Aerosol generating device

Abstract

The aerosol generating device according to the embodiment includes a processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generating device, an oscillation unit that is supplied with AC power and generates microwaves within a preset frequency range, a resonance unit that includes an accommodation space for accommodating an aerosol generating article, resonates incident microwaves output from the oscillation unit, and heats the aerosol generating article inserted into the accommodation space, and a power monitoring unit that monitors reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit. The processor determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device that heats an aerosol generating article by dielectric heating.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the drawbacks of conventional cigarettes. For example, there is an increasing demand for a system that generates an aerosol by heating a cigarette (or "aerosol generating article") using an aerosol generating device, rather than by burning the cigarette to generate an aerosol.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Recently, research has been actively conducted on a method of automatically starting the heating of a device when the insertion of an aerosol generating article into the aerosol generating device is detected. In addition, research has been actively conducted on a method of automatically ending the heating of the device when the exhaustion of the aerosol generating substance contained in the aerosol generating article is detected.

[0004] At this time, in order to detect the insertion of the aerosol generating article, a separate sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor, a film sensor, an optical sensor, or an infrared sensor) may be mounted on the aerosol generating device.

[0005] By implementing a method of detecting the insertion of the aerosol generating article and starting heating without user input, the convenience of the user using the aerosol generating device can be increased. However, if the aerosol generating device includes a separate sensor for detecting the insertion of the aerosol generating article or the exhaustion of the aerosol generating substance, the hardware complexity and manufacturing cost will increase. In addition, providing a space for mounting a separate sensor in the aerosol generating device, which is a relatively small-sized electronic device, will impose restrictions on the design change of the aerosol generating device.

[0006] The problems to be solved through the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the foregoing problems, and problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment includes a processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generating device, an oscillation unit that is provided with alternating current power and generates microwaves within a preset frequency range, a resonance unit that includes an accommodation space for accommodating an aerosol generating article, resonates incident microwaves output from the oscillation unit, and heats the aerosol generating article inserted into the accommodation space, and a power monitoring unit that monitors reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit. The processor determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] The aerosol generating device of the present disclosure has the advantage that the power transmission efficiency is significantly increased because it uses microwave resonance to heat a dielectric material.

[0009] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment monitors the reflected microwaves of a resonator into which an aerosol generating article is inserted, determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted, and can determine whether the aerosol generating substance is exhausted.

[0010] The effects according to the present embodiment are not limited to the foregoing effects, and effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment includes a processor that controls the operation of the aerosol generating device, an oscillation unit that is provided with alternating current power and generates microwaves within a preset frequency range, a storage space that houses an aerosol generating article, a resonance unit that resonates the incident microwaves output from the oscillation unit and heats the aerosol generating article inserted into the storage space, and a power monitoring unit that monitors the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit. The processor determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit.

[0013] When the reflected microwaves are smaller than a first critical value, the processor determines that the aerosol generating article has been inserted.

[0014] When the phase difference between the incident microwaves and the reflected microwaves is greater than a second critical value, the processor determines that the aerosol generating article has been inserted.

[0015] The processor controls to supply first power to the oscillation unit, determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted, and when it is determined that the aerosol generating article is inserted, controls to supply second power different from the magnitude of the first power to the oscillation unit to heat the aerosol generating article.

[0016] The first power is characterized by being smaller than the second power.

[0017] The processor monitors the amplitude ratio of the reflected microwave with respect to the incident microwave, and when the ratio of the current amplitude ratio of the amplitude ratio comparison at the start time of heating is smaller than a third critical value, controls to supply the first power.

[0018] The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit within a preset reference band range, calculates a resonance frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave becomes minimum, and when the difference between the resonance frequency and the resonance frequency at the start time of heating is greater than a fourth critical value, controls to supply the first power.

[0019] The aerosol generating device further includes an output unit that outputs information related to the state of the aerosol generating device, and the control unit controls the output unit to provide the information to the user by at least one of means of vision, touch, and hearing.

[0020] The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit within the reference band range between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

[0021] The resonance unit includes a first internal conductor having a hollow cylinder shape surrounding a first region, and a second internal conductor having a hollow cylinder shape arranged at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor and surrounding a second region different from the first region, and the first internal conductor and the second internal conductor resonate the microwave.

[0022] The resonant part includes a first plate surrounding a third region and a second plate surrounding a fourth region that is separated from the first plate along the circumferential direction of the third region and is different from the third region. The microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

[0023] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail. However, regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, the same or similar components will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions related thereto will be omitted.

[0024] The suffixes “~module” and “~part” related to the components used in the following description are attached or mixed only for the ease of preparing the specification, and do not have meanings or roles that are distinguishable from each other per se.

[0025] In addition, in the description of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, when it is determined that a specific description related to related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, the accompanying drawings are only for facilitating the understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical idea disclosed in this specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included in the idea and technical scope of this disclosure are included.

[0026] Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second can be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0027] When a component is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but it should also be understood that other components may be present in between. Note that when a component is referred to as being "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that no other components are present in between.

[0028] The singular forms include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating device 100 according to an embodiment includes a housing 110 capable of accommodating an aerosol generating article 10, and a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 accommodated in the housing 110.

[0031] The housing 110 forms the overall appearance of the aerosol generating device 100, and components of the aerosol generating device 100 can be arranged in the internal space (or "mounting space") of the housing 110. For example, a heater assembly 200, a battery, a processor, and / or a sensor can be arranged in the internal space of the housing 110, but the components arranged in the internal space are not limited thereto.

[0032] An insertion port 110h is formed in a region of the housing 110, and at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion port 110h can be formed in a region of the upper end surface (e.g., the surface facing the z direction) of the housing 110, but the position where the insertion port 110h is formed is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the insertion port 110h can also be formed in a region of the side surface (e.g., the surface facing the x direction) of the housing 110.

[0033] The heater assembly 200 is disposed in the internal space of the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol generating article 10 inserted or accommodated into the housing 110 through the insertion port 110h. For example, the heater assembly 200 is disposed so as to surround at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted or accommodated in the housing 110 and can heat the aerosol generating article 10.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can heat the aerosol generating article 10 by a dielectric heating method. In the present disclosure, the “dielectric heating method” means a method of heating a dielectric material, which is an object to be heated, by utilizing resonance of microwaves and / or an electric field (or a magnetic field including the same) of microwaves. The microwaves are an energy source for heating the object to be heated and are generated by high-frequency power. Therefore, hereinafter, the microwaves can be used interchangeably with microwave power.

[0035] Inside the heater assembly 200, due to microwave resonance, charges or ions of the dielectric contained inside the aerosol generating article 10 vibrate or rotate, and heat is generated in the dielectric due to frictional heat generated during the process in which the charges or ions vibrate or rotate, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated.

[0036] When the aerosol generating article 10 is heated by the heater assembly 200, an aerosol can be generated from the aerosol generating article 10. In the present disclosure, the “aerosol” can mean gas particles generated by mixing vapor and air generated when the aerosol generating article 10 is heated.

