or plate shape vibration container, which performs the following two functions: the function of absorbing aerosol generating substances and maintaining the aerosol generating substances in an optimal state for conversion into aerosol, and the function of transmitting vibration to the aerosol generating substances to generate aerosol without using a separate transmission part (for example, the transmission part 240).

[0093] The aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 through the airflow channel 223 to be supplied to the user.

[0094] According to an exemplary embodiment, the airflow channel 223 may be positioned inside the cartridge 220 and may be connected to the vibrator 250 and the outlet 224e of the mouthpiece 224. Thus, the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 may flow along the airflow channel 223 and may be discharged to the outside of the cartridge 220 or the aerosol generating device 200 through the outlet 224e. When the user brings their mouth into contact with the mouthpiece 224 and inhales the aerosol discharged from the outlet 224e, the user may receive the aerosol.

[0095] Although not shown in the figure, the air flow channel 223 may include at least one inlet through which air outside the cartridge 220 is introduced into the cartridge 220. The inlet may be provided in at least a portion of the housing 222 of the cartridge 220. For example, the inlet may be provided on a coupling surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the cartridge 220, where the cartridge 220 is coupled to the body 210.

[0096] In this case, at least one gap may be formed in a portion where the cartridge 220 is coupled to the body 210 , and thus external air may be introduced through the gap between the cartridge 220 and the body 210 to move into the cartridge 220 through the inlet.

[0097] The air flow channel 223 may be connected from the inlet to a space where the vibrator 250 generates aerosol, and may be connected from the space to the outlet 224 e.

[0098] Therefore, the air introduced through the inlet may be transferred to the vibrator 250 , and the transferred air moves to the outlet 224 e together with the aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 , thereby causing the air to circulate inside the cartridge 220 .

[0099] In an exemplary embodiment, in the housing 222, at least a portion of the airflow channel 223 may be arranged such that the outer peripheral surface is surrounded by the storage portion 230. In another exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of the airflow channel 223 may be arranged between the inner wall of the housing 222 and the outer wall of the storage portion 230. The arrangement structure of the airflow channel 223 is not limited to the above example, and the airflow channel 223 may be arranged in a different structure that allows airflow to circulate between the inlet, the vibrator 250, and the outlet 224e.

[0100] According to an exemplary embodiment, the body 210 may include a driving circuit 212, a controller 214, and a battery 216 inside, and one end of the body 210 may be connected to one end of the cartridge 220. For example, the body 210 may be coupled to a bottom surface or a coupling surface of the cartridge 220.

[0101] When the vibrator 250 of the cigarette cartridge 220 is electrically connected to the drive circuit 212 through the electronic terminal 260, the drive circuit 212 can supply power to the vibrator 250. For example, the magnitude of the power supplied to the vibrator 250 can be determined by the controller 214. The vibration frequency of the vibrator 250 can be controlled according to the magnitude of the power. According to an exemplary embodiment, the drive circuit 212 can be configured in the following forms: a class E power amplifier circuit, a half-bridge circuit, or a full-bridge circuit, but examples thereof are not limited thereto.

[0102] The controller 214 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 200. For example, the controller 214 may control the amount of aerosol generated by the vibrator 250 by controlling the power supplied from the battery 216 to the vibrator 250. For example, the controller 214 may control the power supplied to the vibrator 250 so that the vibrator 250 may vibrate at a predetermined frequency.

[0103] The controller 214 may be implemented as a plurality of logic gate arrays, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program executable by the microprocessor. In addition, those skilled in the art of the present disclosure will appreciate that the controller 214 may be implemented with other types of hardware.

[0104] The controller 214 may analyze the sensing result obtained by at least one sensor included in the aerosol generating device 200 and control a subsequent process to be performed thereafter. For example, the controller 214 may control the power to be supplied to the vibrator 250 based on the sensing result obtained by at least one sensor so that the vibrator 250 starts or stops. In addition, the controller 214 may control the amount of power to be supplied to the vibrator 250 and the time for supplying power to the vibrator 250 based on the sensing result obtained by at least one sensor so that the vibrator 250 can generate an appropriate amount of aerosol.

[0105] The battery 216 may supply power for operating the aerosol generating device 200. For example, when the body 210 is electrically coupled to the cartridge 220, the battery 216 may supply power to the vibrator 250.

