Aerosol-generating device and aerosol-generating system

Abstract

The aerosol-generating device includes: a heater including a coil and a susceptor; an alternating current detector configured to detect alternating current power caused by inductive coupling between the coil and the susceptor; the memory is used for storing a lookup table containing the temperatures of the susceptors, and the temperatures respectively correspond to different values of the alternating current power; and a controller configured to calculate a temperature of the susceptor based on the alternating current power and the lookup table.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to aerosol generating devices and aerosol generating systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to calculating the temperature of a susceptor in an aerosol generating device using an induction heating method. Background Art

[0002] In addition to heating cigarettes (or aerosol-generating articles) by internal heating and external heating, cigarettes (or aerosol-generating articles) are heated by induction heating using a coil and a susceptor. In the induction heating method, when an alternating voltage is applied to a coil, a magnetic field is generated by the coil, and the temperature of the susceptor increases due to the magnetic field. The cigarette is heated by the susceptor to generate an aerosol.

[0003] When the susceptor is heated by using induction heating, the temperature of the susceptor may be measured by a contact method such as attaching a temperature sensor to the susceptor, or the temperature of the susceptor may be measured by a non-contact method using an infrared temperature sensor or the like.

[0004] However, when measuring temperature by a contact method using a temperature sensor attached to a susceptor, the temperature sensor may not be detachable from the susceptor and must remain fixed to the aerosol generating device. In addition, even if the temperature sensor is detachable, measurement errors may occur due to frequent attachment and detachment of the temperature sensor.

[0005] In addition, when the temperature of the susceptor is measured by a non-contact method using an infrared temperature sensor or the like, the temperature of the susceptor may not be accurately measured due to contamination on the surface of the temperature sensor. In addition, the size of the aerosol generating device may not be reduced due to the focal length of the temperature sensor. Summary of the invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] The present disclosure provides an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating system that can be reduced in size and can accurately measure the temperature of a susceptor.

[0008] Objects to be achieved by the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described objects, and objects not described will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the embodiments belong based on the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0009] Solutions to the problem

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating device includes: a heater including a coil and a susceptor; an AC detector configured to detect AC power caused by inductive coupling between the coil and the susceptor; a memory storing a lookup table including temperatures of the susceptor, each of which corresponds to different values ​​of the AC power; and a controller configured to calculate the temperature of the susceptor based on the AC power and the lookup table.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an aerosol generating system includes a cigarette and an aerosol generating device. The cigarette includes a susceptor, and the aerosol generating device includes: a heater including a coil configured to heat the susceptor; an AC detector configured to detect AC power generated by inductive coupling between the coil and the susceptor; a memory storing a lookup table including temperatures of the susceptor, which temperatures are respectively matched to different values ​​of the AC power; and a controller configured to calculate the temperature of the susceptor based on the detected AC power and the lookup table.

[0012] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0013] The aerosol generating device and the aerosol generating system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure calculate the temperature of the susceptor based on the change in AC power generated by the induction heater of the aerosol generating device, thereby reducing the size of the aerosol generating device and accurately measuring the temperature of the susceptor.

[0014] Effects of the embodiments are not limited to the above-described effects, and undescribed effects may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain based on the present specification and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 and Figure 2 : is a view showing an aerosol generating device of an induction heating type.

[0016] Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a cigarette.

[0017] Figure 5 and Figure 6 is a view showing an example of a cigarette inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0018] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device.

[0019] Figure 8 and Fig. 9is a cross-sectional view of a susceptor to illustrate the skin effect occurring in the susceptor.

[0020] Fig.10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the aerosol generating system.

[0021] Fig.11 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0022] Fig.12 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Regarding the terms in each embodiment, the functions of the structural elements in each embodiment of the present disclosure are taken into consideration to select the currently widely used general terms. However, the meaning of the terms can be changed according to the intention, judicial precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in some cases, the terms can be arbitrarily selected by the applicant in a specific case. In this case, the meaning of these terms will be described in detail at the corresponding parts in the specification of the present disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in each embodiment of the present disclosure should be defined based on the meaning of the terms and the description provided herein.

[0024] In addition, unless otherwise explicitly described to the contrary, the term "include" and variations such as "include" or "comprising" should be understood to imply the inclusion of the elements described but not to exclude any other elements. In addition, the terms "...component", "...device" and "...module" described in this specification mean a unit for processing at least one function and operation, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components, as well as a combination of hardware components and software components.

[0025] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 and Figure 2 : is a view showing an aerosol generating device of an induction heating type.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 The aerosol generating device 100 may include a susceptor 110, a receiving space 120, a coil 130, a battery 140, and a controller 150. According to an embodiment, the susceptor 110 may be included in the cigarette 200 (see Figure 3 and Figure 4In this case, the aerosol generating device 100 may not include the receptor 110. Figure 2 as shown in .

[0029] The components related to this embodiment include Figure 1 and Figure 2 Therefore, those skilled in the art related to this embodiment can understand that, in addition to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In addition to the components shown in FIG. 1 , the aerosol generating device 100 may further include other common components.