[0037] The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article 10 can be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100 by passing through the aerosol generating article 10 or through the empty space between the aerosol generating article 10 and the insertion port 110h. A user can smoke by bringing the mouth into contact with an area of the aerosol generating article 10 exposed to the outside of the housing 110 and inhaling the aerosol discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0038] The aerosol generating device 100 according to one embodiment further includes a cover 111 movably disposed in the housing 110 for opening and closing the insertion port 110h. For example, the cover 111 is slidably coupled to the upper end surface of the housing 110 to expose the insertion port 110h to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100 or to cover the insertion port 110h so that the insertion port 110h is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0039] In one example, the cover 111 is configured such that in the first position (or, "open position"), the insertion port 110h is exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100. When the aerosol generating device 100 is exposed to the outside, the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted into the housing 110 through the insertion port 110h.

[0040] In another example, the cover 111 is configured such that in the second position (or, "closed position"), the insertion port 110h is covered so that the insertion port 110h is not exposed to the outside of the aerosol generating device 100. At this time, the cover 111 can prevent foreign matter from flowing into the inside of the heater assembly 200 through the insertion port 110h when the aerosol generating device 100 is not in use.

[0041] FIG. 1 only shows the aerosol generating device 100 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 in a solid state, but the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[0042] According to other embodiments, the aerosol generating device heats a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating substance via the heater assembly 200 to generate an aerosol, rather than the solid-state aerosol generating article 10.

[0043] According to still other embodiments, the aerosol generating device includes a heater assembly 200 for heating the aerosol generating article 10 and a cartridge (or “vaporizer”) containing a liquid or gel-like aerosol generating substance for heating the aerosol generating substance. The aerosol generated from the aerosol generating substance moves along the cartridge and an air flow path communicating with the aerosol generating article 10 to the aerosol generating article 10, is mixed with the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article 10, and then passes through the aerosol generating article 10 and can be transmitted to the user.

[0044] FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol generating device 100 also includes an input unit 102, an output unit 103, a sensor unit 104, a communication unit 105, a memory 106, a battery 107, an interface unit 108, a power conversion unit 109, and a dielectric heating unit 200. However, the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to what is shown in FIG. 2. Depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 100, some of the configurations shown in FIG. 2 may be omitted or new configurations may be further added.

[0046] The input unit 102 can receive user input. For example, the input unit 102 can be provided as a single pressure-operated push button. As another example, the input unit 102 is also a touch panel including at least one touch sensor. The input unit 102 can transmit an input signal to the processor 101. The processor 101 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 or control the output unit 103 based on the user input to output a user notification.

[0047] The output unit 103 can output information related to the state of the aerosol generating device 100. The output unit 103 can output the charging / discharging state of the battery 107, the heating state of the dielectric heating unit 200, the insertion state of the aerosol generating article 10, and the error information of the aerosol generating device 100. For this purpose, the output unit 103 also includes a display, a haptic motor, and an acoustic output unit.

[0048] The sensor unit 104 can sense the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the state around the aerosol generating device 100, and transmit the sensed information to the processor 101. Based on the sensed information, the processor 101 can control the aerosol generating device 100 so that various functions such as heating control of the dielectric heating unit 200, smoking restriction, determination of whether the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted, and notification display are performed.

[0049] The sensor unit 104 also includes a temperature sensor, a puff sensor, and an insertion sensing sensor.

[0050] The temperature sensor can sense the temperature inside the dielectric heating unit 200 in a non-contact manner, or contact the dielectric heating unit 200 to directly obtain the temperature of the resonator. According to one embodiment, the temperature sensor can also sense the temperature of the aerosol generating article 10. Further, the temperature sensor is arranged adjacent to the battery 107 and can obtain the temperature of the battery 107. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the temperature information of the temperature sensor.

[0051] The puff sensor can sense the user's puff. The puff sensor can sense the user's puff based on at least one of a temperature change, a flow change, a power change, and a pressure change. The processor 101 can control the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 based on the puff information of the puff sensor. For example, the processor 101 can count the number of puffs, and when the number of puffs reaches a preset maximum number of puffs, the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 can be cut off. As another example, when no puff is sensed for a preset time or more, the processor 101 can cut off the power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200.

[0052] The insertion sensing sensor is arranged inside the accommodation space 220h (Fig. 4) or adjacent to the accommodation space 220h, and can sense the insertion and removal of the aerosol generating article 10 accommodated in the insertion port 110h. For example, the insertion sensing sensor may include an inductive sensor and / or a capacitance sensor. When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the insertion port 110h, the processor 101 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200.

[0053] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 100 can be configured with the insertion sensing sensor omitted. The aerosol generating device 100 can determine whether the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted based on the incident wave and / or the reflected wave of the microwave used in the dielectric heating unit 200.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the sensor unit 104 may additionally include a reuse sensing sensor, a motion sensing sensor, a humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a cover attachment / detachment sensing sensor, a position sensor (GPS (global positioning system)), and a proximity sensor, etc. Since the functions of each sensor can be intuitively inferred from its name, specific descriptions are omitted.

[0055] The communication unit 105 also includes at least one communication module for communication with an external electronic device. The processor 101 can control the communication unit 105 and transmit information related to the aerosol generating device 100 to the external electronic device. Alternatively, the processor 101 can receive information from the external electronic device via the communication unit 105 and control the components included in the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the transmission information between the communication unit 105 and the external electronic device may include user authentication information, firmware update information, user smoking pattern information, and the like.

[0056] The memory 106 is hardware for storing various data processed within the aerosol generating device 100, and can store the data processed by the processor 101 and the data to be processed. For example, the memory 106 can store the operating time of the aerosol generating device 100, the maximum puff count, the current puff count, at least one temperature profile, and data related to the user's smoking pattern.

[0057] The battery 107 can supply power to the dielectric heating unit 200 so that the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated. Also, the battery 107 can supply power required for the operation of other components provided within the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 107 is a rechargeable battery and is also a separable detachable battery.

[0058] The interface unit 108 also includes a connection terminal that can be physically connected to an external electronic device. The connection terminal includes at least one of an HDMI (registered trademark) (high definition multimedia interface) connector, a USB (universal serial bus) connector, an SD (secure digital) card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector), or a combination thereof. The interface unit 108 can transmit and receive information with the external electronic device or charge the power supply via the connection terminal.

[0059] The power conversion unit 109 can convert the DC power supplied from the battery 107 into AC power. Further, the power conversion unit 109 can provide the converted AC power to the dielectric heating unit 200. The power conversion unit 109 is also an inverter including at least one switching element, and the processor 101 can control the ON / OFF of the switching element included in the power conversion unit 109 to convert the DC power into AC power. The power conversion unit 109 can be configured as a full-bridge or a half-bridge.

[0060] The dielectric heating unit 200 can heat the aerosol generating article 10 by a dielectric heating method. The dielectric heating unit 200 has a configuration corresponding to the heater assembly 200 in FIG. 1.

[0061] The dielectric heating unit 200 can use microwaves and / or the electric field of microwaves (hereinafter, referred to as microwaves or microwave power when there is no need for distinction) to heat the aerosol generating article 10. The heating method of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not a method of radiating the microwaves using an antenna, but a method of heating the object to be heated by forming the microwaves in a resonance structure. The resonance structure will be described later with reference to FIG. 4 and below.

