Aerosol generating device

Abstract

The aerosol generating device includes a battery, an induction coil that generates a variable magnetic field based on the power supplied from the battery, a susceptor that heats an aerosol generation substrate using the heat generated by the variable magnetic field, a temperature sensor that is disposed adjacent to the susceptor and outputs a temperature sensing value as detection information, and a control unit that cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil according to a first abnormal heating condition and a second abnormal heating condition based on the detection information of the temperature sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, and more particularly, to an aerosol generating device capable of preventing abnormal heating of a heating element.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, the demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes has been increasing. For example, there is an increasing demand for a method of generating an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating substance in a cigarette or a liquid storage unit (e.g., a cartridge), rather than a method of generating an aerosol by burning a cigarette.

[0003] On the other hand, an aerosol generating device controls a heating element based on a sensing value. However, when an error occurs in the sensing value (e.g., a cigarette sensing value, a temperature sensing value, etc.), abnormal heating may occur in which the temperature of the heating element is higher or lower than the target temperature. When such abnormal heating occurs, there may be a problem of user dissatisfaction caused by the possibility of power consumption or the inability to exhibit the expected performance.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an aerosol generating device capable of preventing abnormal heating of a heating element.

[0005] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems may be inferred from the following examples.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The aerosol generating device according to one side includes a battery, an induction coil that generates a variable magnetic field based on the power supplied from the battery, a susceptor that heats the aerosol generating substrate using the heat generated by the variable magnetic field, a temperature sensor that is disposed adjacent to the susceptor and outputs a temperature sensing value as detection information, and a control unit that cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil according to a first abnormal heating condition and a second abnormal heating condition based on the detection information of the temperature sensor.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] The aerosol generating device of the present disclosure has the advantage that when abnormal heating of the heating element occurs due to an error in the sensing value, the power supply to the heating element can be immediately cut off, thereby significantly preventing power consumption.

[0008] Further, the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure can sense an abnormal heating state in which the heating element is heated in a state where the aerosol generating substrate is not inserted through the temperature sensing value. Also, when the aerosol generating device senses an abnormal heating state in which the heating element is heated in a state where the aerosol generating substrate is not inserted, the power can be immediately cut off, thereby significantly preventing power consumption.

[0009] Further, the aerosol generating device of the present disclosure can sense a failure of the temperature sensor through the temperature sensing value and the power sensing value. Also, when the aerosol generating device senses a failure of the temperature sensor, the power can be immediately cut off, thereby preventing a failure of the internal configuration due to overheating of the device.

[0010] The advantages of the invention are not limited to the contents exemplified above, and more various advantages are included in this specification.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

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Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] An aerosol generating device according to one aspect includes a battery, an induction coil that generates a variable magnetic field based on the power supplied from the battery, a susceptor that heats an aerosol generating substrate using the heat generated by the variable magnetic field, a temperature sensor that is disposed adjacent to the susceptor and outputs a temperature sensing value as detection information, and a control unit that cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil according to a first abnormal heating condition and a second abnormal heating condition based on the detection information of the temperature sensor.

[0013] Further, the control unit controls the power supplied to the induction coil according to a temperature profile including a preheating section and a smoking section, and cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil based on the first abnormal heating condition in at least a partial section of the preheating section.

[0014] Further, the control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil based on the second abnormal heating condition in the preheating section and the smoking section.

[0015] Further, when the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature rise temperature within the preset reference time under the first abnormal heating condition, the control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil.

[0016] Further, the second abnormal heating condition includes a first sub-condition and a second sub-condition. When the control unit satisfies at least one of the first sub-condition and the second sub-condition, the control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil.

[0017] Further, when the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the preset holding temperature under the first sub-condition, the control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil.

[0018] Further, the holding temperature is set lower than the target temperature of the susceptor according to the temperature profile.

[0019] Further, when the power supplied to the induction coil is equal to or higher than the preset reference power under the second sub-condition, the control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil.

[0020] Further, the reference power is set higher than the target power that must be supplied to the induction coil to reach the target temperature of the susceptor.

[0021] Further, the susceptor is formed to surround the outer peripheral surface of the cavity into which the aerosol generation substrate is inserted.

[0022] Further, the temperature sensor includes a first wire, a second wire, and a contact element where the first wire and the second wire contact each other.

[0023] Further, the first wire and the second wire are separated from each other and contact the contact element, and the contact element contacts the outer peripheral surface of the susceptor.

[0024] In addition, when the aerosol generation substrate containing the electromagnetic conductor is inserted into the cavity, the aerosol generation device further includes a substrate sensing sensor whose inductance is variable, and the control unit determines whether or not the aerosol generation substrate has been inserted into the cavity based on the sensing result of the substrate sensing sensor.

[0025] In addition, when the aerosol generation device cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil under the first abnormal heating condition and the second abnormal heating condition, the aerosol generation device further includes an output unit that outputs a first user notification and a second user notification, respectively.

[0026] In addition, the output patterns of the first user notification and the second user notification are set to be different from each other.

[0027] The terms used in the embodiments are generally widely used terms selected as much as possible while considering the functions in the present disclosure. However, this may also vary depending on the intentions or precedents of those skilled in the art, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in specific cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in that case, the meaning thereof will be described in detail in the description part of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure must be defined based not on the simple names of the terms but on the meaning of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0028] Throughout the specification, when a certain part "includes" a certain component, it means that, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, it does not exclude other components and may further include other components. In addition, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented by hardware or software, or may also be implemented by a combination of hardware and software.

[0029] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail so that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment can easily implement it based on the attached drawings. However, the present disclosure can be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an aerosol generation system according to an embodiment.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, the aerosol generation system 1 may include an aerosol generation device 10 and an aerosol generation substrate 20. Hereinafter, the aerosol generation substrate 20 may be referred to as a cigarette. The aerosol generation device 10 includes a cavity 11 into which the aerosol generation substrate 20 is inserted, and can heat the aerosol generation substrate 20 inserted into the cavity 11 to generate an aerosol. The aerosol generation substrate 20 may contain aerosol generating substances.

[0032] The aerosol generation device 10 may include a battery 110, a control unit 120, a susceptor 130, and an induction coil 140. However, the internal structure and arrangement of the aerosol generation device 10 are not limited to what is shown in FIG. 1. A person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment will understand that depending on the design of the aerosol generation device 10, some of the hardware configurations shown in FIG. 1 may be omitted, a new configuration may be further added, and each hardware configuration can be embodied in various arrangements.

[0033] The aerosol generation device 10 can generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol generation substrate 20 accommodated in the aerosol generation device 10 by an induction heating method. The induction heating method means a method of applying an alternating magnetic field whose direction periodically changes to a magnetic body that generates heat by an external magnetic field to heat the magnetic body.