[0030] The aerosol generating device 100 may generate aerosol by heating the cigarette 200 accommodated in the aerosol generating device 100 using an induction heating method. The induction heating method may refer to a method of generating heat from a magnetic material by applying an alternating magnetic field whose direction changes periodically to the magnetic material that generates heat by an external magnetic field.

[0031] When an alternating magnetic field is applied to a magnetic material, energy loss due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss may occur in the magnetic material, and the lost energy may be dissipated from the magnetic material as heat energy. The greater the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field applied to the magnetic material, the more heat energy will be dissipated from the magnetic material. The aerosol generating device 100 may dissipate heat energy from the magnetic material by applying an alternating magnetic field to the magnetic material, and may transfer the heat energy dissipated from the magnetic material to the cigarette 200.

[0032] The magnetic material that generates heat by the external magnetic field may be the susceptor 110. The susceptor 110 may have a shape of a piece, a slice, a strip, or the like.

[0033] The susceptor 110 may include metal or carbon. The susceptor 110 may include at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). In addition, the susceptor 110 may also include at least one of the following: graphite; molybdenum; silicon carbide; niobium; nickel alloy; metal film; ceramics such as zirconium oxide; transition metals such as nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co); and metalloids such as boron (B) or phosphorus (P).

[0034] The aerosol generating device 100 may include a housing space 120 for housing the cigarette 200. The housing space 120 may include an opening that is open to the outside of the housing space 120 to house the cigarette 200 in the aerosol generating device 100. The cigarette 200 may be housed in the aerosol generating device 100 in a direction from the outside of the housing space 120 toward the inside of the housing space 120 through the opening of the housing space 120.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the susceptor 110 may be arranged at the inner end of the accommodation space 120. The susceptor 110 may be attached to a bottom surface formed at the inner end of the accommodation space 120. The cigarette 200 may be inserted into the susceptor 110 from the upper end thereof and may be accommodated on the bottom surface of the accommodation space 120.

[0036] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown, the aerosol generating device 100 may not include the susceptor 110. In this case, the susceptor 110 may be included in the cigarette 200 (see Figure 4 ).

[0037] The coil 130 may be implemented as a solenoid. The coil 130 may be a solenoid wound along the side of the accommodating space 120, and the cigarette 200 may be accommodated in the internal space of the solenoid. The material of the conductive member constituting the solenoid may be copper (Cu). However, the material is not limited thereto, and the material is a material having a low resistivity value and allowing a high current to flow, and any one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni), or an alloy including at least one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni) may be a material constituting the conductive member of the solenoid.

[0038] The coil 130 may be wound along the outer surface of the accommodation space 120 , and may be placed at a position corresponding to the susceptor 110 .

[0039] The battery 140 is a direct current (DC) power supply device, and can provide a DC voltage to the controller 150 for operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In one embodiment, a regulator that maintains a constant voltage of the battery 140 can be located between the battery 140 and the controller 150. The battery 140 can be a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, but is not limited thereto. For example, the battery can be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery, a lithium titanate battery, etc.

[0040] The controller 150 may control the power supplied to the coil 130. The controller 150 may heat the susceptor 110 inductively by controlling the driving frequency. In addition, the alternating current (AC) electric power that changes by the inductive heating of the susceptor 110 may be detected, and the temperature of the susceptor 110 may be calculated based on the detected AC electric power. Figures 7 to 11 The induction heating method of the controller 150 and the temperature calculation method of the susceptor 110 are described.

[0041] Figure 3 and Figure 4A view showing an example of a cigarette.

[0042] Referring Figure 3 to Figure 4 , the cigarettes 200 may each include a tobacco rod 210 and a filter rod 220. Although Figure 3 and Figure 4 show the filter rod 22 including a single region, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the filter rod 220 may include multiple segments. For example, the filter rod 22 may include a first segment that cools the aerosol and a second segment that filters a predetermined component contained in the aerosol. Additionally, the filter rod 220 may further include at least one segment that performs additional functions.

[0043] The cigarettes 200 may be packaged by at least one package 240. At least one hole may be formed in the package 240 through which external air flows in or internal air flows out. In one example, the cigarette 200 may be packaged by one package 240. In another example, the cigarettes 200 may be packaged in an overlapping manner by two or more packages 240. Specifically, the tobacco rod 210 may be packaged by a first package, and the filter rod 220 may be packaged by a second package. The tobacco rod 210 and the filter rod 220 packaged by the first package and the second package respectively may be combined with each other, and the entire cigarette 200 may be repackaged by a third package.

[0044] The tobacco rod 210 may include an aerosol-generating substance. 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. The tobacco rod 210 may include additional additives such as flavorants, humectants, and / or organic acids. A flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant may be added to the tobacco rod 210 by spraying the flavoring liquid onto the tobacco rod 210.

[0045] The tobacco rod 210 may be manufactured in various ways. For example, the tobacco rod 210 may be manufactured in a sheet form or a filament form. Alternatively, the tobacco rod 210 may be made of tobacco shreds obtained by cutting tobacco leaves into small pieces.

[0046] According to an embodiment, the cigarette 200 may further include a sensor 110. In this case, the sensor 110 may be included in the tobacco rod 210, as Figure 4 shown. The shape of the sensor 110 may be a rod shape extending from the end of the tobacco rod 210 toward the filter rod 220.

