Control method and aerosol generating device

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method and an aerosol generating device. The aerosol generating device comprises a battery, a heating assembly and a power supply controller, the power supply controller is configured to adjust preheating power provided by the battery to the heating assembly, and the control method comprises the steps that the current no-load voltage and the first preset no-load voltage of the battery are obtained; obtaining the current on-load voltage and the first preset on-load voltage of the battery; and according to the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current on-load voltage and the first preset on-load voltage, the preheating power and the preheating time of the heating assembly are controlled according to the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current on-load voltage and the first preset on-load voltage. According to the control method, the preheating power of the heating assembly can be adjusted in advance, so that a protection mechanism is prevented from being triggered due to sudden drop of the port voltage of the battery, the energy of the battery can be fully released, and the cruising ability of the aerosol generating device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerosol generation device technology, and more particularly to a control method and an aerosol generation device. Background Technology

[0002] In aerosol generation devices, when the battery power is low and the load power demand is high, if the battery port voltage drops too quickly, it will trigger the battery's solar panel protection mechanism or the DC-DC converter protection mechanism. The protection mechanism prevents the battery's energy from being fully released, thus affecting the aerosol generation device's operating range. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a control method and an aerosol generating apparatus to solve at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0004] The control method of this invention is used in an aerosol generating device, the aerosol generating device including a battery, a heating component, and a power controller, the power controller being configured to adjust the preheating power provided by the battery to the heating component, the control method including:

[0005] Obtain the current no-load voltage and the first preset no-load voltage of the battery;

[0006] Obtain the current load voltage and the first preset load voltage of the battery;

[0007] The preheating power and preheating time of the heating component are controlled based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage.

[0008] In the control method of this invention, by acquiring the current open-circuit voltage and current loaded voltage of the battery and comparing them with preset open-circuit voltage and loaded voltage, the control method can adjust the preheating power of the heating component before the battery port voltage drops to a critical point that may trigger the battery panel protection or DC-DC converter protection, so as to avoid the battery port voltage from dropping suddenly and triggering the protection mechanism, ensuring that the battery energy can be released more fully, thereby improving the endurance of the aerosol generation device.

[0009] In some embodiments, controlling the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current on-load voltage, and the first preset on-load voltage includes:

[0010] When the current no-load voltage is greater than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is greater than the first preset load voltage, the heating component is controlled to operate in the first heating mode.

[0011] When the heating component operates in the first heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the first preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the first preheating time.

[0012] In some embodiments, controlling the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current on-load voltage, and the first preset on-load voltage includes:

[0013] When the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to decrease in stages, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to increase.

[0014] In some embodiments, when the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, controlling the preheating power of the heating component to decrease in stages and controlling the preheating time of the heating component to increase includes:

[0015] When the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, the heating component is controlled to operate in the second heating mode.

[0016] When the heating component operates in the second heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the second preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the second preheating time. The second preheating power is less than the first preheating power, and the second preheating time is greater than the first preheating time.

[0017] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0018] When the heating component operates in the second heating mode, the first preset no-load voltage is updated to the second preset no-load voltage, and the first preset load voltage is updated to the second preset load voltage. The second preset no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage, and the second preset load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage.

[0019] In some embodiments, the control method further includes:

[0020] When the current open-circuit voltage of the battery is less than the second preset open-circuit voltage, and the current load voltage is less than the second preset load voltage, the heating component is controlled to operate in the third heating mode.

[0021] When the heating component operates in the third heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the third preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the third preheating time. The third preheating power is less than the second preheating power, and the third preheating time is greater than the second preheating time.

[0022] The aerosol generating apparatus of the present invention includes a battery, a heating component, a power controller, a control component, and a storage component. The power controller is configured to adjust the preheating power provided by the battery to the heating component. The storage component is configured to store a computer program. The control component is configured to execute the computer program to implement the control method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0023] In some embodiments, the heating assembly includes a plasma generator and a heating controller, the plasma generator comprising:

[0024] Heating component, wherein a heating cavity is formed inside the heating component; and

[0025] At least one set of electrode assemblies, each set of electrode assemblies including a first electrode and a second electrode, both the first electrode and the second electrode extending into the heating chamber, and the heating controller being configured to control the formation of an electric arc and the generation of plasma between the first electrode and the second electrode in the heating chamber;

[0026] The heating component has a receiving position configured to accommodate an aerosol generation matrix, and the receiving position is thermally conductively connected to the heating cavity.

[0027] In some embodiments, the heating assembly includes a plasma generator and a heating controller, the plasma generator comprising:

[0028] Inner tube;

[0029] An outer tube, which is sleeved outside the inner tube;

[0030] A first electrode, which is at least partially disposed within the inner tube;

[0031] A second electrode, at least a portion of which is disposed at one end of the inner tube, and is positioned opposite and spaced apart from the first electrode; when the first electrode and the second electrode are energized, plasma is generated between the second electrode and the first electrode; and

[0032] A conductive element is connected to the second electrode and configured to be electrically connected to a power module, which is electrically connected to the heating controller. The conductive element extends from one end of the inner tube along the axial direction of the inner tube to the other end of the inner tube, wherein a section of the inner tube corresponding to the conductive element is grounded to the outer tube.

[0033] In some embodiments, the heating controller includes a power supply module, a control drive module, a boost regulation module, an inverter conversion module, and a boost transformer;

[0034] The control drive module is electrically connected to the power module, and the control drive module can generate a variety of drive signals according to the preheating time-power mapping relationship;

[0035] The boost regulation module is electrically connected to the power supply module and the control drive module respectively, and is configured to generate a DC output voltage according to the power supply voltage of the power supply module and the drive signal. The DC output voltage includes multiple types, and the different DC output voltages have different magnitudes. Each DC output voltage corresponds to a drive signal.

[0036] The inverter conversion module is electrically connected to the boost regulation module and is configured to generate an AC output voltage based on the DC output voltage;

[0037] The step-up transformer is electrically connected to the inverter conversion module and the plasma generator, and is configured to generate a heating voltage based on the AC output voltage and provide it to the plasma generator to drive the plasma generator to generate plasma and heat it, thereby heating the aerosol to form a product.

[0038] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0039] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0040] Figure 1 This is a first schematic diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of the first embodiment of the control method of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a second schematic diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of a plasma generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a second structure of a plasma generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the plasma generator along the AA direction;

[0046] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A disassembly diagram of a plasma generator;

[0047] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 9 This is a third schematic diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 10 This is a fourth schematic diagram of an aerosol generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 11 This is a preheating power curve setting table according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between preheating power and preheating time according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 13 This is a second flowchart illustrating the control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the third flow of the control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the fourth flow of the control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 16 This is a fifth flowchart illustrating the control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 17 This is a sixth flowchart illustrating the control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0058] Aerosol generating device 100; battery 10; heating assembly 20; power controller 30; control component 40; storage component 50; plasma generator 60; heating controller 70; heating component 61; heating chamber 610; first sub-cavity 6100; second sub-cavity 6101; electrode assembly 62; first electrode 620; second electrode 621; mounting part 6210; protrusion 6211; accommodating position 611; inner tube 63; first end face 630; second end face 631; outer tube 64; tapered end 640, open end 641; conductive component 65; discharge area 601; first end 650; second end 651; conductive strip 652; hollow part 653; power module 71; auxiliary power supply unit 710; protection and charging unit 711; control drive module 72; control unit 720; drive unit 721; boost regulation module 73; inverter conversion module 74; boost transformer 75; communication module 76; peripheral module 77; data acquisition module 78; cover 80; aerosol forming matrix 90. Detailed Implementation

[0059] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0060] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0061] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows for communication; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0063] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0064] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The control method of this invention is used in an aerosol generating device 100, which includes a battery 10, a heating assembly 20, and a power controller 30. The power controller 30 is configured to adjust the preheating power supplied by the battery 10 to the heating assembly 20. The control method includes:

[0065] S10, obtain the current no-load voltage and the first preset no-load voltage of battery 10;

[0066] S20, obtain the current load voltage and the first preset load voltage of battery 10;

[0067] S30, based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage, control the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component 20.

