Aerosol generator and aerosol generating device including the same

Abstract

The aerosol generating device includes a storage unit for storing an aerosol generating material, a transfer unit that receives the aerosol generating material from the storage unit and performs at least one of the functions of filtering foreign matter from the aerosol generating material and adding an additive to the aerosol generating material to change the properties of the aerosol generating material, and an aerosol generator that receives the aerosol generating material from the transfer unit and generates an aerosol, and a coupling unit to which the aerosol generator is coupled.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generator and an aerosol generating device including the same, and more particularly to an aerosol generator including a structure capable of changing the properties of an aerosol generating material, and an aerosol generating device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for alternative methods to overcome the shortcomings of conventional cigarettes. For example, there has been an increasing demand for methods of generating aerosols by vaporizing an aerosol-generating substance, rather than by burning a cigarette. As a result, research into such aerosol-generating devices has been actively conducted.

[0003] The aerosol generating device may need to remove foreign substances such as contaminants and impurities contained in the stored aerosol generating material, or may need to change the properties of the aerosol generating material, such as flavor, viscosity, pH, or flow rate. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The aerosol generating device also includes a storage unit for storing an aerosol generating material and a generation unit for aerosolizing the aerosol generating material. Foreign matter in the aerosol generating material is difficult to remove, and the properties and flow rate of the aerosol generating material are difficult to change.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present embodiment is to provide an aerosol generator capable of removing foreign matter from an aerosol-generating substance, and an aerosol-generating device including the aerosol generator.

[0006] Another problem that this embodiment aims to solve is to provide an aerosol generator that can add a specific substance to an aerosol-generating substance to change the properties of the aerosol-generating substance, and an aerosol-generating device that includes the same.

[0007] Yet another problem to be solved by the present embodiment is to provide an aerosol generator that can lower the flash point and / or ignition point of an aerosol-generating substance, and an aerosol-generating device including the same.

[0008] Yet another problem to be solved by the present embodiment is to provide an aerosol generator that can reduce the manufacturing costs required to change the properties of an aerosol-generating substance, and an aerosol-generating device including the same.

[0009] The problems to be solved through this embodiment are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An aerosol generating device according to an embodiment for solving the above technical problem includes an aerosol generator including a storage unit for storing an aerosol-generating material, a transfer unit that receives the aerosol-generating material from the storage unit and performs at least one of the functions of filtering foreign matter from the aerosol-generating material and adding an additive material to the aerosol-generating material to change the properties of the aerosol-generating material, and a generation unit that receives the aerosol-generating material from the transfer unit and generates an aerosol, and a coupling unit to which the aerosol generator is coupled, and can transfer the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to the outside.

[0011] The means for solving the problem are not limited to the above, and the entire specification includes any matter that can be inferred by a person of ordinary skill in the art. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The aerosol generator according to this embodiment and the aerosol generating device including the same may include a transmission unit between the storage unit and the generation unit that filters out foreign matter from the aerosol generating material, thereby removing foreign matter from the aerosol generating material.

[0013] The aerosol generator according to this embodiment and the aerosol generating device including the same can change the properties of the aerosol generating material by including a transfer section between the storage section and the generation section that adds an additive substance that changes the properties of the aerosol generating material.

[0014] The aerosol generator according to this embodiment, and an aerosol generating device including the same, can increase the flash point and / or fire point of an aerosol-generating substance by disposing a substance that can lower the flash point and / or fire point of the aerosol-generating substance separately from the aerosol-generating substance.

[0015] The aerosol generator according to this embodiment and the aerosol generating device including the same may include a configuration in which at least one of the storage unit, the transmission unit, and the generation unit in the aerosol generator can be replaced, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs required to change the properties of the aerosol generating material.

[0016] The effects of the technical idea of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an aerosol generating device including an aerosol generator and a main body according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the state in which the aerosol generator and the main body of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 1 are disassembled. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an aerosol generator according to one embodiment. [Figure 4]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating granular activated carbon of a transmission portion according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a carbon block of a transmission portion according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a mesh structure of a transmission portion according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a fiber structure of a transmission portion according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a ceramic structure of a transmission part according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view for explaining an embodiment in which an additive substance is included in the transmission section. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the aerosol generator shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device including an aerosol generator, a body, and a medium, according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a medium according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a medium according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The terms used in this embodiment are currently commonly used and generally accepted terms, taking into consideration the functions of the present invention. However, they may vary depending on the intentions of engineers in the field, legal precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings of these terms will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this invention should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention, rather than simply by their names.

[0019] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, it does not mean excluding other components, but also means including other components, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, terms such as "... unit" and "... module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0020] As used herein, when phrases such as "at least one of," when preceding an array of elements, modify the entire array and not each individual element in the array. For example, the phrase "at least one of a, b, and c" should be interpreted as including a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

[0021] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device is also a device that electrically heats a cigarette contained in the internal space to generate an aerosol.

[0022] The aerosol generating device also includes a heater. In one embodiment, the heater is an electrically resistive heater. For example, the heater may include an electrically conductive track, which can be heated by passing an electric current through the electrically conductive track.

[0023] The heater may also include a tube-type heating element, a plate-type heating element, a needle-type heating element, or a rod-type heating element, and depending on the configuration of the heating element, may heat the interior or exterior of the cigarette.

[0024] Cigarettes also include tobacco rods and filter rods. The tobacco rods may be made of sheets, strands, or finely shredded tobacco. The tobacco rods may also be wrapped with a heat-conductive material. For example, the heat-conductive material may be a metal foil, such as aluminum foil, but is not limited thereto.

[0025] The filter rod may also be a cellulose acetate filter. The filter rod may be composed of at least one or more segments. For example, the filter rod may include a first segment that cools the aerosol and a second segment that filters a predetermined component contained in the aerosol.

[0026] In other embodiments, the aerosol generating device is also a device that generates the aerosol using a cartridge that holds the aerosol generating material.

[0027] The aerosol generating device also includes a cartridge that holds an aerosol-generating substance and a main body that supports the cartridge. The cartridge may be detachably connected to the main body, but is not limited thereto. The cartridge may be integrally formed with the main body or assembled thereto and fixed so that it cannot be removed by the user. The cartridge may be attached to the main body with the aerosol-generating substance contained therein. However, is not limited thereto, and the aerosol-generating substance may be injected into the cartridge while the cartridge is connected to the main body.

[0028] The cartridge may contain an aerosol-forming material in any one of a variety of states, such as a liquid, solid, gaseous, or gel state. The aerosol-forming material may also include a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance including a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance.

[0029] The cartridge may be activated by an electrical signal or a wireless signal transmitted from the main body to convert the phase of the aerosol-generating material inside the cartridge into a gas phase, thereby generating an aerosol. The aerosol may refer to a gas in which vaporized particles generated from the aerosol-generating material are mixed with air.

[0030] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device heats a liquid composition to generate an aerosol, which can then be transmitted through the cigarette to the user. That is, the aerosol generated from the liquid composition travels along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device, which can be configured to transmit the aerosol through the cigarette to the user.

[0031] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device is a device that generates an aerosol from an aerosol-generating substance using an ultrasonic vibration method. In this case, the ultrasonic vibration method may mean a method of generating an aerosol by atomizing the aerosol-generating substance using ultrasonic vibrations generated by a vibrator.

[0032] The aerosol generating device also includes a vibrator, which generates short-period vibrations to atomize the aerosol generating substance.