[0106] The battery 216 may supply power required for operating other hardware components (eg, sensors, user interface, memory, and controller 214) included in the aerosol generating device 200. The battery 216 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0107] The battery 216 may include, for example, a nickel-based battery (eg, a nickel metal hydride battery or a nickel cadmium battery) or a lithium-based battery (eg, a lithium cobalt battery, a lithium phosphate battery, a lithium titanate battery, a lithium ion battery, or a lithium polymer battery).

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 200 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction across the cartridge 220 and / or the body 210 may be circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, or polygonal. However, the cross-sectional shape of the cartridge 220 and / or the body 210 is not limited to the above exemplary shapes, or the cross-sectional shape of the cartridge 220 and / or the body 210 is not necessarily a shape that extends linearly when the aerosol generating device 200 extends in the longitudinal direction.

[0109] In an exemplary embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 200 may be extended longer to be curved into a streamline shape, or be bent at a predetermined angle in a specific area, thereby allowing the user to hold it more easily with the hand, and the cross-sectional shape of the aerosol generating device 200 may change along the longitudinal direction.

[0110] Figure 3is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to an exemplary embodiment in which the cartridge and the body are separated from each other, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device in which a cartridge and a body are coupled to each other according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0111] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The aerosol generating device 300 shown may be Figure 2 The aerosol generating device 200 (or Figure 1 A modified example of the aerosol generating device 100) and Figure 3 and Figure 4 The cigarette cartridge 220-1 and the body 210-1 shown can be respectively Figure 2 The illustrated cartridge 220 and the body 210 are modified examples, and therefore repeated description will be omitted below.

[0112] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the cartridge 220-1 may be detachably coupled to the body 210-1. For example, when at least a portion of the cartridge 220-1 is inserted into the body 210-1, the cartridge 220-1 may be coupled to the body 210-1.

[0113] The cartridge 220 - 1 may include a mouthpiece 10 m that can move between an open position and a closed position. For example, the mouthpiece 10 m can be opened and closed by rotating between the open position and the closed position.

[0114] The body portion 10b of the cigarette cartridge 220-1 can be connected to the nozzle 10m by a rotating shaft. In one example, the nozzle 10m can be positioned in an open position. Such an open state of the nozzle 10m may refer to a state in which the nozzle 10m is unfolded in the longitudinal direction (i.e., z-axis direction) of the cigarette cartridge 220-1 so that the user can more easily contact the mouth with the nozzle 10m. Here, the longitudinal direction may refer to the direction in which the cigarette cartridge 220-1 extends the longest in multiple directions. In another example, the nozzle 10m can be positioned in a closed position. Such a closed state of the nozzle 10m may refer to a state in which the nozzle 10m is folded in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the cigarette cartridge 220-1 so that the nozzle 10m is accommodated in the body 210-1 of the aerosol generating device 300.

[0115] The cigarette cartridge 220-1 may include a body portion 10b, which includes various components required for generating aerosol and discharging the generated aerosol. For example, the body portion 10b may include a storage portion, a vibrator, and at least a portion of an airflow channel.

[0116] The body 210-1 may include a coupling portion 20a that can be coupled to the cartridge 220-1. For example, the body 210-1 may include a receiving groove 20a-1, and at least a portion of the cartridge 220-1 may be received or accommodated in the receiving groove 20a-1. The body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may be inserted into the receiving groove 20a-1. For example, the body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 may be configured to be roughly square-column-shaped, and the corners of the square column may be chamfered or rounded. However, the shape of the body portion 10b of the cartridge 220-1 is not limited to the above examples, but may be a cylindrical shape or a polygonal columnar shape.

[0117] As mentioned above Figure 2 The cartridge 220-1 and the body 210-1 may be coupled by at least one of a snap-fit ​​method, a threaded coupling method, a magnetic coupling method, or an interference fit method. For example, the cartridge 220-1 may include a first magnet, and the body 210-1 may include a second magnet, so that the cartridge 220-1 and the body 210-1 may be coupled by magnetic force. However, the strength of the first magnet and the strength of the second magnet may be designed taking into account the convenience of attaching and detaching the cartridge 220-1 and the body 210-1 and / or the operational stability of the aerosol generating device 300.