[0034] When a variable magnetic field is applied to a magnetic material, energy losses due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss occur in the magnetic material, and the lost energy can be released from the magnetic material as thermal energy. The greater the amplitude or frequency of the variable magnetic field applied to the magnetic material, the more thermal energy can be released from the magnetic material. The aerosol generating device 10 can release thermal energy from the magnetic material by applying a variable magnetic field to the magnetic material and transfer the thermal energy released from the magnetic material to the aerosol generating substrate 20.

[0035] A magnetic material that generates heat by an external magnetic field is also a susceptor. The susceptor 130 can be provided in the aerosol generating device 10 in the form of a slice, a thin piece, or a strip. For example, at least a part of the susceptor 130 disposed inside the aerosol generating device 10 can be made of a susceptor material.

[0036] At least a part of the susceptor material can be made of a ferromagnetic substance. For example, the susceptor material can contain metal or carbon. The susceptor material can contain at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). Also, the susceptor material may contain at least one of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, ceramics such as zirconia, transition metals such as nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), and semimetals such as boron (B) and phosphorus (P).

[0037] The aerosol generating device 10 can accommodate an aerosol generating substrate 20. In the aerosol generating device 10, a cavity 11 for accommodating the aerosol generating substrate 20 can be formed. The susceptor 130 is also tubular or cylindrical and can be arranged outside the cavity 11 so as to surround the cavity 11 into which the aerosol generating substrate 20 is inserted. Therefore, if the aerosol generating substrate 20 is inserted into the cavity 11 of the aerosol generating device 10, the susceptor 130 can be arranged outside the aerosol generating substrate 20 so as to surround the aerosol generating substrate 20. Thereby, the temperature of the aerosol generating substance in the aerosol generating substrate 20 can be increased by the heat transmitted from the susceptor 130.

[0038] The susceptor 130 can heat the aerosol generating substrate 20 accommodated in the aerosol generating device 10. As described above, the susceptor 130 can heat the aerosol generating substrate 20 by an induction heating method. The susceptor 130 includes a susceptor material that generates heat by an external magnetic field, and the aerosol generating device 10 can apply a variable magnetic field to the susceptor 130.

[0039] The induction coil 140 can be provided in the aerosol generating device 10. The induction coil 140 can apply a variable magnetic field to the susceptor 130. When power is supplied from the aerosol generating device 10 to the induction coil 140, a magnetic field can be formed inside the induction coil 140. When an alternating current is applied to the induction coil 140, the direction of the magnetic field formed inside the induction coil 140 can be continuously changed. When the susceptor 130 is located inside the induction coil 140 and is exposed to a variable magnetic field whose direction changes periodically, the susceptor 130 generates heat, and the aerosol generating substrate 20 accommodated in the cavity 11 can be heated.

[0040] The induction coil 140 can be wound along the outer surface of the susceptor 130. Also, the induction coil 140 can be wound along the inner surface of the external housing of the aerosol generating device 10. The susceptor 130 can be positioned in the internal space formed by winding the induction coil 140. When power is supplied to the induction coil 140, a variable magnetic field generated by the induction coil 140 can be applied to the susceptor 130.

[0041] The induction coil 140 can extend in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating device 10. The induction coil 140 can extend to an appropriate length along the longitudinal direction. For example, the induction coil 140 can extend to a length corresponding to the length of the susceptor 130, or can extend longer than the length of the susceptor 130.

[0042] The induction coil 140 can be arranged at a position suitable for applying a variable magnetic field to the susceptor 130. For example, the induction coil 140 can be arranged at a position corresponding to the susceptor 130. Such size and arrangement of the induction coil 140 can improve the efficiency of applying the variable magnetic field of the induction coil 140 to the susceptor 130.

[0043] When the amplitude or frequency of the variable magnetic field formed by the induction coil 140 is changed, the degree to which the susceptor 130 heats the aerosol generating substrate 20 can also be changed. Since the amplitude or frequency of the magnetic field by the induction coil 140 can be changed by the power applied to the induction coil 140, the aerosol generating device 10 can control the heating of the aerosol generating substrate 20 by adjusting the power applied to the induction coil 140. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 can control the amplitude and frequency of the alternating current applied to the induction coil 140.

[0044] As an example, the induction coil 140 can be embodied by a solenoid. The induction coil 140 is also a solenoid wound along the inner surface of the outer housing of the aerosol generating device 10, and the susceptor 130 and the aerosol generating substrate 20 can be located in the internal space of the solenoid. The material of the conducting wire constituting the solenoid is also copper (Cu). However, it 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 can also be the material of the conducting wire constituting the solenoid.

[0045] The battery 110 can supply power to the induction coil 140. The battery 110 is also a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the battery 110 can also be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery, a lithium titanate battery, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, etc.

[0046] The control unit 120 can control the power supplied to the induction coil 140. The control unit 120 can control the battery 110 so that the power supplied to the induction coil 140 is adjusted. For example, the control unit 120 can control the power supplied to the induction coil 140 so that the susceptor 130 maintains the target temperature.

[0047] On the other hand, although not shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol generating device 10 may form a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle is used for charging the battery 110 of the aerosol generating device 10. Or the induction coil 140 can be heated in a state where the cradle and the aerosol generating device 10 are coupled.

[0048] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing an aerosol generating substrate according to an embodiment.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol generation substrate 20 corresponds to the cigarette of FIG. 1. The aerosol generation substrate 20 is divided into a first portion 201, a second portion 202, a third portion 203, and a fourth portion 204, and the first portion 201, the second portion 202, the third portion 203, and the fourth portion 204 may each include an aerosol generation element, a tobacco element, a cooling element, and a filter element. Specifically, the first portion 201 includes an aerosol generating substance, the second portion 202 includes a tobacco substance and a humectant, the third portion 203 includes means for cooling the airflow passing through the first portion 201 and the second portion 202, and the fourth portion 204 may include a filter substance.

[0050] The first portion 201, the second portion 202, the third portion 203, and the fourth portion 204 may be sequentially aligned based on the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generation substrate 20. Here, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generation substrate 20 is also the direction in which the length of the aerosol generation substrate 20 extends. For example, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generation substrate 20 is also the direction from the first portion 201 to the fourth portion 204. Thereby, the aerosol generated from at least one of the first portion 201 and the second portion 202 passes through the first portion 201, the second portion 202, the third portion 203, and the fourth portion 204 in sequence to form an air flow, whereby the user can inhale the aerosol from the fourth portion 204.

[0051] The first portion 201 may include an aerosol generation element. The first portion 201 includes, as an aerosol generation element, other additive substances such as flavoring agents, wetting agents, and / or organic acids, and may include a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant. Here, the aerosol generation element may include at least one of, for example, glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol.

