Aerosol generation article and aerosol generation device

Abstract

To provide an aerosol generation article and an aerosol generation device capable of providing aerosol and nicotine evenly during the entire smoking time.SOLUTION: An aerosol generation article includes a first portion 110 including an aerosol generation element, a second portion 120 including a cooling element, a third portion 130 including a tobacco element, and a fourth portion 140 including a filter element. The first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are arrayed in order with reference to a longitudinal direction of the aerosol generation article.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol product and an aerosol generating device. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternatives to traditional cigarettes, such as devices that generate aerosols by heating aerosol-forming materials in aerosol-producing products (e.g., cigarettes) without combustion. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an aerosol product and an aerosol generating device that can provide a uniform aerosol and nicotine throughout the entire smoking time.

[0004] The problems to be solved through the present embodiment are not limited to those described above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a technical means for achieving the aforementioned technical problem, one embodiment provides an aerosol product comprising a first portion including an aerosol generating element, a second portion including a cooling element, a third portion including a tobacco element, and a fourth portion including a filter element, wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are aligned in order based on the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product.

[0006] Another embodiment provides an aerosol generating device including a storage space for storing an aerosol product according to one embodiment, a heater for heating the aerosol product, and a battery for powering the heater.

[0007] The means for solving the problem are not limited to those described above, and the entire specification may include any matter that can be inferred by a person skilled in the art. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] An aerosol product and an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment may include a cooling element disposed between the aerosol generating element and the tobacco element to provide a uniform aerosol and nicotine throughout the entire smoking time.

[0009] The effects of this embodiment are not limited to those described above, but also include any effects that can be inferred from the configurations described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of an aerosol product according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a graph showing the amount of nicotine inhaled per puff when smoking using an aerosol product according to an embodiment and a comparative example. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates components of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] 4 is a diagram illustrating the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 3 with the aerosol product shown in FIG. 1 inserted therein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One embodiment provides an aerosol product comprising a first portion including an aerosol generating element, a second portion including a cooling element, a third portion including a tobacco element, and a fourth portion including a filter element, wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are aligned in order based on the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product.

[0012] The first portion may comprise a crimped sheet, and the aerosol generating elements may be impregnated into the sheet.

[0013] The second portion may have a length of between 3 mm and 30 mm measured along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product.

[0014] The second portion also includes a tube-shaped structure that includes a hollow space.

[0015] The second portion also includes polylactic acid.

[0016] The fourth portion also includes at least one capsule containing at least one of a flavoring material and / or an aerosol-forming material.

[0017] The fourth portion also includes fibers impregnated with a flavoring substance.

[0018] The device further includes a thermally conductive wrapper encasing at least a portion of the first portion, the thermally conductive wrapper also including a paramagnetic material.

[0019] The device further includes a wrapper that encases at least a portion of the second portion and includes at least one perforation formed in a location corresponding to the second portion.

[0020] The device further includes a wrapper that encases at least a portion of the fourth portion and includes at least one perforation formed in a position corresponding to the fourth portion.

[0021] Another embodiment provides an aerosol generating device including a storage space for storing an aerosol product according to one embodiment, a heater for heating the aerosol product, and a battery for powering the heater.

[0022] The heater surrounds the accommodation space, and the heater is capable of heating at least a portion of the first portion.

[0023] The terms used in this embodiment are currently commonly used terms, and have been selected as much as possible while taking into consideration the functions of this embodiment. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of engineers in this field, legal precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings of these terms will be described in detail in the description of the embodiment. Therefore, the terms used in this embodiment should be defined not simply by their names, but based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of this embodiment.

[0024] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain element, it does not mean excluding other elements, but also means including other elements, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, terms such as "unit" and "module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0025] Furthermore, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" used herein may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0026] Throughout the specification, the term "aerosol-producing article" refers to an article used for smoking. For example, the aerosol-producing article may refer to a typical combustion-type cigarette that is lit and burned, or a heating-type cigarette that is heated by an aerosol-generating device without being burned. As another example, the aerosol-producing article may refer to a cartridge containing a liquid that generates an aerosol when heated.