[0118] The body 210-1 may include a button 20b. The button 20b may be disposed on one surface of the body 210-1. For example, the button 20b may be disposed on one surface of the body 210-1 corresponding to one end 20c-1 of the cover 20c. When using the aerosol generating device 300, the user may use the button 20b to control the operation of the aerosol generating device 300.

[0119] The body 210-1 may further include a housing 20s, which can accommodate or hold the nozzle 10m of the cartridge 220-1 when the nozzle 10m is moved to the closed position. The housing 20s may be disposed on one surface of the body 210-1 and may have a shape or size corresponding to the shape and size of the nozzle 10m.

[0120] like Figure 4 As shown, when the nozzle 10m moves to the closed position, the nozzle 10m can minimize the portion of the aerosol generating device 300 protruding outward at the closed position, that is, minimize the portion protruding outward from the outer surface of the body 210-1 at the closed position, thereby improving portability.

[0121] In an exemplary embodiment, the body 210-1 may further include a cover 20c coupled to a portion of the body 210-1. The cover 20c may be coupled to at least one surface of the body 210-1. For example, the cover 20c may be coupled to a side of the body 210-1 where the coupling portion 20a is located. In addition, the cover 20c may be coupled to a side of the body 210-1 where the receiving portion 20s is located.

[0122] The cover 20c may include an opening 20c-o. The cover 20c may include an opening 20c-o having a size corresponding to the size of the mouthpiece 10m. For example, the opening 20c-o may have a predetermined length and width. The width of the opening 20c-o may be less than or equal to the width of the body of the cartridge 220-1 and may be greater than or equal to the width of the mouthpiece 10m. The length of the opening 20c-o may be greater than or equal to the length of the mouthpiece 10m.

[0123] The cover 20c may extend from one end 20c-1 to the other end 20c-2 to be disposed on the seat 20c' of the body 210-1. For example, the seat 20c' may have a size and shape corresponding to that of the cover 20c. The seat 20c' may be a portion extending from the inlet side of the coupling portion 20a and the accommodating portion 20s to both sides, and the seat 20c' may be recessed so that the cover 20c can be coupled to a predetermined depth of the seat.

[0124] When the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body 210-1, the cover 20c may be coupled to the body 210-1 after the cartridge 220-1 is coupled to the body 210-1. The cover 20c may be coupled to one side of the body 210-1 by at least one of a snap fit method, an interference fit method, or a magnetic coupling method, but examples thereof are not limited thereto.

[0125] Since the cover 20c includes an opening 20c-o through which the mouthpiece 10m can pass, the cartridge 220-1 can be protected without interfering with the opening and closing movement of the mouthpiece 10m when the cartridge 220-1 is connected to the body 210-1, and the connection between the cartridge 220-1 and the body 210-1 is maintained.

[0126] Figure 4An aerosol generating device 300 is shown in which both the cartridge 220-1 and the cover 20c are coupled to the body 210-1, and the mouthpiece 10m is in a closed position. As shown, the body 210-1 includes a receiving portion 20s corresponding in size and shape to the mouthpiece 10m, and a seating portion 20c' corresponding in size and shape to the cover 20c, and the cover 20c includes an opening 20c-o corresponding in size and shape to the mouthpiece 10m, so that the aerosol generating device 300 can be formed firmly and powerfully.

[0127] To separate the cartridge 220-1 from the body 210-1, the cover 20c may be separated from the body 210-1 first, and then the cartridge 220-1 may be separated from the body 210-1. On the other hand, the cover 20c may be installed after the body 210-1 and the cartridge 220-1 are coupled.

[0128] Figure 5a A driving circuit including a capacitor according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0129] Reference Figure 5a According to an exemplary embodiment, vibrator C 510 (eg, Figure 1 Atomizer 150 or Figure 2 The vibrator 250 may be included in the cigarette cartridge 500-1 (eg, Figure 2 When the cigarette cartridge 220 is mechanically coupled to the body 210, the vibrator 510 may be electrically connected to the drive circuit 500 (eg, Figure 1 The driving circuit 138 or Figure 2 The controller 214 may be configured to provide a first electrical contact point 511 and a second electrical contact point 513 to the driving circuit 212 of the drive circuit 500. When the first electrical contact point 511 and the second electrical contact point 513 are connected through the vibrator 510, the controller 214 may recognize the connection of the vibrator 510 and supply power to the driving circuit 500.