[0052] The first part 201 includes a wound sheet, and the aerosol generating element can be included in the first part 201 in a state of being impregnated in the wound sheet. Also, other additive substances and flavoring liquids such as flavoring agents, wetting agents, and / or organic acids can be included in the first part 201 in a state of being absorbed by the wound sheet. The wound sheet is also a sheet made of a polymer material. For example, the polymer material can include at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid. For example, the wound sheet is also a paper sheet that does not generate an odor due to heat even when heated to a high temperature. However, it is not limited thereto.

[0053] The first part 201 extends from a point about 7 to 20 mm from the end of the aerosol generating substrate 20, and the second part 202 can extend from a point where the first part 201 ends to a point about 7 to 20 mm. However, it is not necessarily limited to such a numerical range, and the lengths of the first part 201 and the second part 202 can be appropriately adjusted within a range that can be easily changed by an ordinary technician.

[0054] The second part 202 can include a tobacco element. The tobacco element is also a specific form of tobacco substance. For example, the tobacco element has a form of shredded tobacco, tobacco particles, tobacco sheets, tobacco beads, tobacco granules, tobacco powder, or tobacco extracts. Also, the tobacco substance can include one or more of, for example, tobacco leaves, tobacco veins, expanded tobacco, cut shredded tobacco, plate-shaped leaf shredded tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco.

[0055] The third part 203 may include means for cooling the airflow passing through the first part 201 and the second part 202. The third part 203 is made of a polymer material or a biodegradable polymer material and has a cooling function. For example, the third part 203 can be made of polylactic acid (PLA) fibers, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the third part 203 can be made of a cellulose acetate filter with a plurality of holes formed therein. However, the third part 203 is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and substances that perform the function of cooling the aerosol can correspondingly apply thereto without limitation. For example, the third part 203 can also be a tube filter or a paper tube filter containing a hollow.

[0056] The fourth part 204 may include a filter substance. For example, the fourth part 204 can also be a cellulose acetate filter. On the other hand, there is no limitation on the shape of the fourth part 204. For example, the fourth part 204 can also be a cylindrical rod or a tube-shaped rod containing a hollow inside. The fourth part 204 can also be a recessed rod. If the fourth part 204 is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments is also made into a different shape.

[0057] The fourth part 204 can be made to generate a fragrance. As an example, a flavoring liquid can be sprayed onto the fourth part 204, and a separate fiber coated with the flavoring liquid can be inserted into the fourth part 204.

[0058] The aerosol generation substrate 20 may include a bellows 250 that surrounds at least a part of the first part 201 to the fourth part 204. Also, the aerosol generation substrate 20 may include a bellows 250 that surrounds all of the first part 201 to the fourth part 204. The bellows 250 is located at the outermost contour of the aerosol generation substrate 20, and the bellows 250 can be a single bellows or a combination of multiple bellows.

[0059] The wrapper 250 is an electromagnetic conductor for cigarette sensing using the substrate sensing sensor 191 of FIG. 3 and may include a heat conductive material. For example, the heat conductive material is also, but not limited to, a metal foil such as silver foil paper (Ag), aluminum foil paper (Al), or copper foil paper (Cu). The heat conductive material provided in the wrapper 250 can uniformly disperse the heat transmitted to the first portion 201 to the second portion 202 to improve the thermal conductivity, thereby improving the tobacco flavor. Further, the heat conductive material provided in the wrapper 250 can also function as a susceptor.

[0060] The heat conductive material of the wrapper 250 can change the inductance of the substrate sensing sensor 191. Based on the inductance change sensed by the substrate sensing sensor 191, the aerosol generating device (10 in FIG. 1) can determine whether the aerosol generating substrate 20 has been inserted into or extracted from the aerosol generating device (10 in FIG. 1).

[0061] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 3, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a battery 110, a susceptor 130, an induction coil 140, a power conversion unit 150, a memory 160, an input unit 170, an output unit 180, and a sensor unit 190. The components related to this embodiment are shown in the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in FIG. 3. Therefore, those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment will understand that other general-purpose components may be further included in the aerosol generating device 10 in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0063] On the other hand, the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 described in FIG. 1 can also be directly applied to the aerosol generating device 10 of FIG. 3.

[0064] The battery 110 supplies the power used for the operation of the aerosol generating device 10. That is, the battery 110 can supply power to the induction coil 140 so that the susceptor 130 is heated. The battery 110 can convert the power through the power conversion unit 150 and supply the power to the induction coil 140. Also, the battery 110 can supply the power necessary for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device 10, that is, the power conversion unit 150, the memory 160, the input unit 170, the output unit 180, and the sensor unit 190. The battery 110 can be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0065] The power conversion unit 150 can be supplied with direct current power from the battery 110 and convert it into alternating current power. For this purpose, the power conversion unit 150 can include at least one switching element. Also, the power conversion unit 150 can include filter elements for filtering the direct current power supplied from the battery 110 or for filtering the alternating current power supplied to the induction coil 140. Also, the power conversion unit 150 can include an amplifier for amplifying the direct current power supplied from the battery 110 and / or the alternating current power supplied to the induction coil 140. In one embodiment, the power conversion unit 150 can be implemented by a class-D amplifier and / or a class-E amplifier.

[0066] The control unit 120 can supply power to the induction coil 140 by controlling the driving of at least one switching element provided in the power conversion unit 150. For example, the control unit 120 can control the power supplied to the induction coil 140 by controlling the driving frequency of the switching element included in the power conversion unit 150, the duty of the current supplied to the induction coil 140, and the like. At this time, the duty means the ratio of the supply time of the power supplied to the induction coil 140 within one switching cycle.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the control unit 120 may include a separate heating integrated circuit (IC) for controlling only the power supply to the induction coil 140.

[0068] The induction coil 140 can be supplied with alternating current power from the power conversion unit 150 to generate a variable magnetic field. The induction coil 140 can heat the susceptor 130 by applying a variable magnetic field whose direction periodically changes to the susceptor 130 based on the alternating current power.

[0069] The susceptor 130 can be heated by the variable magnetic field to heat the aerosol generating substrate. When the aerosol generating substrate is heated, an aerosol can be generated.

[0070] The susceptor 130 can be provided in the aerosol generating device 10 in the form of a slice, a flake, or a strip. According to an embodiment, the susceptor 130 can be disposed on the aerosol generating substrate 20. The susceptor 130 can be made of a ferromagnetic substance. For example, the susceptor 130 can contain metal or carbon. The susceptor 130 can contain at least one of ferrite, ferromagnetic alloy, stainless steel, and aluminum (Al). Also, the susceptor 130 may contain at least one of graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, niobium, nickel alloy, metal film, ceramics such as zirconia, transition metals such as nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), and semimetals such as boron (B) and phosphorus (P).