[0047] The tobacco rod 210 may be surrounded by a heat conductive material. For example, the heat conductive material may be a metal foil, such as an aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto. The heat conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 210 may improve the conductivity of the heat applied to the tobacco rod 210 by evenly distributing the heat transferred to the tobacco rod 210, and thus, the flavor of the aerosol generated by the tobacco rod 210 may be increased.

[0048] The filter rod 220 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The filter rod 220 may have various shapes. For example, the filter rod 220 may be a cylindrical rod or a tubular rod having a hollow portion therein. Alternatively, the filter rod 220 may also be a concave rod having a cavity therein. When the filter rod 220 includes a plurality of segments, the plurality of segments may have shapes different from each other.

[0049] The filter rod 220 can be manufactured so that the flavor is generated by the filter rod. For example, the flavoring liquid can be sprayed onto the filter rod 220, or a separate fiber coated with the flavoring liquid can be inserted into the filter rod 220.

[0050] The filter rod 220 may include at least one capsule 230. The capsule 230 may generate a flavor and may also generate an aerosol. For example, the capsule 230 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavor is surrounded by a film. The capsule 230 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0051] In the case where the filter rod 220 includes a cooling section for cooling the aerosol, the cooling section can be made of a polymer material or a biodegradable polymer material. For example, the cooling section can be made entirely of pure polylactic acid. Alternatively, the cooling section can be made of a cellulose acetate filter including a plurality of perforations. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the cooling section can be composed of a structure and material for cooling the aerosol.

[0052] Figure 5 and Figure 6 is a view showing an example of a cigarette inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0053] More specifically, Figure 5 is a view showing an example of a cigarette 200 inserted into the aerosol generating device 100 when the susceptor 110 is included in the aerosol generating device 100, and Figure 6 1 is a view showing an example of a cigarette 200 inserted into an aerosol generating device 100 when a susceptor 110 is included in the cigarette 200 .

[0054] Reference Figure 5, the cigarette 200 may be accommodated in the accommodation space 120 along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette 200. The susceptor 110 may be inserted into the cigarette 200 accommodated in the aerosol generating device 100. When the susceptor 110 is inserted into the cigarette 200, the tobacco rod 210 may contact the susceptor 110. The shape of the susceptor 110 may have a needle-like structure extending in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device 100, so that the susceptor 110 can be inserted into the cigarette 200.

[0055] The susceptor 110 may be disposed at the central portion of the accommodation space 120 to be inserted into the central portion of the cigarette 200. Figure 5 The susceptor 110 is shown to be single, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other words, the aerosol generating device 100 of the present disclosure may include a plurality of susceptors 110 extending in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device 100 to be inserted into the cigarette 200.

[0056] The coil 130 may be wound along the outer surface of the accommodation space 120 and extend in the longitudinal direction. The coil 130 extending in the longitudinal direction may be located on the outer surface of the accommodation space 120. The coil 130 may extend in the longitudinal direction by a length corresponding to the length of the susceptor 110 and may be located at a position corresponding to the position of the susceptor 110.

[0057] Reference Figure 6 , the cigarette 200 may be accommodated in the accommodation space 120 along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette 200. When the cigarette 200 is inserted into the accommodation space 120, the susceptor 110 may be surrounded by the coil 130.

[0058] The susceptor 110 may be located at the center of the tobacco rod 210 for uniform heat transfer. Figure 6 The susceptor 110 is shown to be single, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other words, the aerosol generating device 100 of the present disclosure may include a plurality of susceptors 110 , which are included in the cigarette 200 .

[0059] The coil 130 may be wound along the outer surface of the accommodation space 120 and extend in the longitudinal direction. The coil 130 extending in the longitudinal direction may be located on the outer surface of the accommodation space 120. The coil 130 may extend in the longitudinal direction by a length corresponding to the length of the susceptor 110 and may be located at a position corresponding to the position of the susceptor 110.

[0060] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device.

[0061] Reference Figure 7The aerosol generating device 100 may include a battery 140 , a controller 150 , an AC detector 160 , a heater HA, and a memory 170 .

[0062] The battery 140 is a DC power source and can provide a DC voltage to the controller 150 for operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In one embodiment, a regulator (not shown) that maintains a constant voltage of the battery 140 may be located between the battery 140 and the controller 150.

[0063] The controller 150 may include a microcontroller unit (MCU) 151 , a pulse width modulation processor 152 , an amplifier 153 , and an impedance matching unit 154 .

[0064] The MCU 151 may receive a DC voltage from the battery 140, generate a control signal, and transmit the generated control signal to other components of the aerosol generating device 100. The MCU 151 may control all of the battery 140, the controller 150, the AC detector 160, the heater HA, and the memory 170 by using the control signal.

[0065] The pulse width modulation processor 152 may receive the DC voltage from the battery 140 and generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal under the control of the MCU 151. The pulse width modulation processor 152 may change the frequency of the PWM signal within a preset range and transmit the PWM signal to the amplifier 153. According to an embodiment, the pulse width modulation processor 152 may be implemented to be included in the MCU 151, and the PWM signal output from the pulse width modulation processor 152 may be a digital pulse width modulation signal (digital PWM signal). In addition, the PWM control signal output from the pulse width modulation processor 152 may also be amplified by the amplifier 153 according to a preset amplification ratio.