[0062] The dielectric heating unit 200 can output microwaves, which are high-frequency waves, to the resonance unit 220 (FIG. 3). The microwaves are the power in the ISM (industrial, scientific and medical equipment) band allowed for heating, but are not limited thereto. The resonance unit 220 can be designed in consideration of the wavelength of the microwaves so that the microwaves can be resonated within the resonance unit 220.

[0063] The aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the resonance part 220, and the dielectric material in the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the resonance part 220. For example, the aerosol generating article 10 also contains a polar substance, and the molecules in the polar substance can be polarized inside the resonance part 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the frictional heat generated during the process. The description related to the dielectric heating part 200 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0064] The processor 101 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. The processor 101 can be implemented by an array of a large number of logic gates, or can also be implemented by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program that can be executed by the microprocessor is stored. It can also be implemented by other forms of hardware.

[0065] The processor 101 can control the DC power supplied from the battery 107 to the power conversion unit 109 and / or the AC power supplied from the power conversion unit 109 to the dielectric heating unit 200 according to the required power of the dielectric heating unit 200.

[0066] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a converter for boosting or intensifying DC power, and the processor 101 can control the converter to adjust the magnitude of the DC power. Also, the processor 101 can control the AC power supplied to the dielectric heating unit 200 by adjusting the switching frequency and duty ratio of the switching element included in the power conversion unit 109.

[0067] The processor 101 can control the heating temperature of the aerosol generating article 10 by controlling the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 and the resonance frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200. Therefore, the oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 in FIG. 3 described later are also part of the processor 101.

[0068] Based on the temperature profile information stored in the memory 106, the processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200. In other words, the temperature profile includes information related to the target temperature of the dielectric heating unit 200 over time, and the processor 101 can control the microwave power of the dielectric heating unit 200 over time.

[0069] The processor 101 can adjust the frequency of the microwave so that the resonance frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 is constant. The processor 101 can track in real time the change in the resonance frequency of the dielectric heating unit 200 due to the heating of the object to be heated, and can control the dielectric heating unit 200 so that the microwave frequency based on the changed resonance frequency is output. In other words, the processor 101 can change the microwave frequency in real time regardless of the pre-stored temperature profile.

[0070] Figure 3 is an internal block diagram of the dielectric heating unit of Figure 2.

[0071] Referring to Figure 3, the dielectric heating unit 200 also includes an oscillation unit 210, an isolation unit 240, a power monitoring unit 250, a matching unit 260, a microwave output unit 230, and a resonance unit 220. However, the internal configuration of the dielectric heating unit 200 is not limited to what is shown in Figure 3. Depending on the design of the dielectric heating unit 200, some of the configurations shown in Figure 3 may be omitted, or new configurations may be further added.

[0072] The oscillation unit 210 can be provided with alternating current power from the power conversion unit 109 and generate high-frequency microwave power. According to one embodiment, the power conversion unit 109 is also a configuration included in the oscillation unit 210. The microwave power can be selected from the frequency bands of 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz included in the ISM band.

[0073] The oscillation unit 210 includes an RF (radio frequency) generation device on a solid-state substrate, and can generate microwave power using the same. The RF generation device on the solid-state substrate can be implemented by a semiconductor. When the oscillation unit 210 is implemented with a semiconductor, there are advantages such as the miniaturization of the dielectric heating unit 200 being possible and the device lifespan being extended.

[0074] The oscillation unit 210 can output microwave power toward the resonance unit 220. The oscillation unit 210 includes a power amplifier (power amp) that increases and decreases the microwave power, and the power amplifier can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power under the control of the processor 101. For example, the power amplifier can increase and decrease the amplitude of the microwave. By adjusting the amplitude of the microwave, the microwave power can be adjusted.

[0075] The processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 based on the operating mode of the aerosol generation device 100. For example, the aerosol generation device 100 can operate in a standby mode and a heating mode. The standby mode refers to a state where the power of the aerosol generation device 100 is turned on, but the heater assembly 200 or the dielectric heating unit 200 does not perform a heating operation. The heating mode is a stage where the heater assembly 200 or the dielectric heating unit 200 performs a heating operation, and can be divided into a preheating section and a smoking section. The oscillation unit 210 can supply microwave power with a first power in the standby mode and supply microwave power with a second power greater than the first power in the heating section. The processor 101 can determine whether an aerosol generation article is inserted in the standby mode, and if it is determined that the aerosol generation article is inserted, the processor 101 can control the aerosol generation device 100 to operate in the heating mode. Also, in the heating mode, the processor 101 can monitor whether the aerosol generating substance contained in the aerosol generation article is exhausted. If the aerosol generating substance is less than a critical value, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol generating substance is exhausted and terminate the heating mode operation.

[0076] Based on the pre - stored temperature profile, the processor 101 can adjust the magnitude of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210. For example, the temperature profile includes target temperature information for the pre - heating section and the smoking section. The oscillation unit 210 can supply microwave power at a second - 1 power level during the pre - heating section and at a second - 2 power level, which is smaller than the second - 1 power level, during the smoking section.

[0077] The isolation unit 240 can block the microwave power input from the resonance unit 220 towards the oscillation unit 210. A part of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 can be reflected by the object to be heated and further transmitted towards the oscillation unit 210 side. When the microwave power reflected from the resonance unit 220 is input to the oscillation unit 210, not only the failure of the oscillation unit 210 but also the expected output performance cannot be achieved. The isolation unit 240 can direct the microwave power reflected from the resonance unit 220 in a predetermined direction without returning it to the oscillation unit 210 and absorb it. For this purpose, the isolation unit 240 includes a circulator and a dummy load.

[0078] The power monitoring unit 250 can monitor the reflected microwave power reflected from the resonance unit 220. Also, the power monitoring unit 250 can monitor the incident microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 and incident on the resonance unit 220. The power monitoring unit 250 can transmit information related to the microwave power and the reflected microwave power to the integration unit 260.

[0079] Within the resonance unit 220, the reflection characteristics of microwaves can vary depending on the permittivity within the resonance unit 220. Permittivity is an important characteristic value indicating the electrical properties of a dielectric material, that is, a non-conductor. Permittivity does not indicate electrical properties related to direct current (DC) current, but is directly related to the properties of alternating current (AC) current, particularly alternating electromagnetic waves. Specifically, the magnitude of the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit 220 can vary depending on the complex dielectric constant within the resonance unit 220. Within the resonance unit 220, the microwave absorption can be expressed by the loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. Also, the phase of the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit 220 can vary depending on the permittivity within the resonance unit 220. When an aerosol generating article containing a dielectric material is inserted into the accommodation space of the resonance unit 220, the permittivity of the resonance unit 220 will be different. Therefore, by analyzing the reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit 220, it is possible to determine whether the aerosol generating article is inserted into the accommodation space of the resonance unit 220.

[0080] The matching unit 260 can match the impedance seen from the oscillation unit 210 to the resonance unit 220 and the impedance seen from the resonance unit 220 to the oscillation unit 210 so that the reflected microwave power is minimized. This impedance matching also means the same as making the frequency of the oscillation unit 210 coincide with the resonance frequency of the resonance unit 220. Therefore, the matching unit 260 can vary the frequency of the oscillation unit 210 to match the impedance. In other words, the matching unit 260 can adjust the frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit 210 so that the reflected microwave power is minimized. The impedance matching of the matching unit 260 can be performed in real time regardless of the temperature profile.

