An aerosol-generating device for heating a cigarette and use thereof

Abstract

The patent discloses an aerosol generating device for heating cigarettes and its application, which comprises a piston, a heating cavity, a gas storage cavity and an opening and closing valve. The piston can move up and down in the axial direction in the gas storage cavity. The opening and closing valve is arranged between the heating cavity and the gas storage cavity. The heating cavity is provided with a heating element and a hollow metal needle. The hollow metal needle can communicate with the gas storage cavity through the opening and closing valve. The gas storage cavity is provided with a heating structure. The heating structure is used for heating the internal gas in the gas storage cavity to form high-temperature gas, and the high-temperature gas is introduced into the heating cavity through the hollow metal needle under the action of the axial movement of the piston. The patent realizes rapid preheating of tobacco, achieves rapid smoke generation of the first puff, and provides the purpose of smoke amount and release level of nicotine and aerosol.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This patent belongs to the field of heated tobacco products technology, specifically relating to an aerosol generating device for heating cigarettes and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Current aerosol generators, designed to meet consumers' need for quick start-up, typically set preheating times of 10-25 seconds. Since heated cigarettes generally employ either inner or outer heating methods, it usually takes 5-8 seconds for the heating element of the aerosol generator to reach the set preheating temperature. Subtracting this time, the remaining preheating time for the tobacco is often less than 10 seconds, making it difficult for the tobacco to be fully heated. Furthermore, due to the low thermal conductivity of tobacco and the presence of low-thermal-conductivity air in its internal pores, a significant temperature gradient exists between the areas near and far from the heating element. For example, the temperature difference between the inner heating element and the area further from the center can reach as high as 150°C. Even if the heating element can generate heat efficiently in a short time, this temperature gradient cannot be eliminated due to the limitations of the heat transfer path; a single heat conduction path has inherent limitations. In actual use, while inhaling immediately after preheating can produce aerosol, the amount of smoke and the release levels of nicotine and atomizing agent are less than in subsequent puffs. Tests revealed that a certain mainstream commercially available product released less than half the amount of nicotine in the first puff compared to the second puff, and the total amount of atomizing agent released was less than two-thirds of that in the second puff. This problem of poor evenness in inhalation seriously affected the consumer experience.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, British American Tobacco's VITRO innovates the cigarette's structure and processing method. Through extrusion molding, tobacco segments are processed into cigarettes with a large, hollow center and numerous small pores along the edges. When used with its GLO HILO device, it can rapidly generate a large amount of aerosol within 5-8 seconds. This product has received high praise from consumers since its launch. However, this cigarette structure significantly disrupts existing heated cigarette manufacturing and formulation systems; the cigarette itself can only be used with specific aerosol generating devices, lacking broad compatibility; and replicating it, even with licensing, presents significant difficulties and high costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this patent is to provide an aerosol generating device for heating cigarettes and its application, so as to achieve rapid preheating of tobacco, rapid smoke generation in the first puff, and to provide the desired amount of smoke and the release levels of nicotine and atomizing agent.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this patent adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] An aerosol generating device for heating cigarettes includes a piston, a heating chamber, an air storage chamber, and an on / off valve;

[0007] The piston can move up and down axially within the gas storage chamber;

[0008] The on / off valve is located between the heating chamber and the gas storage chamber;

[0009] The heating chamber contains a heating element and a hollow metal needle;

[0010] The hollow metal needle can be connected to the gas storage chamber through an on / off valve;

[0011] The gas storage chamber is equipped with a heating structure, which is used to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas, and under the action of the axial movement of the piston, the high-temperature gas is introduced into the heating chamber through the hollow metal needle.

[0012] Furthermore, multiple hollow metal needles are distributed circumferentially inside the heating chamber;

[0013] The hollow metal needle is equipped with an air guide hole;

[0014] Hollow metal needles are made of copper or aluminum.

[0015] Furthermore, hollow metal needles are arranged around the heating element;

[0016] The diameter of the hollow metal needle does not exceed 1 mm.

[0017] The wall thickness of the hollow metal needle is 0.2-0.3 mm;

[0018] The diameter of the air vent should not exceed 0.25 mm;

[0019] The interval between adjacent air guide holes shall not be less than 0.5 mm.