[0071] The sensor unit 190 can sense various state information of the aerosol generating device 10. The result sensed by the sensor unit 190 is transmitted to the control unit 120, and the control unit 120 can control the aerosol generating device 10 so that various functions such as operation control of the heating unit (including the induction coil and the susceptor), smoking restriction, determination of whether the aerosol generating substrate 20 is inserted or not, and notification display are performed according to the sensing result.

[0072] The sensor unit 190 may include a substrate sensing sensor 191, a temperature sensor 192, and a power sensing sensor 193.

[0073] The substrate sensing sensor 191 can sense whether the aerosol generating substrate 20 is inserted into the cavity 11. In one embodiment, the substrate sensing sensor 191 may be implemented by an inductive sensor. The substrate sensing sensor 191 can measure the amount of inductance change that changes while the distance between the electromagnetic conductor provided in the aerosol generating substrate 20 and the inductive sensor becomes closer or farther as the aerosol generating substrate 20 is inserted or extracted from the cavity 11. Depending on the embodiment, the substrate sensing sensor 191 may be replaced with other types of sensors such as an optical sensor or a resistance sensor.

[0074] If the insertion of the aerosol generating article is sensed, the control unit 120 can control the aerosol generating device 10 so that heating starts automatically without additional external input. For example, if the insertion of the aerosol generating article is sensed, the control unit 120 can control the battery 110 to supply power to the coil. However, it is not necessarily limited thereto, and the control unit 120 can control the aerosol generating device 10 so that heating starts only when there is additional external input.

[0075] The temperature sensor 192 can sense the temperature of the susceptor 130. The temperature sensor 192 can be in contact with the susceptor and sense the temperature of the susceptor 130. For example, the temperature sensor 192 can be implemented by a thermocouple. When the temperature sensor 192 is implemented by a thermocouple, it has the advantages of fast response speed and small error.

[0076] The control unit 120 can control the temperature of the susceptor 130 based on the sensing information of the temperature sensor 192. The control unit 120 can control the power supplied to the induction coil 140 to maintain the temperature of the susceptor 130 at the target temperature according to the preset temperature profile.

[0077] The power sensing sensor 193 can sense the power applied to the induction coil 140. The power sensing sensor 193 is disposed between the power conversion unit 150 and the induction coil 140 and can sense the alternating current and / or alternating voltage applied to the induction coil 140. For example, the power sensing sensor 193 can be implemented by a shunt resistor.

[0078] The sensing information of the power sensing sensor 193 can include the instantaneous power, active power, average power, etc. supplied to the induction coil 140. The control unit 120 can control the power supplied to the induction coil 140 based on the sensing information of the power sensing sensor 193.

[0079] On the other hand, the sensor unit 190 in FIG. 3 shows the components according to this embodiment. Therefore, those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment will understand that other general components are further included in the sensor unit 190 of the aerosol generating device 10 in addition to the components shown in FIG. 3. For example, the sensor unit 190 can further include a puff sensor for sensing the puff of the user, a water sensing sensor for sensing water inside and / or outside the aerosol generating device 10, etc.

[0080] The memory 160 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 10, and the memory 160 can store the data processed by the control unit 120 and the data to be processed. The memory 160 can be implemented by various types such as DRAM (dynamic random access memory), SRAM (static random access memory) like RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0081] Data related to the operation time of the aerosol generating device 10, the maximum puff count, the current puff count, at least one temperature profile, and the smoking pattern of the user can be stored in the memory 160. In one embodiment, the memory 160 can store a reference value of the inductance change amount for determining the insertion / extraction of the aerosol generating substrate 20. Also, the memory 160 can store a temperature reference value and a power reference value for determining an abnormality of the temperature sensor 192.

[0082] The input unit 170 can receive user input. The input unit 170 can be implemented by physical keys and / or touch sensors for receiving user input. The aerosol generating device 10 of the present disclosure can heat the susceptor 130 when the substrate sensing sensor 191 senses the aerosol generating substrate 20 even without user input. Depending on the embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may heat the susceptor 130 based on user input.

[0083] The output unit 180 may include a display that outputs visual information related to the aerosol generating device 10. Further, the output unit 180 may include a motor that outputs tactile information related to the aerosol generating device 10. Here, the visual and tactile information related to the aerosol generating device 10 includes all information related to the operation of the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the display may output information related to the state of the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., whether the aerosol generating device can be used), information related to the susceptor 130 (e.g., start of preheating, progress of preheating, completion of preheating, etc.), information related to the battery 110 (e.g., remaining amount of the battery 110, whether it can be used), information related to the reset of the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., reset timing, progress of reset, completion of reset, etc.), information related to the cleaning of the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., cleaning timing, cleaning required, progress of cleaning, completion of cleaning, etc.), information related to the charging of the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., charging required, progress of charging, completion of charging, etc.), information related to puffs (e.g., number of puffs, warning of end of puff, etc.) or information related to safety (e.g., elapsed usage time, etc.).

[0084] The control unit 120 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 10. The control unit 120 includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented by an array of a large number of logic gates and may be implemented by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program executed by the microprocessor is stored. Also, those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present embodiment belongs will understand that it may also be implemented by other forms of hardware.

[0085] The control unit 120 can determine abnormal heating of the aerosol generating device 10 from the sensing information of the sensor unit 190. The abnormal heating may include a first abnormal heating in which the susceptor 130 is heated in a state where the aerosol generating substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11 and a second abnormal heating caused by an error in the temperature sensing region.

[0086] The memory 160 can store a first abnormal heating condition for determining the first abnormal heating and a second abnormal heating condition for determining the second abnormal heating.

[0087] The control unit 120 can prevent battery consumption due to abnormal heating and overload of the internal configuration of the aerosol generating device 10 by cutting off the power supplied to the induction coil 140 according to the first abnormal heating condition and the second abnormal heating condition. The specific method for the control unit 120 to determine abnormal heating will be described later with reference to FIG. 4 and below.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a communication interface for communicating with an external device in addition to the configuration of FIG. 3. The communication interface can be implemented in a form that supports at least one communication method among various types of digital interfaces, Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN network) based on an AP, Bluetooth (registered trademark), Zigbee (registered trademark), wired / wireless LAN (Local Area Network), WAN, Ethernet (registered trademark), IEEE 1394, HDMI (registered trademark), USB, MHL, AES / EBU, Optical, and Coaxial. Further, the communication interface may include a TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) channel for transmitting video and audio signals, a DDC (Display Data Channel) for transmitting and receiving device information, information related to video or audio (for example, E-EDID (Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data)), and a CEC (Consumer Electronic Control) for transmitting and receiving control signals. However, it is not limited thereto and can be implemented by various interfaces.