[0068] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 3 The aerosol generating apparatus 100 of this invention includes a battery 10, a heating component 20, a power controller 30, a control component 40, and a storage component 50. The power controller 30 is configured to adjust the preheating power provided by the battery 10 to the heating component 20. The storage component 50 is configured to store a computer program. The control component 40 is configured to acquire the current open-circuit voltage and a first preset open-circuit voltage of the battery 10; acquire the current loaded voltage and the first preset loaded voltage of the battery 10; and control the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component 20 based on the current open-circuit voltage, the first preset open-circuit voltage, the current loaded voltage, and the first preset loaded voltage.

[0069] In the control method of this invention, by acquiring the current open-circuit voltage and current loaded voltage of the battery 10 and comparing them with preset open-circuit voltage and loaded voltage, the control method can adjust the preheating power of the heating component 20 before the port voltage of the battery 10 drops to a critical point that may trigger the protection of the battery 10 board or the DC-DC converter, so as to avoid the sudden drop in the port voltage of the battery 10 and trigger the protection mechanism, and ensure that the energy of the battery 10 can be released more fully, thereby improving the endurance of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0070] Specifically, the heating component 20 is used in the aerosol generating apparatus 100 to heat the aerosol generating matrix using plasma to form aerosols. The aerosols generated in the aerosol generating apparatus 100 can be used for various purposes such as food, medicine, and industrial production.

[0071] Please see Figure 4 In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 includes a plasma generator 60 and a heating controller 70. The plasma generator 60 includes a heating element 61 and at least one set of electrode assemblies 62. A heating cavity 610 is formed inside the heating element 61. Each set of electrode assemblies 62 includes a first electrode 620 and a second electrode 621, both of which extend into the heating cavity 610. The heating controller 70 is configured to control the formation of an electric arc between the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 within the heating cavity 610 to generate plasma. The heating element 61 has a receiving position 611 configured to accommodate an aerosol generation matrix, and the receiving position 611 is thermally conductively connected to the heating cavity 610.

[0072] Specifically, the plasma generator 60 can be a generator that generates plasma by applying a breakdown voltage to a gas, thereby discharging and breaking down the gas. The plasma generator 60 can be a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma generator 60, which is a non-equilibrium gas discharge in which an insulating dielectric is inserted into the discharge space. DBD can operate at high pressures and over a wide frequency range. It involves filling the space between two discharge gases with a working gas, and covering one or both electrodes with an insulating dielectric. Alternatively, the dielectric can be directly suspended in the discharge space or filled with particulate dielectric. When a sufficiently high AC voltage is applied between the electrodes, the gas between the electrodes breaks down, generating a discharge, thus producing a dielectric barrier discharge. In some examples, the plasma generator 60 can also be an atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) plasma generator 60. An APGD plasma generator 60 operates in an open environment, uses air as the working gas, and operates at atmospheric pressure.

[0073] Both the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 extend into the heating chamber 610 of the heating component 61. An electric arc is generated between the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621, which are powered by either AC or DC, ionizing the gas within the heating chamber 610 to form plasma. This plasma heats the heating chamber 610. The receiving position 611 is used to hold the aerosol generation matrix. After the heating chamber 610 is heated by the plasma, the heat can be transferred to the adjacent receiving position 611, thereby heating the aerosol generation matrix disposed on the receiving position 611.

[0074] In this way, the heat generated by the plasma within the heating chamber 610 is used to rapidly heat the aerosol generation matrix. Leveraging the high energy density of plasma heating, the preheating time is shortened, making it more convenient for users and preventing the aerosol generation matrix from burning due to excessive preheating time, thus improving the atomized flavor. Simultaneously, during the heating process, metal components such as electrodes do not need to directly contact the aerosol generation matrix, preventing the aerosol generation matrix from becoming contaminated with metallic substances after atomization, further enhancing the atomized flavor.

[0075] The heating cavity 610 may include a first sub-cavity 6100 and a second sub-cavity 6101. The first sub-cavity 6100 is arranged in a ring around the outer periphery of the first accommodating cavity, and the second sub-cavity 6101 is located at the bottom of the first accommodating cavity away from its own opening and communicates with the first sub-cavity 6100. In other words, the first sub-cavity 6100 surrounds the outer periphery of the first accommodating cavity, and the second sub-cavity 6101 is located at the bottom of the first accommodating cavity. The heating cavity 610 formed by the communication between the first sub-cavity 6100 and the second sub-cavity 6101 completely surrounds the outer periphery of the first accommodating cavity, and heat is uniformly transferred to the first heating cavity 610 from all directions.

[0076] Furthermore, an electrode assembly 62 extends into at least one of the first sub-cavity 6100 and the second sub-cavity 6101. This means that the electrode assembly 62 can be configured to extend into the first sub-cavity 6100, or the electrode assembly 62 can be configured to extend into the second sub-cavity 6101, or multiple sets of electrode assemblies 62 can be provided, with electrode assemblies 62 extending into both the first sub-cavity 6100 and the second sub-cavity 6101. This allows the electrode assembly 62 to generate an electric arc to ionize the gas within the heating chamber 610, thereby forming plasma and heat. For example, if the electrode assembly 62 extends only into the first sub-cavity 6100, the heat generated by the ionization of the gas by the electrode assembly 62 can flow to the second sub-cavity 6101, and the aerosol on the receiving position 611 can be heated by the first sub-cavity 6100 and the second sub-cavity 6101 to generate a matrix. Similarly, if the electrode assembly 62 is inserted only into the second sub-cavity 6101, the heat generated in the second sub-cavity 6101 can still be transferred to the first sub-cavity 6100, and the aerosol on the heating accommodating position 611 can also be used to generate a matrix through the heating of the first sub-cavity 6100 and the second sub-cavity 6101.

[0077] Understandably, in some other embodiments, the heating cavity 610 may include only one of the first sub-cavity 6100 and the second sub-cavity 6101, and may also transfer its internal heat to the adjacent receiving position 611, which is not limited here.

[0078] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7In some embodiments, the heating assembly 20 includes a plasma generator 60 and a heating controller 70. The plasma generator 60 includes an inner tube 63, an outer tube 64, a first electrode 620, a second electrode 621, and a conductive element 65. The outer tube 64 is sleeved outside the inner tube 63. The first electrode 620 is at least partially disposed within the inner tube 63. At least a portion of the second electrode 621 is disposed at one end of the inner tube 63, opposite to and spaced apart from the first electrode 620. When the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 are energized, plasma is generated between the second electrode 621 and the first electrode 620. The conductive element 65 is connected to the second electrode 621 and configured to be electrically connected to the power module 71. The power module 71 is electrically connected to the heating controller 70. The conductive element 65 extends from one end of the inner tube 63 along the axial direction of the inner tube 63 to the other end of the inner tube 63, wherein the section of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 is grounded above the outer tube 64.

[0079] It should be noted that the pipe segment corresponding to the inner tube 63 and the conductive element 65 can be the portion of the inner tube 63 located between the two ends of the conductive element 65 along its axial direction. The axial length of the pipe segment corresponding to the inner tube 63 and the conductive element 65 can be approximately equal, and the ends can be approximately aligned. Furthermore, it can be understood that the conductive element 65 is needed for the second electrode 621 to be electrically connected to the power module 71. However, the second electrode 621 and the conductive element 65 are not necessarily two separate components. They can be made of the same material or integrally formed as a single unit. The portion opposite to the first electrode 620 is used as the electrode, and the remaining portion is used for electrical connection. In this embodiment of the invention, the second electrode 621 and the conductive element 65 are described as two separate components, which should not be construed as limiting the concept of a whole or separate components, but rather for better explanation and interpretation.