[0081] Note that the aforementioned oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 are separate configurations distinct from the microwave output unit 230 and resonance unit 220 described later, and can be implemented as a microwave source in chip form. Also, according to one embodiment, the aforementioned oscillation unit 210, isolation unit 240, power monitoring unit 250, and matching unit 260 can also be implemented as part of the processor 101.

[0082] The microwave output unit 230 is a configuration for inputting microwave power to the resonance unit 220 and is also a configuration corresponding to the coupler below FIG. 3. The microwave output unit 230 can be implemented in the form of SMA (SubMiniature Version A), SMB (SubMiniature Version B), MCX (Micro Coaxial), or MMCX (Micro-Miniature Coaxial) connectors. The microwave output unit 230 can connect the chip-form microwave source and the resonance unit 220 to each other and transmit the microwave power generated in the microwave source to the resonance unit 220.

[0083] The resonance unit 220 can heat the object to be heated by forming microwaves within the resonance structure. The resonance unit 220 includes an accommodation space in which the aerosol generating article 10 is accommodated, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be exposed to microwaves and dielectrically heated. For example, the aerosol generating article 10 also contains a polar substance, and the molecules within the polar substance can be polarized by microwaves inside the resonance unit 220. The molecules vibrate or rotate due to the polarization phenomenon, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the frictional heat generated during this process.

[0084] The resonance unit 220 includes at least one internal conductor so that microwaves can be resonated. Microwaves can be resonated inside the resonance unit 220 depending on the arrangement, thickness, length, etc. of the internal conductor.

[0085] The resonance part 220 can be designed considering the wavelength of the microwave so that the microwave can resonate inside the resonance part 220. In order for the microwave to resonate inside the resonance part 220, a closed end (short end) in cross section and an open end where at least one region of the cross section is open in the direction opposite to the closed end are required. Also, the length between the closed end and the open end must be set to an integer multiple of 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength. The resonance part 220 of the present disclosure selects 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength for miniaturization of the device. In other words, the length between the closed end and the open end of the resonance part 220 can be set to 1 / 4 of the microwave wavelength.

[0086] The resonance part 220 also includes a dielectric accommodation space. The dielectric accommodation space is configured to be separated from the accommodation space of the aerosol generating article 10, and a substance that can change the overall resonance frequency of the resonance part 220 and miniaturize the resonance part 220 is arranged. In one embodiment, a dielectric having a low microwave absorption degree can be accommodated in the dielectric accommodation space. This is to prevent the phenomenon that the energy that must be transmitted to the object to be heated is transmitted to the dielectric and the dielectric itself generates heat. The microwave absorption degree can be expressed by the loss tangent, which is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the complex dielectric constant. In one embodiment, a dielectric having a loss tangent equal to or less than a preset magnitude is accommodated in the dielectric accommodation space 227, and the preset magnitude is also 1 / 100. For example, the dielectric is at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0087] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heater assembly according to one embodiment.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 4, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment also includes an oscillation unit 210 and a resonance unit 220. FIG. 4 is also one embodiment of the aforementioned heater assembly 200 and the dielectric heating unit 200, and duplicate descriptions hereinafter will be omitted.

[0089] When power is supplied to the oscillation unit 210, microwaves in a specified frequency band can be generated. The microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 210 can be transmitted to the resonance unit 220 via a coupler (not shown). In one example, the oscillation unit 210 can be fixed on the resonance unit 220 by being supported by a bracket 220b protruding along the x-direction in a region of the resonance unit 220.

[0090] The resonance unit 220 also includes an accommodation space 220h for accommodating at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10, and can heat the aerosol generating article 10 by dielectric heating by resonating the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 210. For example, due to the resonance of the microwaves, the charges of glycerin contained in the aerosol generating article 10 vibrate or rotate, and heat is generated in the glycerin due to the frictional heat generated during the vibration or rotation of the charges, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the resonance unit 220 can be formed of a material with a low microwave absorption rate to prevent the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 210 from being absorbed by the resonance unit 220.

[0092] Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 5, the specific structure of the resonance unit 220 of the heater assembly 200 will be described.

[0093] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heater assembly of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the heater assembly 200 of FIG. 4 cut in the A-A' direction.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 5, a heater assembly 200 according to an embodiment also includes an oscillation unit 210, a resonance unit 220, and a coupler 230. The components of the heater assembly 200 are the same as, or similar to, at least one of the components of the heater assembly 200 in FIG. 4. In the following, duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

[0095] When an alternating voltage is applied to the oscillation unit 210, microwaves in a specified frequency band are generated, and the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 210 can be transmitted to the resonance unit 220 via the coupler 230.

[0096] According to an embodiment, the oscillation unit 210 can be fixed to the resonance unit 220 in a dimension that prevents separation from the resonance unit 220 during the use process of the aerosol generating device. In one example, the oscillation unit 210 can be fixed on the resonance unit 220 by being supported by a bracket 220b protruding along the x direction in a region of the resonance unit 220. In another example, the oscillation unit 210 can also be fixed on the resonance unit 220 in a manner of being attached on a region of the resonance unit 220 without the bracket 220b.

[0097] In the drawings, only the embodiment in which the oscillation unit 210 is fixed to a region of the resonance unit 220 in the x direction is illustrated, but the position of the oscillation unit 210 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the oscillation unit 210 can also be fixed to other regions of the resonance unit 220 in the -z direction.

[0098] The resonance unit 220 is arranged to surround at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted into the aerosol generating device, and can heat the aerosol generating article 10 via the microwaves generated by the oscillation unit 210. For example, the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 generates heat due to the electric field generated inside the resonance unit 220 by the microwaves, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating article 10 also includes a tobacco rod 11 and a filter rod 12.

[0100] The tobacco rod 11 contains aerosol generating substances and may be made of a sheet or strand, or may be made of shredded tobacco with the tobacco sheet finely cut. For example, the aerosol generating substances include, but are not limited to, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. Further, the tobacco rod 11 may also contain other additive substances such as flavoring agents, wetting agents, and / or organic acids. Also, a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant can be added to the tobacco rod 11 by a method of spraying it onto the tobacco rod 11.

[0101] The filter rod 12 is also a cellulose acetate filter. There is no limitation on the shape of the filter rod 12. For example, the filter rod 12 can be a cylindrical rod or a tube rod with a hollow inside. Also, the filter rod 12 can be a recessed rod. If the filter rod 12 is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments may be made in a different shape.

[0102] At least a part (e.g., glycerin) of the aerosol generating substances contained in the aerosol generating article 10 is also a dielectric having polarity in an electric field, and at least a part of such aerosol generating substances can generate heat by a dielectric heating method to heat the aerosol generating article 10.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the resonance part 220 also includes an outer conductor 221, a first internal conductor 223, and a second internal conductor 225.