[0020] Furthermore, thermocouples are installed at the bottom and side walls of the gas storage chamber to monitor the temperature of the high-temperature gas.

[0021] Furthermore, the gas storage chamber includes a vent, a heat insulation plate, and a heating ring;

[0022] The vent is located near the top side wall and is used to guide outside air in.

[0023] The heat insulation plate is installed on the outer surface of the gas storage cavity.

[0024] The heating ring heats the outside air entering through the vent inside the gas storage chamber, thereby forming high-temperature gas.

[0025] Furthermore, the insulation material is aerogel or ceramic fiber.

[0026] Furthermore, the heating element includes a heating needle or a heating plate.

[0027] This patent also provides an aerosol generation system, including any of the above-mentioned aerosol generation devices for heating cigarettes.

[0028] This patent also provides a heating method based on the above-described aerosol generation system, comprising the following steps:

[0029] Step A: Turn on the aerosol generating device. Before the preheating stage, when the temperature of the gas storage chamber is below 150-250℃, the heating structure in the gas storage chamber begins to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas.

[0030] Step B: Initiation of the preheating stage, the heating element begins to heat the gas, and the piston moves axially upward to introduce high-temperature gas into the heating chamber through the hollow metal needle.

[0031] Furthermore, step A includes the following steps:

[0032] Step A1: Before the preheating stage begins, the thermocouple at the bottom of the gas storage chamber detects that the temperature is below 150-200℃, and the heating structure in the gas storage chamber begins to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas.

[0033] and / or

[0034] Step A2: Before the preheating stage begins, the thermocouples installed on the side wall of the gas storage chamber detect a temperature below 200-250°C. The heating structure in the gas storage chamber then begins to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas.

[0035] Heated cigarettes include an aerosol forming matrix, a support element, an aerosol cooling element, and a mouthpiece arranged sequentially along the axial direction.

[0036] Preferably, the aerosol forming matrix is ​​a solid aerosol forming matrix. The aerosol forming matrix may include both solid and liquid components.

[0037] Preferably, the aerosol-forming matrix includes nicotine. In some preferred embodiments, the aerosol-forming matrix includes tobacco.

[0038] Preferably, the aerosol forming matrix includes tobacco and an atomizing agent.

[0039] Suitable atomizing agents are known in the art and include, but are not limited to: polyols, such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerol; esters of polyols, such as glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate; and aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids, such as dimethyl dodecanoate and dimethyl tetradecanoate. Preferred aerosol forming agents are polyols or mixtures thereof, such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and most preferably glycerol.

[0040] The aerosol forming matrix may include a single aerosol forming agent. Alternatively, the aerosol forming matrix may include a combination of two or more aerosol forming agents.

[0041] Preferably, the aerosol forming matrix has an atomizing agent content of more than 5% by dry weight. More preferably, the aerosol forming matrix may have an atomizing agent content between about 5% and about 30% by dry weight. In one embodiment, the aerosol forming matrix has an atomizing agent content of about 20% by dry weight.

[0042] The support element can be located directly downstream of the aerosol forming matrix and can be close to the aerosol forming matrix.

[0043] The support element can be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials. For example, the support element can be formed from one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: cellulose acetate; paperboard; crimped paper, such as crimped heat-resistant paper or crimped parchment; and polymeric materials, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In a preferred embodiment, the support element is formed from cellulose acetate.

[0044] The support element may include a hollow tubular element. In a preferred embodiment, the support element includes a cellulose acetate tube.

[0045] The support element can have a length between approximately 5 mm and approximately 15 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the support element has a length of approximately 8 mm.

[0046] The aerosol cooling element can be located downstream of the aerosol forming matrix. For example, the aerosol cooling element can be located directly downstream of and adjacent to the support element. Alternatively, the aerosol cooling element can be located between the support element and the mouthpiece, which is located at the very downstream end of the aerosol-generating article (i.e., heated cigarette).

[0047] Aerosol cooling elements can have a total surface area between approximately 300 square millimeters per millimeter of length and approximately 1000 square millimeters per millimeter of length. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol cooling element has a total surface area of ​​approximately 500 square millimeters per millimeter of length.

[0048] Aerosol cooling elements can also be referred to as heat exchangers.