[0033] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device further comprises a cradle.

[0034] The aerosol generating device may be combined with a separate cradle to form a system. For example, the cradle may charge the battery of the aerosol generating device. Alternatively, the heater may be heated when the cradle and the aerosol generating device are combined.

[0035] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device is also a device that generates an aerosol by heating a medium contained in the aerosol generating device using induction heating.

[0036] The induction heating method may refer to a method of applying an alternating magnetic field to generate heat from a magnetic material.

[0037] When an alternating magnetic field is applied to a magnetic material, energy loss due to eddy current loss and hysteresis loss may occur in the magnetic material. The lost energy may be released from the magnetic material as heat energy. The greater the amplitude or frequency of the alternating magnetic field, the more heat energy may be released from the magnetic material.

[0038] The induction heating type aerosol generating device also includes a susceptor and a coil. As an example, the susceptor may be disposed adjacent to the medium outside the medium. As another example, the susceptor may be disposed inside the medium. When power is supplied to the coil, the coil generates a magnetic field, which can be applied to the susceptor.

[0039] In one embodiment, the susceptor is a magnetic material that generates heat when an external magnetic field is applied. Alternatively, the susceptor may be a non-magnetic metal. When a magnetic field is applied to the susceptor disposed inside the coil, the susceptor generates heat and can heat the medium.

[0040] The direction in which a certain element extends means the direction in which the length of the element extends.

[0041] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. The present disclosure may be embodied in the aerosol generating device of the various embodiments described above, or may be embodied in various different forms, but is not limited to the embodiments described in the present disclosure.

[0042] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0043] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device 1 including an aerosol generator 10 and a body 20 according to one embodiment.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating device 1 according to one embodiment also includes an aerosol generator 10 and a main body 20 .

[0045] The aerosol generator 10 can be detachably coupled to the main body 20. The aerosol generator 10 is also referred to as a cartridge.

[0046] The aerosol generator 10 also includes a storage section 11, a transmission section 12, and a generation section 13.

[0047] An aerosol-generating substance may be stored in the storage unit 11. The aerosol-generating substance stored in the storage unit 11 may be supplied to a transfer unit 12 included in the aerosol generator 10.

[0048] The transmitting unit 12 may filter foreign matter from the aerosol-generating material. For example, the transmitting unit 12 may perform the function of filtering foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol-generating material.

[0049] The transfer unit 12 may also perform the function of adding a specific substance to the aerosol-generating substance. For example, the transfer unit 12 may add a flavoring substance to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0050] The transfer unit 12 may perform both a function of filtering a specific substance from the aerosol-generating material and a function of adding a specific substance to the aerosol-generating material. That is, the transfer unit 12 may perform at least one of a function of filtering a specific substance from the aerosol-generating material and a function of adding a specific substance to the aerosol-generating material.

[0051] The transmission unit 12 may be disposed between the storage unit 11 and the generation unit 13 .

[0052] For example, the transfer unit 12 may be disposed inside the storage unit 11 and in contact with the generation unit 13. As another example, a fluid passage through which the aerosol-generating substance is transferred may be formed between the storage unit 11 and the generation unit 13, and the transfer unit 12 may be disposed on the fluid passage formed between the storage unit 11 and the generation unit 13.

[0053] The transfer unit 12 may also include a seal (not shown). The seal may prevent the aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit 11 from leaking outside the aerosol generator 10 or from leaking into the main body 20. The seal may be disposed between the storage unit 11 and the transfer unit 12. For example, the seal may be coupled to the storage unit 11 by a pressure-fitting method, but the coupling method is not limited thereto. The seal may also include an elastic material such as rubber.

[0054] The sealing may be disposed between the storage portion 11 and the transmission portion 12. The sealing may be disposed at an end portion of the transmission portion 12. The sealing may be formed integrally with the transmission portion 12.

[0055] As another example, a seal may be disposed between the transmitting unit 12 and the generating unit 13 .

[0056] The generating unit 13 can receive the aerosol-generating substance from the transmitting unit 12. The generating unit 13 can generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating substance.

[0057] In this disclosure, "aerosol" may refer to an aerosolized vapor of an aerosol-forming substance.

[0058] The generator 13 also includes a heater and a wick. The aerosol-forming substance delivered to the generator 13 can be absorbed into the wick and heated by the heater.

[0059] The heater can heat the aerosol-forming material absorbed in the wick. The heater can be arranged to be wrapped around the wick. For example, the heater can use power supplied from a battery in the main body 20 to heat the aerosol-forming material absorbed in the wick.

[0060] The heater may include a metallic material that generates heat through electrical resistance. For example, the heater may include stainless steel to prevent corrosion by the aerosol-forming material absorbed in the wick, but the metallic material of the heater is not limited thereto. In other examples, the heater may include a metallic material such as copper, nickel, or tungsten.

[0061] The wick is disposed inside the generating section 13 and is capable of absorbing the aerosol-generating substance stored inside the storage section 11 .

[0062] According to one embodiment, the wick may also include a cotton material, although the wick material is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment and may also include other materials (e.g., glass or ceramics) depending on the embodiment.

[0063] As another example, the generator 13 may include a vibrator. The vibrator may generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating substance using ultrasonic vibrations. The generator 13 may generate an aerosol by atomizing the aerosol-generating substance using the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the vibrator.

[0064] The generator 13 may generate short-period vibrations via a vibrator to atomize the aerosol-generating material. The vibrations generated by the vibrator may be ultrasonic vibrations, and the frequency band of the ultrasonic vibrations may be a frequency band of about 100 kHz to about 3.5 MHz, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0065] The generating unit 13 may further include a core. For example, the core may be arranged to surround at least one region of the vibrator or to be in contact with at least one region of the vibrator.

[0066] When a voltage (e.g., an AC voltage) is applied to the vibrator, heat and / or ultrasonic vibrations are generated from the vibrator, and the heat and / or ultrasonic vibrations generated from the vibrator can be transferred to the aerosol-forming substance absorbed in the wick. The aerosol-forming substance absorbed in the wick can be converted into a gas phase by the heat and / or ultrasonic vibrations transferred from the vibrator, resulting in the generation of an aerosol.

[0067] For example, the heat generated by the vibrator may reduce the viscosity of the aerosol-generating substance absorbed in the wick, and the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the vibrator may break down the reduced viscosity aerosol-generating substance into fine particles, thereby generating an aerosol, although the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0068] The aerosol generator 10 also includes an opening 14. The opening 14 may allow the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating substance to be discharged to the outside. The opening 14 may allow the generator 13 to be fluidly connected to the outside. A user may inhale the aerosol generated by the generator 13 through the opening 14.

[0069] The aerosol generator 10 may be detachably coupled to the main body 20. The main body 20 may support the aerosol generator 10. Components for operating the aerosol generating device 1 may be arranged inside the main body 20.

[0070] A person having ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment relates would understand that other components may be included in the aerosol generating device 1 in addition to the components illustrated in Figure 2.

[0071] The coupling relationship between the aerosol generator 10 and the main body 20 will be specifically described below with reference to FIG.

[0072] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the aerosol generator 10 and the main body 20 of the aerosol generation device 1 shown in FIG. 1 in disassembled form.