[0130] More specifically, the driving circuit 500 may be connected to a first end of the vibrator 510 through a first electrical contact point 511 , and may be connected to a second end of the vibrator 510 through a second electrical contact point 513 .

[0131] According to an exemplary embodiment, the cartridge 500 - 1 may include a vibrator C 510 . When the cartridge 500 - 1 is mechanically coupled to the body 210 , the cartridge 500 - 1 may be electrically connected to the driving circuit 500 .

[0132] According to an exemplary embodiment, the inductor L1 515-1 may be connected between the first electrical contact 511 and the second power source 517. A first end of the inductor L1 515-1 may be connected to the first electrical contact 511, and a second end of the inductor L1 515-1 may be connected to the second power source 517.

[0133] According to an exemplary embodiment, a drain terminal of the switch 514 may be connected to the first electrical contact 511, and a source terminal of the switch 514 may be connected to ground. According to an exemplary embodiment, the switch 514 may be a field-effect transistor (FET) based switch.

[0134] According to an exemplary embodiment, the first power source 516 may provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch 514. According to an exemplary embodiment, the first power source 516 may provide an AC voltage to the gate terminal of the switch 514. For example, the peak value of the AC voltage may be less than or equal to 4 volts (V), but is not limited thereto.

[0135] According to an exemplary embodiment, the second power supply 517 may provide a voltage to the second end of the inductor L1 515-1. The second power supply 517 may provide a DC voltage to the drain end of the switch 514 and the first end (i.e., the first electrical contact point) of the vibrator 510. For example, the DC voltage may be less than or equal to 15V (e.g., 10V), but is not limited thereto.

[0136] According to an exemplary embodiment, the first resistor 518 may be connected between the gate terminal of the switch 514 and ground.

[0137] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vibrator 510 included in the cigarette cartridge may have a natural frequency that varies according to the physical characteristics of the vibrator 510. Since the frequency of the signal provided to the vibrator 510 is more similar to the natural frequency, a stronger resonance can be generated. That is, when the vibrator 510 receives power through the drive circuit 500, the strongest resonance will occur if the vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 matches the natural frequency of the vibrator 510. The vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 that matches the natural frequency of the vibrator 510 may be referred to as a resonant frequency or a characteristic frequency. The vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 may be the same as the frequency of the signal (e.g., voltage) applied to both ends of the vibrator 510.

[0138] According to an exemplary embodiment, the driving circuit 500 may further include a capacitor C1 510-1. A first end of the capacitor C1 510-1 may be connected to a first electrical contact 511, and a second end of the capacitor C1 510-1 may be connected to a second electrical contact 513. The capacitor C1 510-1 of the driving circuit 500 may be a variable capacitor, and a capacitance value of the capacitor C1 510-1 may be set so that the vibration frequency matches the natural frequency of the vibrator 510.

[0139] If the capacitor C1 510-1 of the driving circuit 500 is not a variable capacitor, one or more capacitors may be connected to the capacitor C1 510-1 to have a desired capacitance value. The one or more capacitors may each be connected in parallel with the vibrator 510 and the capacitor C1 510-1. For example, referring to Figure 5a , one or more capacitors may be connected in parallel with the capacitor C1 510-1 in the driving circuit 500. However, the connection method and number of the one or more capacitors may vary according to the implementation.

[0140] According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more capacitors may be connected in series with a switch (not shown). For example, a first end of capacitor 510-1 may be connected to first electrical contact 511, a second end of capacitor 510-1 may be connected to one end of the switch, and the other end of the switch may be connected to second electrical contact 513. By turning on / off the switch, the parallel connection between the capacitor connected in series with the switch and vibrator 510 may be controlled.

[0141] According to the exemplary embodiment, the driving circuit 500 can generate vibrations of the vibrator 510 by using a lower switching input voltage than a typical boost converter type driving circuit. For example, a typical boost converter type driving circuit may require a switching input voltage of 17V to apply a high voltage to the vibrator, but the driving circuit 500 according to the exemplary embodiment may apply the same voltage to the vibrator 510 using only a switching input voltage of 10V. That is, the driving circuit 500 according to the exemplary embodiment is more effective in generating aerosol.

[0142] Since the voltage applied to the switch of the driving circuit 500 is the voltage directly applied to the drain of the switch (e.g., 10V), the switch does not need to be able to withstand high voltage. Therefore, the driving circuit 500 can use a switch with a low on-resistance (Rds(on)), thereby solving problems such as overheating.

