Flavor suction device

Abstract

To provide a flavor suction device having a novel structure.SOLUTION: Provided is a flavor suction device 10 configured to heat at least a flavor source stored in a container 20 including a bottom wall 24 and a side wall 22. The flavor suction device 10 includes: a housing 11 storing the container 20; and an induction coil 15 arranged so as to face the bottom wall 24 of the container 20 stored in the housing 11, and configured to induction-heats the bottom wall 24 of the container 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor inhaler. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, flavor inhalers for inhaling flavors and the like without burning materials are known. For example, a smoking material heating device that forms an aerosol by heating a smoking material made of tobacco containing volatile components is known as such a flavor inhaler (see Patent Document 1). In the aerosol generating system described in Patent Document 1, an aerosol-forming base material and a susceptor are housed in a capsule, and the susceptor is inductively heated by an induction coil arranged around the side of the capsule. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 068095 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a flavor inhaler having a new structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flavor inhaler configured to heat at least a flavor source contained in a container having a bottom wall and a side wall, the flavor inhaler having a housing that contains the container, and an induction coil disposed opposite the bottom wall of the container contained in the housing and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a top view showing an example of a pod having a heat dissipation member on a side wall. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a side view showing another example of a pod having a heat dissipation member on a side wall. [Figure 4] 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a seal member of the pod shown in FIG. 2 is broken. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing another example of the pod. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing still another example of the pod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flavor inhaler according to the present embodiment. The flavor inhaler 10 according to the present embodiment is configured to generate an aerosol containing a flavor by heating an aerosol source and a flavor source contained in a pod 20 (corresponding to an example of a container). Specifically, the pod 20 contains a liquid aerosol source and a solid flavor source at a predetermined weight ratio. The weight ratio of the aerosol source to the flavor source is, for example, 3:1 to 20:1. In the present embodiment, a fluid containing a liquid and a solid is called a slurry. Preferably, the slurry contains a liquid and a solid flavor source. For example, water can be used as the liquid constituting the slurry. The liquid is preferably an aerosol source such as glycerin or propylene glycol. The weight ratio of the liquid to the solid constituting the slurry is, for example, 3:1 to 20:1 as described above, and preferably 5:1 to 15:1. In addition, the weight ratio of the slurry contained in the pod 20 is, for example, 3:1 to 20:1, and preferably 5:1 to 15:1. The weight is, for example, from 0.05 g to 0.5 g, preferably from 0.1 g to 0.3 g.

[0009] After the pod 20 is used, it can be removed from the flavor inhaler 10 and discarded. Then, a new pod 20 can be used in the flavor inhaler 10. That is, the pod 20 is a cartridge used in the flavor inhaler 10.

[0010] As shown in Fig. 1, the flavor inhaler 10 of this embodiment includes a housing 11, a battery 12, a control unit 13, an electromagnetic shield 14, an induction coil 15, a mouthpiece 16, and a heat insulating material 30. The housing 11 accommodates the battery 12, the control unit 13, the electromagnetic shield 14, the induction coil 15, and the heat insulating material 30 inside. As shown in the figure, the mouthpiece 16, the pod 20, the induction coil 15, the electromagnetic shield 14, the control unit 13, and the battery 12 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the flavor inhaler 10. The housing 11 may be separable into two or more parts.

[0011] The battery 12 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The battery 12 is electrically connected to the induction coil 15 via the control unit 13. This allows the battery 12 to supply power to the induction coil 15 so as to appropriately heat the slurry contained in the pod 20.

[0012] The control unit 13 includes, for example, a microprocessor, and can control the supply of power from the battery 12 to the induction coil 15. This allows the control unit 13 to control the heating of the slurry by the induction coil 15. In this embodiment, the electromagnetic shield 14 is disposed between the induction coil 15 and the control unit 13 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 11. This allows the electromagnetic shield 14 to suppress the electromagnetic waves generated by the induction coil 15 from reaching the control unit 13. In this embodiment, the electromagnetic shield 14 may be made of, for example, a ferrite-based metal material. In addition, the shape of the electromagnetic shield 14 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a disk shape according to the shape of the induction coil 15. As shown in FIG. 1, in the short direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the width or diameter of the electromagnetic shield 14 is preferably larger than the maximum width of the induction coil 15. This allows the electromagnetic waves from the induction coil 15 to be more reliably suppressed from reaching the control unit 13.