[0104] The outer conductor 221 forms the overall appearance of the resonance section 220 and is formed in a hollow shape with an empty interior, and the components of the resonance section 220 can be arranged inside the outer conductor 221. The outer conductor 221 also includes a housing space 220h in which the aerosol generating article 10 can be housed, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted into the interior of the outer conductor 221 through the housing space 220h.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the outer conductor 221 also includes a first surface 221a, a second surface 221b arranged to face the first surface 221a, and a side surface 221c surrounding the empty space between the first surface 221a and the second surface 221b. At least a part of the components of the resonance section 220 (e.g., the first internal conductor 223, the second internal conductor 225) can be arranged in the internal space of the resonance section 220 formed by the first surface 221a, the second surface 221b, and the side surface 221c.

[0106] The first internal conductor 223 can be formed in a hollow cylinder shape extending in a direction from the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221.

[0107] According to one embodiment, a region of the first internal conductor 223 contacts a coupler 230 connected to the oscillation section 210, and the microwave generated by the oscillation section 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 223 through the coupler 230. For example, the coupler 230 penetrates the outer conductor 221 and is arranged such that one end contacts the oscillation section 210 and the other end contacts a region of the first internal conductor 223, and the microwave generated by the oscillation section 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 223 through the coupler 230.

[0108] At this time, the coupler 230 can be arranged to penetrate the outer conductor 221 without contacting the outer conductor 221 for the transmission of the microwave, but as long as the microwave generated by the oscillation section 210 can be transmitted to the first internal conductor 223, the arrangement structure of the coupler 230 is not limited thereto.

[0109] The first region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the first internal conductor 223 can operate as a "first resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The first region refers to the space formed by the first surface 221a, the side surface 221c of the outer conductor 221, and the first internal conductor 223. Inside the first region, the microwave transmitted through the coupler 230 can resonate to generate an electric field. The second internal conductor 225 can be formed in a hollow cylinder shape extending from the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221 toward the internal space of the outer conductor 221. The second internal conductor 225 is arranged at a predetermined distance from the first internal conductor 223 in the internal space of the outer conductor 221, and a gap 226 can be formed between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225.

[0110] The second region formed between the outer conductor 221 and the second internal conductor 225 can operate as a "second resonator" that generates an electric field through microwave resonance. The second internal conductor 225 is also coupled (e.g., capacitive coupling) to the first internal conductor 223. When an electric field is generated inside the first region due to the aforementioned coupling relationship, an induced electric field can also be generated inside the second region. In the present disclosure, "capacitive coupling" can mean a coupling relationship in which energy can be transmitted by the capacitance (capacitance) between two conductors.

[0111] For example, when the microwave generated from the oscillation unit 210 is transmitted to the first internal conductor 223, an electric field is generated inside the first region due to resonance, and an induced electric field can be generated inside the second region formed by the second internal conductor 225 coupled to the outer conductor 221 and the first internal conductor 223.

[0112] According to an embodiment, the first region and the second region of the resonance unit 220 can operate as resonators having a length of a quarter wavelength (λ) of the microwave.

[0113] In one example, one end of the first region (e.g., the end in the -z direction) is formed as a short end by the first surface 221a of the outer conductor 221 closing the cross-section of the first region, and the other end of the first region (e.g., the end in the z direction) can be formed as an open end by the first surface 221a not being arranged and the cross-section being open. In another example, one end of the second region (e.g., the end in the -z direction) is formed as an open end by the cross-section being open, and the other end of the second region (e.g., the end in the z direction) can be formed as a short end by the second surface 221b of the outer conductor 221 closing the cross-section of the second region.

[0114] That is, the first region and the second region include a short end and an open end in a view in the xz plane, and as a whole, are formed in a "C" shape. Through the above-described structure, the first region and the second region can operate as a resonator having a quarter-wavelength length of microwaves.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 can be formed to have the same length with respect to the z-axis and arranged so that the first region and the second region are symmetric to each other, but are not limited thereto.

[0116] The aerosol generating article 10 inserted into the internal space of the outer conductor 221 through the accommodation space 220h is surrounded by the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 and can be heated by a dielectric heating method.

[0117] In the first region and / or the second region, at least a part of the electric field generated by the resonance of microwaves is propagated toward the inside of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 through the gap 226 between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225, and the aerosol generating article 10 surrounded by the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 can be heated by the propagated electric field. For example, the dielectric included in the aerosol generating article 10 generates heat due to the electric field propagated through the gap 226, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the heat generated from the dielectric.

[0118] According to one embodiment, in the heater assembly 200, by making the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 less than a specified value, it is possible to prevent the electric field propagated inside the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 from leaking outside the heater assembly 200 or the resonance portion 220.

[0119] In the present disclosure, the "specified value" may mean a diameter value at which the electric field begins to leak outside the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225. For example, when the diameter of the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 is greater than or equal to the specified value, a situation may occur where a part of the electric field flowing into the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 leaks outside the resonance portion 220.

[0120] Note that according to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 prevents the electric field from being propagated outside the resonance portion 220 through a structure in which the diameters of the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225 are less than a specified value. As a result, even without a separate shielding member, it is possible to prevent the electric field from leaking outside the heater assembly 200 or the resonance portion 220.

[0121] According to one embodiment, when the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the resonance portion 220 through the accommodation space 220h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol-generating article 10 can be arranged at a position corresponding to the gap 226 between the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225.

[0122] The electric field generated in the first region and the electric field generated in the second region flow into the first internal conductor 223 and / or the second internal conductor 225 through the gap 226, so that the strongest electric field can be generated in the peripheral region of the gap 226 in the internal region of the resonance portion 220.

[0123] In the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment, by arranging the tobacco rod 11 containing a dielectric that generates heat by an electric field at a position corresponding to the gap 226 where the electric field is the strongest, the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 200 can be improved.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the resonance part 220 is located inside the first internal conductor 223, closes the cross-section of the first internal conductor 223, and further includes a closing part 224 that restricts the flow direction of the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article 10. For example, the closing part 224 can close the cross-section of the first internal conductor 223 and block the flow of the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article 10 in the -z direction.

[0125] When the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating article 10 or the droplets generated by liquefying the aerosol flow in the -z direction and flow into other components of the aerosol generating device (e.g., the aerosol generating device 100 (FIG. 1)), it may cause malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generating device. Note that the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can prevent malfunction or damage to the components of the aerosol generating device caused by the aerosol or droplets by restricting the flow direction of the aerosol through the closing part 224.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the resonance part 220 further includes a dielectric accommodation space 227 for accommodating a dielectric. The dielectric accommodation space 227 means the empty space between the outer conductor 221 and the first internal conductor 223 and the second internal conductor 225, and a dielectric with a low microwave absorption degree can be accommodated in the dielectric accommodation space 227. For example, the dielectric can be at least one of quartz, tetrafluoroethylene, and aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0127] According to one embodiment, the heater assembly 200 can generate the same electric field as the resonance part 220 that does not contain the dielectric while reducing the overall size of the resonance part 220 by arranging the dielectric inside the dielectric accommodation space 227. That is, the heater assembly 200 according to one embodiment can reduce the size of the resonance part 220 through the dielectric arranged inside the dielectric accommodation space 227, and can reduce the mounting space of the resonance part 220 in the aerosol generating device. As a result, the aerosol generating device can be miniaturized.

[0128] FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a heater assembly according to another embodiment.

[0129] The heater assembly 300 according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 also includes a resonance part 320 that generates microwave resonance, and a coupler 311 that supplies microwaves to the resonance part 320.