[0080] The section of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 is grounded in the outer tube 64, which reduces the volume of the conductive element 65, thereby reducing the heat capacity of the conductive element 65. This results in less heat being stored in the conductive element 65, and allows more heat generated by the heating element to be directly radiated to the aerosol forming matrix 90 through the inner tube 63 and the outer tube 64, improving heat utilization and thus increasing the heating rate and efficiency of the aerosol forming matrix 90.

[0081] It can be understood that the section of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 faces the outer tube 64, meaning that a portion of the outer wall surface of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 faces the outer tube 64, and this portion of the outer wall surface is not obstructed by the conductive element 65 from the outer tube 64. However, on the same section, the inner tube 63 also has a portion of its outer wall surface facing the outer tube 64, but this portion of the outer wall surface is obstructed by the conductive element 65 and cannot directly face the outer tube 64.

[0082] Specifically, the inner tube 63 can be a hollow tube with openings at both ends. The inner tube 63 can be cylindrical in shape and have a central axis. The axial length of the inner tube 63 is much greater than its radial length. The sides of the inner tube 63 surround the central axis to form the wall of the inner tube 63 and the hollow space within the inner tube 63.

[0083] At least a portion of the first electrode 620 is inserted into the hollow space at the center of the inner tube 63 from one end of the inner tube 63 along the axial direction of the inner tube 63. The second electrode 621 is disposed at the other end of the inner tube 63, and is opposite to the portion of the first electrode 620 inserted into the inner tube 63 through the hollow space of the inner tube 63.

[0084] The first electrode 620 is inserted into the inner tube 63 at a certain distance from the second electrode 621. For ease of explanation, in this embodiment of the invention, the interval between the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 is called the discharge region 601. The discharge region 601 can be enclosed by the inner tube 63 and is located in the hollow space of the inner tube 63.

[0085] Please continue reading. Figure 6 , combined Figure 8 As shown, the first electrode 620 can be connected to the power module 71, conducting one pole of the high-voltage electricity; the second electrode 621 can be connected to the power module 71 through the conductive element 65, conducting the other pole of the high-voltage electricity. With the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 conducting the high-voltage electricity, a plasma arc is generated in the discharge region 601 through high-voltage discharge. At the center of the discharge region 601, the highest temperature during plasma arc generation can reach over 2000℃, and the stable plasma temperature range is 1000℃~1600℃. The discharge region 601 can be sealed and filled with an electrically neutral gas, such as nitrogen or argon. Alternatively, the discharge region 601 can be connected to atmospheric pressure, in which case the gas inside the discharge region 601 is air.

[0086] It should be noted that the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 can be connected to either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). When DC is applied to the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621, plasma is formed using DC; when AC is applied to the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621, plasma is formed using AC.

[0087] Please continue reading. Figure 5 and Figure 6An outer tube 64 is fitted over an inner tube 63, enclosing at least a portion of the inner tube 63. The outer tube 64 can at least cover the discharge region 601 within the inner tube 63. An aerosol forming matrix 90 fills the outer periphery of the outer tube 64. The outer surface of the outer tube 64 can be in direct contact with the aerosol forming matrix 90. The heat generated by the plasma arc in the discharge region 601 can be transferred through the inner tube 63, the conductive element 65, and the outer tube 64 in the form of infrared radiation and heat transfer to the outside of the outer tube 64, causing the aerosol forming matrix 90 to absorb heat and form an aerosol.

[0088] The outer tube 64 can be a hollow tube that is closed at one end and open at the other. The closed end of the outer tube 64 can form a tapered end 640, and the open end is an open end 641. The open end 641 forms a circular cross-section, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the open end 641 can be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the tapered end 640.

[0089] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The inner tube 63 includes a first end face 630 and a second end face 631 opposite to the first end face 630. The first electrode 620 protrudes from the inner tube 63 at the first end face 630, and the second end face 631 abuts against one side of the second electrode 621. The entire section of the inner tube 63 may be between the first end face 630 and the second end face 631.

[0090] The inner tube 63 encloses at least a portion of the first electrode 620. One end of the inner tube 63, including the second end face 631, is inserted into the outer tube 64 from the open end 641, so that the second electrode 621 disposed on the second end face 631 abuts against the inner wall surface of the tapered end 640.

[0091] The conductive element 65 can be disposed on the inner tube 63, extending from one end of the inner tube 63 along the axial direction of the inner tube 63 to the other end of the inner tube 63. The path of the conductive element 65 extending between the two ends of the inner tube 63 can be a straight line or a curve. The outer wall of the portion of the inner tube 63 enclosed by the outer tube 64 faces the inner wall of the outer tube 64.

[0092] The conductive element 65 can be attached to the outer wall of the inner tube 63, located between the outer wall of the inner tube 63 and the inner wall of the outer tube 64, covering part of the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube 63. The portion of the inner tube 63 covered by the conductive element 65 cannot face or directly face the outer tube 64. In the area of ​​the inner tube 63 covered by the conductive element 65, the heat of the plasma arc can be transferred to the aerosol forming matrix 90 through the inner tube 63, the conductive element 65, and the outer tube 64. The infrared radiation energy in this part is much less than that in the part not covered by the conductive element 65.

[0093] It is understood that the conductive element 65 can be a metal part disposed on the outer wall of the inner tube 63. In other embodiments, the conductive element 65 can also be a conductive film or conductive line coated on the outer wall of the inner tube 63, and its shape, thickness, and arrangement position on the inner tube 63 can be understood equivalently to the above-described scheme.

[0094] The inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 has at least a portion of its outer wall directly facing the inner wall of the outer tube 64. In other words, there are no other obstructions between the outer wall of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 and the inner wall of the outer tube 64.

[0095] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the conductive element 65 includes a first end 650 and a second end 651 connected to the first end 650. The second end 651 is connected to a second electrode 621, and the first end 650 is used for electrical connection to the power module 71. The second end 651, connected to the second electrode 621, extends into the outer tube 64 along with the inner tube 63, near the tapered end 640. The first end 650 can extend from the open end 641 to the outside of the outer tube 64. The second end 651 is disposed on the second end face 631, and the first end 650 can be located between the first end face 630 and the second end face 631. The section of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 is the portion of the tube between the second end 651 and the first end 650.

[0096] The conductive element 65 can be arranged axially along the inner tube 63 between the first end 650 and the second end 651. The first end 650 is the end of the conductive element 65 that extends into the outer tube 64 and is closest to the position where the first electrode 620 protrudes from the inner tube 63 axially. The second end 651 of the conductive element 65 can surround the second electrode 621 or otherwise contact the second electrode 621, is disposed at one end of the inner tube 63, and is electrically connected to the second electrode 621.

[0097] Along the axial direction of the inner tube 63, the direction from the second end 651 to the first end 650 can be a top-to-bottom direction. The tube segment of the inner tube 63 corresponding to the conductive element 65 can be the tube segment between the first end 650 and the second end 651.

[0098] For example, the second end 651 can be columnar, coaxial with the inner tube 63, and surround one end of the inner tube 63. The section of the inner tube 63 wrapped by the second end 651 cannot face the outer tube 64.

[0099] The first end 650 and the second end 651 are connected by a conductive strip 652. The conductive strip 652 is attached to the outer wall surface of the inner tube 63 and extends along the axial direction of the inner tube 63. The first end 650 and the second end 651 may be annular, surrounding the central axis of the inner tube 63 and covering the outer wall of the inner tube 63.