[0089] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining the arrangement of a substrate sensing sensor according to an embodiment.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 4, the susceptor 130 is cylindrical and is arranged to inductively heat the aerosol - generating substrate 20 accommodated in the cavity 11.

[0091] An induction coil 140 is arranged outside the susceptor 130 along the longitudinal direction of the susceptor 130. By being supplied with power under the control of the control unit 120, the induction coil 140 can generate a variable magnetic field to inductively heat the susceptor 130.

[0092] A substrate - sensing sensor 191 is arranged in the region between the susceptor 130 and the induction coil 140. The length of the substrate - sensing sensor 191 is preferably longer than the length of the susceptor 130 and is arranged such that the susceptor 130 is included within the length where the substrate - sensing sensor 191 is arranged, but is not limited thereto.

[0093] The inductance of the substrate - sensing sensor 191 can be varied by an electromagnetic induction material adjacent to the substrate - sensing sensor 191. The inductance of the substrate - sensing sensor 191 can be varied by an electromagnetic conductor included in the aerosol - generating substrate 20. When the change value of the inductance of the substrate - sensing sensor 191 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold inductance, the control unit 120 can inductively heat the susceptor 130 without user input. However, when an object 400 containing an electromagnetic induction material is adjacent to the substrate - sensing sensor 191, the susceptor 130 can also be heated. That is, when the change value of the inductance due to the object 400 is equal to or greater than the threshold inductance, even when the aerosol - generating substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11, the susceptor 130 can be heated contrary to the user's intention. Such unintended heating can increase the power consumption of the aerosol - generating device 10 and weaken the durability of the internal components.

[0094] The aerosol generation device 10 of the present disclosure determines whether abnormal heating conditions are satisfied in order to determine a detection error of the aerosol generation substrate 20. In order to distinguish the abnormal heating conditions for determining the detection error of the aerosol generation substrate 20 from the abnormal heating conditions described later, it may be referred to as the first abnormal heating condition. Further, the abnormal heating conditions described later are for determining a detection error of the temperature sensor, and are also referred to as the second abnormal heating condition.

[0095] The control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied based on the detection information of the temperature sensor 192. The control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied based on the temperature rising rate of the susceptor 130. The temperature rising rate (°C / sec) can be defined as the temperature change amount of the susceptor 130 during a preset time.

[0096] When the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11, the temperature rising rate is faster than when the aerosol generation substrate 20 is inserted into the cavity 11. This is because the change in the temperature rising rate is due to the aerosol generation substrate 20 functioning as a load on the susceptor 130. That is, when the aerosol generation substrate 20 is inserted into the cavity 11, it corresponds to an unloaded state, and when the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11, it corresponds to a loaded state. The aerosol generation device 10 can heat the susceptor 130 more quickly in the unloaded state.

[0097] The memory 160 stores a threshold value for preventing the susceptor 130 from being heated when the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11. The threshold value means the threshold temperature rising rate. The threshold temperature rising rate can be set based on the general temperature rising rate of the susceptor 130 when the aerosol generation substrate 20 is inserted into the cavity 11. The threshold temperature rising rate can be determined by experiments.

[0098] The control unit 120 can determine whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied based on the threshold heating rate. When the heating rate of the susceptor 130 is faster than the threshold heating rate, the control unit 120 determines that the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied. That is, when the temperature of the susceptor 130 reaches the preset heating temperature within the preset reference time, the control unit 120 can cut off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0099] The aerosol generating device 10 of the present disclosure can sense the insertion of the aerosol generating substrate 20 only by the temperature sensor 192 without additional configuration. Further, the aerosol generating device 10 of the present disclosure can minimize power consumption and increase the durability of the internal configuration by preventing the susceptor 130 from being unintentionally heated when the aerosol generating substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11.

[0100] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining the arrangement of the temperature sensor according to an embodiment.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 5, the temperature sensor 192 can be implemented by a thermocouple. The temperature sensor 192 can include a first wire 192a, a second wire 192b, and a contact element 192c that contacts the first wire 192a and the second wire 192b.

[0102] The first wire 192a and the second wire 192b are made of different metals and can be provided through calibration of various metal pairs for a thermocouple. The first wire 192a and the second wire 192b can be provided in a grounded type, a non-grounded type, an exposed type, or a beaded wire form.

[0103] The first wire 192a and the second wire 192b are separated from each other and contact the contact element 192c. One end of the first wire 192a is in contact with the contact element 192c, and the other end of the first wire 192a can be in contact with the control unit 120. One end of the second wire 192b is in contact with the contact element 192c, and the other end of the second wire 192b can be in contact with the control unit 120. According to an embodiment, the other ends of the first wire 192a and the second wire 192b can be in contact with other metallic substances rather than the control unit 120.

[0104] The contact element 192c can contact the outer peripheral surface of the susceptor 130. The contact element 192c contains a conductive substance and can conduct electricity.

[0105] When the first wire 192a and the second wire 192b form a closed circuit via the contact element 192c, an electromotive force can be generated due to a temperature change of the contact element 192c. Such an electromotive force can be used as a sensing value for sensing the temperature of the susceptor 130. The temperature at the contact element 192c in contact with the susceptor 130 can be detected as the temperature of the susceptor 130.

[0106] The temperature sensor 192 includes a converter that converts an analog sensing value into a digital sensing value, and the temperature sensor 192 can transmit the sensing value to the control unit 120. A matching table of the digital sensing value and the susceptor temperature is stored in the memory 160, and the control unit 120 determines the temperature of the susceptor 130 from the matching table stored in the memory 160.

[0107] FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining an error in a temperature sensing value according to an embodiment.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 6, similar to FIG. 5, the temperature sensor 192 detects the temperature at the contact element 192c by forming a closed circuit with the contact element 192c. However, due to the manufacturing process or use, the electrical contacts of the temperature sensor 192 may be generated at positions different from those of the susceptor 130. FIG. 6 illustrates an example where electrical contacts are generated at positions different from those of the susceptor 130. However, the positions of the electrical contacts in FIG. 6 are merely illustrative, and the positions where the electrical contacts are generated may also be different due to the manufacturing process or use.

[0109] FIG. 6 illustrates an example where the electrical contact 800 of the temperature sensor 192 is generated at a position separated from the susceptor 130. Referring to FIG. 6, when the electrical contact 800 is generated at a position separated from the susceptor 130, the temperature sensor 192 cannot sense the exact temperature of the susceptor 130. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the electrical contact 800 is generated at a position separated from the susceptor 130, the temperature sensor 192 provides the temperature at the electrical contact 800 to the control unit 120. The control unit 120 controls the power supplied to the induction coil 140 based on the temperature at the electrical contact 800.