[0143] Figure 5bA driving circuit including a matching inductor according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0144] The above reference Figure 5a The description provided may also apply to the following references Figure 5b The description is provided, and for the convenience of description, any repeated description related thereto will be omitted. Figure 5a The driving circuit 500 and Figure 5b The driving circuit 501 of FIG. 5 is different in the presence or absence of the capacitor 510 - 1 and the matching inductor 515 - 2 , but the remaining components ( 511 to 515 - 1 and 516 to 518 ) may have the same roles and functions as described above.

[0145] According to an exemplary embodiment, the driving circuit 501 may further include a matching inductor L2 515-2. A first end of the matching inductor L2 515-2 may be connected to the first electrical contact point 511, and a second end of the matching inductor L2 515-2 may be connected to a first end of the inductor 515-1. The matching inductor L2 515-2 of the driving circuit 501 may be a variable inductor, and an inductance value of the matching inductor L2 515-2 may be set so that the vibration frequency resonates with the natural frequency of the vibrator 510.

[0146] If the matching inductor L2 515-2 of the driving circuit 501 is not a variable inductor, one or more matching inductors may be connected to the matching inductor L2 515-2 to have a desired inductance value. One or more matching inductors may each be connected in parallel with the matching inductor L2 515-2. However, the connection method and quantity of the one or more matching inductors may vary according to the implementation.

[0147] According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more matching inductors can be connected in parallel with a switch (not shown). For example, a first end of a matching inductor 515-2 can be connected to one end of the switch, and the other end of the switch can be connected to a second end of the matching inductor 515-2. By turning on / off the switch, the series connection between the vibrator 510 and the matching inductor can be controlled. When the switch connected in parallel with the inductor is turned on, most of the current in the drive circuit flows through the switch, so there may be no current flowing through the inductor. When the switch is disconnected, most of the current in the drive circuit flows through the inductor, and no current flows through the switch direction, so the inductor can operate.

[0148] Figure 5c A driving circuit including matching inductors and capacitors according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0149] The above reference Figure 5a and Figure 5bThe description provided can be applied to reference Figure 5c The description is provided, and for the convenience of description, any repeated description related thereto will be omitted herein.

[0150] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 5c The driving circuit 502 may include Figure 5a The capacitor 510-1 and the Figure 5b The matching inductor 515 - 2 of the driving circuit 501 is shown.

[0151] According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more capacitors 510 - 1 may be connected in parallel with the vibrator 510 and one or more matching inductors 515 - 2 may be connected in series with the vibrator 510 so that the vibration frequency of the driving circuit 502 matches the natural frequency of the vibrator 510 .

[0152] Figure 6 A full-bridge driving circuit according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0153] Hereinafter, when two elements are "connectable", this refers to a configuration in which the elements are connected to each other when a detachable part of an aerosol generating device containing one element (e.g., a cartridge) is coupled to another detachable part of an aerosol generating device containing another element (i.e., a body).

[0154] According to an exemplary embodiment, in order to provide a signal to the vibrator 510 (eg, Figure 1 Atomizer 150 or Figure 2 The vibrator 250) supplies power to the driving circuit 500 (for example, Figure 1 The driving circuit 138 or Figure 2The driving circuit 212 of the vibrator 510 may include: a first electrical contact 511 connectable to a first end of the vibrator 510; a second electrical contact 513 connectable to a second end of the vibrator 510; one or more capacitors (e.g., a first capacitor 515 and a second capacitor 517) connected in parallel to the first electrical contact 511 and the second electrical contact 513 (wherein the first end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the first electrical contact 511, and the second end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the second electrical contact 513); an inductor 520 (e.g., a coil) connected to the first electrical contact 511 (wherein the first end of the inductor 520 is connected to the first electrical contact 511); a first switch SW1 531 having a source terminal connected to the second end of the inductor 520; a second switch SW2 533 having a drain terminal connected to the second end of the inductor 520 (wherein the source terminal of the second switch 533 is connected to the ground); a third switch SW3 having a source terminal connected to the second electrical contact 513 535; a fourth switch SW4 537 having a drain terminal connected to the second electrical contact 513 (wherein the source terminal of the fourth switch 537 is connected to the ground); a first power source V1 501 configured to provide a voltage to the drain terminal of the first switch 531 and the drain terminal of the third switch 535; a second power source V2 503 configured to provide a voltage to the gate terminal of the first switch 531 and the gate terminal of the fourth switch 537, and a third power source V3 505 configured to provide a voltage to the gate terminal of the second switch 533 and the gate terminal of the third switch 535. For example, the first switch 531, the second switch 533, the third switch 535 and the fourth switch 537 can all be switches based on FETs (field effect transistors).