[0100] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the conductive element 65 is provided with a cutout portion 653, through which part of the inner tube 63 is exposed and faces the outer tube 64.

[0101] The upper part of the heating element is inserted into the aerosol forming matrix 90, and the upper part of the heating element includes a discharge region 601. The lower part of the heating element can be used for mounting and fixing. In related technologies, the heat generated by the discharge region 601 is easily transferred to the lower part of the heating element through the conductive element 65, resulting in excessively high temperature at the lower part of the heating element, significant energy waste, and a large amount of oil accumulation.

[0102] Thus, by providing a perforated portion 653 on the conductive component 65, heat from the conductive component 65 can be prevented from being transferred from the discharge region 601 to the lower part of the heating element, thereby avoiding excessively high temperatures in the lower part of the heating element, improving the heat utilization rate of the heated aerosol forming matrix 90, and reducing the deposition of solidified material. The perforated portion 653 also helps to enhance the intensity of external radiation from the plasma arc.

[0103] Please see Figure 6 In some embodiments, the second electrode 621 includes a mounting portion 6210 and a protrusion 6211 formed on the mounting portion 6210, the protrusion 6211 extending into the inner tube 63 and facing the first electrode 620.

[0104] Thus, the protrusion 6211 can guide the first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 to discharge in the inner tube 63, which is beneficial to the generation of plasma arc.

[0105] Specifically, the mounting portion 6210 can be disc-shaped, and its diameter can be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner tube 63. The mounting portion 6210 abuts against the second end face 631, and the second end 651 of the conductive member 65 surrounds the second electrode 621 so that the second electrode 621 is fixedly disposed at the end of the inner tube 63 having the second end face 631.

[0106] The protrusion 6211 may be spherical or hemispherical and is formed on the side of the mounting portion 6210 close to the second end face 631. The width of the protrusion 6211 along the axial direction of the inner tube 63 is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner tube 63, and the width gradually decreases as it approaches the second electrode 621 along the axial direction of the inner tube 63.

[0107] It is understandable that the outer radius of curvature of protrusion 6211 is relatively large, and charges in the conductive medium tend to concentrate at locations with large radii of curvature, generating a larger electric field intensity, which is conducive to plasma generation. The width of protrusion 6211 changes relatively gradually along the axial direction of the inner tube 63 to avoid the protrusion 6211 being too sharp, which would lead to excessive charge concentration and ablation.

[0108] Please see Figure 8 In some embodiments, the aerosol generating device 100 may include a battery 10 and a boost transformer 75, which can serve as an external power supply module 71 for the plasma generator 60. The first electrode 620 and the second electrode 621 are respectively connected to the two output terminals of the boost transformer 75, conducting high-voltage alternating current to form a high-intensity electric field in the inner tube 63, thereby generating plasma and producing high temperature and heat. The plasma generator 60 is connected to the cover 80, and the outer tube 64 is inserted into the aerosol forming matrix 90. Heat is transferred to the aerosol forming matrix 90 through the inner tube 63 and the outer tube 64. The aerosol forming matrix 90 absorbs heat and atomizes to form aerosol.

[0109] Please see Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the heating controller 70 includes a power supply module 71, a control drive module 72, a boost regulation module 73, an inverter conversion module 74, and a boost transformer 75. The control drive module 72 is electrically connected to the power supply module 71 and can generate various drive signals according to the preheating time-power mapping relationship. The boost regulation module 73 is electrically connected to both the power supply module 71 and the control drive module 72 and is configured to generate a DC output voltage based on the power supply voltage of the power supply module 71 and the drive signal. The DC output voltage includes various types, and the magnitudes of the different DC output voltages are different. Each DC output voltage corresponds to a drive signal. The inverter conversion module 74 is electrically connected to the boost regulation module 73 and is configured to generate an AC output voltage based on the DC output voltage. The boost transformer 75 is electrically connected to the inverter conversion module 74 and the plasma generator 60 and is configured to generate a heating voltage based on the AC output voltage and provide it to the plasma generator 60 to drive the plasma generator 60 to generate plasma and heat it, thereby heating the aerosol to form an article.

[0110] In the aerosol generating apparatus 100 of this invention, a control drive module 72, a boost adjustment module 73, an inverter conversion module 74, and a boost transformer 75 are provided. The boost adjustment module 73, the inverter conversion module 74, and the boost transformer 75 are connected in sequence. The boost adjustment module 73 is electrically connected to the power supply module 71 and the control drive module 72, and the boost transformer 75 is electrically connected to the plasma generator 60. Under the drive signal of the control drive module 72, the boost adjustment module 73 can output DC output voltages of different magnitudes. Then, the DC output voltages of different magnitudes can be converted into AC heating voltages of different magnitudes after passing through the inverter conversion module 74 and the boost transformer 75, and provided to the plasma generator 60. This enables the plasma generator 60 to achieve arc initiation and discharge, and heats the aerosol generating product to a temperature that can release volatile components that can form aerosols. Furthermore, since the heating control device changes the DC output voltage by changing the drive signal of the control drive module 72, thereby changing the heating voltage, on the one hand, it can achieve continuous adjustment of arc initiation and discharge, making the heating of the aerosol generator stable and easy to adjust the power of the aerosol generator to achieve a good taste. On the other hand, only one circuit and one power supply module 71 are needed to realize the arc initiation and discharge of the plasma generator 60. The design is simple, reducing the cost of the aerosol generator and facilitating the miniaturization of the aerosol generator.

[0111] The power module 71 may include a battery 10, an auxiliary power supply unit 710, and a protection and charging unit 711. The battery 10 can be a rechargeable DC battery, such as any one of a lithium-ion battery 10, nickel-cadmium battery 10, nickel-iron battery 10, or nickel-metal hydride battery 10, and can be charged by connecting to an external power source via a charging interface. In this embodiment, a lithium-ion battery 10 will be used as an example. The auxiliary power supply unit 710 is connected to the battery 10 and is used to power various chips or active devices in the internal system of the aerosol generator. For example, the auxiliary power supply unit 710 is electrically connected to the control drive module 72 to power the control drive module 72. The protection and charging unit 711 is electrically connected to the battery 10 and is used to protect the battery 10 from abnormal conditions such as charging / discharging, overcurrent, and short circuits, and to enable the charging function of the battery 10. It is understood that because the aerosol generator is relatively small in size, and the heating control device uses the battery 10 to provide power to the entire device, it is convenient for users to carry.

[0112] The control drive module 72 serves as the control center of the heating control device, enabling it to perform overall logic control, protection mechanisms, operational logic control, timing logic control, power control, and drive control functions. The control drive module 72 is electrically connected to the boost regulator module 73. The control drive module 72 provides drive signals to the boost regulator module 73 to control the magnitude of its DC output voltage. These drive signals can be of various types, each with a different duty cycle to achieve a different function. For example, the drive signals may include a first drive signal and a second drive signal, where the first drive signal is used to initiate the arc in the plasma generator 60, and the second drive signal is used to discharge the plasma generator 60. In some examples, the drive signals provided by the control drive module 72 to the boost regulator module 73 can be pulse width modulation signals, with different drive signals having different duty cycles.

[0113] The boost regulator module 73 is used to realize energy demand conversion. The boost regulator module 73 can adjust the output voltage to match the actual power demand or the temperature demand of the plasma generator 60. Specifically, the boost regulator module 73 can be electrically connected to the battery 10 of the power supply module 71, the control drive module 72, and the inverter conversion module 74, respectively. The boost regulator module 73 can output a DC output voltage according to the drive signal and the power supply voltage output by the battery 10. The DC output voltage can be greater than the power supply voltage; that is, the boost regulator module 73 can boost the power supply voltage according to the drive signal to output a DC output voltage greater than the power supply voltage. Multiple DC output voltages can be included, each corresponding to a different drive signal, and the magnitudes of the different DC output voltages are different.