[0066] The amplifier 153 may convert the PWM signal of the DC voltage received from the pulse width modulation processor 152 into an AC voltage. The amplifier 153 may include an array of a plurality of logic gates.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the amplifier 153 can receive two PWM signals with the same waveform from the pulse width modulation processor 152, and perform operations and amplification to convert the two PWM signals into AC voltages. The amplifier 153 can operate and amplify the PWM signal, and transmit the PWM signal to a field effect transistor (not shown). The operation and amplification performed by the amplifier 153 on the PWM signal can allow the PWM signal to be converted into an AC voltage through the field effect transistor. The field effect transistor can be turned on or off according to the PWM signal, or it can be turned on or off regularly by a built-in timer. According to an embodiment, the field effect transistor can also be replaced by a switch. The amplifier 153 can apply an AC voltage to the coil 130.

[0068] The impedance matching unit 154 may be disposed between the amplifier 153 and the heater HA (or the AC detector 160 ), and matches the output impedance of the amplifier 153 with the load of the heater HA, thereby maximizing the AC voltage supplied to the heater HA.

[0069] When the AC voltage is applied from the amplifier 153 (or the controller 150) to the coil 130, a magnetic field is generated by the coil 130. The frequency of the AC voltage transmitted from the amplifier 153 to the coil 130 may be determined according to the frequency of the PWM signal transmitted from the pulse width modulation processor 152 to the amplifier 153. That is, when the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation processor 152 changes, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the coil 130 may also change.

[0070] The coil 130 may receive an AC voltage from the controller 150. When the AC voltage is applied from the controller 150 to the coil 130, the coil 130 may generate a magnetic field. The strength of the magnetic field generated by the coil 130 may vary according to the resistance of the coil 130, etc.

[0071] The susceptor 110 may be positioned inside the coil 130. The susceptor 110 may generate heat within the magnetic field generated by the coil 130 to the cigarette 200 (see Figure 3 ) (or an aerosol-generating article) is heated. The heat generated by the susceptor 110 may vary depending on the strength of the magnetic field generated by the coil 130.

[0072] The AC detector 160 may detect AC electric power caused by inductive coupling between the coil 130 and the susceptor 110 and transmit the AC electric power to the MCU 151 .

[0073] The AC detector 160 according to one embodiment may be a magnetic sensor that detects an alternating current corresponding to the strength of a magnetic field generated by inductive coupling between the coil 130 and the susceptor 110 and transmits the alternating current to the MCU 151. For example, the magnetic sensor may include at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a rotating coil, a giant magnetoresistance device, and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID).

[0074] The memory 170 may be hardware that stores various data processed by the aerosol generating device 100 and stores data processed by the controller 150 and data to be processed by the controller 150. The memory 170 may be implemented in various types of memories, such as: random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or static random access memory (SRAM); read-only memory (ROM); and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

[0075] The memory 170 may store the operating time of the aerosol generating device 100, at least one temperature curve, at least one power curve, data on the smoking pattern of the user, etc. In this case, the temperature curve may refer to the temperature change of the susceptor 110 over time, and when the susceptor 110 is heated according to the target temperature curve, the temperature curve may provide the user with an optimal smoking experience.

[0076] In addition, the memory 170 stores a lookup table in which different values ​​of the AC electric power generated in the heater HA by the inductive coupling are matched with the corresponding temperature of the susceptor 110. The controller 150 may calculate the temperature of the susceptor 110 based on the AC electric power detected by the AC detector 160 and the lookup table stored in the memory 170.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the lookup table may be prepared in advance during the process of manufacturing the aerosol generating device 100. For example, different AC voltages may be applied to the heater HA by the controller 150, and the AC detector 160 may detect the AC electric power generated in the heater HA by the respective AC voltages. In this case, the temperature of the susceptor 110 may be measured by using a temperature sensor arranged close to the susceptor 110 (or the heater HA). In this way, the temperatures of the susceptor 110 corresponding to different AC electric power values ​​of the heater HA, respectively, may be obtained.

[0078] Therefore, the aerosol generating device 100 according to the embodiment can monitor the AC electric power of the heater HA generated by the inductive coupling at the input terminal of the heater HA instead of the input terminal of the controller 150, and can accurately calculate the temperature of the susceptor 110 based on the measured AC electric power and the previously stored lookup table. Thus, the measurement deviation can be reduced compared with the known contact temperature sensor. In addition, the temperature sensor can be miniaturized and the measurement accuracy can be improved compared with the known non-contact temperature sensor.

[0079] In addition, when the frequency of the alternating current transmitted from the AC detector 160 to the MCU 151 is too high, the MCU 151 having a specific processing speed (e.g., 80 MHz) generally applied to small devices has difficulty tracking the frequency, and thus may have difficulty measuring an accurate temperature. For example, when the frequency of the alternating current is 400 kHz, the MCU 151 may perform about 15 samplings, but when the frequency of the alternating current is 6 MHZ, the MCU 151 may perform only 1 sampling.