[0130] The resonance part 320 also includes a case 321, a plurality of plates 323a, 323b, and a connecting part 322 that connects the plurality of plates 323a, 323b and the case 321.

[0131] The coupler 311 can supply microwaves to at least one of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b so as to generate microwave resonance in the resonance part 320.

[0132] The resonance part 320 can surround at least one region of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted inside the aerosol generating device. The coupler 311 can supply the microwaves generated by an oscillation part (not shown) to the resonance part 320. When microwaves are supplied to the resonance part 320, microwave resonance occurs in the resonance part 320, and the resonance part 320 can heat the aerosol generating article 10. For example, the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 generates heat by the electric field generated inside the resonance part 220 by microwaves, and the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by the heat generated in the dielectric.

[0133] The case 321 of the resonance part 320 performs the function of an "outer conductor". Since the case 321 is formed in a hollow shape with an empty interior, the components of the resonance part 320 can be arranged inside the case 321.

[0134] The case 321 also includes an accommodation space 320h in which the aerosol generating article 10 can be accommodated and an opening 321a into which the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted. The opening 321a is connected to the accommodation space 320h. Since the opening 321a is open toward the outside of the case 321, the accommodation space 320h is connected to the outside through the opening 321a. Therefore, the aerosol generating article 10 can be inserted into the accommodation space 320h of the case 321 through the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0135] The case 321 illustrated in the drawings has a square cross-sectional shape, but the shape of the case 321 can be deformed into various shapes. For example, the case 321 can be deformed to have various cross-sectional shapes such as rectangular, elliptical or circular. The case 321 can be extended long in one direction.

[0136] Inside the case 321, a plurality of plates 323a, 323b that can perform the function of the "inner conductor" of the resonance part 320 can be arranged.

[0137] The plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article 10 accommodated in the accommodation space 320h. The plurality of plates 323a, 323b also includes a first plate 323a arranged to surround one region of the aerosol generating article 10 and a second plate 323b arranged to surround another region of the aerosol generating article 10.

[0138] The plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be connected to the case 321 by a connecting part 322. Also, one end of the first plate 323a and one end of the second plate 323b of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be connected to each other by the connecting part 322. Therefore, at one end of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b, a closed end portion by the connecting part 322 can be formed.

[0139] The other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b among the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be opened by being spaced apart from each other. Since the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b are spaced apart from each other, an open end portion can be formed at the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b.

[0140] The resonator assembly can be completed by connecting the plurality of plates 323a, 323b and the connecting portion 322 to each other. The shape of the cross-section cut along the longitudinal direction of the resonator assembly also includes a "horseshoe-shape".

[0141] The plurality of plates 323a, 323b extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 10. At least a part of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be curved so as to protrude outward from the center in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 10.

[0142] For example, when the aerosol generating article 10 is manufactured in a cylindrical shape, the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be formed so as to be curved in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral surface of the aerosol generating article 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-section of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b is also the same as the radius of curvature of the aerosol generating article 10. The radius of curvature of the cross-section of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be variously deformed. For example, the radius of curvature of the cross-section of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b is larger or smaller than the radius of curvature of the aerosol generating article 10.

[0143] According to the structure in which the plurality of plates 323a, 323b are formed so as to be curved in the circumferential direction along the outer peripheral surface of the aerosol generating article 10, a more uniform electric field is formed in the resonance portion 320, so that the heater assembly 300 can uniformly heat the aerosol generating article 10.

[0144] The open ends of the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be positioned so as to face the opening 321a of the case 321. The opening 321a of the case 321 can be positioned so as to be spaced apart in a direction away from the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b.

[0145] The open ends of the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be aligned with the opening 321a of the case 321. Therefore, if the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted through the opening 321a of the case 321 and positioned in the accommodation space 320h, a part of the aerosol generating article 10 positioned in the accommodation space 320h can be surrounded by the plurality of plates 323a, 323b.

[0146] Two of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b are arranged at positions opposite to the longitudinal center of the aerosol generating article 10. One embodiment is not limited by the number of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b, and the number of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be, for example, three or four or more.

[0147] The plurality of plates 323a, 323b can be arranged symmetrically with respect to each other based on the central axis in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 10, that is, the direction in which the aerosol generating article 10 extends.

[0148] At least one of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b can contact a coupler 311 connected to an oscillation part (not shown). Specifically, at least a part of the first plate 323a can contact the coupler 311. If microwaves are transmitted to the first plate 323a through the coupler 311, microwave resonance is formed between the plurality of plates 323a, 323b. Also, microwave resonance is formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321 and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321, respectively. Therefore, an electric field can be generated between the plurality of plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322, between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321, and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321, respectively.

[0149] The coupler 311 penetrates the case 321, one end of the coupler 311 contacts an oscillation part (not shown), and the other end of the coupler 311 can contact an area of the first plate 323a. The microwave generated by the oscillation part (not shown) is transmitted through the coupler 311 to the plurality of plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322, so that an electric field can be generated inside the assembly of the plurality of plates 323a, 323b and the connecting part 322.

[0150] Also, according to the structure of the resonance part 320 of the heater assembly 300, a triple resonance mode can be formed in the resonance part 320. Between the plurality of plates 323a, 323b, a resonance of the TEM mode (transverse electric & magnetic mode) of the microwave is formed. Also, in each of the space between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321 and the space between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321, a resonance of a TEM mode different from the resonance formed between the plurality of plates 323a, 323b is formed. Since the resonance part 320 in FIG. 6 enables resonance of the TEM mode by the plurality of plates 323a, 323b, it can be manufactured in a smaller size than the resonance part 220 in FIG. 5 which is only possible for the TE (transverse electric) mode and the TM (transverse magnetic) mode.

[0151] When triple resonance occurs in the resonance part 320 of the heater assembly 300, the aerosol generating article 10 can be heated more effectively and uniformly.

[0152] The resonance part 320 according to the above-described embodiment also includes a closed end (short end) whose cross-section is closed so as to have a length of 1 / 4 of the wavelength (λ) of the microwave, and an open end located in the direction opposite to the closed end and having at least one area of the cross-section opened.

[0153] In FIG. 6, one end region of the resonance portion 320 corresponding to the left region forms a closed end that is closed by a structure in which one ends of a plurality of plates 323a and 323b and the connecting portion 322 are connected to the case 321. In FIG. 6, the other end region of the resonance portion 320 corresponding to the right region forms an open end when the opening 321a of the case 321 is opened to the outside. Due to such a structure of the resonance portion 320, the resonance portion 320 can operate as a resonator having a quarter wavelength length of microwaves.

[0154] According to the resonance structure of the resonance portion 320 described above, an electric field is not propagated in the external region of the resonance portion 320. Therefore, the heater assembly 300 can prevent the electric field from leaking to the outside of the heater assembly 300 even without a separate shielding member for shielding the electric field.

[0155] The aerosol generating article 10 inserted into the accommodation space 320h of the case 321 is surrounded by the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b and can be heated by a dielectric heating method. For example, a part including the medium of the aerosol generating article 10 inserted into the accommodation space 320h of the case 321 can be arranged in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b. The aerosol generating article 10 can be heated by heat generation of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 due to the electric field generated in the space between the first plate 323a and the second plate 323b.