[0155] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vibrator 510 may be included in the cartridge. When the cartridge is mechanically coupled to the body, the vibrator 510 may be electrically connected to a first electrical contact point 511 and a second electrical contact point 513 of a drive circuit 500 included in the body. When the first electrical contact point 511 and the second electrical contact point 513 are connected through the vibrator 510, the controller 214 may recognize the connection of the vibrator 510 and supply power to the vibrator 510 through the drive circuit 500.

[0156] According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more capacitors may be included in the body (e.g., the drive circuit 500). When the cartridge is mechanically coupled to the body, the vibrator 510 may be electrically connected to the first electrical contact 511 and the second electrical contact 513 of the drive circuit 500, and thus the one or more capacitors may be connected in parallel with the vibrator 510. For example, referring to Figure 5a to Figure 5c, the one or more capacitors may include a first capacitor 515 and a second capacitor 517. However, this is provided only as an example, and the number of capacitors connected in parallel with the vibrator 510 is not limited to the example shown.

[0157] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vibrator 510 included in the cigarette cartridge may have a natural frequency that varies according to the physical characteristics of the vibrator 510. The closer the frequency of the signal provided to the vibrator 510 is to the natural frequency, the stronger the resonance may become. That is, when the vibrator 510 receives power through the drive circuit 500, the strongest resonance may occur if the vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 matches the natural frequency of the vibrator 510. In this case, the vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 may be expressed as a resonant frequency or a characteristic frequency. The vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 may represent the frequency of a signal (e.g., a voltage) applied to both ends of the vibrator 510. Since the natural frequency of the vibrator 510 may vary according to the physical characteristics of the vibrator 510, the vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 may also vary after the vibrator 510 is electrically connected. That is, although the vibration frequency of the drive circuit 500 is fixed, the resonance intensity of the vibrator 510 may vary according to the natural frequency of the vibrator 510 of the cigarette cartridge connected thereto.

[0158] According to an exemplary embodiment, by connecting one or more capacitors in parallel with the vibrator 510, the vibration frequency of the driving circuit 500 may be adjusted to match the natural frequency of the vibrator 510. In this way, resonance may occur, so the vibration efficiency of the vibrator 510 may be improved and overheating may be prevented.

[0159] According to an exemplary embodiment, one or more capacitors may be connected in series with a switch (not shown). For example, a first end of a first capacitor 515 may be connected to a first electrical contact 511, a second end of the first capacitor 515 may be connected to one end of the switch, and the other end of the switch may be connected to a second electrical contact 513. By turning the switch on / off, the parallel connection between the capacitor connected in series with the switch and the vibrator 510 may be controlled.

[0160] According to an exemplary embodiment, the first power source 501 may provide a DC voltage to a drain terminal of the first switch 531 and a drain terminal of the third switch 535. For example, the DC voltage may be less than or equal to 15V (eg, 10V), but is not limited thereto.

[0161] According to an exemplary embodiment, the second power supply 503 may provide a first AC voltage to the gate terminal of the first switch 531 and the gate terminal of the fourth switch 537, and the third power supply 505 may provide a second AC voltage to the gate terminal of the second switch 533 and the gate terminal of the third switch 535. For example, the peak value of the first AC voltage and the peak value of the second AC voltage may be less than or equal to 4V, respectively, but are not limited thereto.

[0162] According to an exemplary embodiment, the second power supply 503 and the third power supply 505 may operate alternately. That is, the second power supply 503 and the third power supply 505 may not operate at the same time. The voltage between the first end and the second end of the vibrator 510 provided by the driving circuit 500 may be greater than or equal to 100V, but is not limited thereto.

[0163] When the driving circuit 500 is used, a high voltage for vibrating the vibrator 510 can be generated by applying a lower voltage (eg, 10 V) to the switch compared to when a boost converter type driving circuit is used.