[0027] Throughout the specification, "longitudinal direction of the aerosol product article" means the direction in which the length of the aerosol product article extends or the direction in which the aerosol product article is inserted into an aerosol generating device.

[0028] Throughout the specification, "tobacco element" means an element that contains tobacco material.

[0029] Throughout the specification, "tobacco material" refers to any form of material that contains components derived from tobacco leaves.

[0030] Throughout the specification, "cooling element" refers to an element that cools a substance, for example, the cooling element can cool the aerosol generated from an aerosol-generating element or a tobacco element.

[0031] Throughout the specification, "filter element" refers to an element that includes a filtering material, for example, a filter element that includes a plurality of fiber strands.

[0032]

[0033] In the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a diagram that schematically illustrates the structure of an aerosol product 100 according to one embodiment.

[0035] 1, the aerosol-producing article 100 includes a first portion 110, a second portion 120, a third portion 130, and a fourth portion 140. Specifically, the first portion 110, the second portion 120, the third portion 130, and the fourth portion 140 include an aerosol-generating element, a cooling element, a tobacco element, and a filter element, respectively. As an example, the first portion 110 includes an aerosol-generating material, the second portion 120 can cool the aerosol passing through the first portion 110, the third portion 130 includes a tobacco material and a humectant, and the fourth portion 140 includes a filter material.

[0036] 1 , the first portion 110, the second portion 120, the third portion 130, and the fourth portion 140 may be aligned in order based on the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 100. Here, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 100 is also the direction in which the length of the aerosol product 100 extends. For example, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 100 is also the direction from the first portion 110 to the fourth portion 140. As a result, aerosol generated in at least one of the first portion 110 and the second portion 120 can pass through the third portion 130 and the fourth portion 140 in order, and a smoker can inhale the aerosol from the fourth portion 140.

[0037] Typically, the aerosol-generating component has a vaporization temperature of about 140 to 250° C., while the nicotine contained in the tobacco component has a vaporization temperature of about 50 to about 90° C. That is, the aerosol-generating component generally has a higher vaporization temperature than the nicotine.

[0038] In most aerosol products according to the related art, the portion containing the aerosol-generating element and the portion containing the tobacco element are arranged adjacent to each other. In such cases, if the aerosol-generating element is heated to a high temperature by the aerosol generating device, the tobacco element arranged adjacent to the aerosol-generating element may also be heated to an excessively high temperature. Therefore, from the early stage of smoking, an excessive amount of nicotine is transferred from the tobacco element, resulting in early depletion of nicotine in the tobacco element. As a result, the amount of nicotine transferred is significantly reduced in the later stage of smoking, making it difficult to achieve uniform nicotine inhalation throughout the entire smoking period. Here, the early stage of smoking, for example, the first half of the smoking period, may be referred to as "early smoking," and the remaining smoking period may be referred to as "late smoking."

[0039] In one embodiment, the aerosol product has a second section 120 including a cooling element disposed between a first section 110 including an aerosol-generating element and a third section 130 including a tobacco element. Thus, the high-temperature aerosol generated in the first section 110 is cooled by the cooling element of the second section 120 before passing through the third section 130. The tobacco element in the third section 130 is heated by the aerosol, which has a relatively low temperature, thereby achieving uniform nicotine transfer throughout the entire smoking time.

[0040] As will be described later, the first portion 110 of the aerosol product 100 is directly heated by a heater of the aerosol generating device, while the third portion 130 is not. For example, when the aerosol product 100 is inserted into the aerosol generating device, the first portion 110 is surrounded by the heater, while the third portion 130 is not. Here, the heater may be arranged to surround at least a portion of the storage space in which the aerosol product 100 is stored. The tobacco element contained in the third portion 130 may be heated by the high-temperature aerosol generated in the first portion 110 and passing through the third portion 130. Because the third portion 130 is not directly heated by the heater, the temperature deviation occurring in the third portion 130 may be reduced compared to when the third portion 130 is directly heated by the heater (i.e., when at least a portion of the third portion 130 is surrounded by the heater). This allows the amount of nicotine delivered to be maintained uniformly throughout the entire smoking time.