[0080] In this regard, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the coil 130 is changed according to the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation processor 152. Therefore, by providing the frequency of the PWM signal at a low frequency, the temperature can be measured more accurately. For accurate measurement, the frequency range of the PWM signal may be, for example, 1 kHz to 1 MHz, and more preferably, the frequency range of the PWM signal may be 200 kHz to 500 kHz.

[0081] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a susceptor to illustrate the skin effect occurring in the susceptor.

[0082] Figure 8 shows the current density when an alternating current having a low frequency is applied to the susceptor 110, and Fig. 9 The current density when an alternating current having a high frequency is applied to the susceptor 110 is shown.

[0083] The skin effect refers to a phenomenon in which more current flows near the surface of a conductor rather than in the center of the conductor. This occurs because when current flows through the conductor, the magnetic flux generated by the current intersects with the current at the center of the conductor, resulting in an increase in inductance. For example, when a direct current flows through the conductor, the current density of the conductor is uniform, but when an alternating current flows through the conductor, the current density on the surface of the conductor is relatively greater.

[0084] In particular, the skin effect becomes more pronounced as the frequency of the alternating current increases. The penetration depth can be determined by an equation, such as Equation 1 below.

[0085] Equation 1

[0086]

[0087] In this case, d is the penetration depth, f is the frequency of the alternating current, μ is the magnetic permeability of the susceptor, and σ is the electrical conductivity of the susceptor.

[0088] According to Equation 1, when the alternating current with a low frequency is applied, the first penetration depth d1 ( Figure 8 ) may be greater than the second penetration depth d2 ( Fig. 9 ). That is, due to Figure 8 The effective cross-sectional area of ​​the susceptor 110 is shown to be greater than Fig. 9 The effective cross-sectional area of ​​the susceptor 110 is shown as Figure 8 The resistance value of the sensor 110 can be less than Fig. 9 Therefore, when Fig. 9 When an alternating current having a high frequency is applied to the susceptor 110, the power transmission capacity is as shown in FIG. Figure 8 The alternating current with a high frequency shown in FIG. 1 increases more when it is applied to the susceptor, and thus the cigarette 200 can be effectively heated (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 3 ).

[0089] As described above, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the heater HA (see Figure 7 ) follows the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation processor 152 (see Figure 7 ). Therefore, when a PWM signal having a low frequency is provided, the skin effect according to the frequency of the PWM signal can be reduced. In addition, in order to reduce the skin effect according to the frequency of the PWM signal, the sensor 110 may have a needle-like structure (see Figure 1 ) or rod-like structures (see Figure 4 ).

[0090] In the following embodiments, description of the same configuration as the above-mentioned embodiments will be omitted or simplified, and the differences will be mainly described.

[0091] Fig.10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the aerosol generating system.

[0092] Fig.10 The aerosol generating device 100 of the aerosol generating system 1000 shown in FIG. Figure 7The aerosol generating device 100 shown including the susceptor 110 in the heater HA is different in that the heater HA does not include the susceptor, while the cigarette 200 includes the susceptor 110; the other configurations are substantially the same.

[0093] Reference Fig.10 , the aerosol generating system 1000 may include an aerosol generating device 100 and a cigarette 200 .

[0094] The cigarette 200 may also include a susceptor 110. In this case, the susceptor 110 may be located within the tobacco rod 210 of the cigarette 200 (see Figure 4 ). The susceptor 110 may have a rod-like shape (ie, a cylindrical shape) extending from the end of the tobacco rod 210 toward the filter rod 220 (see Figure 4 ).

[0095] The aerosol generating device 100 may include a battery 140 , a controller 150 , an AC detector 160 , a heater HA, and a memory 170 .

[0096] The battery 140 is a DC power supply device and can supply a DC voltage to the controller 150 to operate the aerosol generating device 100. In one embodiment, a regulator (not shown) for maintaining the voltage of the battery 140 constant may be included between the battery 140 and the controller 150.

[0097] The controller 150 may include an MCU 151 , a pulse width modulation processor 152 , an amplifier 153 , and an impedance matching unit 154 .

[0098] The MCU 151 may receive a DC voltage from the battery 140, generate a control signal, and transmit the generated control signal to other components of the aerosol generating device 100. The MCU 151 may control all of the battery 140, the controller 150, the AC detector 160, the heater HA, and the memory 170 by using the control signal.

[0099] When the AC voltage is applied from the amplifier 153 (or the controller 150) to the coil 130, a magnetic field is generated in the coil 130. The frequency of the AC voltage transmitted from the amplifier 153 to the coil 130 may be determined according to the frequency of the PWM signal transmitted from the pulse width modulation processor 152 to the amplifier 153. That is, when the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation processor 152 changes, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the coil 130 may also change.

[0100] The sensor 110 may be disposed on the tobacco rod 210 of the cigarette 200 (see Figure 4) within. The susceptor 110 can generate heat in the magnetic field generated by the coil 130 to the cigarette 200 (see Figure 4 ) (or an aerosol-generating article) is heated. The heat generated by the susceptor 110 may vary depending on the strength of the magnetic field generated by the coil 130.