[0110] On the other hand, since the heat source of the aerosol generating device 10 corresponds to the susceptor 130, when the electrical contact 800 is generated at a position other than the susceptor 130 or the contact element 192c, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 192 is lower than the temperature at the susceptor 130 or the contact element 192c. That is, the first temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 192 is lower than the second temperature which is the actual temperature of the susceptor 130. Since the control unit 120 is provided with the first temperature at which the electrical contact 800 that is not the actual temperature of the susceptor 130 is generated, it may supply excessive power to the induction coil 140. Such excessive power supply may increase the power consumption of the aerosol generating device 10 and weaken the durability of the internal components.

[0111] When such excessive power is supplied to the induction coil 140, the aerosol generating device 10 of the present disclosure can determine that it is abnormal heating and cut off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0112] The control unit 120 determines whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied in order to determine a detection error of the temperature sensor 192. The control unit 120 determines whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied based on the detection information of the temperature sensor 192. The control unit 120 determines whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied when the detection information of the temperature sensor 192 does not correspond to a preset temperature profile. The temperature profile is described in more detail in FIG. 7 and can be stored in the memory 160.

[0113] The second abnormal heating condition may include a first sub-condition and a second sub-condition. When the control unit 120 satisfies at least one of the first sub-condition and the second sub-condition, the power supplied to the induction coil 140 may be cut off. The first sub-condition is a temperature condition, and the second sub-condition is also a power condition.

[0114] When the electrical contact 800 is generated at a position other than the susceptor 130 or the contact element 192c, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 192 is lower than the temperature at the susceptor 130 or the contact element 192c. When the temperature obtained from the temperature sensor 192 within a preset monitoring time is equal to or lower than a preset holding temperature, the control unit 120 determines that the first sub-condition is satisfied. When the control unit 120 senses the first sub-condition, the power supplied to the induction coil 140 may be cut off. The holding temperature may be set lower than the target temperature according to the temperature profile. Setting the holding temperature lower than the target temperature is to increase user convenience by maintaining the power supplied to the induction coil 140 when it is a minute control error rather than an error of the temperature sensor 192.

[0115] When the electrical contact 800 is generated at a position other than the susceptor 130 or the contact element 192c, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 192 is lower than the temperature at the susceptor 130 or the contact element 192c. Therefore, the control unit 120 can supply more power to the induction coil 140 than the target power according to the temperature profile. When the power sensed by the power sensor 193 within the preset monitoring time is equal to or higher than the preset reference power, the control unit 120 determines that the second sub-condition is satisfied. When the control unit 120 senses the second sub-condition, it cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil 140. The reference power can be set higher than the target power according to the temperature profile. Setting the reference power higher than the target power is to increase user convenience by maintaining the power supplied to the induction coil 140 in the case of a fine control error that is not an error of the temperature sensor 192.

[0116] When at least one of the first sub-condition and the second sub-condition is sensed, the aerosol generating device 10 of the present disclosure cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil 140, thereby preventing the susceptor 130 from being unintentionally heated due to a sensing error of the temperature sensor, minimizing power consumption, and increasing the durability of the internal configuration.

[0117] FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining the timing of determining the first abnormal heating condition and the second abnormal heating condition according to an embodiment.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 7, a temperature profile of the susceptor 130 according to an embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The temperature profile may include information related to the target temperature 710 over time. However, the temperature profile of the susceptor 130 is not limited to FIG. 7. The heating time, the target temperature, the target power amount, etc. can be set differently from each other according to the design.

[0119] The control unit 120 can heat the susceptor 130 based on the first target temperature Te1 during the first time Tia. Under the control of the control unit 120, the temperature of the susceptor 130 can reach the first target temperature Te1 within the preset time Tif. For example, the first time Tia can be set in the range of 20 seconds to 40 seconds, and the first target temperature Te1 can be set in the range of 276 °C to 300 °C.

[0120] The control unit 120 can heat the susceptor 130 based on the second target temperature Te2 lower than the first target temperature Te1 from the first time Tia to the second time Tib. Under the control of the control unit 120, the temperature of the susceptor 130 can be lowered to the second target temperature Te2. For example, the difference between the second time Tib and the first time Tia can be set in the range of 10 seconds to 15 seconds, and the second target temperature Te2 can be set in the range of 230 °C to 275 °C.

[0121] In one embodiment, the preheating section may include the first time Tia and the second time Tib. Also, the first time Tia can be referred to as the first sub-preheating section, and the period from the first time Tia to the second time Tib can be referred to as the second sub-preheating section. The preheating section means a section for increasing and decreasing the temperature of the susceptor 130 to an appropriate temperature at which aerosol is generated. Also, the preheating section means a section in which the actual user performance is not performed.

[0122] The control unit 120 can heat the susceptor 130 based on the third target temperature Te3 lower than the second target temperature Te2 from the second time Tib to the third time Tic. Under the control of the control unit 120, the temperature of the susceptor 130 can be lowered to the third target temperature Te3. For example, the difference between the third time Tic and the second time Tib can be set in the range of 10 seconds to 15 seconds, and the third target temperature Te3 can be set in the range of 220 °C to 268 °C.

[0123] The control unit 120 can heat the susceptor 130 based on a fourth target temperature Te4 that is lower than the third target temperature Te3 from the third hour Tic to the fourth hour Tid. The temperature of the susceptor 130 can be lowered to the fourth target temperature Te4 under the control of the control unit 120. For example, the difference between the fourth hour Tid and the third hour Tic can be set in the range of 50 seconds to 220 seconds, and the fourth target temperature Te4 can be set in the range of 210°C to 257°C.

[0124] In one embodiment, the smoking period may include the third hour Tic and the fourth hour Tid. The smoking period means a period in which the temperature of the susceptor 130 is maintained at the target temperature for the user's puff. Also, the smoking period means a period in which the user's puff is actually performed.

[0125] The control unit 120 can determine whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in at least a partial section of the preheating period. In one embodiment, the control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the initial preheating period. For example, the control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the first sub-preheating period after the susceptor 130 starts to be heated. The reason for determining whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the initial preheating period is that the difference in the temperature rising speed of the susceptor 130 due to the presence or absence of the aerosol generation substrate 20 shows the most significant difference in the initial preheating period. Also, if the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted, the power consumption can be significantly reduced by cutting off the power supplied to the induction coil 140 before entering the smoking period.