[0049] Preferably, the aerosol cooling element has low suction resistance. That is, preferably, the aerosol cooling element provides low resistance to air passing through the aerosol-generated article. Preferably, the aerosol cooling element has virtually no impact on the suction resistance of the aerosol-generated article.

[0050] The aerosol cooling element may include multiple longitudinally extending channels. These multiple longitudinally extending channels may be defined by a sheet material that has undergone one or more of curling, pleating, gathering, and folding to form the channels. Alternatively, the multiple longitudinally extending channels may be defined by a single sheet that has undergone one or more of curling, pleating, gathering, and folding to form multiple channels.

[0051] In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element may include an aggregate sheet of material selected from the group consisting of: metal foil, polymeric materials, and substantially non-porous paper or paperboard. In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element may include an aggregate sheet of material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil. In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol cooling element includes an aggregate sheet of biodegradable material. For example, an aggregate sheet of non-porous paper or an aggregate sheet of biodegradable polymeric material (such as polylactic acid).

[0052] Aerosol cooling elements can be formed from aggregates of material having a specific surface area between approximately 10 square millimeters per milligram and approximately 100 square millimeters per milligram by weight. In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element can be formed from an aggregate of material having a specific surface area of ​​approximately 35 mm². 2 Aggregate lamellar formation of materials with a specific surface area of ​​ / mg.

[0053] The mouthpiece may be located directly downstream of and adjacent to the aerosol cooling element. The mouthpiece may include a filter. The filter may be formed of one or more suitable filter materials. Many such filter materials are known in the art. In one embodiment, the mouthpiece may include a filter formed of cellulose acetate tow.

[0054] The mouthpiece can have a length between approximately 5 mm and approximately 20 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece has a length of approximately 14 mm. The mouthpiece can also have a length between approximately 5 mm and approximately 14 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece has a length of approximately 7 mm.

[0055] The components of the aerosol-generating article (e.g., the aerosol-forming matrix and any other components of the aerosol-generating article, such as support elements, aerosol cooling elements, and mouthpieces) are surrounded by an outer packaging. The outer packaging is formed of any suitable material or combination of materials. Preferably, the outer packaging paper is cigarette paper.

[0056] In this patent, the aerosol generating device is used to describe an apparatus that interacts with the aerosol-forming matrix of an aerosol generating article to generate an aerosol. Preferably, the aerosol generating device is a smoking device that interacts with the aerosol-forming matrix of the aerosol generating article to generate an aerosol that can be directly inhaled into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. The aerosol generating device can be a fixator for a smoking article.

[0057] A sensor is a material that can convert electromagnetic energy into heat. When placed in a wave electromagnetic field, the eddy currents induced in the sensor cause it to heat up. When the sensor is positioned in thermal contact with an aerosol-forming matrix, the aerosol-forming matrix is ​​heated by the sensor.

[0058] The aerosol generating device can generate a fluctuating electromagnetic field between approximately 1 MHz and 30 MHz, for example, between 2 MHz and 10 MHz, or for example, between 5 MHz and 7 MHz, through the induction coil of the induction emitter.

[0059] The length of the receptor is much greater than its width or thickness, for example, more than twice its width or thickness.

[0060] The sensor is preferably needle-shaped or strip-shaped, such as a heating needle or heating plate.

[0061] The sensor can be made of any material capable of being heated inductively to a temperature sufficient to generate an aerosol matrix. Preferred sensors include metals or carbon. Preferred sensors may include ferromagnetic materials, such as ferrite, ferromagnetic steel, or stainless steel. Suitable sensors may be aluminum or may include aluminum. Preferred sensors may be made of 400 series stainless steel, such as grade 410, 420, or 430 stainless steel. Different materials will consume different amounts of energy when placed in an electromagnetic field with similar frequency and field strength. Therefore, parameters of the sensor, such as material type, length, width, and thickness, can be varied within a known electromagnetic field to provide the desired energy consumption.

[0062] Preferably, the receptor has a length of 5 mm to 15 mm, for example, between 6 mm and 12 mm or between 8 mm and 10 mm. Preferably, the elongated receptor has a length substantially the same as the aerosol-forming matrix. Preferably, the receptor may have a width of 1 mm to 5 mm and a thickness of 0.01 mm to 2 mm, for example, 0.5 mm to 2 mm. Preferred embodiments may have a thickness between 10 micrometers and 500 micrometers, more preferably between 10 micrometers and 100 micrometers. If the receptor has a constant cross-section, such as a circular cross-section, then it has a preferred width or diameter of 1 mm to 5 mm.