[0073] 2, an aerosol generating device 1 according to one embodiment includes an aerosol generator 10 and a main body 20. The components of the aerosol generating device 1 may be the same as or similar to the components of the aerosol generating device 1 shown in FIG. 1, and therefore, in the following, a description of the components that overlap with the description given with reference to FIG. 1 will be omitted.

[0074] The main body 20 also includes a coupling portion 21 , an air inlet 22 , an air flow passage 23 , a control portion 24 and a battery 25 .

[0075] The aerosol generator 10 can be detachably coupled to the coupling part 21. The coupling part 21 also includes a configuration for detachably coupling the aerosol generator 10. The aerosol generator 10 also includes a configuration for detachably coupling to the coupling part 21, at a position corresponding to the coupling part 21. The aerosol generator 10 can be coupled to the main body 20 by being coupled to the coupling part 21, and can be separated from the main body 20 by being separated from the coupling part 21.

[0076] When the aerosol generator 10 is coupled to the main body 20, the generating unit 13 of the aerosol generator 10 may be disposed in at least a part of the coupling portion 21.

[0077] The main body 20 may be formed with an air inlet 22 that allows external air to flow into the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the air inlet 22 may be formed on one side of the main body 20 as shown in FIG. 2, but this is merely an example, and the air inlet 22 may be formed in various positions so that external air can flow into the aerosol generation device 1.

[0078] 2, the air inlet may be formed in the aerosol generator 10. In that case, the air flow passage, which will be described later, may also be formed in the aerosol generator 10.

[0079] One region of the airflow passage 23 may be formed in the space between the main body 20 and the aerosol generator 10. The airflow passage 23 may form a flow path through which external air flowing in through the air inlet 22 flows into the inside of the aerosol generation device 1. The airflow passage 23 may be disposed between the air inlet 22 and the generation unit 13, and may fluidly connect the air inlet 22 and the generation unit 13. That is, the air flowing in through the air inlet 22 into the inside of the aerosol generation device 1 may reach the generation unit 13 along the airflow passage 23.

[0080] When the user inhales through opening 14, the pressure in the space in which generator 13 is disposed decreases, and external air flowing in through air inlet 22 of main body 20 moves to generator 13 through airflow passage 23. In generator 13, the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material is mixed with the air flowing in through airflow passage 23 and is then discharged to the outside through opening 14.

[0081] With the above-described configuration, the aerosol generation device 1 can transmit the aerosol generated in the aerosol generator 10 to the outside.

[0082] 2 shows that the control unit 24 and the battery 25 are arranged in a row inside the main body 20. However, the internal structure of the main body 20 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 2. In other words, the arrangement of the coupling portion 21, the air inlet 22, the air flow passage 23, the control unit 24, and the battery 25 may be changed depending on the design of the main body 20.

[0083] The control unit 24 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generation device 1. Specifically, the control unit 24 controls the operation of not only the aerosol generator 10 and the battery 15 but also other components included in the aerosol generation device 1. The control unit 24 can also check the status of each component of the aerosol generation device 1 and determine whether the aerosol generation device 1 is in an operable state.

[0084] The control unit 24 includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented by an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may also be implemented by other types of hardware.

[0085] The battery 25 supplies power used to operate the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the battery 25 can supply power to the generation unit 13 so that the generation unit 13 can generate aerosol, and can also supply power necessary for the control unit 24 to operate.

[0086] The aerosol generating device 1 may further include other components. For example, the aerosol generating device 1 may include a display capable of outputting visual information and / or a motor for outputting tactile information. The aerosol generating device 1 may also include a puff detection sensor, a temperature detection sensor, a cigarette insertion detection sensor, etc. The aerosol generating device 1 may also be fabricated in a structure that allows external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out.

[0087] The battery 25 can supply the power necessary to operate the display, sensors, motors, etc. provided in the aerosol generation device 1.

[0088] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the aerosol generator 10 of FIGS.

[0089] 3, an aerosol generator 10 according to one embodiment includes a storage section 11, a transfer section 12, a generation section 13, and an opening 14. The components of the aerosol generator 10 may be the same as or similar to the components of the aerosol generator 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and therefore, in the following, descriptions of components that overlap with the descriptions given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 will be omitted.

[0090] The aerosol-forming material stored in the storage section 11 of the aerosol generator 10 may include a tobacco-containing substance containing volatile tobacco flavor components, or may include a liquid composition containing a non-tobacco substance.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the liquid composition may be any one or a mixture of water, solvent, ethanol, plant extract, flavoring agent, and vitamin mixture. The flavoring agent may include, but is not limited to, menthol, peppermint, spearmint oil, and various fruit-flavored ingredients. The flavoring agent may include ingredients that can provide a variety of flavors or aromas to the user. The vitamin mixture may include, but is not limited to, at least one of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The liquid composition may also include an aerosol-forming agent, such as glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0092] For example, the liquid composition may include a solution of glycerin and propylene glycol in any weight ratio to which a nicotine salt is added. The liquid composition may also include two or more nicotine salts. The nicotine salt may be formed by adding a suitable acid, including an organic acid or an inorganic acid, to nicotine. The nicotine may be naturally occurring nicotine or synthetic nicotine, and may have any suitable weight concentration relative to the total solution weight of the liquid composition.

[0093] The acid for forming the nicotine salt may be appropriately selected taking into consideration the rate of nicotine absorption in the blood, the operating temperature of the aerosol generating device, the flavor or taste, solubility, etc. For example, the acid for forming the nicotine salt may be, but is not limited to, a single acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, lauric acid, sorbic acid, levulinic acid, pyruvic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, citric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, phenylacetic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, saccharinic acid, malonic acid, or malic acid, or a mixture of two or more acids selected from the above group.

[0094] The aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit 11 may be moved in one direction toward the generation unit 13. In this case, the transfer unit 12 may be disposed between the storage unit 11 and the generation unit 13. The transfer unit 12 may change at least a portion of the components of the aerosol-generating material before the aerosol-generating material in the storage unit 11 is transferred to the generation unit 13.

[0095] As an example, the transmission unit 12 may be a porous material below a certain size, and may filter foreign matter above a certain size from the aerosol generating material, thereby preventing the foreign matter contained in the aerosol generating material from being transmitted to the generation unit 13.

[0096] When the transmitting part 12 is made of a porous material below a certain size and filters foreign matter above a certain size from the aerosol-generating substance, a high-quality aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substance can be provided to the user.

[0097] As another example, the transfer portion 12 may include an additive substance that can change the properties of the aerosol-generating substance, thereby adding the additive substance to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0098] For example, the transfer unit 12 may contain an aroma substance and add the aroma substance to the aerosol-generating substance, thereby imparting a flavor to the aerosol-generating substance. In the process of the transfer unit 12 transferring the aerosol-generating substance to the generating unit, the aroma substance contained in the transfer unit 12 may be mixed with the aerosol-generating substance, the aroma substance may be dissolved in the aerosol-generating substance, or the aroma substance may react with the aerosol-generating substance, thereby imparting a flavor to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0099] As another example, the transmitting unit 12 may include a viscous substance that adjusts the viscosity of the aerosol-generating substance. The transmitting unit 12 may perform the function of changing the viscosity of the aerosol-generating substance by adding a viscous substance to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0100] As another example, the transmitter 12 may contain an acidity adjusting substance that adjusts the acidity of the liquid (pH, which indicates the amount of hydrogen ions present, which is a measure of acidity or basicity). The transmitter 12 may add an acidity adjusting substance to the aerosol-generating substance, thereby changing the acidity of the aerosol-generating substance.