[0041] The first portion 110 may include an aerosol-generating component. The first portion 110 may also include other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids, or may include a flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a moisturizer. The aerosol-generating component may include, for example, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples, and may include any other type of aerosol-generating component known in the art.

[0042] The first portion 110 also includes a crimped sheet containing (e.g., impregnated with) the aerosol-generating components, and other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids and flavoring liquids may also be included in the crimped sheet.

[0043] The crimped sheet may be, for example, one containing at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid (PLA). For example, the crimped sheet may be, but is not limited to, a paper sheet that does not emit an odor even when heated to a high temperature.

[0044] The first portion 110 may extend from about 7 mm to about 20 mm from the end of the aerosol product 100. However, the first portion 110 is not necessarily limited to such a numerical range, and the length of the first portion 110 may be appropriately adjusted depending on the embodiment.

[0045] The second portion 120 can cool the airflow (i.e., aerosol) passing through the first portion 110. The second portion 120 can be made of a polymeric or biodegradable polymeric material and have a cooling function. For example, the second portion 120 can be made of, but is not limited to, polylactic acid (PLA) fiber. Alternatively, the second portion 120 can be made of a cellulose acetate filter with multiple holes. However, the second portion 120 is not limited to the above examples and can include any material that can cool the aerosol. For example, the second portion 120 can be a hollow tube filter or a paper tube.

[0046] The second portion 120 may also include a tube-shaped structure having a hollow interior, the inner surface of which may be coated with polylactic acid (PLA) and / or a flavoring substance.

[0047] Polylactic acid (PLA) is coated on the inner surface of the hollow tube, and can effectively cool the aerosol through a phase transition. For example, polylactic acid (PLA) can absorb thermal energy and undergo a phase transition such as melting or glass transition. The thermal energy of the aerosol passing through the inner surface of the hollow tube is used to cause a phase transition of polylactic acid (PLA), thereby effectively lowering the temperature of the aerosol.

[0048] The flavoring substance can be coated on the inner surface of the hollow cavity to add a fragrance to the aerosol passing through the inner surface of the hollow cavity. The flavoring substance can be a substance that produces a specific scent. For example, the flavoring substance can include botanical flavors such as cinnamon, sage, herbs, chamomile, winter hay, sweet tea, lavender, bergamot, lemon, orange, cinnamon, jasmine, ginger, vanilla, spearmint, peppermint, acacia, coffee, celery, sandalwood, and cocoa.

[0049] As further examples, the flavoring substances may include animal flavors such as musk, ambergris, civet, and castoreum.

[0050] As another example, the flavoring substance may be an alcohol compound such as menthol, geraniol, linalool, anethole, or eugenol. Alternatively, the flavoring substance may be an aldehyde compound such as vanillin, benzaldehyde, or anisaldehyde. Alternatively, the flavoring substance may be an ester compound such as isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, or linalyl butyrate. Preferably, the flavoring substance is menthol.

[0051] The second portion 120 may have a length of about 3 mm to about 30 mm based on the longitudinal direction of the aerosol production product 100. By having the second portion 120 have a length within the above-mentioned range, the aerosol generated in the first portion 110 can be cooled to an appropriate temperature for vaporizing nicotine from the tobacco elements in the third portion 130. If the second portion 120 has a length less than about 3 mm, the aerosol may not be sufficiently cooled. On the other hand, if the length of the second portion 120 exceeds about 30 mm, the aerosol may be excessively cooled and may not have a temperature high enough to vaporize nicotine. To achieve uniform nicotine inhalation throughout the entire smoking time, the second portion 120 may preferably have a length of about 3 mm to about 20 mm, more preferably about 3 mm to about 15 mm.