[0101] The AC detector 160 may detect AC electric power caused by inductive coupling between the coil 130 and the susceptor 110 and transmit the AC electric power to the MCU 151 .

[0102] The AC detector 160 according to one embodiment may be a magnetic sensor that detects an alternating current corresponding to the strength of a magnetic field generated by inductive coupling between the coil 130 and the susceptor 110 and transmits the alternating current to the MCU 151. For example, the magnetic sensor may include at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a rotating coil, a giant magnetoresistance device, and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID).

[0103] When the frequency of the alternating current transmitted from the AC detector 160 to the MCU 151 is too high, the MCU 151 having a certain processing speed (eg, 80 MHz) generally applied to small devices has difficulty tracking the alternating current and thus may not accurately measure the temperature.

[0104] In this regard, the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the coil 130 follows the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation processor 152. Therefore, by providing a PWM signal with a low frequency, the temperature can be measured more accurately. For accurate measurement, the frequency range of the PWM signal may be, for example, 1 kHz to 1 MHz, and more preferably, the frequency range of the PWM signal may be, for example, 200 kHz to 500 kHz.

[0105] The memory 170 stores a lookup table in which different values ​​of the AC electric power generated in the heater HA through the inductive coupling are matched with the corresponding temperatures of the susceptor 110, and the controller 150 can calculate the temperature of the susceptor 110 based on the AC electric power detected by the AC detector 160 and the lookup table stored in the memory 170.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the look-up table can be prepared in advance during the manufacturing process of the aerosol generating device 100. For example, different AC voltages are applied to the heater HA by the controller 150, and the AC power detector 160 can detect the AC electric power generated in the heater HA by each AC voltage. In this case, the temperature of the susceptor 110 can be measured by using a temperature sensor arranged close to the susceptor 110 (or the heater HA). In this way, the temperatures of the susceptor 110 corresponding to different AC electric power values of the heater HA can be obtained.

[0107] Fig.11 is a flowchart showing an operation method of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0108] Referring to Figures 1 to 11 , the operation method of the aerosol generating device may include: an operation S100 of applying an AC voltage to the coil 130; an operation S200 of measuring the AC electric power of the heater HA; and an operation S300 of calculating the temperature of the susceptor 110.

[0109] Specifically, in the operation S100 of applying an AC voltage to the coil 130, the aerosol generating device 100 can receive a DC voltage from the battery 140 and generate a PWM signal by using the pulse width modulation processor 152. The amplifier 153 can convert the PWM signal of the DC voltage received from the pulse width modulation processor 152 into an AC voltage.

[0110] The frequency of the AC voltage transmitted from the amplifier 153 to the coil 130 can be determined according to the frequency of the PWM signal transmitted from the pulse width modulation processor 152 to the amplifier 153. That is, the frequency of the PWM signal generated by the pulse width modulation processor 152 can be the same as the frequency of the AC voltage applied to the coil 130.

[0111] The coil 130 can receive an AC voltage from the controller 150. When the AC voltage is applied from the controller 150 to the coil 130, the coil 130 can generate a magnetic field. The susceptor 110 can heat the cigarette 200 (see Figure 3 or Figure 4 ) by generating heat within the magnetic field generated by the coil 130.

[0112] Next, in the operation S200 of measuring the AC electric power of the heater HA, the AC detector 160 can detect the AC electric power caused by the inductive coupling between the coil 130 and the susceptor 110 and transmit the AC electric power to the MCU 151.

[0113] The AC detector 160 according to one embodiment may be a magnetic sensor that detects an AC current corresponding to the strength of a magnetic field generated by inductive coupling between the coil 130 and the susceptor 110 and transmits the AC current to the MCU 151. For example, the magnetic sensor may include at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a rotating coil, a giant magnetoresistance device, and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID).

[0114] Next, in operation S300 of calculating the temperature of the susceptor 110 , the controller 150 may calculate the temperature of the susceptor 110 based on the AC power detected by the AC detector 160 and a lookup table stored in the memory 170 .

[0115] The memory 170 may store matching data of the AC electric power generated in the heater HA through the inductive coupling and the temperature of the susceptor 110 in the form of a lookup table.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the lookup table may be pre-generated during the process of manufacturing the aerosol generating device 100. For example, different AC voltages may be applied to the heater HA by the controller 150, and the AC detector 160 may detect the AC electric power generated in the heater HA by the respective AC voltages. In this case, the temperature of the susceptor 110 may be measured by using a temperature sensor arranged close to the susceptor 110 (or the heater HA). In this way, the temperatures of the susceptor 110 corresponding to different AC electric power values ​​of the heater HA, respectively, may be obtained.

[0117] Fig.12 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device 1200 according to another embodiment.

[0118] The aerosol generating device 1200 may include a controller 1210, a sensing unit 1220, an output unit 1230, a battery 1240, a heater 1250, a user input unit 1260, a memory 1270, and a communication unit 1280. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 1200 is not limited to Fig.12 That is, according to the design of the aerosol generating device 1200, a person skilled in the art will understand that the aerosol generating device 1200 may be omitted. Fig.12 Some of the components shown in the figure may be modified or new components may be added.