[0156] In addition, a secondary heating action on the aerosol generating article 10 can be performed by the action of an electric field in a resonance mode formed between the first plate 323a and the upper plate of the case 321 and between the second plate 323b and the lower plate of the case 321, respectively.

[0157] When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the resonance portion 320 through the accommodation space 320h, the tobacco rod 11 of the aerosol generating article 10 can be positioned between the plurality of plates 323a and 323b.

[0158] The length L4 of the tobacco rod 11 can be formed to be longer than the lengths L1 of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b. Therefore, the front end portion 11f of the tobacco rod 11 in contact with the filter rod 12 is located at a position protruding from the other end 323af of the first plate 323a and the other end 323bf of the second plate 323b in the direction toward the opening 321a of the case 321.

[0159] At the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b that operate as resonators, resonance peaks are formed, and a strong electric field can be generated compared to other regions. When the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted into the heater assembly 300, the tobacco rod 11 containing a dielectric that can generate heat by the electric field is arranged so as to correspond to the region where the electric field is the strongest, thereby improving the heating efficiency (or "dielectric heating efficiency") of the heater assembly 300.

[0160] Referring to FIG. 6, the length L1 of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b can be set to be shorter than the length (L1 + L2) of the internal space of the case 321. Therefore, the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b can be located inside the case 321 from the opening 321a. That is, the other ends of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b can be located so as to be separated by a distance L2 from the rear end portion of the opening 321a.

[0161] The length from the rear end portion of the opening 321a where the opening 321a is connected to the case 321 to the front end portion of the opening 321a where the opening 321a is opened is also L3. The total length of the case 321 along the longitudinal direction of the case 321 is also L. The total length L of the case 321 can be determined by the sum of the length L1 of the plurality of plates 323a and 323b, the length between the plurality of plates 323a and 323b and the rear end portion of the opening 321a, which is L2, and the length L3 by which the opening 321a protrudes from the case 321.

[0162] In order to prevent microwave leakage, the front end of the opening 321a through which the opening 321a is opened is positioned so as to protrude from the case 321 by a length of L3. By protruding the opening 321a of the case 321 from the case 321, the opening 321a can function to prevent the microwave inside the case 321 of the resonance part 320 from leaking to the outside of the case 321.

[0163] The resonance part 320 further includes a dielectric accommodation space 327 for accommodating a dielectric. The dielectric accommodation space 327 can be formed in the space between the case 321 and the plurality of plates 323a, 323b. A dielectric with a low microwave absorption degree can be accommodated in the dielectric accommodation space 327.

[0164] By arranging a dielectric inside the dielectric accommodation space 327, the heater assembly 300 can generate an electric field at the same level as the electric field generated in the resonance part without a dielectric while reducing the overall size of the resonance part 320. That is, by means of the dielectric arranged inside the dielectric accommodation space 327, the size of the resonance part 320 can be reduced, and the mounting space of the resonance part 320 in the aerosol generating device can be reduced. As a result, the aerosol generating device can be miniaturized.

[0165] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0166] FIG. 7 shows only the configuration for controlling the output of the oscillation part 210 among the configurations of FIGS. 2 to 4 included in the aerosol generating device 100. The output of the oscillation part 210 can mean the magnitude and frequency of the microwave power. Therefore, in the following, the descriptions overlapping with FIGS. 2 to 4 are omitted.

[0167] Referring to FIG. 7, the aerosol generating device 100 also includes an oscillation part 210, a power monitoring part 250, a resonance part 220, and a processor 101.

[0168] The oscillation unit 210 can output microwaves having a frequency within a preset range and a power of a preset magnitude under the control of the processor 101.

[0169] The oscillation unit 210 includes at least one switching element, and the processor 101 can vary the output frequency of the microwaves by adjusting the on / off state of the switching element. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillation unit 210 to output microwaves having any one output frequency selected from the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or the range of 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz.

[0170] Also, the oscillation unit 210 includes a power amplifier, and the power amplifier can adjust the power magnitude of the output microwaves by increasing or decreasing the amplitude of the microwaves under the control of the processor 101. For example, the processor 101 can control the oscillation unit 210 to output microwaves having any one power magnitude selected from the range of 3 W to 20 W.

[0171] The microwaves output from the oscillation unit 210 can be output to the resonance unit 220.

[0172] The resonance unit 220 can accommodate the aerosol generating article 10, resonate the microwaves provided from the oscillation unit 210, and heat the aerosol generating article 10. The internal structure of the resonance unit 220 is similar to that in FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0173] The power monitoring unit 250 can measure the reflected microwave W2 that is reflected from the resonance unit 220 and input to the oscillation unit 210. Also, the power monitoring unit 250 can measure not only the reflected microwave W2 but also the incident microwave W1 output from the oscillation unit 210. In one embodiment, the magnitude of the incident microwave W1 corresponds to the magnitude of the first power output from the oscillation unit 210 and input to the resonance unit 220, and the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 can correspond to the magnitude of the second power reflected from the resonance unit 220 and input to the oscillation unit 210.

[0174] The aerosol generating article 10 includes a dielectric. Depending on whether the aerosol generating article is inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the resonance part 220, the dielectric constant of the resonance part 220 will be different. That is, depending on whether the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted or not, the impedance of the resonance part 220 can be varied. Even if the incident microwave W1 incident on the resonance part 220 is the same, when the impedance of the resonance part 220 is varied, the degree of reflection will be different, so the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 can be different.

[0175] Note that even when the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted, the dielectric constant of the resonance part 220 can be different. For example, when heating and the user's smoking proceed in the state where the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted, the dielectric constant of the resonance part 220 can be different due to the consumption of the aerosol generating substance. That is, as the user's smoking proceeds, the impedance of the resonance part 220 can be varied.

[0176] The processor 101 can receive the measured values of the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2 from the power monitoring unit 250. Note that the incident microwave W1 can be determined by the output of the oscillation unit 210 set by the processor 101. Therefore, it is not always necessary for the processor 101 to receive the measured value of the incident microwave W1 from the power monitoring unit 250, and the processor 101 can also receive only the measured value of the reflected microwave W2 from the power monitoring unit 250.

[0177] First, the control operation of the processor 101 according to an embodiment in the standby mode of the aerosol generating device 100 will be described. In this standby mode, the processor 101 can determine whether the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted or not based on the reflected microwave.

[0178] In one embodiment, when the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is smaller than the first critical value, the processor 101 may determine that the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the resonance part 220. The first critical value may be determined by the dielectric constant of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 and the amount of the dielectric. For example, when the dielectric constant of the aerosol generating article 10 is high, almost all of the incident microwave W1 will be absorbed, so the first critical value may be inversely proportional to the dielectric constant of the aerosol generating article 10. The first critical value may be calculated experimentally. The first critical value may be stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0179] In one embodiment, when the phase difference between the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2 is greater than the second critical value, the processor 101 may determine that the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the resonance part 220. When the aerosol generating article 10 is inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the resonance part 220, the dielectric constant of the resonance part 220 will be different, so a phase difference will occur between the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2. The second critical value may be determined by the dielectric constant of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 and the amount of the dielectric. The second critical value may be calculated experimentally and stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0180] Next, in the heating mode of the aerosol generating device 100, the control operation of the processor 101 according to one embodiment will be described. In the heating mode, the processor 101 may determine whether the aerosol generating substance is exhausted and may terminate the heating mode operation. In one embodiment, the processor 101 may terminate the heating mode operation and control the aerosol generating device 100 to further operate in the standby mode.