[0052] The third portion 130 may also include tobacco elements. The tobacco elements may be tobacco materials in a particular form. For example, the tobacco elements may be in the form of cut tobacco, tobacco particles, tobacco sheets, tobacco beads, tobacco granules, tobacco powder, or tobacco extract. The tobacco materials may also include, for example, one or more of tobacco leaf, tobacco vein, expanded tobacco, shredded tobacco, flat tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco.

[0053] The fourth portion 140 may also include a filter material. For example, the fourth portion 140 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The shape of the fourth portion 140 is not limited. For example, the fourth portion 140 may be a cylindrical rod, a tubular rod, or a recessed rod. If the fourth portion 140 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be formed into a different shape.

[0054] The fourth portion 140 may also be configured to release a flavor. For example, a liquid flavoring may be sprayed onto the fourth portion 140, and a separate fiber impregnated with the flavoring may be inserted into the fourth portion 140. For example, the separate fiber impregnated with the flavoring may be arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product 100. The separate fiber impregnated with the flavoring may be made of, but is not limited to, cellulose acetate, cotton, polylactic acid (PLA), or other materials. Furthermore, the amount of flavoring impregnated in the separate fiber impregnated with the flavoring may be adjusted by adjusting the fiber thickness, number of strands, etc.

[0055] The fourth portion 140 also includes at least one capsule. For example, the capsule may contain a flavoring substance, and when the capsule is crushed, the flavoring substance may produce a flavor. The capsule may also contain an aerosol-forming substance, and when the capsule is crushed, the aerosol-forming substance may produce an aerosol. The capsule may have a structure in which a fragrance liquid or an aerosol-forming substance is surrounded by a coating. The capsule may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0056] The aerosol product 100 also includes a wrapper 150 that encases at least a portion of the first portion 110 to the fourth portion 140. The aerosol product 100 also includes a wrapper 150 that encases all of the first portion 110 to the fourth portion 140. The wrapper 150 is the outermost layer of the aerosol product 100, and the wrapper 150 may be a single wrapper or a combination of multiple wrappers.

[0057] For example, the aerosol product 100 may further include a thermally conductive wrapper 151 that encases at least a portion of the first portion 110. Here, the thermally conductive wrapper 151 may include a material with excellent thermal conductivity, such as a metal. The thermally conductive wrapper 151 may also be disposed at a position corresponding to a heater of an aerosol generating device (described later) and may include a paramagnetic material (e.g., aluminum, platinum, ruthenium, etc.) that does not function as a susceptor heated by induction heating. The thermally conductive wrapper 151 may encase at least a portion of the first portion 110 so that it can be directly heated by the aerosol generating device. The thermally conductive wrapper 151 can effectively transfer heat from the heater throughout the first portion 110 due to its high thermal conductivity.

[0058] The wrapper 150 also includes at least one perforation that allows outside air to flow into the aerosol-producing article or allows internal air to flow out. For example, the wrapper 150 also includes at least one first perforation 161 that surrounds at least a portion of the second portion 120 and is formed at a position corresponding to the second portion 120. The outside air flowing in through the at least one first perforation 161 can more effectively cool the aerosol.

[0059] The wrapper 150 also includes at least one second perforation 162 that surrounds at least a portion of the fourth portion 140 and is formed at a position corresponding to the fourth portion 140. The outside air that flows in through the at least one second perforation 162 can cool and dilute the aerosol provided to the smoker.

[0060] Example 1. Preparation of an aerosol product

[0061] An aerosol product was manufactured having a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section aligned in a longitudinal direction. The first section included a crimped, crinkled sheet containing an aerosol-generating material, the second section included a tube containing a material capable of cooling the generated aerosol, the third section included flat cut tobacco as the tobacco material and glycerin as a humectant, and the fourth section included cellulose acetate fibers.

[0062] Comparative Example 1. Production of an aerosol product

[0063] An aerosol product was produced having a tobacco rod and a filter rod aligned in a longitudinal direction, the tobacco rod including shredded tobacco from a tobacco sheet, and the filter rod including a cellulose acetate filter.