[0164] Since the voltage applied to the switch of the driving circuit 500 is the voltage directly applied to the drain of the switch (e.g., 10V), the switch does not need to be able to withstand high voltages. Therefore, the driving circuit 500 can use a switch with a low on-resistance (Rds(on)), thereby solving problems such as component overheating.

[0165] Figure 7 A driving circuit for switching between a full-bridge mode and a half-bridge mode according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0166] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 5a , Figure 5b or Figure 5c Compared with the drive circuit 500 described above, the drive circuit 600 may further include: a fifth switch 638 connected to the second electrical contact 613; and a sixth switch 639 disposed between the drain terminal of the third switch 635 and the first power supply 601 (wherein the source terminal of the sixth switch 639 is connected to the drain terminal of the third switch 635, and the drain terminal of the sixth switch 639 is connected to the first power supply 601). For example, the first control signal provided to the gate terminal of the fifth switch 638 and the second control signal provided to the gate terminal of the sixth switch 639 may be different from each other, and the first control signal and the second control signal may be provided by the controller 214. When the first control signal is LOW and the second control signal is HIGH, the drive circuit 600 may operate in a full-bridge mode. Conversely, when the first control signal is HIGH and the second control signal is LOW, the drive circuit 600 may operate in a half-bridge mode. Figure 8An equivalent circuit 700 of the driver circuit 600 operating in half-bridge mode is shown.

[0167] According to an exemplary embodiment, the drive circuit 600 may also include one or more capacitors (e.g., a first capacitor 615 and a second capacitor 617). One or more capacitors may be provided in the drive circuit 600 so that the one or more capacitors are connected in parallel with the vibrator 610 of the cartridge when the vibrator 610 is connected to the drive circuit 600.

[0168] Figure 8 An equivalent circuit of a driving circuit operating in half-bridge mode according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0169] According to an exemplary embodiment, when the second power source 603 and the third power source 605 operate alternately, the direction of the current flowing through the vibrator 610 may also be changed accordingly.

[0170] Compared with the full-bridge mode, in the half-bridge mode, the maximum voltage applied to the vibration part 610 can be reduced, and the total power consumed by the driving circuit 600 can also be reduced. Therefore, when the aerosol generating device 200 needs to generate a relatively small amount of aerosol, the half-bridge mode can be used.

[0171] Referenced above Figure 7 and Figure 8 The described operation modes of the driving circuit are provided only as examples, and the driving circuit according to another exemplary embodiment may operate in a full-bridge mode, a half-bridge mode, or other operation modes with two or less switches. In addition, the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0172] The exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented using hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware components and software components. One or more general-purpose computers or special-purpose computers can be used to implement processing devices, such as, for example, processors, controllers, and arithmetic logic units (ALUs), digital signal processors (digital signal processors), microcomputers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic units (PLUs), microprocessors, or any other device capable of responding to instructions and executing instructions in a defined manner. The processing device can run an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the operating system. The processing device can also access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to the execution of the software. For simplicity, the description of the processing device is used as a singular; however, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the processing device can include multiple processing elements and multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing device can include multiple processors or a single processor and a single controller. In addition, other processing configurations such as parallel processors can also be included.

[0173] Software may include a computer program, code, instruction, or a combination of one or more of the above to independently or jointly instruct or configure a processing device to operate as required. Software and data may be permanently or temporarily implemented in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual device, computer storage medium or device, or permanently or temporarily implemented in a propagated signal wave (signal wave) that can provide instructions or data to a processing device or interpret by a processing device. Software may also be distributed on computer systems connected by a network so that the software is stored or executed in a distributed manner. Software and data may be stored by one or more non-transient computer-readable storage media.

[0174] The method according to the exemplary embodiment as described above can be recorded in a non-transient computer-readable medium, which includes program instructions to implement various operations of the exemplary embodiment as described above. The medium can also include data files, data structures, etc., either alone or in combination with program commands. The program instructions recorded on the medium can be instructions specially designed and constructed for the purpose of implementing the exemplary embodiment, or the program instructions can be instructions known and available to ordinary technicians in the field of computer software. Examples of non-transient computer-readable recording media include: magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and tapes; optical media such as CD-ROMs and / or DVDs; magneto-optical media such as optical disks, and hardware devices, which are specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, etc. Examples of program instructions include not only machine codes generated by compilers, for example, and files containing high-level codes that can be executed by computers using interpreters.