[0013] The housing 11 has a cavity 11a for accommodating the pod 20 at the mouthpiece end (mouthpiece 16 side). The pod 20 has a substantially cylindrical side wall 22 and a bottom wall 24 closing the end of the side wall 22. The induction coil 15 is disposed closer to the battery 12 than the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 accommodated in the cavity 11a of the housing 11 and opposed to the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. In this embodiment, at least the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 may be formed of a conductor. Specifically, the side wall 22 and the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 are preferably formed of SUS (stainless steel). Since SUS has a lower thermal conductivity than aluminum, when the bottom wall 24 generates heat, the heat of the bottom wall 24 is less likely to be transferred to the side wall 22, and the heat can be efficiently transferred to the slurry in the pod 20. This allows the bottom wall 24 to function as a susceptor heated by the induction coil 15. For this reason, it is preferable that the surface (outer surface) of the bottom wall 24 facing the induction coil 15 is flat.

[0014] The induction coil 15 is configured to inductively heat the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. As shown in the figure, the induction coil 15 is preferably formed in a generally plate-like shape. In this embodiment, the entire induction coil 15 is disposed within an area smaller than the area of ​​the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. That is, when viewed in the longitudinal direction, the induction coil 15 is disposed at a position overlapping the bottom wall 24 and is located inside the edge that defines the bottom wall 24. The induction coil 15 is disposed generally parallel to the bottom wall 24.

[0015] When the induction coil 15 is disposed facing the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 as in this embodiment, an induced current is less likely to be generated outside the flavor inhaler 10 than when the induction coil 15 is disposed around the side wall 22 of the pod 20. Therefore, even if another electronic device is present around the flavor inhaler 10, this electronic device is less likely to be affected by the induced current caused by the induction coil 15. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 is heated, the temperature of the upper part of the pod 20 is less likely to rise. Therefore, when a seal member 28 is provided at the opening of the pod 20 as described below, it is possible to suppress dissolution of the adhesive that bonds the pod 20 and the seal member 28.

[0016] Furthermore, when the slurry contained in the pod 20 is heated by a sheet heating element (film heater) using stainless steel as a heating resistor, the heat generated by the sheet heating element is conducted to the slurry via the pod 20 containing the slurry. That is, the heat generated by the sheet heating element is conducted to the pod 20 and the slurry, so that the heat transfer loss is relatively large. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, an IH (induction heating) method is adopted as a method for heating the slurry. According to the IH method, the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20 itself generates heat, and the heat of the bottom wall 24 is conducted to the slurry. Therefore, since the heat generated by the bottom wall 24 is directly conducted to the slurry, the heat transfer loss can be reduced compared to the case where the slurry is heated by a sheet heating element.

[0017] When the bottom wall 24 is inductively heated by the induction coil 15 and the slurry in the pod 20 is atomized, there is a risk that solids (flavor sources) contained in the slurry from the pod 20 reach the mouthpiece 16. Therefore, in this embodiment, a porous structure 26 is provided in the pod 20 so as to close at least a part of the opening of the side wall 22. The porous structure 26 may be, for example, a filter, a metal mesh, or any other porous structure that allows gas and aerosol to pass through. The porous structure 26 is preferably a filter. For example, an acetate filter may be used as the porous structure 26. The filter allows gas and aerosol to pass through and can inhibit liquid from passing through. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the slurry from leaking to the outside of the pod 20 after the seal member 28 of the pod 20 is destroyed as described below. That is, in this embodiment, the porous structure 26 is configured to allow the aerosol generated inside the pod 20 to flow out of the pod 20 when the slurry inside the pod 20 is atomized, while preventing the slurry inside the pod 20 from flowing out.

[0018] When the side wall 22 of the pod 20 is heated, or when a planar heating element, a coil heater, or the like is used, heat is likely to spread throughout the entire slurry. As a result, the heat is transferred to the porous structure 26, which may cause a decrease in atomization efficiency or melting of the porous structure 26. In contrast, in this embodiment, the induction coil 15 is disposed opposite the bottom wall 24 and inductively heats the bottom wall 24, so that the heat of the bottom wall 24 is less likely to be transferred to the porous structure 26, and the occurrence of a decrease in atomization efficiency or melting of the porous structure 26 can be suppressed.