[0063] An aerosol generator is a portable or handheld device that can be comfortably held between the fingers of one hand. The shape of the aerosol generator is generally cylindrical. The aerosol generator can have a length between approximately 70 mm and approximately 120 mm.

[0064] The aerosol generating device includes a power supply and control components. The power supply can be any suitable source, such as a DC voltage source, like a battery. In one embodiment, the power supply is a lithium-ion battery.

[0065] Alternatively, the power source can be a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a lithium-based battery, such as a lithium cobalt, lithium iron phosphate, lithium titanate, or lithium polymer battery.

[0066] The control element can be a simple switch. Alternatively, the control element can be a circuit and may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers.

[0067] In this patent, the aerosol generation system may include an aerosol generation device and one or more aerosol generation articles, wherein the aerosol generation device is configured with a corresponding number of heating chambers to house the aerosol generation articles.

[0068] This patent provides an aerosol generating device for heating cigarettes and its application. Starting with the aerosol generating device itself, during the preheating stage, a piston forces internally stored high-temperature steam into a hollow metal needle. The heat is then rapidly released into the tobacco space through air vents and the inherent good thermal conductivity of the metal. Combined with a heating element, this efficiently preheats the tobacco, achieving rapid smoke generation in the first puff. Furthermore, by introducing high-temperature gas to the entire tobacco space, it overcomes the limitations of a single heat conduction method. In addition, improvements are made only to the aerosol generating device, providing good adaptability to various types of cigarettes without affecting the cigarette manufacturing process. Compared to ordinary devices, the nicotine and atomizing agent content in the first puff of the smoke is significantly increased, and the visual smoke volume is also noticeably larger. Attached Figure Description

[0069] The above content of this patent and the following detailed embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are merely examples of the claimed technical solution.

[0070] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the piston away from the heating chamber in this patent;

[0071] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the piston near the heating chamber in this patent.

[0072] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the heating cavity in this patent;

[0073] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the on / off valve in this patent;

[0074] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gas storage chamber in this patent;

[0075] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the aerosol generation system in this patent.

[0076] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0077] Aerosol generating device: 100

[0078] Pistons: 110

[0079] Heating chamber: 120

[0080] Heating needle: 121

[0081] Hollow metal needle: 122

[0082] Air vent: 123

[0083] Gas storage chamber: 130

[0084] Thermocouple: 131

[0085] Vent hole: 132

[0086] Insulation board: 133

[0087] Heating ring: 134

[0088] On / off valve: 140

[0089] Heated cigarettes: 200

[0090] Aerosol forming matrix: 210

[0091] Supporting element: 220

[0092] Aerosol cooling element: 230

[0093] Cigarette mouthpiece: 240 Detailed Implementation

[0094] The detailed features and advantages of this patent are described below in the specific embodiments. The content is sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art to understand the technical content of this patent and implement it accordingly. Based on the specification, claims and drawings disclosed in this specification, a person skilled in the art can easily understand the related objectives and advantages of this patent.

[0095] This specification also uses several compound terms to describe devices, components, equipment, etc. that include more than one function, or to assign additional functions to a corresponding device, component, equipment, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that such compound terms can be implemented by a single or multiple devices, components, equipment, etc., as long as they are reasonable under the interpretation rules of this patent terminology.

[0096] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and interpreted in subsequent figures. In this specification and claims, several terms will be used, and unless otherwise indicated, these terms will be defined as having the following meanings:

[0097] The terms “comprising” or “having” have the same meaning as “containing”, and also include other forms of the term, such as the gerund and singular forms in English, meaning including but not limited to, and not intended to exclude, for example, other elements, components, integers or steps.

[0098] All other terms used herein for special definition are intended to have the general meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in particular, meaning that one of ordinary skill in the art, upon reading the claims, specification and drawings of this patent, can directly and without doubt determine how the technical solution of this patent can be implemented.