[0114] The boost regulation module 73 can employ a boost chopper circuit or a buck-boost circuit, or other DC-DC converter circuits, to convert the DC power output from battery 10 from the power supply voltage to a higher DC output voltage. Those skilled in the art will understand that a boost circuit is a type of voltage boosting circuit capable of raising the input voltage to an output voltage higher than the input voltage. In a boost circuit, the on and off states of a switching transistor (such as a MOSFET or IGBT) control the charging and discharging process of the inductor, thereby achieving voltage boosting. A buck-boost circuit is a circuit with buck-boost functionality, capable of achieving an output voltage higher or lower than the input voltage under certain conditions. The buck-boost circuit controls the charging and discharging process of the inductor by changing the on and off times (i.e., duty cycle) of the switching transistor, thereby achieving voltage boosting or bucking.

[0115] When the boost regulation module 73 uses a Boost circuit, the relationship between the DC output voltage and the power supply voltage can be expressed as follows:

[0116] Vout_Boost = Vin / (1-D)

[0117] Where Vin is the power supply voltage, D is the duty cycle of the drive signal, and Vout_Boost is the DC output voltage.

[0118] When the boost regulator module 73 uses a Buck_Boost circuit, the relationship between the DC output voltage and the power supply voltage can be expressed as follows:

[0119] Vout_Buck_Boost = Vin * D / (1-D)

[0120] Where Vin is the power supply voltage, D is the duty cycle of the drive signal, and Vout_Buck_Boost is the DC output voltage.

[0121] The inverter conversion module 74, as the power conversion unit of the heating control device, is used to realize energy demand conversion. The inverter conversion module 74 can convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Specifically, the inverter conversion module 74 can be electrically connected to the control drive module 72, the boost regulation module 73, and the boost transformer 75. Under the drive of the control drive module 72, the inverter conversion module 74 can convert the DC output voltage output by the boost regulation module 73 into an AC output voltage and input it into the boost transformer 75. Thus, the boost transformer 75 boosts and converts the AC output voltage into a heating voltage capable of enabling the plasma generator 60 to ignite an arc or discharge.

[0122] The inverter module 74 can employ an inverter circuit such as a half-bridge circuit or a full-bridge circuit. Those skilled in the art will understand that a half-bridge circuit is a circuit structure composed of two transistors (or MOSFETs), capable of achieving DC-to-AC conversion or smooth voltage / current changes. Half-bridge circuits are characterized by their simple structure and high efficiency. A full-bridge circuit consists of four switching transistors (usually transistors or MOSFETs) and a load, capable of achieving efficient DC-to-AC conversion.

[0123] The step-up transformer 75 is used to increase the turns ratio. The step-up transformer 75 includes a primary side and a secondary side coupled to the primary side. The primary side is electrically connected to the inverter module 74, and the secondary side is connected to the plasma generator 60. The step-up transformer 75 can boost and convert the AC output voltage from the inverter module 74 to obtain a heating voltage, which is then output to the plasma generator 60, thereby enabling the plasma generator 60 to initiate arcing and discharge.

[0124] The step-up transformer 75 can adopt a multi-slot transformer winding design to improve its withstand voltage. In this embodiment, the number of turns in the primary winding can be 2T, and the number of turns in the secondary winding can be 910T. The heating voltage is a high-frequency AC voltage, with a voltage range of 2 kV to 10 kV. For example, the heating voltage can be 2 kV, 3 kV, 4 kV, 5 kV, 7 kV, 8 kV, or 10 kV; the specific voltage value is not limited. The heating voltage can include an arc-starting voltage and a discharge voltage. The arc-starting voltage can be used to initiate the arc in the plasma generator 60, and the discharge voltage can be used to initiate the arc discharge in the plasma generator 60. For example, the arc-starting voltage is greater than the heating voltage; for example, the arc-starting voltage can be 7 kV or 8 kV, and the heating voltage can be 2 kV or 3 kV.

[0125] When the inverter module 74 uses a half-bridge circuit, the relationship between the heating voltage and the DC output voltage can be expressed as follows:

[0126] Vac=(Vout_Boost / 2)*NS / NP or Vac=(Vout_Buck_Boost / 2)*NS / NP;

[0127] Where Vac is the heating voltage, NS is the number of turns in the secondary winding, NP is the number of turns in the primary winding, Vout_Boost is the DC output voltage of the boost regulation module 73 when using the Boost circuit, and Vout_Buck_Boost is the DC output voltage of the boost regulation module 73 when using the Buck_Boost circuit.

[0128] When the inverter module 74 uses a full-bridge circuit, the relationship between the heating voltage and the DC output voltage can be expressed as follows:

[0129] Vac=(Vout_Boost)*NS / NP or Vac=(Vout_Buck_Boost)*NS / NP;

[0130] Where Vac is the heating voltage, NS is the number of turns in the secondary winding, NP is the number of turns in the primary winding, Vout_Boost is the DC output voltage of the boost regulation module 73 when using the Boost circuit, and Vout_Buck_Boost is the DC output voltage of the boost regulation module 73 when using the Buck_Boost circuit.

[0131] In other words, in this embodiment, the combination of the boost regulator module 73 and the inverter conversion module 74 can be a boost chopper circuit plus a half-bridge circuit, a boost chopper circuit plus a full-bridge circuit, a buck-boost circuit plus a half-bridge circuit, or a buck-boost circuit plus a half-bridge circuit.

[0132] Thus, by adjusting the drive signal output from the control drive module 72 to the boost regulation module 73, the DC output voltage of the boost regulation module 73 is changed, thereby altering the heating voltage output from the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60. This allows for the switching between arc initiation and discharge in the plasma generator 60, as well as power adjustment during discharge. In other words, the heating control device in this embodiment can change the heating voltage by adjusting the drive signal, thereby enabling the switching between arc initiation and discharge in the plasma generator 60, and power adjustment during discharge. This allows for stable heating or cooling of aerosol-generated products and facilitates the miniaturization of aerosol generating equipment.

[0133] Please see Figure 11 Furthermore, the control drive module 72 may be preset with a power curve setting table, which is used to indicate the relationship between the power of the heating control device and the heating time during the heating process of the aerosol generator. The control drive module 72 may output different drive signals according to different stages of the power curve table (i.e., each stage corresponds to a drive signal), thereby changing the heating voltage output by the step-up transformer 75, thus changing the power of the heating control device.

[0134] Please see Figure 12 The power curve table can include several stages, such as the arc ignition stage, the constant power discharge stage, and the heating gap stage. The power during the arc ignition stage is greater than that during the constant power discharge stage, and the power during the heating gap stage is 0 (i.e., heating stops). For example, during the arc ignition stage, the power of the heating control device is 70 watts, and the control drive module 72 provides a first drive signal to the boost regulation module 73, resulting in a DC output voltage of 17.44 volts from the boost regulation module 73 and a heating voltage of 8 kV from the boost transformer 75. During the constant power discharge stage, the power of the heating control device is 30 watts, and the control drive module 72 provides a second drive signal to the boost regulation module 73, resulting in a DC output voltage of 9.012 volts from the boost regulation module 73 and a heating voltage of 2 kV from the boost transformer 75. During the constant power discharge stage, the power of the heating control device is 0 watts. The control drive module 72 provides a third drive signal to the boost regulation module 73, so that the DC output voltage of the boost regulation module 73 is 0 volts and the heating voltage output of the boost transformer 75 is 0 volts.