[0019] As shown in the figure, at least a part of the surface of the porous structure 26 facing the bottom wall of the pod 20 preferably has a convex surface 26a formed in a convex shape toward the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20. When the bottom wall 24 is induction heated, a temperature difference occurs between the slurry near the bottom wall 24 in the pod 20 and the slurry near the porous structure 26 in the pod 20, and convection occurs in the slurry. Since the porous structure 26 has the convex surface 26a, the slurry that convects from the bottom to the top of the pod 20 comes into contact with the convex surface 26a and is guided in the left-right direction. As a result, the convection of the slurry is promoted. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if the amount of the slurry decreases as the atomization of the slurry progresses, the temperature of the entire slurry can be made uniform by the convection of the slurry. This makes it possible to maintain the ratio between the amount of aerosol generated from the aerosol source and the amount of aerosol generated from the flavor source, and as a result, the smoking taste can be made constant.

[0020] As shown in the figure, the mouthpiece 16 is connected to one end of the housing 11 so as to close the cavity 11a of the housing 11. The mouthpiece 16 has an air inlet flow passage 16a that communicates between the outside of the mouthpiece 16 and the cavity 11a of the housing 11, and an air outlet flow passage 16b that communicates between the cavity 11a and the inside of the user's mouth. When the user inhales air through the air outlet flow passage 16b, the air that has entered the cavity 11a from the air inlet flow passage 16a passes through the porous structure 26 and reaches the inside of the user's mouth while incorporating the aerosol generated from the pod 20.

[0021] The mouthpiece 16 may have an air flow path 16c instead of the air inlet flow path 16a and the air outlet flow path 16b. The air flow path 16c communicates with an internal space (not shown) of the mouthpiece 16. In this case, the aerosol generated from the pod 20 moves to the internal space of the mouthpiece 16, and the outside air can reach the mouth of the user while taking in the aerosol through the air flow path 16c. The air flow path 16c may be a trifurcated flow path extending from the mouth end of the mouthpiece 16 to the cavity 11a of the housing 11 and extending to the side of the mouthpiece 16. The air inlet of the air flow path 16c may be provided in the connection area between the mouthpiece 16 and the housing 11. Specifically, for example, a groove may be provided in the mouthpiece 16, and the air inlet of the air flow path 16c may be formed by connecting the housing 11 and the mouthpiece 16. This allows air flowing in from the air inlet of the air flow path 16c to pass through the surface of the pod 20, take in the aerosol generated from the pod 20, and flow out from the mouthpiece 16.

[0022] The heat insulating material 30 is disposed in the housing 11 so as to at least partially surround the side wall 22 of the pod 20 housed in the cavity 11a of the housing 11. The heat insulating material 30 of this embodiment has a first tube 30a, a second tube 30b, an upper end 30c, and a lower end 30d. The second tube 30b is disposed on the outer periphery side of the first tube 30a. The upper end 30c connects the upper end of the first tube 30a to the upper end of the second tube 30b. The lower end 30d connects the lower end of the first tube 30a to the lower end of the second tube 30b. The first tube 30a, the second tube 30b, the upper end 30c, and the lower end 30d define an internal space 31 sealed in the heat insulating material 30. The internal space 31 can be, for example, evacuated, whereby the heat insulating material 30 functions as a vacuum heat insulating material. Furthermore, for example, the internal space 31 may be filled with a heat insulating material such as aerogel.

[0023] At least the first tube 30a and the second tube 30b of the thermal insulation material 30 are preferably made of SUS. This allows the first tube 30a or the second tube 30b to absorb the electromagnetic waves generated from the induction coil 15. In this embodiment, the entire thermal insulation material 30 is made of SUS. In addition, the first tube 30a and the second tube 30b of the thermal insulation material 30 are preferably arranged so as to at least partially surround the periphery of the induction coil 15. This allows the first tube 30a or the second tube 30b to further absorb the electromagnetic waves from the induction coil 15 to the outside of the housing. Therefore, it is preferable that the thermal insulation material 30 entirely surrounds the sides of the pod 20 and the induction coil 15, in other words, the length of the thermal insulation material 30 in the longitudinal direction of the device is longer than the longitudinal length from the upper end to the lower end of the area in which the pod 20 and the induction coil 15 are arranged.