[0099] Even if there are incomplete descriptions, omissions, or ambiguities in the grammar, words, punctuation, graphics, symbols, etc. of the claims, specification, and drawings of this patent, a person skilled in the art can still arrive at the only correct understanding by reading the claims, specification, and drawings as a whole without extensive reasoning or experimentation, and effectively exclude various incorrect interpretations that are not aimed at achieving the purpose of this patent.

[0100] Those skilled in the art would first choose to read the claims, specification, and drawings of this patent to reasonably interpret the terms; secondly, they would choose to refer to the relevant definitions in other documents published by the applicant before the filing date to reasonably interpret the terms; thirdly, they would choose the references cited in this patent to reasonably interpret the terms; and finally, they would choose to combine the technical dictionaries, technical manuals, reference books, textbooks, national or industry technical standards, etc., commonly used by those skilled in the art to reasonably interpret the terms.

[0101] All references cited in this application are incorporated herein by way of quotation, to the extent that they do not contradict the disclosure herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that products (apparatus, components, devices, compounds, compositions, materials, etc.) and methods (processes, steps, conditions, parameters, equipment, and test methods, equipment, etc.) not specifically described herein can be applied to the implementation of the inventions fully disclosed herein without the need for excessive experimentation. This patent is intended to cover all functional equivalents known in the art of the methods, apparatus, apparatus components, materials, processes, and techniques specifically described herein. All cited references include:

[0102] The following publications are included: Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers (11th edition and other editions prior to this patent application date), published by McGraw-Hill, Inc.; DeGarmo's Materials and Processes in Manufacturing (13th edition and other editions prior to this patent application date), published by Wiley; Machinery's Handbook (32nd edition and other editions prior to this patent application date), published by IndustrialPress Inc.; Mechanical Design Handbook (6th edition and other editions prior to this patent application date), edited by Cheng Daxian, published by Chemical Industry Press; and Modern Mechanical Design Handbook (6th edition and other editions prior to this patent application date), edited by Wen Bangchun, published by Machinery Industry Press.

[0103] This patent will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote similar elements. While specific structures and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done merely for illustrative purposes. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other structures and arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of this patent. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that this patent can also be used in a variety of other applications.

[0104] Unless otherwise specified below, the tobacco used is 2021 Henan Sanmenxia Mianchi C3F Qinyan 96 flue-cured tobacco.

[0105] The inventors also used the following flue-cured tobacco leaves in their experiments: Chenzhou Guiyang B2F, C2F, X2F; Yongzhou Lanshan B3F, C2F, X2F; Sanmenxia Mianchi B2F, C3F, X3F; Guizhou Zunyi B2F, C2F, X2F; Bijie Dafang B3F, C3F, X2F; Guizhou Bijie B2F, C2F, X3F; Yunnan Yuxi B3F, C3F, X2F; Yunnan Kunming B2F, C3F, X2F; Yunnan Dali B2F, C3F, X2F, including tobacco seed varieties such as Honghua Dajinyuan, Cuibi No. 1, and Qinyan 96. In addition, the inventors also used burley tobacco, aromatic tobacco, cigar tobacco, sun-cured tobacco, and cloves in their experiments. Unless otherwise specified below, this patent also applies to the aforementioned raw materials.

[0106] Example 1

[0107] like Figure 1-6 As shown, this patent provides an aerosol generation system, including a heated cigarette 200 and an aerosol generation device 100, wherein the heated cigarette 200 is heated in the aerosol generation device 100 to form an aerosol that can be inhaled.

[0108] The aerosol generating device 100 includes a piston 110, a heating chamber 120, a gas storage chamber 130, and an on / off valve 140.

[0109] The piston 110 can move up and down axially in the gas storage chamber 130, thereby pushing the bottom of the gas storage chamber 130 to move up or down.

[0110] The piston 110 can be connected to a drive device for movement, such as a servo motor.

[0111] The on / off valve 140 is located between the heating chamber 120 and the gas storage chamber 130.

[0112] The heating chamber 120 has a heating element at its center, which can be a heating needle 121 or a heating plate or other heating structure.

[0113] The heating chamber 120 has multiple hollow metal needles 122 with air guide holes 123 distributed circumferentially inside. The bottom of the heating chamber 120 is fixedly connected to an insulating base plate with an on / off valve 140. The insulating base plate material can be aerogel or ceramic fiber.