[0135] The power curve tables can be classified into preheating power curve tables and heat preservation power curve tables according to the heating method. The heating control device can preheat the plasma generator 60 according to the preheating power curve table, and the heating control device can keep the plasma generator 60 warm according to the heat preservation power curve table.

[0136] For example, in some cases, the heating control device operates according to the preheating power curve as follows:

[0137] During the period from 0 to 800 ms, the power output of the heating control device is 70 W, the DC output voltage output by the boost adjustment module 73 according to the drive signal is 17.445 V, and the heating voltage output by the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60 is 8 KV.

[0138] During the period of 200ms to 1s, the power output of the heating control device is 30W, the DC output voltage of the boost adjustment module 73 according to the drive signal is 9.012V, and the heating voltage output by the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60 is 2KV.

[0139] During the period from 1S to 1.05S, the power output of the heating control device is 0W, and the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 0V.

[0140] During the period from 1.05S to 1.25S, the power output of the heating control device is 55W, the DC output voltage of the boost adjustment module 73 according to the drive signal is 14.519V, and the heating voltage output by the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60 is 7KV.

[0141] During the period of 1.25 to 1.65 seconds, the power output of the heating control device is 30W, the DC output voltage of the boost adjustment module 73 according to the drive signal is 9.012V, and the heating voltage output by the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60 is 2KV.

[0142] During the period from 1.65S to 1.7S, the power output of the heating control device is 0W, and the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 0V.

[0143] During the period from 1.7S to 1.9S, the power output of the heating control device is 55W, the DC output voltage output by the boost adjustment module 73 according to the drive signal is 14.519V, and the heating voltage output by the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60 is 7KV.

[0144] During the period from 1.9S to 2.3S, the power output of the heating control device is 30W, the DC output voltage of the boost adjustment module 73 according to the drive signal is 10.197V, and the heating voltage output by the boost transformer 75 to the plasma generator 60 is 2KV.

[0145] The working process of the heating control device when it operates according to the heat preservation power curve is as follows:

[0146] During the 0-200ms period (arc ignition stage), the power output of the heating control device is 55W, the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 14.519V, and the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 7KV.

[0147] During the period from 200ms to 1s (constant power heating stage), the power output of the heating control device is 35W, the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 13.367V, and the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 2.5KV.

[0148] During the 1S to 3S period (heating interval stage), the power output of the heating control device is 0W, and the DC output voltage output by the boost regulator module 73 according to the drive signal is 0V.

[0149] Please see Figure 10 In some embodiments, the heating control device may further include a communication module 76 and a peripheral module 77. The peripheral module 77 can be connected to the control drive module 72 to realize the status indication and power-on / off control of the heating control device. The communication module 76 is connected to the control drive module 72 to realize the connection with the host computer and to set the power curve table, heating mode, and program download functions.

[0150] Please see Figure 10 In some embodiments, the control drive module 72 includes a control unit 720 and a drive unit 721, wherein the control unit 720 is capable of generating multiple reference voltages, the drive unit 721 is electrically connected to the control unit 720, and the drive unit 721 is used to generate drive signals according to the reference voltages.

[0151] The control unit 720 can be a microcontroller unit (MCU) chip, which can set the reference voltage according to the power curve table. There can be multiple reference voltages, and each power level corresponds to a reference voltage.

[0152] The drive unit 721 is electrically connected to both the control unit 720 and the boost regulation module 73. The drive unit 721 can generate a drive signal based on the reference voltage and output it to the boost regulation module 73. Each reference voltage corresponds to a different drive signal. The drive unit 721 can be a pulse width modulation drive unit 721 (PWM drive unit 721), thereby enabling the drive unit 721 to generate a drive signal with a duty cycle based on the reference voltage.

[0153] In some examples, the relationship between the reference voltage and the heating voltage can be expressed as:

[0154] Vac=[Vref*C*Vin / (1-D)]*NS / NP

[0155] Where Vref is the reference voltage, Vac is the heating voltage, D is the duty cycle of the drive signal, C is the proportional coefficient, NS is the number of turns in the secondary winding of the step-up transformer 75, and NP is the number of turns in the primary winding of the step-up transformer 75.

[0156] Please see Figure 10 In some examples, the drive unit 721 can also be electrically connected to the inverter conversion module 74 to drive the inverter conversion module 74 so that the inverter conversion module 74 can convert the DC output voltage into the AC output voltage.

[0157] In some embodiments, the control drive module 72 may replace the control unit 720 and drive unit 721 with a digital control scheme. For example, the control drive module 72 may employ a digital signal processing (DSP) chip. Understandably, DSP chips are capable of rapidly processing large amounts of data, meeting the requirements of real-time control.

[0158] Please see Figure 10 In some embodiments, the heating control device further includes a data acquisition module 78, which is electrically connected to the boost regulation module 73 and is used to acquire the DC output voltage output by the boost regulation module 73. The drive unit 721 is also used to generate a drive signal based on the reference voltage and the DC output voltage.

[0159] The data acquisition module 78 can be electrically connected to the boost regulator module 73, the inverter module 74, the plasma generator 60, the control unit 720, and the drive unit 721, respectively. The data acquisition module 78 can acquire the DC output voltage from the boost regulator module 73, the AC output voltage from the inverter module 74, and the heating voltage from the plasma generator 60 in real time, and can provide these voltages to the control unit 720 and the drive unit 721 in real time. This allows the control unit 720 and the drive unit 721 to perform calculations, comparisons, output control, and protection functions based on these voltages. For example, in this embodiment, the drive unit 721 can generate a drive signal based on the reference voltage and the DC output voltage acquired by the data acquisition module 78, thereby achieving closed-loop regulation of the DC output voltage based on the drive signal to ensure the stability of the DC output voltage.

[0160] Plasma is a state of matter containing a large number of charged particles and neutral atoms and molecules, maintaining overall electrical neutrality. Plasma can be generated by the ionization of gas under the influence of an electric field. The generation of plasma can produce a large amount of heat, which in turn heats aerosols to form a matrix.

[0161] The battery's current open-circuit voltage refers to the battery's output voltage after the aerosol generation device starts heating and before the heating component begins heating (i.e., the open-circuit voltage when the battery's output terminal is not connected to a load). The battery's current loaded voltage refers to the battery's output voltage after the heating component begins heating (i.e., the voltage when the battery is connected to a load and has current output). Both the battery's current open-circuit voltage and current loaded voltage can be monitored in real time or periodically using a voltage sensor.

[0162] The first preset no-load voltage can be a pre-set voltage value used as a reference for comparison with the current no-load voltage. The first preset load voltage can also be a pre-set voltage value used as a reference for comparison with the current load voltage.

[0163] In one embodiment, the difference between a first preset open-circuit voltage and the current open-circuit voltage, and the difference between a first preset load voltage and the current load voltage can be calculated. These two differences are then combined to adjust the preheating power of the heating element. For example, the smaller the difference between the first preset open-circuit voltage and the current open-circuit voltage, and the smaller the difference between the first preset load voltage and the current load voltage, the smaller the reduction in the preheating power of the heating element.

[0164] The preheating power of the heating component is positively correlated with the battery's port voltage. By controlling the preheating power of the heating component, a gradual decrease in the battery's port voltage can be achieved. Specifically, when the battery's port voltage decreases, the battery's charge also decreases. When the battery's charge is low and the preheating power of the heating component is high, the battery's port voltage is prone to a sudden drop. The preheating time refers to the time it takes for the heating component to heat the aerosol generation matrix to a specified temperature, after which a heat preservation stage begins. In the control method of this invention, a gradual decrease in the battery's port voltage can be achieved by controlling the rate of decrease in preheating power, or by increasing the preheating time.