[0119] The sensing unit 1220 can sense the state of the aerosol generating device 1200 and the state around the aerosol generating device 1200, and transmit the sensed information to the controller 1210. Based on the sensed information, the controller 1210 can control the aerosol generating device 1200 to perform various functions, such as controlling the operation of the heater 1250, restricting smoking, determining whether an aerosol generating product (e.g., a cigarette, a cartridge, etc.) is inserted, displaying a notification, etc.

[0120] The sensing unit 1220 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 1222, an insertion detection sensor 1224, and a suction sensor 1226, but is not limited thereto.

[0121] The temperature sensor 1222 can sense the temperature at which the heater 1250 (or the aerosol generating substance) is heated. The aerosol generating device 1200 may include a separate temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heater 1250, or the heater 1250 may be used as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 1222 may also be arranged around the battery 1240 to monitor the temperature of the battery 1240. In an embodiment, the temperature sensor 1222 may measure the temperature of the heater 1250 before the heater 1250 is heated.

[0122] The insertion detection sensor 1224 may sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article. For example, the insertion detection sensor 1224 may include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a resistance sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, and an infrared sensor, and the insertion detection sensor 1224 may sense a signal change according to the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article. If the insertion detection sensor 1224 detects the insertion of the aerosol generating article, and then detects the insertion of the aerosol generating article again within a predetermined time after the end of one smoking series, it may be determined as continuous use.

[0123] Suction sensor 1226 can sense the user's suction based on various physical changes in the airflow channel or airflow path. For example, suction sensor 1226 can sense the user's suction based on any one of temperature change, flow change, voltage change and pressure change.

[0124] The sensing unit 1220 may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a position sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)), a proximity sensor, and a red, green, and blue (RGB) sensor (illuminance sensor), in addition to the temperature sensor 1222, the insertion detection sensor 1224, and the suction sensor 1226 described above. Since a person of ordinary skill in the art can intuitively infer the function of each of the sensors from the name of the sensor, a detailed description of these sensors may be omitted.

[0125] The output unit 1230 may output information about the state of the aerosol generating device 1200 and provide the information to the user. The output unit 1230 may include at least one of a display unit 1232, a haptic unit 1234, and a sound output unit 1236, but is not limited thereto. When the display unit 1232 and the touch pad form a layered structure to form a touch screen, the display unit 1232 may be used as an input device in addition to being used as an output device.

[0126] The display unit 1232 may provide the user with information about the aerosol generating device 1200 in a visual manner. For example, the information about the aerosol generating device 1200 may refer to various information, such as the charging / discharging state of the battery 1240 of the aerosol generating device 1200, the preheating state of the heater 1250, the insertion / removal state of the aerosol generating article, or the state in which the use of the aerosol generating device 1200 is restricted (e.g., sensing an abnormal object), etc., and the display unit 1232 may output the information to the outside. The display unit 1232 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel, etc. In addition, the display unit 1232 may be in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) light emitting device.

[0127] The haptic unit 1234 may provide the user with information about the aerosol generating device 1200 in a tactile manner by converting an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulation or an electrical stimulation. For example, the haptic unit 1234 may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0128] The sound output unit 1236 may provide the user with information about the aerosol generating device 1200 in an auditory manner. For example, the sound output unit 1236 may convert an electrical signal into a sound signal and output the sound signal to the outside.

[0129] The battery 1240 may supply power for operating the aerosol generating device 1200. The battery 1240 may supply power so that the heater 1250 may be heated. In addition, the battery 1240 may supply power required for operating other components (e.g., the sensing unit 1220, the output unit 1230, the user input unit 1260, the memory 1270, and the communication unit 1280) in the aerosol generating device 1200. The battery 1240 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 1240 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0130] Heater 1250 may receive power from battery 1240 to heat the aerosol generating material. Fig.12 , the aerosol generating device 1200 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a direct current (DC) / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 1240 and supplies the converted power to the heater 1250. In addition, when the aerosol generating device 1200 generates aerosol by an induction heating method, the aerosol generating device 1200 may further include a DC / alternating current (AC) that converts the DC power of the battery 1240 into AC power.

[0131] The controller 1210, the sensing unit 1220, the output unit 1230, the user input unit 1260, the memory 1270, and the communication unit 1280 may each receive power from the battery 1240 to perform a function. Fig.12 Although shown in FIG. 1 , the aerosol generating device 1200 may further include a power conversion circuit that converts the power of the battery 1240 to supply power to various components. The power conversion circuit is, for example, a low dropout (LDO) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit.

[0132] In one embodiment, the heater 1250 may be formed of any suitable resistive material. For example, a suitable resistive material may be a metal or metal alloy, including, but not limited to, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nickel-chromium alloy, etc. In addition, the heater 1250 may be implemented by a metal wire, a metal plate with a conductive trace arranged thereon, a ceramic heating element, etc., but not limited thereto.

[0133] In another embodiment, the heater 1250 may be an induction heating type heater. For example, the heater 1250 may include a susceptor that heats the aerosol-generating substance by generating heat via a magnetic field applied by a coil.