[0114] The on / off valve 140 can be configured such that its top is connected to the hollow part of the hollow metal needle 122, and its bottom is connected to the gas storage chamber 130. Its main function is to pressurize preheated hot air into the hollow metal needle 122 during the preheating stage. The high-temperature gas transfers heat to the tobacco at various positions through the air guide hole 123 and the hollow metal needle 122. Specifically, the on / off valve 140 has multiple through-hole structures. When the through-hole structures correspond to the positions of the hollow metal needle 122, the on / off valve 140 and the hollow part of the hollow metal needle 122 are in a connected state. Hot steam is introduced into the hollow metal needle 122 through the on / off valve 140 under the action of the piston 110, and then guided into the gaps between the tobacco shreds forming the aerosol matrix through the air guide hole 123 on the hollow metal needle 122. Simultaneously, the heat from the hot steam is rapidly transferred from the hollow metal needle 122 itself to the tobacco shreds.

[0115] The hollow metal needle 122 is a cylinder with a diameter not exceeding 1 mm. The top is a conical tip with a length of 0.7-0.9 mm, which is the length of the tobacco shreds. The wall thickness of the hollow metal needle 122 is 0.2-0.3 mm.

[0116] The hollow metal needle 122 is made of copper or aluminum.

[0117] Preferably, hollow metal needles 122 are arranged around the heating element. They are symmetrically distributed with the center of the heating cavity 120 as the center, and no more than four hollow metal needles 122 are distributed in the same radial direction.

[0118] Hollow metal needle 122 has uniformly opened air guide holes 123 of the same size with a diameter not exceeding 0.25 mm along the axial direction, and the interval between adjacent air guide holes 123 is not less than 0.5 mm.

[0119] The gas storage chamber 130 is a cylindrical cavity within the aerosol generating device 100, and the top of the gas storage chamber 130 is connected to the bottom of the heating chamber 120.

[0120] The air storage chamber 130 has an openable or closed vent 132 on the side near the top side wall for the entry of outside air.

[0121] The gas storage cavity 130 is provided with a heating structure, such as a heating ring 134. The heating ring 134 includes heating resistance wires distributed on the inner surface of the gas storage cavity 130, which are used to heat the gas inside the gas storage cavity 130 to form high-temperature gas (i.e. hot steam).

[0122] The outer surface of the gas storage chamber 130 is made of the same heat insulation material as the heat insulation base plate of the heating chamber 120, to prevent the heat of the heated high-temperature gas from being lost.

[0123] A piston 110 is connected to the bottom of the gas storage chamber 130. When the aerosol generating device 100 is started and preheated, the piston 110 pushes the bottom of the gas storage chamber 130 upward, forcing the high-temperature gas in the gas storage chamber 130 into the hollow metal needle 122.

[0124] Two thermocouples 131 are arranged on the inner edge and bottom center of the gas storage chamber 130 to monitor the temperature of the high-temperature gas.

[0125] Working principle:

[0126] (1) Turn on the aerosol generating device 100. Before the preheating stage, the thermocouple 131 at the bottom center of the gas storage chamber 130 and the thermocouple 131 on the edge sidewall are used for temperature detection. When the temperature at the bottom center of the gas storage chamber 130 and the edge of the gas storage chamber 130 is lower than a certain level, that is, the temperature detected by the thermocouple 131 at the bottom center is lower than 150-200℃; the temperature detected by the thermocouple 131 on the edge sidewall is lower than 200-250℃, refer to Figure 1 The piston 110 is positioned away from the heating chamber 120. The air storage chamber 130 and the piston 110 form a space to contain the outside air. The air storage chamber 130 begins to heat the air in it until the temperature at both locations meets the requirements, at which point the heating stops.

[0127] (2) During the preheating stage, the on / off valve 140 between the gas storage chamber 130 and the heating chamber 120 is opened, as can be referred to Figure 2 The piston 110 pushes the bottom of the gas storage chamber 130 upward to a position close to the heating chamber 120, forcing the high-temperature gas into the hollow metal needle 122. The high-temperature gas flows into the heating chamber 120 through the air guide hole 123, complementing the heating needle 121 in the center that starts heating.