[0101] As another example, the transmitting portion 120 may include various substances that may be included in the aerosol-generating material (e.g., tobacco-containing substances, non-tobacco substances, plant extracts, vitamin mixtures, aerosol-forming agents, nicotine, mixtures thereof, etc.) and may perform the function of changing the properties of the aerosol-generating material.

[0102] By including a transmission section 12, the aerosol generator 10 does not impede the transmission of the aerosol-generating substance from the storage section 11 to the generation section 13, and can change the properties of the aerosol-generating substance just before it is aerosolized.

[0103] The transfer unit 12 may perform a combination of the above-described functions of the transfer unit 12. For example, the transfer unit 12 may filter foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol-generating substance, while adding a flavoring substance to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0104] The transfer unit 12 may add a flavoring substance to the aerosol-generating substance. The transfer unit 12 may add a flavor to the aerosol-generating substance. That is, if the aerosol generator is equipped with the transfer unit 12, it is not necessary to add a flavor to the aerosol-generating substance in advance, and the flavor can be added immediately before the aerosol is provided to the user.

[0105] Various additives that can be included in an aerosol generating material can lower the flash point and / or fire point of the aerosol generating material by dissolving or mixing them in the aerosol generating material. However, if the flash point and / or fire point of the aerosol generating material is below a certain temperature, the transportation costs of the aerosol generating material may increase. For example, in certain regions, if a liquid whose flash point and / or fire point is below a certain temperature is transported by aircraft, explosion-proof design, such as the installation of bulkheads or individual packaging, may be required. In such cases, the explosion-proof design may excessively increase the transportation costs of the aerosol generating material, significantly reducing the profitability of the aerosol generator 10 or significantly increasing the cost of providing the aerosol generator 10 to users.

[0106] According to the present disclosure, a specific substance that, when dissolved in an aerosol generating substance, may lower the flash point and / or ignition point of the aerosol generating substance is not dissolved or mixed with the aerosol generating substance stored in storage unit 11 and transported, but is instead transported in transmission unit 12, which is handled separately from storage unit 11, thereby making it possible to keep the flash point and / or ignition point of the aerosol generating substance above a certain temperature, thereby reducing the transportation costs of the aerosol generating substance and ensuring the profitability of aerosol generator 10.

[0107] As another example, the thickness of transmitting portion 12 can be varied to adjust the rate at which the aerosol-generating substance is delivered to generation portion 13, thereby adjusting the concentration of the aerosol-generating substance in the aerosol. For example, if transmitting portion 12 is relatively thick, the rate at which the aerosol-generating substance is delivered to generation portion 13 will be slower than if transmitting portion 12 is thin, allowing the user to obtain a lower concentration of the aerosol-generating substance under the same conditions. Manufacturers distribute transmitting portion 12 with various thicknesses, and users can select a transmitting portion 12 with a thickness that allows them to obtain the desired concentration of the aerosol substance.

[0108] 4 to 8 are schematic diagrams for explaining specific embodiments of the transmission unit 12 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In FIG.

[0109] 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the transmission part 12 including the carbon structure.

[0110] The transmission section 12 also includes a carbon structure containing activated carbon that filters foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol-generating substance, thereby preventing the foreign matter contained in the aerosol-generating substance from being transmitted to the generation section.

[0111] Carbon structures are materials containing carbon and can be used to remove foreign matter. Specifically, the carbon structure can also be activated carbon. Activated carbon is a porous material whose main component is carbon, like charcoal, and has a large surface area and strong adsorption properties. Activated carbon can be made from specially heat-treated wood, coconut, or coal. Activated carbon is a porous material containing countless microscopic pores, and when an aerosol-generating substance passes through the activated carbon, foreign matter in the aerosol-generating substance can be filtered out.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 4, the carbon structure included in the transmission part 12 also includes a plurality of activated carbon granules 121a.

[0113] Granules refer to small particles the size of sand grains, and the granular activated carbon 121a is activated carbon granulated. At least a portion of the granular activated carbon 121a may be formed in a pillar or rod shape.

[0114] Furthermore, when the aerosol-generating material passes through the transfer unit 12, it exits through the shortest and easiest path within the granular activated carbon 121a. Due to this characteristic, a kind of tunnel is formed within the transfer unit 12 for the aerosol-generating material to pass through, and the aerosol-generating material passing through the transfer unit 12 rarely comes into contact with the entire transfer unit 12.

[0115] For example, the amount of aerosol passing through the transmission section 12 can be adjusted by appropriately designing the tunnels inside the granular activated carbon 121a to minimize the path and lengthen or shorten the tunnels.

[0116] As another example, incense may be added near the tunnel formed inside the activated carbon granules 121a so that the additive substance is effectively added to the aerosol-generating substance. The activated carbon granules 121a may be formed in a rod shape.

[0117] 5, the carbon structure included in the transmission part 12 may include a plurality of carbon blocks 121b, which are solid carbon-containing materials. The carbon blocks 121b may be formed by agglomerating carbon powder. The carbon powder may be formed by decomposing activated carbon.

[0118] The aerosol-generating material can pass through the dense carbon powder that makes up carbon block 121b, and in the process, foreign matter in the aerosol-generating material can be adsorbed by carbon block 121b. If the carbon powder is coated with an additive such as a flavoring material, carbon block 121b can also impart a flavor to the aerosol-generating material.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 6, the transmission unit 12 also includes a porous mesh structure 122 that filters foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol generating material, thereby preventing the foreign matter contained in the aerosol generating material from being transmitted to the generation unit.

[0120] The mesh structure 122 may also include capillary fibers. The mesh structure 122 may be formed by welding a mat of capillary fibers. The mesh structure 122 may be formed from a woven or nonwoven material. The fibers of the woven or nonwoven material may be parallel, twisted, stranded, or any combination of these types of fibers. The mesh structure 122 may include a single material or multiple materials. The materials may be metallic or nonmetallic, natural, synthetic, or both. For example, the fibers of the mesh structure 122 may be formed from cellulose fibers or stainless steel.

[0121] The porous mesh structure 122 does not allow foreign matter of a certain size or larger to pass through, and therefore can remove foreign matter of a certain size or larger contained in the aerosol-generating material passing through the transmitting section 12 .

[0122] Referring to FIG. 7, the transmission unit 12 also includes a fiber structure 123 made of a porous fiber material that filters foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol generating material, thereby preventing the foreign matter contained in the aerosol generating material from being transmitted to the generation unit.

[0123] For example, the fiber structure may be a cotton structure formed from a cotton material. The material of the porous cotton structure is not limited to cotton, but may include various fiber materials that can allow fluid to pass through, such as cotton.

[0124] The porous fiber structure 123 does not allow foreign matter of a certain size or larger to pass through, and therefore can remove foreign matter of a certain size or larger contained in the aerosol-generating material passing through the transmitting section 12 .

[0125] Referring to FIG. 8, the transmission unit 12 also includes a porous ceramic structure 124 that filters foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol generating material, thereby preventing the foreign matter contained in the aerosol generating material from being transmitted to the generation unit.

[0126] The ceramic structure 124 is a structure made by firing porous ceramic powder at high temperature, and can remove foreign matter through its fine pores (air holes with a diameter of 0.5 to 1 μm). The porous ceramic structure 124 does not allow foreign matter above a certain size to pass through, so it can remove foreign matter above a certain size contained in the aerosol-generating material passing through the transfer unit 12.