[0064] Comparative Example 2. Production of an aerosol product

[0065] An aerosol product was prepared in which a front-end plug, a tobacco rod, and a filter rod were aligned in the longitudinal direction. The front-end plug was prepared using cellulose acetate tow. The tobacco rod and the filter rod were prepared in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1.

[0066] Comparative Example 3. Production of an aerosol product

[0067] An aerosol product was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the positions of the second and third portions of Example 1 were swapped. That is, an aerosol product was manufactured in which the first, third, second, and fourth portions of Example 1 were aligned in order along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product.

[0068] Experimental Example 1: Analysis of nicotine inhalation amount (i.e., transfer amount) based on the number of puffs

[0069] The amount of nicotine transferred according to the number of puffs was analyzed using the aerosol products of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3. Specifically, the aerosol products of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were heated, and puffing began after they were sufficiently heated. The amount of nicotine transferred with each puff was measured, up to 14 puffs. The results are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 is a graph showing the amount of nicotine inhaled per puff when smoking using the aerosol products of the Examples and Comparative Examples.

[0070] As shown in Figure 2, the aerosol product of Comparative Example 1 transferred nicotine up to 11 puffs, after which no nicotine transfer was detected.The aerosol products of Comparative Examples 2 and 3 transferred most of the nicotine within 2 to 6 puffs, after which the amount of nicotine transferred tended to decrease rapidly.

[0071] On the other hand, the aerosol product of Example 1, unlike the aerosol products of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, maintained a relatively uniform nicotine delivery rate over a total of 14 puffs.

[0072] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating components of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0073] 3, the aerosol generating device 200 also includes a heater 230, a coil 231, a battery 210, and a control unit 220. However, the aerosol generating device 200 is not limited thereto, and may further include other general-purpose elements in addition to the elements illustrated in FIG.

[0074] The aerosol generating device 200 can generate aerosol by using an induction heating method to heat an aerosol product accommodated in the aerosol generating device 200. The induction heating method may refer to a method in which an alternating magnetic field that periodically changes direction is applied to a magnetic material to heat the magnetic material.

[0075] When an alternating magnetic field is applied to a magnetic body by the coil 231, energy loss occurs in the magnetic body due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss, and the lost energy can be released from the magnetic body as thermal energy. The greater the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field applied to the magnetic body, the more thermal energy can be released from the magnetic body. The thermal energy released from the magnetic body can heat the aerosol product.

[0076] The magnetic material that generates heat due to an external magnetic field can also be a susceptor. The susceptor included in the aerosol generating device 200 can have a shape such as a piece or a strip. For example, at least a portion of the heater 230 disposed inside the aerosol generating device 200 can be formed of a susceptor material.

[0077] At least a portion of the susceptor material may be made of a ferromagnetic substance. For example, the susceptor material may include a metal or carbon. The susceptor material may include at least one of ferrite, a ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). The susceptor material may also include a ceramic (e.g., graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, zirconia, etc.), a transition metal (e.g., nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), etc.), or a semimetal (i.e., boron (B), phosphorus (P)).

[0078] The aerosol generation device 200 can accommodate an aerosol product. A space for accommodating the aerosol product can be formed in the aerosol generation device 200. A heater 230 can be disposed in the space for accommodating the aerosol product. For example, the heater 230 can have a cylindrical accommodating space therein for accommodating the aerosol product. Therefore, when the aerosol product is accommodated in the aerosol generation device 200, the aerosol product can be accommodated in the heater 230.

[0079] The heater 230 may surround at least a portion of the outer surface of the aerosol product contained in the aerosol generating device 200. For example, the heater 230 may surround the tobacco medium contained in the aerosol product, thereby allowing heat to be transferred more efficiently from the heater 230 to the tobacco medium.

[0080] The heater 230 can heat the aerosol product housed in the aerosol generation device 200. As described above, the heater 230 can heat the aerosol product by induction heating. The heater 230 also includes a susceptor material that generates heat in response to an external magnetic field, and the aerosol generation device 200 can apply an alternating magnetic field to the heater 230.