[0165] Please see Figure 13 In some embodiments, controlling the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage (step S30) includes:

[0166] S31, when the current no-load voltage is greater than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is greater than the first preset load voltage, control the heating component to run the first heating mode;

[0167] S32, when the heating component is running in the first heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the first preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the first preheating time.

[0168] Please combine Figure 3 In some embodiments, the control component is configured to control the heating component to operate a first heating mode when the current open-circuit voltage is greater than a first preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is greater than a first preset load voltage; and when the heating component operates the first heating mode, control the preheating power of the heating component to be a first preheating power and control the preheating time of the heating component to be a first preheating time.

[0169] Thus, in the first heating mode, since the current open-circuit voltage is higher than the first preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is greater than the first preset load voltage, this indicates that the battery has a high charge level. Both the current open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage are within a safe range. Therefore, a higher preheating power and a shorter preheating time are used to quickly heat the battery to reach the required temperature, reduce unnecessary energy waste, and improve energy efficiency.

[0170] The first heating mode is the operating mode of the heating component when the battery is fully charged. In this mode, the heating component heats up with higher power and for a shorter time to quickly generate aerosol.

[0171] Please see Figure 14 In some embodiments, controlling the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage (step S30) includes:

[0172] S33, when the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, control the preheating power of the heating component to decrease in stages and control the preheating time of the heating component to increase.

[0173] Please combine Figure 3 In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to control the preheating power of the heating component to decrease in stages and control the preheating time of the heating component to increase when the current open-circuit voltage is less than a first preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is less than a first preset load voltage.

[0174] Thus, when the current open-circuit voltage is less than the first preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, the battery port voltage drops to a critical point that may trigger the battery panel protection or DC-DC converter protection. By adjusting the preheating power of the heating element in stages, the rate of decrease of the battery port voltage can be slowed down, avoiding a sudden drop in the battery port voltage that would trigger the protection mechanism. This ensures that the battery energy can be released more fully, thereby improving the endurance of the aerosol generation device.

[0175] Furthermore, as the preheating power is reduced in stages, although the peak power of a single heating process decreases, by extending the preheating time, the heating components can continue to work at a lower power, thereby maintaining the total energy output of the battery and thus maintaining the aerosol generation amount of the aerosol generation device.

[0176] Specifically, the preheating power of the heating component is reduced in stages, and the battery port voltage is also reduced in stages.

[0177] Compared to heating methods such as electromagnetic and resistance heating (with peak preheating power of approximately 16W to 36W), plasma heating components have a higher preheating power, which helps reduce preheating time. However, this also causes a significant drop in battery port voltage, triggering battery protection mechanisms. For example, if a plasma heating component requires a preheating power of 70W and a preheating time of 1 second, the battery port voltage will drop considerably, easily triggering the protection mechanism. This prevents the battery from fully releasing its energy, thus reducing the battery's operating range.

[0178] In the control method of this invention, the preheating power of the heating component can be adjusted to 50W and the preheating time increased to 1.4S. At this time, the voltage drop at the battery port is small, and the energy output of the battery remains unchanged. The protection mechanism will not be triggered, the battery energy can be fully released, and the aerosol generation matrix can be effectively heated. This improves the endurance of the aerosol generation device while maintaining the aerosol generation rate.

[0179] It should be noted that the above values ​​are merely examples for ease of understanding and should not be construed as limiting the implementation of the present invention.

[0180] Please see Figure 15 In some embodiments, when the current open-circuit voltage is less than a first preset open-circuit voltage and the current on-circuit voltage is less than a first preset on-circuit voltage, controlling the preheating power of the heating component to decrease in stages and controlling the preheating time of the heating component to increase (step S33) includes:

[0181] S330, when the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, control the heating component to run the second heating mode;

[0182] S331, when the heating component is running in the second heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the second preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the second preheating time. The second preheating power is less than the first preheating power, and the second preheating time is greater than the first preheating time.

[0183] Please combine Figure 3In some embodiments, the control component is configured to control the heating assembly to operate a second heating mode when the current open-circuit voltage is less than a first preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage; and when the heating assembly operates the second heating mode, control the preheating power of the heating assembly to be a second preheating power and control the preheating time of the heating assembly to be a second preheating time, wherein the second preheating power is less than the first preheating power and the second preheating time is greater than the first preheating time.

[0184] Thus, in the second heating mode, since the current open-circuit voltage is less than the first preset open-circuit voltage and the current loaded voltage is less than the first preset loaded voltage, this indicates that the current open-circuit voltage and current loaded voltage of the battery are low. At this time, the battery voltage may suddenly drop, thereby triggering the protection mechanism. Therefore, by using a lower preheating power and a longer preheating time, the total energy output of the battery can be guaranteed while avoiding triggering the protection mechanism, thereby improving the endurance of the aerosol generation device.

[0185] The second heating mode is the operating mode of the heating component when the battery charge is low. In this mode, the power of the heating component is reduced and the preheating time is extended to maintain the aerosol generation effect.

[0186] Please see Figure 16 In some implementations, the control method further includes:

[0187] S332, when the heating component is running the second heating mode, the first preset no-load voltage is updated to the second preset no-load voltage, and the first preset load voltage is updated to the second preset load voltage. The second preset no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage, and the second preset load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage.

[0188] Please combine Figure 3 In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to update the first preset no-load voltage to the second preset no-load voltage and update the first preset load voltage to the second preset load voltage when the heating assembly is operating in the second heating mode, wherein the second preset no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the second preset load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage.

[0189] Thus, when the heating component operates in the second heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is reduced and the preheating time of the heating component is increased. At this time, the first preset open-circuit voltage is updated to the second preset open-circuit voltage, and the first preset load voltage is updated to the second preset load voltage, so that the heating component operates with lower preheating power and longer preheating time. This self-learning method can reduce the probability of sudden voltage drop at the battery port, thereby avoiding triggering the protection mechanism and ensuring that the battery energy can be released more fully, thereby improving the endurance of the aerosol generation device.

[0190] Please see Figure 17 In some implementations, the control method further includes:

[0191] S333: When the current open-circuit voltage of the battery is less than the second preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is less than the second preset load voltage, control the heating component to run the third heating mode.

[0192] S334, when the heating component is running in the third heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the third preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the third preheating time. The third preheating power is less than the second preheating power, and the third preheating time is greater than the second preheating time.

[0193] Please combine Figure 3 In some embodiments, the control component is configured to control the heating assembly to operate a third heating mode when the current open-circuit voltage of the battery is less than a second preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is less than a second preset load voltage; and when the heating assembly operates the third heating mode, control the preheating power of the heating assembly to be a third preheating power and control the preheating time of the heating assembly to be a third preheating time, wherein the third preheating power is less than the second preheating power and the third preheating time is greater than the second preheating time.

[0194] Specifically, there can be one or more third heating modes, thereby achieving multi-stage reduction of the preheating power of the heating component. The second preset open-circuit voltage is the open-circuit voltage of the battery when the heating component is heating with the second preheating power, and the second preset load voltage is the load voltage of the battery when the heating component is heating with the second preheating power.

[0195] After the heating element operates in the second heating mode for a period of time, the battery charge decreases further, and both the open-circuit voltage and the loaded voltage decrease further. At this point, continuing to operate the heating element in the second heating mode may trigger the protection mechanism. Therefore, by controlling the heating element to operate in the third heating mode, the preheating power of the heating element can be further increased, and the preheating time can be extended to avoid triggering the protection mechanism.

[0196] During the heat preservation stage (suction stage), when the heating component operates in the first heating mode, the second heating mode, or the third heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component and the corresponding battery load voltage remain unchanged.

[0197] In some implementations, the control method further includes:

[0198] When the current open-circuit voltage is less than the third preset open-circuit voltage, the heating component is controlled to stop heating.