[0128] (3) When the preheating stage ends, the vent 132 connecting the gas storage chamber 130 to the outside opens, and the piston 110 slowly returns to its original position. After the piston 110 stops moving, the vent closes, and the thermocouple 131 begins to detect the internal gas temperature, repeating the first round of the process.

[0129] This patent, without altering the structure of the tobacco, introduces a novel aerosol generation system starting with the aerosol generating device 100. In addition to the heating element at the center of the heating chamber 120, the chamber also contains multiple hollow metal needles 122 with air guide holes 123. The bottom of each hollow metal needle 122 connects to a gas storage chamber 130 containing high-temperature steam. During the preheating stage, the piston 110 forces the stored high-temperature steam into the hollow metal needles 122, and the heat is rapidly released into the tobacco space through the air guide holes 123 and the excellent thermal conductivity of the metal material. Combined with the heating element, this efficiently preheats the tobacco, achieving rapid smoking in the first puff. This patent introduces high-temperature gas and transfers it throughout the tobacco space via the hollow metal needles 122, overcoming the limitations of a single heat conduction method. Furthermore, the improvement focuses only on the aerosol generating device 100, providing good adaptability to various types of cigarettes without affecting the cigarette manufacturing process.

[0130] Comparative Example 1

[0131] This comparative example uses the aerosol generating apparatus disclosed in CN223182959U, which includes a housing, a heating element, and a lifting mechanism. The housing encloses a heating chamber, within which a heated cigarette is placed. The heating element is located inside the heated cigarette to heat it. The output end of the lifting mechanism is connected to the heating element, allowing the heating element to be moved out of the heating chamber from the bottom. The diameter of the heating chamber matches the diameter of the heated cigarette. When the heated cigarette is placed into the heating chamber, the heating element extends into the heated cigarette to facilitate heating. The size of the heating element is smaller than the size of the heated cigarette. The output end of the lifting mechanism is connected to the heating element, enabling it to move the heating element out of the heating chamber or back into it. The heating element moves out from the bottom of the heating chamber. When the lifting mechanism moves the heating element out of the heating chamber, the heated cigarette detaches from the heating element and falls back into the heating chamber, allowing for easy removal and disposal of the heated cigarette. The heating element is needle-shaped.

[0132] To further illustrate the advantages of this patent, the following analysis will be conducted by comparing the aerosol generating device of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 with a heated cigarette through a smoking experiment.

[0133] The heated cigarette 200 includes an aerosol forming matrix 210, a support element 220, an aerosol cooling element 230 and a mouthpiece 240 arranged sequentially along the axial direction, wherein the aerosol forming matrix 210 contains tobacco shreds.

[0134] The preparation of heated cigarette 200 can refer to the tobacco preparation method disclosed in CN115956699A, which includes the following steps:

[0135] 1) After removing impurities and drying 50g of flue-cured tobacco, pulverize it into tobacco powder of 200 mesh;

[0136] 2) Mix the tobacco powder and auxiliary reagents thoroughly at a ratio of 3:1 to form a clump-like mixture. The auxiliary reagents include glycerol (i.e., glycerin) as an atomizing agent, chitosan as a binder, bleached conifer sulfate pulp as an added fiber, modified starch, nanocellulose powder, and water. The proportions by mass percentage are: 25% atomizing agent, 5% binder, 3% added fiber, 5% modified starch, 5% nanocellulose powder, and the remainder is water.

[0137] 3) The lumpy mixture is repeatedly kneaded and pressed from multiple directions and angles to form thin sheets;

[0138] 4) The thin sheet is formed by pressing it with 6 or more sets of rollers;

[0139] 5) The rolled sheet is dried, shaped, and shredded. First, the sheet coated on the steel strip is heated. Side a of the sheet is heated by steam or electricity through the steel plate, while side b is heated by hot air through a heat exchanger. Then, the sheet is flipped over, and side b is heated by steam or resistance through the steel plate, while side a is heated by hot air through a heat exchanger. It is dried until the thickness reaches the specified value of 0.2 mm, and then shredded. The shred width is 1.0 mm and the length is 20 mm, thus obtaining the rolled sheet shreds.

[0140] 6) The roll-pressed thin filaments are dried with hot air at a temperature of 75°C. After drying, they are rolled into cigarettes to obtain heated cigarettes 200.