[0127] The embodiments of the transmission unit 12 described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 may be applied singly or in combination.

[0128] Fig. 9 is an enlarged view for explaining an example in which an additive substance is included in the transmission portion 12. Fig. 9 shows an enlarged view of a part of the transmission portion.

[0129] The transmitting portion 12 may be composed of several particles (granules), and the particles may be coated with an additive substance.

[0130] Figure 9(a) illustrates an example of particles forming a structure contained in the transfer section 12. The particles illustrated in Figure 9(a) are not coated with an additive substance. Therefore, the additive substance is not added to the aerosol-generating material passing through the transfer section containing only the particles of Figure 9(a).

[0131] 9(b) shows an example of a state in which the particles forming the structure contained in the transmitting part 12 are coated with an additive substance. In FIG. 9(b), the substance coating the particles may include various substances such as the flavoring substance, viscosity enhancing substance, acidity adjusting substance, nicotine, vitamins, and aerosol forming agent.

[0132] The aerosol-generating substance stored in the storage section 11 passes through the transmission section 12 and is moved to the generation section 13, and when the aerosol-generating substance passes through the transmission section 12, the additive substance coated on the particles in Figure 9(b) can be dissolved or mixed into the aerosol-generating substance and added to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0133] When a certain volume of aerosol-generating material passes through the transmitting unit 12, the additive material is removed from the particles, and the particles may assume a form identical to or similar to that shown in Figure 9(a). In this case, since all additive material has been consumed in the transmitting unit 12, the user may replace the transmitting unit and / or the aerosol generator.

[0134] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the aerosol generator 10 shown in FIG.

[0135] 10, an aerosol generator 10 according to one embodiment includes an aerosol storage section 11, a transfer section 12, a generation section 13, and an opening 14. The components of the aerosol generator 10 may be the same as or similar to the components of the aerosol generator 10 shown in FIG. 3, and therefore, hereinafter, descriptions of components that overlap with the description given with reference to FIG. 3 will be omitted.

[0136] At least one of the storage unit 11, the transfer unit 12, and the generation unit 13 included in the aerosol generator 10 may be detachably coupled to other components.

[0137] For example, the transmitting unit 12 may be separably coupled to at least one of the storing unit 11 and the generating unit 13 .

[0138] The transmitting unit 12 can still perform the function of filtering foreign matter even if a certain volume of aerosol-generating material stored in the storage unit 11 has passed through the transmitting unit 12 and the generating unit 13 and been consumed.

[0139] As another example, the additive substance contained in the transfer unit 12 may still contain the additive substance even if a certain volume of the aerosol-generating substance stored in the storage unit 11 has been consumed after passing through both the transfer unit 12 and the generation unit 13. In other words, the transfer unit 12 may perform the function of adding the additive substance to the aerosol-generating substance.

[0140] In such a case, replacing the entire aerosol generator 10 including the transfer unit 12 due to the aerosol-generating material being consumed may result in a waste of resources.

[0141] Furthermore, even if all the aerosol generating material in the storage unit 11 is consumed, the generating unit 13 can still maintain its function of generating aerosol.

[0142] At least one of the storage unit 11, transmission unit 12, and generation unit 13 included in the aerosol generator 10 is detachably connected to the other components, so that only the components that need to be replaced can be selectively replaced, preventing waste of resources.

[0143] For example, if the transmission unit 12 is detachably connected to the aerosol generator 10, when all the aerosol generating material in the storage unit 11 is consumed, the user can replace only the other components without replacing the transmission unit 12.

[0144] For another example, when the additive material in the transfer unit 12 of the storage unit 11 is exhausted, the user can replace only the transfer unit 12 without replacing the other components of the aerosol generator 10.

[0145] For this reason, the manufacturer of the aerosol generator 10 may manufacture and distribute the aerosol generator 10 without including the transmission unit 12, or may manufacture and distribute the transmission unit 12 separately.

[0146] Generally, if a manufacturer wants to change the properties of an aerosol-generating substance, they must change their production line or install new production equipment, which requires considerable expense.

[0147] If the delivery unit 12 is manufactured to be separable from the aerosol generator 10, a user can change the characteristics of the aerosol-generating material by simply replacing the delivery unit 12. For example, by replacing the existing delivery unit 12 with a delivery unit 12 containing a different additive, a user can change various characteristics of the aerosol-generating material, such as the type of aerosol flavor, the flavor concentration, the atomization amount, or the nicotine concentration.

[0148] Furthermore, when the transfer unit 12 is separated from the aerosol generator 10, the aerosol-generating material inside the storage unit 11 may flow out. To prevent this, a blocking element (not shown) that prevents fluid communication may be formed between the storage unit 11 and the transfer unit 12. The blocking element may have a blocking plate structure or a blocking valve structure. The blocking element may be moved between a blocking position and an open position.

[0149] For example, the blocking element may be moved between the blocking position and the open position by a separate operation by the user, in which case the user may move the blocking element to the blocking position by a separate operation, then separate the transmitting unit 12 from the aerosol generator 10, and then connect the transmitting unit 12 to the aerosol generator 10, and then move the blocking element to the open position by a separate operation.

[0150] For example, the blocking element may be automatically moved to a blocking position when the transmitting portion 12 is separated from the aerosol generator 10, and automatically moved to an open position when the transmitting portion 12 is connected to the aerosol generator 10.

[0151] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a manufacturer can change the characteristics of the aerosol generating material provided to a user simply by changing the additive material in the transmission unit 12. This has the advantage that the same purpose can be achieved with less manufacturing equipment costs than a method that required a complete redesign of the aerosol generator 10, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the aerosol generator 10 and allowing the aerosol generator 10 to be provided to users at a more economical price.

[0152] As another example, when the storage unit 11 can be separated from the aerosol generator 10, the user can continue to use the transmission unit 12 and the generation unit 13 by replacing only the storage unit 11 with a new storage unit 11 while leaving the other components of the aerosol generator 10 intact.

[0153] As yet another example, when the generation unit 13 is separated from the aerosol generator 10, the user can continue to use the storage unit 11 and the transmission unit 12 by simply replacing the generation unit 13 with a new generation unit 13.

[0154] As mentioned above, the aerosol generating device includes a component capable of outputting information to the outside, such as a display, and also includes a component capable of controlling other components, such as a control unit.

[0155] The control unit of the main body can calculate whether the replacement period of the transmission unit 12 has elapsed or not.

[0156] For example, when the usage time of the aerosol generating device 1 has exceeded a predetermined time after the transmission unit 12 is first connected to the aerosol generator 10, the control unit may recognize that the replacement period of the transmission unit 12 has expired.

[0157] As another example, after the transmission unit 12 is initially connected to the aerosol generator 10, when the puff sensor of the aerosol generating device 1 detects the number of puffs equal to or greater than a predetermined number, the control unit may recognize that the replacement period of the transmission unit 12 has elapsed.

[0158] As another example, in an embodiment in which the storage unit 11 is detachable and replaceable, if it is detected that the storage unit 11 has been replaced more than a predetermined number of times after the transmission unit 12 is initially connected to the aerosol generator 10, the control unit may recognize that the replacement period of the transmission unit 12 has expired.

[0159] When the replacement period of the transmitter 12 has elapsed, the control unit may output information related to the replacement of the transmitter to the outside. For example, when the replacement period of the transmitter 12 has elapsed, the aerosol generating device may output a text message on the display indicating that the transmitter 12 needs to be replaced.