[0024] Furthermore, the flavor inhaler 10 may have a heat dissipation member 34 that comes into contact with the side wall 22 of the pod 20 housed in the cavity 11a of the housing 11. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the heat dissipation member 34 is a fin extending in the longitudinal direction provided on the inner wall of the housing 11 that defines the cavity 11a. The heat dissipation member 34 is preferably in contact with the vicinity of the upper end of the side wall 22 of the pod 20 (the vicinity of the porous structure 26). This makes it possible to suppress an increase in temperature in the vicinity of the upper end of the pod 20, suppress the occurrence of melting of the porous structure 26, and, when a sealing member 28 is provided at the opening of the pod 20 as described later, suppress the melting of the adhesive that bonds the pod 20 and the sealing member 28. The shape of the heat dissipation member 34 may be determined based on the shape of the side wall 22 of the pod 20. For example, it may be a ring-shaped fin extending along the circumferential direction of the inner wall of the housing 11 that defines the cavity 11a. The heat dissipation member 34 is preferably made of metal.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the heat dissipation member 34 is provided in the housing 11. Alternatively, the heat dissipation member may be provided in the pod 20. FIG. 2 is a top view showing an example of the pod 20 having a heat dissipation member in the side wall 22. FIG. 3 is a side view showing another example of the pod 20 having a heat dissipation member in the side wall 22. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the pod 20 has four fin-shaped heat dissipation members 27 extending in the axial direction of the side wall 22 (the vertical direction in FIG. 1). In the example shown in FIG. 3, the pod 20 has a ring-shaped heat dissipation member 27 extending in the circumferential direction of the side wall 22. When the heat dissipation member 27 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 22 as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the pod 20 is designed so that the heat dissipation member 27 provided on the side wall 22 of the pod 20 contacts the inner wall of the housing 11 that defines the cavity 11a when the pod 20 is accommodated in the cavity 11a. 2, when the pod 20 is provided with a fin-shaped heat dissipation member 27 extending in the axial direction of the side wall 22, the heat dissipation member 27 can be guided by providing a corresponding groove in the housing 11. As a result, the pod 20 and the housing 11 can be accurately positioned, improving the stability of the atomization operation. The heat dissipation member 27 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is preferably made of metal.

[0026] Since the pod 20 of this embodiment contains a fluid slurry, in order to prevent leakage of the slurry during storage of the pod 20, the pod 20 preferably has a seal member 28 that seals the opening of the side wall 22, as shown in Fig. 2. Specifically, the seal member 28 is bonded to the end of the side wall 22 on which the porous structure 26 is provided, for example, by a resin adhesive, thereby sealing the opening of the pod 20. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the entire seal member 28 is formed of a metal foil 28a such as aluminum foil.

[0027] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the sealing member 28 of the pod 20 shown in Fig. 2 has been destroyed. When the sealing member 28 made of metal foil 28a is provided on the upper surface of the pod 20 as shown in Fig. 2, it is necessary to destroy the sealing member 28 when using the pod 20. For this reason, when the pod 20 shown in Fig. 2 is used with the flavor inhaler 10 shown in Fig. 1, a protruding portion (not shown) is provided on the mouthpiece 16, and the protruding portion destroys part of the sealing member 28 when the mouthpiece 16 is engaged with the housing 11.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of the pod 20. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing yet another example of the pod 20. The sealing member 28 of the pod 20 shown in FIG. 5 is made of a film 28b at the approximate center, and the other parts are made of a metal foil 28a such as an aluminum foil. The sealing member 28 of the pod 20 shown in FIG. 6 is entirely made of a film 28b. The film 28b shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is heated by heat transferred to the side wall 22 through the bottom wall 24 of the pod 20, which is induction-heated by the induction coil 15, and at least a part of the film 28b is destroyed. Here, if the film 28b shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is made of a material that melts when heated to form droplets, it is not preferable because the melted film may fall into the slurry and adversely affect the smoking taste. For this reason, the film 28b shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is a heat-shrinkable film, and may be made of a material such as PP (polypropylene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), gelatin, or polysaccharides. It is also preferable that the film 28b shrinks from the center toward the outer periphery of the sealing member 28. For this reason, for example, it is preferable that the thickness of the film 28b at the center is thinner than that at the outer periphery. The pod 20 shown in Fig. 1 can also be provided with the sealing member 28 shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to 6.