[0134] In one embodiment, the heater 1250 may include a plurality of heaters. For example, the heater 1250 may include a first heater for heating a cigarette and a second heater for heating a liquid.

[0135] The user input unit 1260 may receive information input from the user or may output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 1260 may include a keyboard, a dome switch, a touch pad (e.g., a contact capacitance method, a pressure resistance film method, an infrared sensing method, a surface ultrasonic conduction method, an integrated tension measurement method, a piezoelectric effect method, etc.), a roller, a roller switch, etc., but is not limited thereto. In addition, although not in Fig.12 As shown in the figure, the aerosol generating device 1200 may also include a connection interface, such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and the aerosol generating device 1200 may be connected to other external devices via a connection interface such as a USB interface to send and receive information or charge the battery 1240.

[0136] The memory 1270 is a hardware component for storing various types of data processed in the aerosol generating device 1200, and can store data processed by the controller 1210 and data to be processed. The memory 1270 may include at least one type of storage medium among a flash memory, a hard disk memory, a multimedia card micro memory, a card memory (e.g., a secure digital (SD) or extreme digital (XD) memory, etc.), 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 read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. The memory 1270 may store the operating time of the aerosol generating device 1200, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature curve, data on the smoking pattern of the user, and the like. In an embodiment, the memory 1270 may store a plurality of temperature curves. In addition, the memory 1270 may store a plurality of preheating curves, which define a preheating portion in a heating curve.

[0137] The communication unit 1280 may include at least one component for communicating with another electronic device. For example, the communication unit 1280 may include a short-range wireless communication unit 1282 and a wireless communication unit 1284.

[0138] The short-range wireless communication unit 1282 may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a wireless LAN (WLAN) (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an infrared data protocol (IrDA) communication unit, a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) communication unit, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, etc., but is not limited to these.

[0139] The wireless communication unit 1284 may include, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) communication unit, etc. The wireless communication unit 1284 may also identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 1200 within the communication network by using subscriber information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)).

[0140] The controller 1210 may control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1200. In an embodiment, the controller 1210 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the processor may be implemented in other forms of hardware.

[0141] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art in the art related to the present embodiment that various changes in form and detail may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope of the above-mentioned features. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered from a descriptive perspective rather than a restrictive perspective. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all differences falling within the scope of equivalents of the present disclosure should be interpreted as included in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device include: a heater, the heater comprising a coil and a susceptor; an AC detector configured to detect AC power caused by inductive coupling between the coil and the susceptor; a memory storing a lookup table including temperatures of the susceptors, the temperatures respectively matching different values ​​of the AC power; as well as A controller is configured to calculate a temperature of the susceptor based on the AC power and the lookup table.

2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, in, The AC detector includes a magnetic sensor configured to detect an alternating current corresponding to the intensity of a magnetic field generated by the coil and provide the alternating current to the controller.

3. The aerosol generating device according to claim 2, in, The magnetic sensor includes at least one of a Hall effect sensor and a giant magnetoresistance device. 4 . The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery configured to supply a direct current (DC) voltage to the controller.

5. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4, in, The controller comprises: a pulse width modulation processor configured to receive a DC voltage from the battery and generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal; and An amplifier is configured to generate an AC voltage by amplifying the PWM signal according to a preset amplification factor, and provide the AC voltage to the coil.

6. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, in, The controller further includes an impedance matching unit disposed between the amplifier and the AC detector, and configured to perform impedance matching to increase the AC voltage.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 5, in, The frequency of the AC voltage changes to correspond to the frequency of the PWM signal.

8. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, in, The controller is further configured to control the frequency of the PWM signal within a low frequency range between 200 kHz and 500 kHz.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 7, in, The susceptor has a needle-like structure that reduces a skin effect according to a frequency of the PWM signal.

10. An aerosol generating system, the aerosol generating system include: A cigarette, the cigarette comprising a receptor; as well as An aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device comprising: a heater comprising a coil configured to inductively heat the susceptor; an AC detector configured to detect AC power generated by inductive coupling between the coil and the susceptor; a memory storing a lookup table including temperatures of the susceptors, the temperatures respectively matching different values ​​of the AC power; and A controller is configured to calculate a temperature of the susceptor based on the detected AC power and the lookup table.

11. An aerosol generating system according to claim 10, in, The AC detector includes a magnetic sensor configured to detect an alternating current corresponding to the intensity of a magnetic field generated by the coil and provide the alternating current to the controller.

12. An aerosol generating system according to claim 10, further comprising a battery configured to supply a direct current (DC) voltage to the controller.

13. An aerosol generating system according to claim 12, in, The controller comprises: a pulse width modulation processor configured to receive a DC voltage from the battery and generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal; and An amplifier is configured to generate an AC voltage by amplifying the PWM signal according to a preset amplification factor, and provide the AC voltage to the coil.

14. An aerosol generating system according to claim 13, in, The controller is further configured to control the frequency of the PWM signal within a low frequency range between 200 kHz and 500 kHz.

15. An aerosol generating system according to claim 13, in, The susceptor has a needle-like structure that reduces a skin effect according to a frequency of a PWM signal.

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