[0160] As another example, the control unit may include a speaker, and when the replacement period of the transmission unit 12 has elapsed, a voice message may be output through the speaker to indicate that the transmission unit 12 needs to be replaced.

[0161] As another example, the control unit may include a vibration motor, and when the replacement period of the transmission unit 12 has elapsed, the vibration motor may be vibrated to notify the user through touch that the transmission unit 12 needs to be replaced.

[0162] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generating device 1 including an aerosol generator 10, a body 20 and a medium 30 according to one embodiment.

[0163] 11, an aerosol generating device 1 according to one embodiment includes an aerosol generator 10, a main body 20, and a medium 30. The components of the aerosol generating device 1 may be the same as or similar to the components of the aerosol generating device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and therefore, in the following, descriptions of the components that overlap with the descriptions given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 will be omitted.

[0164] According to an embodiment of the aerosol generating device 1, a medium 30 (e.g., cigarettes) may be accommodated in the aerosol generator 10. The aerosol generator 10 also includes a storage unit that accommodates the medium 30, and the aerosol generated inside the aerosol generator 10 may pass through the medium 30 accommodated in the storage unit and be discharged to the outside of the aerosol generating device 1. At this time, a user may bring their mouth into contact with the medium 30 and inhale the aerosol through the medium 30. A detailed description of the medium 30 according to an embodiment will be provided below with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0165] 12 and 13 are diagrams illustrating examples of a medium according to another embodiment. The examples of the medium will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0166] 12, the medium 3 includes a tobacco rod 31 and a filter rod 32. A first portion of the medium 3 includes the tobacco rod 31, and a second portion includes the filter rod 32.

[0167] 12, the filter rod 32 is illustrated as a single segment, but is not limited to this. In other words, the filter rod 32 may be composed of multiple segments. For example, the filter rod 32 may include a segment that cools the aerosol and a segment that filters a specific component contained in the aerosol. If necessary, the filter rod 32 may also include at least one segment that performs another function.

[0168] The diameter of the medium 3 is within the range of 5 mm to 9 mm, and the length may be, but is not limited to, approximately 48 mm. For example, the length of the tobacco rod 31 may be, but is not limited to, approximately 12 mm, the length of the first segment of the filter rod 32 may be, but is not limited to, approximately 10 mm, the length of the second segment of the filter rod 32 may be, but is not limited to, approximately 14 mm, and the length of the third segment of the filter rod 32 may be, but is not limited to, approximately 12 mm.

[0169] The medium 3 may be wrapped by at least one wrapper 34. The wrapper 34 may have at least one hole formed therein to allow external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out. As an example, the medium 3 may be wrapped by one wrapper 34. As another example, the medium 3 may be wrapped by two or more wrappers 34 in a stacked manner. For example, the tobacco rod 31 may be wrapped by a first wrapper 341, and the filter rod 32 may be wrapped by wrappers (second wrapper 342, third wrapper 343, fourth wrapper 344). The entire medium 3 may then be wrapped by a single wrapper 34. If the filter rod 32 is composed of multiple segments, each segment may be wrapped by a wrapper (second wrapper 342, third wrapper 343, fourth wrapper 344).

[0170] The first wrapper 341 and the second wrapper 342 may be made of common filter wrapping paper. For example, the first wrapper 341 and the second wrapper 342 may be porous or non-porous wrapping paper. The first wrapper 341 and the second wrapper 342 may also be made of oil-resistant paper and / or aluminum-clad paper wrapping material.

[0171] The third wrapper 343 may be made of hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the third wrapper 343 may be 88 g / m 2 ~96g / m 2 and preferably 90 g / m 2 ~94g / m 2 The thickness of the third wrapper 343 may be within a range of 120 μm to 130 μm, and is preferably 125 μm.

[0172] The fourth wrapper 344 may be made of oil-resistant hard wrapping paper. For example, the basis weight of the fourth wrapper 344 may be 88 g / m 2 ~96g / m 2 and preferably 90 g / m 2 ~94g / m 2The thickness of the fourth wrapper 344 may be within a range of 120 μm to 130 μm, and is preferably 125 μm.

[0173] The fifth wrapper 345 may be made of sterilized paper (MFW). Here, the sterilized paper (MFW) refers to paper specially manufactured to have improved tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to general paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 345 is 57 g / m 2 ~63g / m 2 and preferably within the range of 60 g / m 2 The thickness of the fifth wrapper 345 is in the range of 64 μm to 70 μm, and is preferably 67 μm.

[0174] A predetermined material may be added to the fifth wrapper 345. An example of the predetermined material may be, but is not limited to, silicon. For example, silicon has properties such as heat resistance (i.e., small changes due to temperature), oxidation resistance (i.e., no oxidation), resistance to various chemicals, water repellency, and electrical insulation. However, any material other than silicon that has the above properties may be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 345 without limitation.

[0175] The fifth wrapper 345 can prevent the medium 3 from being burned. Specifically, the medium 3 can be burned if the temperature of any one of the substances contained in the tobacco rod 31 rises above the ignition point. Even in such a case, the fifth wrapper 345 can prevent the medium 3 from being burned because it contains a non-combustible substance.

[0176] Furthermore, the fifth wrapper 345 can prevent the aerosol generation device 1 from being contaminated by the substance generated in the medium 3. A liquid substance can be generated inside the medium 3 when the user puffs. For example, the liquid substance (e.g., moisture) can be generated when the aerosol generated in the medium 3 is cooled by external air. By enclosing the medium 3 with the fifth wrapper 345, the liquid substance generated inside the medium 3 can be prevented from leaking outside the medium 3.

[0177] The tobacco rod 31 includes an aerosol-forming material. For example, the aerosol-forming material may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol, but is not limited thereto. The tobacco rod 31 may also include other additives, such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. A flavoring liquid, such as menthol or a humectant, may also be added to the tobacco rod 31 by spraying it onto the tobacco rod 31.

[0178] The tobacco rod 31 may be made in a variety of ways. For example, the tobacco rod 31 may be made from a sheet or a strand. The tobacco rod 31 may also be made from shredded tobacco, which is a tobacco sheet. The tobacco rod 31 may also be surrounded by a thermally conductive material. For example, the thermally conductive material may be a metal foil such as aluminum foil, but is not limited to this. For example, the thermally conductive material surrounding the tobacco rod 31 may evenly distribute heat transferred to the tobacco rod 31, improving the thermal conductivity of the tobacco rod and thereby improving the tobacco taste.

[0179] The filter rod 32 is also a cellulose acetate filter. The shape of the filter rod 32 is not limited. For example, the filter rod 32 may be a cylindrical rod or a tube-type rod having a hollow interior. The filter rod 32 may also be a recess-type rod. If the filter rod 32 is composed of multiple segments, at least one of the multiple segments may be manufactured in a different shape.

[0180] The first segment of the filter rod 32 is also a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the first segment is a tube-shaped structure containing a hollow inside. The diameter of the hollow contained in the first segment can be any suitable diameter within the range of 2 mm to 4.5 mm, but is not limited thereto.

[0181] The length of the first segment may be any suitable length within the range of 4 mm to 30 mm, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the length of the first segment is 10 mm, but is not limited thereto.