[0181] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines the depletion state of the aerosol generating substance based on the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) at the start of heating with the current amplitude ratio (W2 / W1). If the ratio is smaller than the third critical value, it can be determined that the aerosol generating substance has been depleted. At the start of heating, due to the aerosol generating substance contained in the aerosol generating article 10, the resonance part 220 will have a relatively high dielectric constant, and the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1 will have a relatively small value. As the user smokes, the aerosol generating substance is depleted and the dielectric constant of the resonance part 220 decreases. If the dielectric constant of the resonance part 220 decreases, the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1 will gradually increase. That is, in the resonance part 220, the degree of microwave absorption becomes lower. The third critical value can be determined by the dielectric constant of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 and the amount of the dielectric. The third critical value can be calculated experimentally and stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0182] In one embodiment, the processor 101 can sweep the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation part 210 within a preset reference band range and calculate the resonance frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is minimized. For example, the reference band range can be in the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz or 5.7 GHz to 5.9 GHz, but is not limited thereto. The adjustment of the output frequency of the processor 101 can be performed in real time. In other words, the processor 101 can adjust the output frequency of the oscillation part 210 independently of the adjustment of the power magnitude of the oscillation part 210.

[0183] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines the depletion status of the aerosol generating substance based on the degree of change in the resonance frequency. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the resonance frequency at the start of heating with the current resonance frequency. If the difference is greater than the fourth critical value, it can be determined that the aerosol generating substance has been depleted. As the user smokes, the aerosol generating substance is depleted, and the dielectric constant of the resonance unit 220 decreases. As the dielectric constant of the resonance unit 220 changes, the resonance frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is minimized also continuously changes as the user smokes. The fourth critical value can be determined by the dielectric constant of the dielectric contained in the aerosol generating article 10 and the amount of the dielectric. The fourth critical value can be calculated experimentally and stored in advance in the memory 106.

[0184] FIG. 8 is a flowchart related to a control method of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0185] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, at step 710, the processor 101 can determine the insertion status of the aerosol generating article 10. Step 810 is also a state in which the aforementioned aerosol generating device 100 operates in the standby mode. The processor 101 can determine the insertion status of the aerosol generating article 10 based on the reflected microwave W2.

[0186] In one embodiment, when the magnitude of the reflected microwave W2 is smaller than the first critical value, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol generating article 10 has been inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the resonance unit 220.

[0187] In one embodiment, when the phase difference between the incident microwave W1 and the reflected microwave W2 is greater than the second critical value, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol generating article 10 has been inserted into the accommodation space 220h of the resonance unit 220.

[0188] In step 820, when it is determined that the aerosol-generating article 10 is inserted, the processor 101 can heat the aerosol-generating article 10. In the standby mode, the processor 101 can control the oscillation unit 210 to output microwaves with a first power, and in the heating mode, the processor 101 can control the oscillation unit 210 to output microwaves with a second power greater than the first power.

[0189] In step 830, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating substance contained in the aerosol-generating article 10 is exhausted. If it is determined that the aerosol-generating substance is exhausted, the processor 101 can terminate the heating of the aerosol-generating article 10. Step 830 is also a state in which the aforementioned aerosol-generating device 100 operates in the heating mode. Specifically, step 830 is also a smoking section in the heating mode of the aforementioned aerosol-generating device 100.

[0190] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating substance is exhausted based on the amplitude ratio of the reflected microwave W2 to the incident microwave W1. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the amplitude ratio (W2 / W1) at the start of heating with the current amplitude ratio (W2 / W1). If the ratio is smaller than a third critical value, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol-generating substance is exhausted.

[0191] In one embodiment, the processor 101 determines whether the aerosol-generating substance is exhausted based on the degree of change in the resonance frequency. Specifically, the processor 101 compares the resonance frequency at the start of heating with the current resonance frequency. If the difference is greater than a fourth critical value, the processor 101 can determine that the aerosol-generating substance is exhausted.

[0192] Any embodiment of the present disclosure or other embodiments described above are not mutually exclusive or distinguishable. Any embodiment of the present disclosure or other embodiments described above can be used in combination or combined with each other in terms of their respective configurations or functions.

[0193] For example, it means that different embodiments from the A configuration described in a specific embodiment and / or the drawings, and / or the B configuration described in the drawings can be combined. That is, regarding the combination between configurations, even if it is not directly described, it means that the combination is possible except when it is described that the combination is impossible.

[0194] The foregoing detailed description should not be construed in a limiting sense in all respects, but rather should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention must be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating device includes a processor for controlling the operation of the aerosol generating device, an oscillation unit provided with AC power and generating microwaves within a preset frequency range, a resonance unit including an accommodation space for accommodating an aerosol generating article, resonating incident microwaves output from the oscillation unit, and heating the aerosol generating article inserted into the accommodation space, a power monitoring unit for monitoring reflected microwaves reflected from the resonance unit, and the processor determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted based on the reflected microwaves monitored by the power monitoring unit. An aerosol generating device.

2. The processor determines that the aerosol generating article is inserted when the reflected microwaves are smaller than a first critical value. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

3. The processor when the phase difference between the incident microwaves and the reflected microwaves is greater than a second critical value, determines that the aerosol generating article is inserted. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

4. The processor controls to supply a first power to the oscillation unit, determines whether the aerosol generating article is inserted, when it is determined that the aerosol generating article is inserted, controls to supply a second power different from the magnitude of the first power to the oscillation unit, and heats the aerosol generating article. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

5. The first power is smaller than the second power. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4.

6. The processor monitors the amplitude ratio of the reflected microwaves to the incident microwaves, when the ratio of the current amplitude ratio of the amplitude ratio comparison at the start time of heating is smaller than a third critical value, controls to supply the first power. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4.

7. The processor sweeps the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit within a preset reference band range, calculates the resonance frequency at which the magnitude of the reflected microwaves is minimized, when the difference between the resonance frequency and the resonance frequency at the start time of heating is greater than a fourth critical value, controls to supply the first power. The aerosol generating device according to claim 4.

8. The aerosol generating device further includes an output unit for outputting information related to the state of the aerosol generating device. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the output unit to provide the information to the user by at least one of means of vision, touch, and hearing.

9. The processor The aerosol generation device according to claim 7, wherein the output frequency of the microwave power output from the oscillation unit is swept in the reference band range between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

10. The resonance unit includes a first inner conductor having a hollow cylinder shape surrounding a first region, and a second inner conductor having a hollow cylinder shape arranged at a predetermined distance from the first inner conductor and surrounding a second region different from the first region. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first inner conductor and the second inner conductor.

11. The resonance unit includes a first plate surrounding a third region, and a second plate arranged along the circumferential direction of the third region and separated from the first plate and surrounding a fourth region different from the third region. The aerosol generation device according to claim 1, wherein the microwave is resonated by the first plate and the second plate.

Images