[0081] The coil 231 may be included in the aerosol generating device 200. The coil 231 may apply an alternating magnetic field to the heater 230. When power is supplied from the aerosol generating device 200 to the coil 231, a magnetic field may be formed inside the coil 231. When an alternating current is applied to the coil 231, the direction of the magnetic field formed inside the coil 231 may be continuously changed. When the heater 230 is exposed to the alternating magnetic field inside the coil 231, the heater 230 may generate heat, and the aerosol product accommodated in the accommodation space of the heater 230 may be heated.

[0082] The coil 231 may be wound along the outer surface of the heater 230. Alternatively, the coil 231 may be wound along the inner surface of the housing of the aerosol generating device 200. The heater 230 may be located in the internal space of the wound coil 231. When power is supplied to the coil 231, an alternating magnetic field generated by the coil 231 may be applied to the heater 230.

[0083] The coil 231 may be extended to an appropriate length in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device 200. For example, the coil 231 may have the same length as the heater 230, or may be extended longer than the heater 230.

[0084] The coil 231 may be disposed at a position suitable for applying an alternating magnetic field to the heater 230. For example, the coil 231 may be disposed at a position corresponding to the heater 230 so that the alternating magnetic field of the coil 231 is efficiently applied to the heater 230.

[0085] When the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field generated by the coil 231 is changed, the degree to which the heater 230 heats the aerosol product can also be changed. Since the amplitude or frequency of the magnetic field generated by the coil 231 can also be changed by the power applied to the coil 231, the aerosol generation device 200 can control the heating of the aerosol product by adjusting the power applied to the coil 231. For example, the aerosol generation device 200 can control the amplitude and frequency of the alternating current applied to the coil 231.

[0086] As one example, the coil 231 may be embodied as a solenoid. The coil 231 may be a solenoid wound along the inner surface of the housing of the aerosol generating device 200, and the heater 230 and the aerosol generating components may be located in the internal space of the solenoid. The material of the solenoid may be copper (Cu). However, the material is not limited thereto, and any one of silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni), or an alloy containing at least one of them, may be used as the material of the solenoid.

[0087] The battery 210 can supply power to the aerosol generating device 200. The battery 210 can supply power to the coil 231. The battery 210 can generate direct current and also includes a converter that converts the supplied direct current into alternating current in order to supply alternating current to the coil 231.

[0088] The battery 210 can also supply direct current to the aerosol generating device 200. The battery 210 can be, but is not limited to, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. For example, the battery can be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery, a lithium titanate battery, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, etc.

[0089] The conversion unit also includes a low-pass filter that filters the DC and outputs AC to be supplied to the coil 231. The conversion unit also includes an amplifier for amplifying the DC. For example, the conversion unit may be realized using a low-pass filter that forms a load network of a class-D amplifier.

[0090] The control unit 220 can control the power supplied to the coil 231. The control unit 220 can control the battery 210 so as to adjust the power supplied to the coil 231. For example, the control unit 220 can maintain the heating temperature of the aerosol product based on the temperature of the heater 230. Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0091] 4, the aerosol generating device 200 also includes a battery 210, a heater 230, a sensor 240, a user interface 250, a memory 260, and a control unit 220. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 200 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 3. A person skilled in the art related to this embodiment would understand that some of the components shown in Fig. 3 may be omitted or new components may be added depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 200.

[0092] The battery 210 supplies power used to operate the aerosol generating device 200. That is, the battery 210 can supply power so that the heater 230 can be heated. The battery 210 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device 200, namely, the sensor 240, the user interface 250, the memory 260, and the control unit 220. The battery 210 can be a rechargeable battery or a single-use battery.

[0093] The aerosol generating device 200 also includes at least one sensor 240. The results sensed by the at least one sensor 240 are transmitted to the control unit 220, and the control unit 220 can control the aerosol generating device 200 to perform various functions such as controlling the operation of a heater, restricting smoking, detecting the insertion of an aerosol product, and displaying notifications based on the sensing results.