[0182] The hardness of the first segment can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of plasticizer used during manufacturing, and the first segment can be manufactured by inserting a structure such as a film or tube made of the same or different material into the interior (e.g., hollow) of the first segment.

[0183] The length or diameter of the second segment may vary depending on the shape of the medium 3. For example, the length of the second segment may be appropriately set within the range of 7 mm to 20 mm. Preferably, the length of the second segment is approximately 14 mm, but is not limited thereto.

[0184] The second segment can be made by weaving polymer fibers. In this case, the fragrance liquid can be applied to the polymer fibers. Alternatively, the second segment can be made by weaving a separate fiber coated with the fragrance liquid and a polymer fiber together. Alternatively, the second segment can be formed by a crimped polymer sheet.

[0185] For example, the polymer may be made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil.

[0186] Because the second segment is formed from woven polymer fibers or a crimped polymer sheet, the second segment also includes one or more longitudinally extending channels, where the channel refers to a passageway through which a gas (e.g., air or aerosol) passes.

[0187] For example, the second segment, which is made of a crimped polymer sheet, can be formed of a material having a thickness between about 5 μm and about 300 μm, e.g., between about 10 μm and about 250 μm, and the total surface area of the second segment can be less than about 300 mm 2 / mm and approximately 1,000mm 2 / mm. The aerosol cooling element may have a specific surface area of about 10 mm 2 / mg and about 100mm 2 It can be formed from materials between 1 / mg.

[0188] Additionally, the second segment may include a thread containing a volatile flavor component, such as, but not limited to, menthol. For example, the thread may be loaded with a sufficient amount of menthol to provide 1.5 mg or more of menthol to the second segment.

[0189] The third segment of the filter rod 32 is also a cellulose acetate filter. The length of the third segment may be suitably within the range of 4 mm to 20 mm. For example, but not limited to, the length of the third segment may be approximately 12 mm.

[0190] During the preparation of the third segment, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the third segment to produce a flavor. Alternatively, separate fibers coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the third segment. The aerosol generated in the tobacco rod 31 is cooled by passing through the second segment of the filter rod 32, and the cooled aerosol is delivered to the user via the third segment. Therefore, when a flavoring element is added to the third segment, the effect of enhancing the persistence of the flavor delivered to the user can be achieved.

[0191] The filter rod 32 may also include at least one capsule 33. The capsule 33 may function to generate flavor or aerosol. For example, the capsule 33 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring substance is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 33 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0192] 13, the medium 4 may further include a front end plug 43. The front end plug 43 may be located on one side of the tobacco rod 41 opposite the filter rod 42. The front end plug 43 may prevent the tobacco rod 41 from detaching to the outside and may prevent aerosol liquefied from the tobacco rod 41 from flowing into the aerosol generation device 1 during smoking.

[0193] Filter rod 42 also includes a first segment 421 and a second segment 422. Here, first segment 421 may correspond to the first segment of filter rod 32 of FIG. 12, and second segment 422 may correspond to the third segment of filter rod 32 of FIG.

[0194] The diameter and overall length of medium 4 may correspond to the diameter and overall length of medium 3 of Figure 12. For example, but not limited to, the length of front end plug 43 may be about 7 mm, the length of tobacco rod 41 may be about 15 mm, the length of first segment 421 may be about 12 mm, and the length of second segment 422 may be about 14 mm.

[0195] The medium 4 may be wrapped by at least one wrapper 45. The wrapper 45 may have at least one hole formed therein for allowing external air to flow in or internal gas to flow out. For example, the front end plug 43 may be wrapped by a first wrapper 451, the tobacco rod 41 may be wrapped by a second wrapper 452, the first segment 421 may be wrapped by a third wrapper 453, and the second segment 422 may be wrapped by a fourth wrapper 454. The entire medium 4 may then be wrapped by a fifth wrapper 455.

[0196] Additionally, at least one perforation 46 may be formed in the fifth wrapper 455. For example, the perforation 46 may be formed in the region surrounding the tobacco rod 41, but is not limited thereto.

[0197] The second segment 422 may also include at least one capsule 44. The capsule 44 may perform the function of generating a flavor or the function of generating an aerosol. For example, the capsule 44 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring substance is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 44 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0198] The first wrapper 451 may be a general filter wrapper with a metal foil such as aluminum foil bonded to it. For example, the total thickness of the first wrapper 451 is within the range of 45 μm to 55 μm, and preferably 50.3 μm. The thickness of the metal foil of the first wrapper 451 is within the range of 6 μm to 7 μm, and preferably 6.3 μm. The basis weight of the first wrapper 451 is 50 g / m 2 ~55g / m 2and preferably 53 g / m 2 It is also.

[0199] The second wrapper 452 and the third wrapper 453 may be made of common filter wrapping paper, for example, the second wrapper 452 and the third wrapper 453 may be porous or non-porous wrapping paper.

[0200] For example, the porosity of the second wrapper 452 is 35,000 CU, but is not limited thereto. The thickness of the second wrapper 452 is within the range of 70 μm to 80 μm, and preferably 78 μm. The basis weight of the second wrapper 452 is 20 g / m 2 ~25g / m 2 and preferably 23.5 g / m 2 It is also.

[0201] For example, the porosity of the third wrapper 453 is 24,000 CU, but is not limited thereto. The thickness of the third wrapper 453 is within a range of 60 μm to 70 μm, and preferably 68 μm. The basis weight of the third wrapper 453 is 20 g / m 2 ~25g / m 2 and preferably 21 g / m 2 It is also.

[0202] The fourth wrapper 454 may be made of polylactic acid (PLA) laminated paper. Here, the polylactic acid (PLA) laminated paper refers to a triple layer of paper including a paper layer, a polylactic acid (PLA) layer, and another paper layer. For example, the thickness of the fourth wrapper 454 is within the range of 100 μm to 120 μm, and preferably 110 μm. The basis weight of the fourth wrapper 454 is 80 g / m 2 ~100g / m 2 and preferably 88 g / m 2 It is also.

[0203] The fifth wrapper 455 may be made of sterilized paper (MFW). Here, the sterilized paper (MFW) refers to paper specially manufactured to have improved tensile strength, water resistance, smoothness, etc. compared to general paper. For example, the basis weight of the fifth wrapper 455 is 57 g / m 2 ~63g / m 2 and preferably within the range of 60 g / m 2 The thickness of the fifth wrapper 455 is in the range of 64 μm to 70 μm, and is preferably 67 μm.

[0204] A predetermined material may be added to the fifth wrapper 455. An example of the predetermined material may be, but is not limited to, silicon. For example, silicon has properties such as heat resistance (i.e., small changes due to temperature), oxidation resistance (i.e., resistance to various chemicals), water repellency, and electrical insulation. However, any material other than silicon that has the above properties may be applied (or coated) to the fifth wrapper 455 without limitation.

[0205] The front end plug 43 may be made of cellulose acetate. For example, the front end plug 43 may be made by adding a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) to cellulose acetate tow. The mono-denier of the filaments constituting the cellulose acetate tow may be in the range of 1.0 to 10.0, preferably in the range of 4.0 to 6.0. More preferably, the mono-denier of the filaments constituting the front end plug 43 may be 5.0. The cross section of the filaments constituting the front end plug 43 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the front end plug 43 may be in the range of 20,000 to 30,000, preferably in the range of 25,000 to 30,000. More preferably, the total denier of the front end plug 43 may be 28,000.