[0029] In this embodiment, the pod 20 and the mouthpiece 16 are described as separate members. However, as described above, when the film 28b is used as the sealing member 28, , the film 28b is destroyed by the heat of the pod 20. Therefore, in this case, it is not necessary to destroy the sealing member 28 by the mouthpiece 16, and the pod 20 and the mouthpiece 16 may be an integrated member. Also, the sealing member 28 may be extended to the side surface of the porous structure 26 and adhered to the side surface of the porous structure 26. In this case, the adhered portion melts due to the heat from the bottom wall 24 that is inductively heated by the induction coil 15, and the side surface of the porous structure 26 can become a flow path through which air from outside the flavor inhaler 10 passes.

[0030] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Note that any shape or material not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical ideas of the present invention as long as it has the functions and effects of the present invention.

[0031] Some of the forms disclosed in this specification are described below. According to a first aspect, there is provided a flavor inhaler configured to heat at least a flavor source contained in a container having a bottom wall and a side wall, the flavor inhaler having a housing that contains the container, and an induction coil arranged opposite the bottom wall of the container contained in the housing and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container.

[0032] According to a second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the container contains a slurry including the flavor source.

[0033] According to a third aspect, in the second aspect, the flavor inhaler has a thermal insulator that at least partially surrounds the side wall of the container housed in the housing.

[0034] According to a fourth aspect, in the third aspect, the heat insulating material is configured to at least partially surround the induction coil.

[0035] According to a fifth aspect, in the third or fourth aspect, the heat insulating material has a first pipe and a second pipe disposed on an outer circumferential side of the first pipe.

[0036] According to a sixth aspect, in the fifth aspect, the first pipe and the second pipe of the thermal insulation material are made of stainless steel.

[0037] According to a seventh aspect, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the induction coil is formed in a generally plate-like shape, and the entire induction coil is disposed within a region narrower than the area of ​​the bottom wall of the container.

[0038] According to an eighth aspect, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the flavor inhaler has a heat dissipation member configured to come into contact with the side wall of the container accommodated in the housing.

[0039] According to a ninth aspect, in any of the first to eighth aspects, the flavor inhaler has a control unit configured to control the induction coil, and an electromagnetic shield disposed between the induction coil and the control unit.

[0040] According to a tenth aspect, in the ninth aspect, the electromagnetic shield is disk-shaped and has a diameter larger than a maximum width of the induction coil. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10...Flavor aspirator 11. Housing 11a…Cavity 13...Control section 14...Electromagnetic shield 15…Induction coil 16…Mouthpiece 20…Container 22…Side wall 24…Bottom wall 26...Porous structure 26a...Convex surface 27...Heat dissipation member 28…Sealing material 28a…Metal foil 28b…Film 30…Insulation material 30a…First pipe 30b…Second pipe 31…Interior space 34...Heat dissipation member

Claims

1. 1. A flavor inhaler configured to heat at least a flavor source contained in a container having a bottom wall and a side wall, comprising: A housing that accommodates the container; an induction coil disposed opposite the bottom wall of the container housed in the housing and configured to inductively heat the bottom wall of the container.

2. The flavor inhaler according to claim 1, The container contains a slurry including the flavor source.

3. The flavor inhaler according to claim 2, A flavor inhaler having a thermal insulator at least partially surrounding the side wall of the container contained in the housing.

4. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3, The insulation is configured to at least partially surround the induction coil.

5. The flavor inhaler according to claim 3 or 4, The insulation material has a first tube and a second tube arranged on an outer circumferential side of the first tube.

6. The flavor inhaler according to claim 5, The flavor inhaler, wherein the first tube and the second tube of the insulating material are made of stainless steel.

7. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The induction coil is generally formed in a plate shape, A flavor inhaler, wherein the entire induction coil is disposed within an area smaller than an area of ​​the bottom wall of the container.

8. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A flavor inhaler having a heat dissipation member configured to contact the side wall of the container contained in the housing.

9. The flavor inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A controller configured to control the induction coil; and an electromagnetic shield disposed between the induction coil and the control unit.

10. The flavor inhaler according to claim 9, The flavor inhaler, wherein the electromagnetic shield is disk-shaped and has a diameter greater than a maximum width of the induction coil.

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