[0094] For example, the at least one sensor 240 may also include a puff sensor that can sense a user's puff based on any one of a temperature change, an airflow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

[0095] The at least one sensor 240 also includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heater 230 (or the aerosol product). The aerosol generating device 200 may include a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heater 230. Alternatively, the aerosol generating device 200 may not include a separate temperature sensor, and instead, the heater 230 itself may function as the temperature sensor. In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 200 further includes a temperature sensor, with the heater 230 functioning as the temperature sensor.

[0096] The at least one sensor 240 also includes a temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature of the aerosol generation device 200. The ambient temperature is the temperature outside the aerosol generation device 200. The ambient temperature is the temperature of the atmosphere into which the aerosol generated from the aerosol product is emitted in the aerosol generation device 200. The temperature sensor can be disposed outside the housing to measure the ambient temperature, or on a path through which external air flows into the aerosol generation device 200. The temperature sensor can transmit information related to the measured ambient temperature to the control unit 220, and the control unit 220 can determine a heating profile for heating the aerosol product based on the ambient temperature.

[0097] The at least one sensor also includes a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor can measure the ambient humidity of the aerosol generation device 200. The ambient humidity is the humidity outside the aerosol generation device 200. The ambient humidity is the humidity of the atmosphere into which the aerosol generated from the aerosol product in the aerosol generation device 200 is emitted. The humidity sensor can be disposed outside the housing or on a path through which external air flows in to measure the ambient humidity. The humidity sensor can transmit information related to the measured ambient humidity to the control unit 220, and the control unit 220 can determine a heating profile for heating the aerosol product based on the ambient humidity.

[0098] At least one sensor may also include an inductive sensor that can detect whether an aerosol product has been inserted into the aerosol generation device 200. In one example, the aerosol product may include a metal material such as aluminum, and the inductive sensor may detect a change in inductance that occurs when the aerosol product is inserted into the aerosol generation device 200. However, the inductive sensor is not necessarily limited to this, and may be replaced with other types of sensors, such as an optical sensor, a temperature sensor, or a resistance sensor.

[0099] The control unit 220 may control the aerosol generating device 200 so that heating starts automatically without any external input when the insertion of the aerosol product is detected. For example, the control unit 220 may control the battery 210 to supply power to the coil when the insertion of the aerosol product is detected. However, the control unit 220 is not necessarily limited thereto, and may control the aerosol generating device 200 so that heating starts when there is any external input.

[0100] The user interface 250 can provide the user with information related to the status of the aerosol generating device 200. The user interface 250 can also include various interfacing means, such as a display or lamp that outputs visual information, a motor that outputs tactile information, a speaker that outputs sound information, a terminal for data communication with input / output (I / O) interfacing means (e.g., a button or a touch screen) that receives information input from the user or outputs information to the user, or for receiving charging power, and a communication interface for wireless communication with an external device (e.g., Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (near-field communication), etc.).

[0101] However, the aerosol generating device 200 may be implemented by selecting only some of the various user interfaces 250 exemplified above.

[0102] The user interface 250 also includes a display that outputs visual information related to the aerosol generation device 200. Here, the visual information related to the aerosol generation device 200 includes all information related to the operation of the aerosol generation device 200. For example, the display can output information related to the status of the aerosol generation device 200 (e.g., whether the aerosol generation device is usable, etc.), information related to the heater 230 (e.g., start of preheating, progress of preheating, completion of preheating, etc.), information related to the battery 210 (e.g., remaining capacity of the battery 210, whether the battery 210 is usable, etc.), information related to resetting the aerosol generation device 200 (e.g., time to reset, progress of reset, completion of reset, etc.), information related to cleaning of the aerosol generation device 200 (e.g., time to clean, cleaning required, progress of cleaning, completion of cleaning, etc.), information related to charging of the aerosol generation device 200 (e.g., charging required, progress of charging, completion of charging, etc.), information related to puffs (e.g., number of puffs, puff end warning, etc.), or information related to safety (e.g., elapsed usage time, etc.).