[0126] FIG. 7 shows information 720 related to the temperature of the susceptor 130 with the aerosol generation substrate 20 inserted into the cavity 11 and information 730 related to the temperature of the susceptor 130 with the aerosol generation substrate 20 not inserted into the cavity 11. In FIG. 7, it is assumed that the temperature sensor is in a normal state. That is, it is assumed that the electrical contact as shown in FIG. 6 is not separated from the susceptor 130 for the temperature sensor 192.

[0127] When the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11, it corresponds to an unloaded state, so the temperature of the susceptor 130 can increase rapidly. The control unit 120 determines the abnormal heating of the susceptor 130 according to the first abnormal heating condition. When the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor 192 reaches the preset temperature rise within the preset reference time Tif, the control unit 120 determines that the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied.

[0128] The reference time Tif can be experimentally set based on the time when the temperature of the susceptor 130 reaches the initial preheating temperature with the aerosol generation substrate 20 inserted into the cavity 11. At this time, the initial preheating temperature means the first target temperature Te1. In one embodiment, with the aerosol generation substrate 20 inserted into the cavity 11, the time when the temperature of the susceptor 130 reaches the first target temperature Te1 which is the initial preheating temperature is also the first time Tia. For example, the first target temperature Te1 is 276°C selected in the range of 276°C to 300°C, and the first time Tia is 20 seconds set in the range of 20 seconds to 40 seconds.

[0129] The reference time Tif can be set shorter than the first time Tia. For example, the reference time Tif can be set 10 seconds shorter than the first time Tia. Also, the temperature rise can be set the same as the initial preheating temperature. That is, the temperature rise can be set the same as the first target temperature Te1.

[0130] In FIG. 7, when the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11, the temperature of the susceptor 130 reaches the first target temperature Te1 which is the temperature rise at a time earlier than the reference time Tif (for example, 5 seconds), so the control unit 120 determines that the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied. That is, the control unit 120 determines that the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11 and cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0131] The control unit 120 can determine whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the preheating section and the smoking section. The reason for determining whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the entire preheating section and smoking section is that the difference between the actual temperature and the measured temperature of the susceptor 130 due to the abnormality of the temperature sensor 192 does not show a significant difference depending on the heating section.

[0132] The second abnormal heating condition includes a first sub-condition which is a temperature condition and a second sub-condition which is a power condition.

[0133] When the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor 192 is equal to or lower than a preset holding temperature within a preset monitoring time, the control unit 120 determines that the first sub-condition is satisfied. The holding temperature can be set based on the temperature profile stored in the memory 160.

[0134] In one embodiment, the monitoring time can be set to be longer than the reference time Tif for determining the first abnormal heating condition. This is to prevent a collision with the first abnormal heating condition because the difference between the target temperature and the actual temperature of the susceptor 130 is large in the initial preheating section. For example, the monitoring time can be set to 20 seconds, but it is not limited thereto.

[0135] In one embodiment, the holding temperature can be set to be lower than the target temperature according to the temperature profile. Setting the holding temperature lower than the target temperature is to increase user convenience by maintaining the power supplied to the induction coil 140 in the case of a fine control error that is not an error of the temperature sensor 192. For example, the holding temperature can be set to be 10°C to 20°C lower than the target temperature.

[0136] When the control unit 120 senses the first sub-condition, it can cut off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0137] When the power obtained from the power sensor 193 within the preset monitoring time is equal to or greater than the preset reference power, the control unit 120 determines that the second sub - condition is satisfied. The determination of the second sub - condition can be performed simultaneously with or at a different time from the determination of the first sub - condition.

[0138] In one embodiment, the monitoring time for determining the second sub - condition is the same as the monitoring time for determining the first sub - condition.

[0139] In one embodiment, the reference power can be set based on the power profile according to the target temperature. The reference power can be set higher than the target power according to the power profile. The target power means the power supplied to the induction coil 140 to reach the target temperature of the susceptor 130 when the temperature sensor 192 is normal. Setting the reference power higher than the target power is to increase user convenience by maintaining the power supplied to the induction coil 140 in the case of a fine control error that is not an error of the temperature sensor 192. For example, after the second time Tib and during the third time Tic, the target power for reaching the third target temperature Te3 of the susceptor 130 is set in the range of 120 mA to 130 mA, and the reference power can be set in the range of 80 mA to 90 mA.

[0140] When the control unit 120 senses the second sub - condition, it can cut off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0141] By separately determining the first abnormal heating condition and the second abnormal heating condition, the aerosol generating device 10 of the present disclosure has the advantage that it can more accurately recognize the state where the susceptor 130 is abnormally heated when the aerosol generating substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11 and the state where the susceptor 130 is abnormally heated due to an error of the temperature sensor 192.

[0142] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining an operation method of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 8, at step S810, the control unit 120 starts heating the susceptor 130.

[0144] The control unit 120 determines whether or not the aerosol generating substrate 20 has been inserted into the cavity 11 based on the change amount of the inductance of the substrate sensing sensor 191. The change in the inductance of the substrate sensing sensor 191 can be varied by an object 400 including an electromagnetic inductor contained in the aerosol generating substrate 20 or an electromagnetic induction substance adjacent to the aerosol generating device 10. When the change value of the inductance of the substrate sensing sensor 191 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold inductance, the control unit 120 can inductively heat the susceptor 130 without user input.

[0145] When the change amount of the inductance of the substrate sensing sensor 191 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold inductance, the control unit 120 can inductively heat the susceptor 130 based on the first target temperature Te1.

[0146] At step S820, the temperature sensor 192 can detect the temperature of the susceptor 130.

[0147] The temperature sensor 192 is disposed adjacent to the susceptor 130 and provides a temperature sensing value to the control unit 120. The control unit 120 determines abnormal heating of the susceptor 130 based on the detection information of the temperature sensor 192.

[0148] At step S830, the control unit 120 can determine whether or not the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied.

[0149] The first abnormal heating condition means a condition for determining a case where the susceptor 130 is unintentionally heated in a state where the aerosol generating substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11.

[0150] The control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in at least a partial section of the preheating section. In one embodiment, the control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the initial preheating section. For example, after the susceptor 130 starts heating, the control unit 120 determines whether the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the first sub-preheating section. The first sub-preheating section can be set within the range of 20 seconds to 40 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

[0151] When the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor 192 reaches the preset temperature rise within the preset reference time Tif, the control unit 120 determines that the first abnormal heating condition is satisfied. The temperature rise can be set to be the same as the first target temperature Te1 which is the initial preheating temperature. The preset reference time Tif can be set based on the first time Tia required for the temperature of the susceptor 130 to reach the first target temperature Te1 in the state where the aerosol generation substrate 20 is inserted into the cavity 11. The reference time Tif can be set shorter than the first time Tia. For example, the reference time Tif can be set 10 seconds shorter than the first time Tia.