[0141] The heated cigarettes described above were heated and inhaled using the aerosol generating apparatuses of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, and the composition of the inhaled gas was detected. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0142] Table 1: Smoke Analysis Results of Heated Cigarettes with Different Number of Puffs

[0143]

[0144] As can be seen from Table 1, the aerosol generating device of this patent has better nicotine release, smoke concentration and total atomizing agent release in the smoke compared with the prior art. The smoke concentration can achieve rapid smoke generation in the first puff and reach the level of smoke concentration in the second puff of the prior art.

[0145] The terms and expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes and not for limitation. Their use is not intended to exclude any equivalents of the features or portions thereof shown, but rather to facilitate the understanding that various modifications may be possible within the scope of this patent claim. Therefore, it should be understood that while this patent has been specifically disclosed through preferred embodiments, exemplary embodiments, and optional features, variations or modifications of the concepts disclosed herein may be adopted by those skilled in the art, and such variations and modifications are therefore considered to be within the scope of this patent as defined by the appended claims. The specific embodiments given in this specification are examples of useful embodiments of this patent, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this patent can be implemented using many variations of the devices, device components, and method steps disclosed herein.

[0146] The foregoing description of specific embodiments fully discloses the general features of this patent, enabling others to easily modify and / or adapt such embodiments for various applications by applying knowledge within the scope of the art, without excessive experimentation or deviation from the general concept of this patent. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance provided herein, it is intended that such modifications and alterations be included within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes and not intended to be limiting; thus, the wording or terminology in this specification will be interpreted by those skilled in the art based on the foregoing teachings and guidance.

[0147] Furthermore, the scope of this patent should not be limited to any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but only to the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A heating method for an aerosol generation system, characterized in that, The aerosol generation system includes an aerosol generation device for heating cigarettes; The aerosol generating device includes a piston, a heating chamber, a gas storage chamber, and an on / off valve; The piston can move axially up and down in the gas storage chamber; The on / off valve is located between the heating chamber and the gas storage chamber; The heating chamber is equipped with a heating element and a hollow metal needle; The hollow metal needle can be connected to the gas storage chamber through the opening and closing valve; The gas storage chamber is equipped with a heating structure, which is used to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas, and under the axial movement of the piston, the high-temperature gas is introduced into the heating chamber through the hollow metal needle; The heating method includes the following steps: Step A: Turn on the aerosol generating device. Before the preheating stage, the temperature of the gas storage chamber is detected. When the temperature of the gas storage chamber is lower than 150°C, the heating structure in the gas storage chamber begins to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas until the temperature meets the requirements and then the heating is stopped. Step B: Initiate the preheating stage, the heating element begins heating, and the piston moves axially to introduce the high-temperature gas into the heating chamber through the hollow metal needle; Step C: When the preheating stage ends, the vent connecting the gas storage chamber to the outside is opened, the piston slowly returns to its original position, and after the piston stops moving, the vent is closed. At this time, the internal gas temperature is detected, and the first round of the process is repeated.

2. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating chamber contains a plurality of hollow metal needles arranged circumferentially inside. The hollow metal needle is provided with an air guide hole; The hollow metal needle is made of copper or aluminum.

3. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hollow metal needle is disposed around the heating element; The diameter of the hollow metal needle does not exceed 1 mm. The hollow metal needle has a wall thickness of 0.2-0.3 mm; The diameter of the air guide hole does not exceed 0.25 mm; The interval between adjacent air guide holes shall not be less than 0.5 mm.

4. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Thermocouples are installed at the bottom and side walls of the gas storage chamber to monitor the temperature of the high-temperature gas.

5. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The gas storage chamber includes a heat insulation plate and a heating ring; The vent is located near the top sidewall and is used to guide outside air in. The heat insulation plate is disposed on the outer surface of the gas storage cavity. The heating ring heats the outside air entering through the vent inside the gas storage chamber, thereby forming the high-temperature gas.

6. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The insulation board material is aerogel or ceramic fiber.

7. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Heating elements include heating needles or heating plates.

8. The heating method for the aerosol generation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step A includes the following steps: Step A1: Before the preheating stage begins, the thermocouple at the bottom of the gas storage chamber detects that the temperature is below 150°C, and the heating structure in the gas storage chamber begins to heat the internal gas in the gas storage chamber to form high-temperature gas.

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