[0103] The communication interface may be communicatively connected to an external device, an external server, etc. For example, the communication interface may be embodied in a form supporting at least one communication method among various types of digital interfaces, AP-based Wi-Fi (WLAN: wireless local area network), Bluetooth®, Zigbee®, wired / wireless LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), Ethernet®, IEEE 1394, HDMI®, USB, MHL, AES / EBU, optical communication, coaxial communication, etc. The communication interface may also include a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) channel for transmitting video signals and audio signals, a display data channel (DDC) for transmitting and receiving device information and information related to video or audio (e.g., enhanced extended display identification data (E-EDID)), and a consumer electronic control (CEC) for transmitting and receiving control signals. However, the present invention is not limited to these and may be implemented using various interfaces.

[0104] The memory 260 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 200, and can store data processed by the control unit 220 and data to be processed. The memory 260 can be implemented using various types of memory, such as RAM (random access memory) such as DRAM (dynamic random access memory) or SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), and EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0105] The memory 260 may store data such as the operating time of the aerosol generating device 200, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and data related to the user's smoking pattern.

[0106] The control unit 220 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 200. The control unit 220 includes at least one processor. The processor may be realized by an array of multiple logic gates, or by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor. Those skilled in the art will understand that the controller 220 may also be realized by other forms of hardware.

[0107] 4, the aerosol generation device 200 can also constitute an aerosol generation system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can be used to charge the battery 210 of the aerosol generation device 200. For example, while the aerosol generation device 200 is accommodated in the accommodation space inside the cradle, the battery of the cradle can supply power to the aerosol generation device 200, thereby charging the battery 210 of the aerosol generation device 200.

[0108] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 3 with the aerosol producing article shown in FIG. 1 inserted therein.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 5, the aerosol generating device 200 also includes a storage space for storing the aerosol product 100, a heater 230 for heating the aerosol product 100, and a battery 210 for supplying power to the heater 230.

[0110] The heater 230 of the aerosol generating device 200 heats the first portion 110 of the aerosol product 100, and the aerosol generating element in the first portion 110 generates aerosol. The generated aerosol passes through the second portion 120, is cooled by the cooling element, and flows into the third portion 130. The aerosol flowing into the third portion 130 heats the tobacco element, which can vaporize the nicotine. The vaporized nicotine can then be transferred to the fourth portion 140 along with the aerosol. The aerosol and nicotine that pass through the filter element in the fourth portion 140 can be provided to the user.

[0111] The aerosol product 100 can be heated by a heater 230 that is accommodated in an accommodation space of the aerosol generating device 200 and arranged to surround the accommodation space and at least a portion of the first portion 110. That is, the first portion 110 of the aerosol product 100 can be directly heated by the heater 230 of the aerosol generating device 200, while the third portion 130 can be indirectly heated by the aerosol.

[0112] In prior art aerosol products, the aerosol-generating element and the tobacco element must be heated to different temperatures to achieve uniform aerosol and nicotine delivery throughout the smoking time, but because the aerosol-generating element and the tobacco element are adjacent to each other, it is difficult to adjust the heating temperatures.

[0113] In contrast, in the aerosol product 100 according to one embodiment, the first portion 110 and the third portion 130 are spaced apart, making it easy to adjust the temperatures of the first portion 110 and the third portion 130 to be different from each other. Furthermore, the heater 230 of the aerosol generating device 200 is disposed at a position corresponding to the first portion 110 of the aerosol product 100 so as to surround the first portion 110, so that only the first portion 110 can be directly heated by the heater 230. The tobacco element contained in the third portion 130 can be heated by the high-temperature aerosol generated in the first portion 110 and passing through the third portion 130.

[0114] Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be embodied in various modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics described above. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered from an illustrative rather than a restrictive perspective. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope of the claims should be construed as being within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

[Claim 1] In the aerosol product, a first portion including an aerosol-generating element; a second portion including a cooling element; a third portion comprising a tobacco element; a fourth portion including a filter element; The aerosol product, wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are aligned in order with reference to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol product.

Images