[0175] To perform the operations of the above-described examples, the hardware devices described above may be configured to act as one or more software modules, or vice versa.

[0176] Although the present disclosure includes specific examples, it is apparent after understanding the disclosure of the present application that various changes in form or detail may be made to these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples described herein should be considered descriptive only and not for limiting purposes. The description of features or aspects in each example may be considered applicable to similar features or aspects in other examples. Suitable results may be achieved in the following cases: the described techniques are performed in different orders, and / or the components in the described systems, architectures, devices, or circuits are combined in different ways, or replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents in the described systems, architectures, devices, or circuits.

[0177] Therefore, the scope of the disclosure may be defined by the claims and their equivalents in addition to the above disclosure, and all variations within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the disclosure.

Claims

1. A driving circuit, comprising: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of a vibrator included in the cigarette cartridge, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more capacitors connected in parallel between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein a first end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the first electrical contact and a second end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the second electrical contact; an inductor connected to the first electrical contact, wherein a first end of the inductor is connected to the first electrical contact; a switch having a drain terminal connected to the first electrical contact, wherein a source terminal of the switch is connected to ground; a first power source configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and A resistor is connected between a gate terminal of the switch and a ground.

2. The driving circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: One or more matching inductors, the one or more matching inductors are connected in parallel between the first electrical contact point and the first end of the inductor, wherein the first end of the one or more matching inductors is connected to the first electrical contact point, and the second end of the one or more matching inductors is connected to the drain terminal of the switch.

3. The driving circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: A switch connected between the first end of the one or more capacitors and the first electrical contact point, or a switch connected between the second end of the one or more capacitors and the second electrical contact point.

4. The driving circuit according to claim 2, further comprising A switch is connected in parallel with the one or more matching inductors.

5. The driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein: The first power supply is configured to provide an alternating current (AC) voltage to a gate terminal of the switch.

6. The driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein: The second power supply is configured to provide a direct current (DC) voltage to a second end of the inductor and a first end of the vibrator.

7. An electronic cigarette, comprising the driving circuit according to claim 1.

8. A driving circuit for an electronic device, comprising: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of a vibrator included in the cigarette cartridge, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more matching inductors, the one or more matching inductors connected to the first electrical contact, wherein first ends of the one or more matching inductors are connected to the first electrical contact, and the one or more matching inductors are connected in parallel; an inductor connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors, wherein the first end of the inductor is connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors; a switch having a drain terminal connected to the second end of the one or more matching inductors, wherein a source terminal of the switch is connected to ground; a first power source configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and A resistor is connected between a gate terminal of the switch and a ground.

9. An electronic device comprising: A body, wherein the body is configured to be connected to the cigarette cartridge, Wherein, the main body comprises: a driving circuit, wherein the driving circuit is configured to drive a vibrator of the cigarette cartridge when the cigarette cartridge is connected to the body; and a controller configured to control the operation of the drive circuit, and Wherein, the driving circuit comprises: at least one of the first circuit and the second circuit, Wherein, the first driving circuit comprises: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of the vibrator, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more capacitors connected in parallel between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein a first end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the first electrical contact and a second end of the one or more capacitors is connected to the second electrical contact; an inductor connected to the first electrical contact, wherein a first end of the inductor is connected to the first electrical contact; a switch having a drain terminal connected to the first electrical contact, wherein a source terminal of the switch is connected to ground; a first power source configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and a resistor connected between a gate terminal of the switch and a ground; Wherein, the second driving circuit comprises: a first electrical contact point and a second electrical contact point, the first electrical contact point being connectable to a first end of the vibrator, the second electrical contact point being connectable to a second end of the vibrator; one or more matching inductors, the one or more matching inductors connected to the first electrical contact, wherein first ends of the one or more matching inductors are connected to the first electrical contact, and the one or more matching inductors are connected in parallel; an inductor connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors, wherein the first end of the inductor is connected to the second ends of the one or more matching inductors; a switch having a drain terminal connected to the first end of the one or more matching inductors, wherein a source terminal of the switch is connected to ground; a first power source configured to provide a voltage to a gate terminal of the switch; a second power supply configured to provide a voltage to a second end of the inductor; and A resistor is connected between a gate terminal of the switch and a ground.

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