[0199] In some implementations, the control unit is configured to control the heating component to stop heating when the current open-circuit voltage is less than a third preset open-circuit voltage.

[0200] Thus, when the current open-circuit voltage is lower than the third preset open-circuit voltage, the battery is nearly depleted, and continuing heating often fails to achieve the desired effect, instead wasting energy. By setting the third preset open-circuit voltage as a threshold, it is possible to determine when to stop heating, thereby avoiding ineffective energy consumption and improving the energy utilization efficiency of the aerosol generation device.

[0201] Specifically, the third preset open-circuit voltage is the battery's open-circuit voltage when the protection mechanism is triggered. When the open-circuit voltage drops to the third preset open-circuit voltage, the heating component needs to be stopped to prevent over-discharge of the battery.

[0202] In one specific embodiment, the initial open-circuit voltage of the battery is 30V, the initial load voltage of the battery is 28V, the first preset open-circuit voltage of the battery is 15V, the first preset load voltage of the battery is 12V, the second preset open-circuit voltage of the battery is 10V, the second preset load voltage of the battery is 8V, and the third preset open-circuit voltage of the battery is 5V.

[0203] Initially, the heating element operates in the first heating mode, with a preheating power of 80W and a preheating time of 1 second.

[0204] As the battery supplies power to the heating element, the battery's current open-circuit voltage drops below 15V and the battery's current load voltage drops below 12V. At this point, the heating element is controlled to run in the second heating mode, and the preheating power of the heating element becomes 75W and the preheating time becomes 1.1S.

[0205] As the battery continues to supply power to the heating element, the battery's current open-circuit voltage drops below 10V, and the battery's current load voltage drops below 8V. At this time, the heating element is controlled to run in the third heating mode, and the preheating power of the heating element becomes 65W and the preheating time becomes 1.2S.

[0206] As the battery continues to supply power to the heating element, the battery's current open-circuit voltage drops below 5V. At this point, the heating element can be controlled to stop heating, and the user will be prompted to recharge.

[0207] It should be noted that the values ​​in this embodiment are merely examples for ease of understanding and should not be construed as limiting the implementation of the present invention.

[0208] In other embodiments, when the battery is charged and the current open-circuit voltage of the battery is greater than the first preset open-circuit voltage and the current load voltage is greater than the first preset load voltage, the heating component can be re-controlled to operate in the first heating mode.

[0209] The non-volatile computer-readable storage medium of the computer-executable instructions of the present invention causes the processor to perform the control method of any of the above embodiments when the computer-executable instructions are executed by one or more processors.

[0210] Specifically, the processor can execute any step in the control method.

[0211] Any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or process, and the scope of embodiments of the invention includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order depending on the function involved, as will be understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of the invention pertain.

[0212] The logic and / or steps represented in the flowchart or otherwise described herein. For example, a sequence of executable instructions for implementing logical functions can be considered as such, and can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (such as a computer-based system, a system including a processing module, or other system that can fetch and execute instructions from, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). For the purposes of this specification, "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit programs for use by, or in conjunction with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media include: an electrical connection having one or more wires (electronic device), a portable computer disk drive (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and editable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CDROM). Alternatively, the computer-readable medium may be paper or other suitable media on which the program can be printed, since the program can be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium, followed by editing, interpreting, or otherwise processing as necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0213] The processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0214] It should be understood that various parts of the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented in software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0215] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the methods described in the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.

[0216] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, the functional units can be integrated into one processing module, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0217] The storage media mentioned above can be read-only memory, disk, or optical disk, etc.

[0218] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0219] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A control method for an aerosol generating device, characterized in that, The aerosol generating device includes a battery, a heating component, and a power controller. The power controller is configured to adjust the preheating power supplied by the battery to the heating component. The control method includes: Obtain the current no-load voltage and the first preset no-load voltage of the battery; Obtain the current load voltage and the first preset load voltage of the battery; The preheating power and preheating time of the heating component are controlled based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage includes: When the current no-load voltage is greater than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is greater than the first preset load voltage, the heating component is controlled to operate in the first heating mode. When the heating component operates in the first heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the first preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the first preheating time.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the preheating power and preheating time of the heating component based on the current no-load voltage, the first preset no-load voltage, the current load voltage, and the first preset load voltage includes: When the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to decrease in stages, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to increase.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, controlling the preheating power of the heating component to decrease in stages and controlling the preheating time of the heating component to increase includes: When the current no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage and the current load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage, the heating component is controlled to operate in the second heating mode. When the heating component operates in the second heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the second preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the second preheating time. The second preheating power is less than the first preheating power, and the second preheating time is greater than the first preheating time.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control method further includes: When the heating component operates in the second heating mode, the first preset no-load voltage is updated to the second preset no-load voltage, and the first preset load voltage is updated to the second preset load voltage. The second preset no-load voltage is less than the first preset no-load voltage, and the second preset load voltage is less than the first preset load voltage.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control method further includes: When the current open-circuit voltage of the battery is less than the second preset open-circuit voltage, and the current load voltage is less than the second preset load voltage, the heating component is controlled to operate in the third heating mode. When the heating component operates in the third heating mode, the preheating power of the heating component is controlled to be the third preheating power, and the preheating time of the heating component is controlled to be the third preheating time. The third preheating power is less than the second preheating power, and the third preheating time is greater than the second preheating time.

7. An aerosol generating device, characterized in that, The aerosol generating device includes a battery, a heating component, a power controller, a control component, and a storage component. The power controller is configured to adjust the preheating power supplied by the battery to the heating component. The storage component is configured to store a computer program. The control component is configured to execute the computer program to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes a plasma generator and a heating controller, wherein the plasma generator includes: Heating component, wherein a heating cavity is formed inside the heating component; and At least one set of electrode assemblies, each set of electrode assemblies including a first electrode and a second electrode, both the first electrode and the second electrode extending into the heating chamber, and the heating controller being configured to control the formation of an electric arc and the generation of plasma between the first electrode and the second electrode in the heating chamber; The heating component has a receiving position configured to accommodate an aerosol generation matrix, and the receiving position is thermally conductively connected to the heating cavity.

9. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes a plasma generator and a heating controller, wherein the plasma generator includes: Inner tube; An outer tube, which is sleeved outside the inner tube; A first electrode, which is at least partially disposed within the inner tube; A second electrode, at least a portion of which is disposed at one end of the inner tube, and is positioned opposite and spaced apart from the first electrode; when the first electrode and the second electrode are energized, plasma is generated between the second electrode and the first electrode; and A conductive element is connected to the second electrode and configured to be electrically connected to a power module, which is electrically connected to the heating controller. The conductive element extends from one end of the inner tube along the axial direction of the inner tube to the other end of the inner tube, wherein a section of the inner tube corresponding to the conductive element is grounded to the outer tube.

10. The aerosol generating apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The heating controller includes a power supply module, a control drive module, a boost regulation module, an inverter conversion module, and a boost transformer; The control drive module is electrically connected to the power module, and the control drive module can generate a variety of drive signals according to the preheating time-power mapping relationship; The boost regulation module is electrically connected to the power supply module and the control drive module respectively, and is configured to generate a DC output voltage according to the power supply voltage of the power supply module and the drive signal. The DC output voltage includes multiple types, and the different DC output voltages have different magnitudes. Each DC output voltage corresponds to a drive signal. The inverter conversion module is electrically connected to the boost regulation module and is configured to generate an AC output voltage based on the DC output voltage; The step-up transformer is electrically connected to the inverter conversion module and the plasma generator, and is configured to generate a heating voltage based on the AC output voltage and provide it to the plasma generator to drive the plasma generator to generate plasma and heat it, thereby heating the aerosol to form a product.

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