[0152] In step S840, when the control unit 120 detects the first abnormal heating condition, it can cut off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0153] When the control unit 120 detects the first abnormal heating condition, it determines that the aerosol generation substrate 20 is not inserted into the cavity 11, and by immediately cutting off the power supplied to the induction coil 140, it can prevent the aerosol generation device 10 from operating differently from the user's intention.

[0154] According to the embodiment, when the control unit 120 cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil 140 due to the first abnormal heating condition, it can control the output unit 18 to output a first user notification.

[0155] In step S850, when the control unit 120 cannot detect the first abnormal heating condition, it maintains the heating of the susceptor 130.

[0156] When the control unit 120 does not detect the first abnormal heating condition, it can maintain the heating of the susceptor 130 by continuously supplying power to the induction coil 140.

[0157] In step S860, the control unit 120 determines whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied while maintaining the heating of the susceptor 130.

[0158] The second abnormal heating condition means a condition for determining the case where the susceptor 130 is not controlled by the intended temperature due to an abnormality of the temperature sensor 192.

[0159] The control unit 120 can determine whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the preheating section and the smoking section. In one embodiment, the control unit 120 can determine whether the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied in the remaining preheating section and smoking section excluding the determination section of the first abnormal heating condition. The reason why the satisfaction of the second abnormal heating condition is determined in the remaining preheating section and smoking section excluding the determination section of the first abnormal heating condition is that the monitoring time for determining the satisfaction of the second abnormal heating condition is set longer than the reference time Tif. For example, the monitoring time can be set to 20 seconds, which is longer than the reference time Tif.

[0160] The second abnormal heating condition may include a first sub-condition and a second sub-condition. When the control unit 120 satisfies at least one of the first sub-condition and the second sub-condition, it determines that the second abnormal heating condition is satisfied.

[0161] When the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor 192 within the preset monitoring time is equal to or lower than the preset holding temperature, the control unit 120 determines that the first sub-condition is satisfied. The holding temperature can be set lower than each target temperature included in the temperature profile. For example, the holding temperature can be set 10°C to 20°C lower than each target temperature.

[0162] When the power obtained from the power sensor 193 within the preset monitoring time is equal to or higher than the preset reference power, the control unit 120 determines that the second sub-condition is satisfied. The reference power can be set higher than each target power included in the power profile.

[0163] The determination of the second sub-condition can be performed simultaneously with or at a different time from the determination of the first sub-condition.

[0164] When the control unit 120 has not detected the second abnormal heating condition, the heating of the susceptor 130 can be maintained by continuously supplying power to the induction coil 140 at the S850 stage.

[0165] At the S870 stage, when the control unit 120 detects the second abnormal heating condition, it can cut off the power supplied to the induction coil 140.

[0166] According to an embodiment, when the control unit 120 cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil 140 due to the second abnormal heating condition, it can control the output unit 18 to output a second user notification. The output patterns of the first user notification when the first abnormal heating condition is detected and the second user notification when the second abnormal heating condition is detected may also be different from each other.

[0167] For example, when the output unit 180 is implemented by an LED that outputs visual information, the blinking frequency, period, hue, etc. of the first user notification and the second user notification can be set differently from each other. In another example, when the output unit 180 is implemented by a haptic motor that outputs tactile information, the vibration frequency, period, etc. of the first user notification and the second user notification can be set differently from each other. In still another example, when the output unit 180 is implemented by an LED and a haptic motor, one of the user notifications can be output by the LED and the other user notification can be output by the haptic motor.

[0168] When the aerosol generator 10 of the present disclosure generates abnormal heating of the susceptor 130 due to sensing value errors of sensors such as the substrate sensing sensor 191 and the temperature sensor 192, the power supply to the induction coil 140 can be immediately cut off to minimize power consumption and increase the durability of the internal configuration.

[0169] In addition, the aerosol generator 10 of the present disclosure can more accurately detect the sensor causing the abnormal heating by setting the first abnormal heating condition and the second abnormal heating condition to be different from each other.

[0170] Those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment will understand that it can be embodied in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics described above. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered from an illustrative perspective rather than a limiting perspective. The scope of the present invention is shown not in the foregoing description but in the claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims

1. In an aerosol generating device, a battery, an induction coil that generates a variable magnetic field based on the power supplied from the battery, a susceptor that heats an aerosol generating substrate using the heat generated by the variable magnetic field, a temperature sensor disposed adjacent to the susceptor and outputting a temperature sensing value as detection information, a control unit that cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil according to a first abnormal heating condition and a second abnormal heating condition based on the detection information of the temperature sensor, the aerosol generating device comprising the same.

2. The control unit controls the power supplied to the induction coil according to a temperature profile including a preheating section and a smoking section, and cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil based on the first abnormal heating condition in at least a partial section of the preheating section. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 1.

3. The control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil based on the second abnormal heating condition in the preheating section and the smoking section. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 2.

4. The control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil when the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor reaches a preset temperature rise temperature within a preset reference time according to the first abnormal heating condition. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 1.

5. The second abnormal heating condition includes a first sub-condition and a second sub-condition, The control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil when at least one of the first sub-condition and the second sub-condition is satisfied. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 1.

6. The control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil when the temperature acquired from the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than a preset holding temperature according to the first sub-condition. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 5.

7. The holding temperature is set lower than the target temperature of the susceptor according to the temperature profile. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 6.

8. The control unit cuts off the power supplied to the induction coil when the power supplied to the induction coil is equal to or higher than a preset reference power according to the second sub-condition. The aerosol generating device according to Claim 5.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 8, wherein the reference power is set higher than a target power that must be supplied to the induction coil to bring the temperature of the susceptor to a target temperature.

10. The susceptor is The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, which is formed so as to surround an outer peripheral surface of a cavity into which the aerosol generating substrate is inserted.

11. The temperature sensor is a first wire, a second wire, and a contact element in which the first wire and the second wire are in contact, and includes the aerosol generating device according to claim 1.

12. The first wire and the second wire are separated from each other and in contact with the contact element, The aerosol generating device according to claim 11, wherein the contact element is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the susceptor.

13. When the aerosol generating substrate including the electromagnetic conductor is inserted into the cavity, it further includes a substrate sensing sensor whose inductance is variable, The control unit is The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, which determines whether or not the aerosol generating substrate has been inserted into the cavity based on a sensing result of the substrate sensing sensor.

14. When cutting off the power supplied to the induction coil by the first abnormal heating condition and the second abnormal heating condition, the aerosol generating device according to claim 1 further includes an output unit that outputs a first user notification and a second user notification, respectively.

15. The aerosol generating device according to claim 14, wherein output patterns of the first user notification and the second user notification are set to be different from each other.

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