[0206] Optionally, the front end plug 43 also includes at least one channel, the cross-sectional shape of which may be made to vary.

[0207] The tobacco rod 41 may correspond to the tobacco rod 31 described with reference to Figure 12. Therefore, in the following, a detailed description of the tobacco rod 41 will be omitted.

[0208] The first segment 421 may be made of cellulose acetate. For example, the first segment 421 may be a tube-shaped structure having a hollow interior. The first segment 421 may be made of cellulose acetate tow with a plasticizer (e.g., triacetin) added thereto. For example, the mono-denier and total denier of the first segment 421 may be the same as the mono-denier and total denier of the front end plug 43.

[0209] The second segment 422 may be made of cellulose acetate. The mono-denier of the filaments constituting the second segment 422 may be within the range of 1.0 to 10.0, and preferably within the range of 8.0 to 10.0. More preferably, the mono-denier of the filaments of the second segment 422 is 9.0. The cross section of the filaments of the second segment 422 may be Y-shaped. The total denier of the second segment 422 may be within the range of 20,000 to 30,000, and preferably 25,000.

[0210] FIG. 14 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

[0211] The aerosol generation device 1 also includes a control unit 1000, a sensing unit 2000, an output unit 3000, a battery 4000, a heater 5000, a user input unit 6000, a memory 7000, and a communication unit 8000. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generation device 1 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 14. That is, a person having ordinary skill in the art related to this embodiment would understand that, depending on the design of the aerosol generation device 1, some of the components shown in Fig. 14 may be omitted or new components may be added.

[0212] The sensing unit 2000 may sense the state of the aerosol generating device 1 or the surrounding state of the aerosol generating device 1 and transmit the sensed information to the control unit 1000. Based on the sensed information, the control unit 1000 may control the aerosol generating device 1 to perform various functions such as controlling the operation of the heater 5000, restricting smoking, determining whether or not to insert a medium (e.g., cigarette, cartridge, etc.), and displaying notifications.

[0213] The sensing unit 2000 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 2100, an insertion sensor 2200, and a puff sensor 2300, but is not limited thereto.

[0214] The temperature sensor 2100 may sense the temperature to which the heater 5000 (or the aerosol-generating substance) is heated. The aerosol-generating device 1 may include a separate temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the heater 5000, or the heater 5000 itself may function as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 2100 may be disposed around the battery 4000 to monitor the temperature of the battery 4000.

[0215] The insertion detection sensor 2200 may detect the insertion and / or removal of a medium. For example, the insertion detection sensor 2200 may include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, and may detect a signal change due to the insertion and / or removal of a medium.

[0216] The puff sensor 2300 may detect a user's puff based on various physical changes in the airflow passage or channel, such as a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, or a pressure change.

[0217] The sensing unit 2000 may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)), a proximity sensor, and an RGB (red-green-blue) sensor (illuminance sensor) in addition to the above-mentioned sensors (temperature sensor 2100, insertion sensor 2200, and puff sensor 2300). A person skilled in the art can intuitively infer the function of each sensor from its name, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0218] The output unit 3000 may output and provide to a user information related to the status of the aerosol generating device 1. The output unit 3000 may include at least one of a display unit 3100, a haptic unit 3200, and an audio output unit 3300, but is not limited to these. When the display unit 3100 and the touchpad have a layered structure and are configured as a touch screen, the display unit 3100 may be used as an input device in addition to an output device.

[0219] The display unit 3100 may visually provide a user with information related to the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the information related to the aerosol generation device 1 may include various information such as the charging / discharging status of the battery 4000 of the aerosol generation device 1, the preheating status of the heater 5000, the insertion / removal status of a medium, or a status in which use of the aerosol generation device 1 is restricted (e.g., abnormal item detection), and the display unit 3100 may output the information to the outside. The display unit 3100 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light emitting display panel (OLED), etc. The display unit 3100 may also be in the form of an LED (light-emitting diode) light emitting element.

[0220] The haptic unit 3200 can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical or electrical stimulus and provide the user with tactile information related to the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the haptic unit 3200 can include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0221] The acoustic output unit 3300 can audibly provide the user with information related to the aerosol generation device 1. For example, the acoustic output unit 3300 can convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal and output it to the outside.

[0222] The battery 4000 may supply power used to operate the aerosol generation device 1. The battery 4000 may supply power so that the heater 5000 can be heated. The battery 4000 may also supply power necessary for the operation of other components (e.g., the sensing unit 2000, the output unit 3000, the user input unit 6000, the memory 7000, and the communication unit 8000) provided inside the aerosol generation device 1. The battery 4000 may be a rechargeable battery or a single-use battery. For example, the battery 4000 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0223] The heater 5000 can heat the aerosol-generating material using power supplied from the battery 4000. Although not shown in Fig. 14, the aerosol generation device 1 further includes a power conversion circuit (e.g., a DC (direct current) / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 4000 and supplies it to the heater 5000. Furthermore, when the aerosol generation device 1 generates aerosol by induction heating, the aerosol generation device 1 also includes a DC / AC (alternating current) converter that converts the direct current power supply of the battery 4000 into alternating current power supply.

[0224] The control unit 1000, the sensing unit 2000, the output unit 3000, the user input unit 6000, the memory 7000, and the communication unit 8000 may perform their functions by receiving power from the battery 4000. Although not shown in FIG. 14 , the device may further include a power conversion circuit, such as an LDO (low drop out) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, that converts the power of the battery 4000 and supplies it to each component.

[0225] In one embodiment, the heater 5000 may be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material, such as, but not limited to, a metal or metal alloy, including titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, etc. The heater 5000 may also be embodied as, but not limited to, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate with an electrically conductive track, a ceramic susceptor, etc.

[0226] In other embodiments, heater 5000 is an induction heater, for example, heater 5000 may include a susceptor that generates heat via a magnetic field applied by a coil to heat the aerosol-generating material.

[0227] The user input unit 6000 may receive information input by a user or output information to a user. For example, the user input unit 6000 may be, but is not limited to, a keypad, a dome switch, a touchpad (e.g., a contact-type capacitance type, a pressure-type resistive film type, an infrared sensing type, a surface ultrasonic conduction type, an integral tension measurement type, a piezoelectric effect type, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc. Although not shown in FIG. 14 , the aerosol generating device 1 may further include a connection interface such as a USB (universal serial bus) interface, and may connect to another external device via the connection interface such as the USB interface to transmit and receive information or charge the battery 4000.

[0228] The memory 7000 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generation device 1 and may store data processed by the control unit 1000 and data to be processed by the control unit 1000. The memory 7000 may include at least one type of recording medium selected from the group consisting of flash memory, hard disk, micro multimedia card, card-type memory (e.g., secure digital (SD) memory or extreme digital (XD) memory), random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), magnetic memory, magnetic disk, and optical disk. The memory 7000 may store data related to the operating time of the aerosol generation device 1, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and the user's smoking pattern.

[0229] The communication unit 8000 also includes at least one component for communication with other electronic devices, such as a short-range wireless communication unit 8100 and a wireless communication unit 8200.

[0230] The short-range communication unit 8100 may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a WLAN (wireless local area network) (Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity)) communication unit, a Zigbee (registered trademark) communication unit, an IrDA (infrared data association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, a UWB (ultra-wideband) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, and the like.

[0231] The wireless communication unit 8200 may include, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, or a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) communication unit. The wireless communication unit 8200 may also use subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generation device 1 within the communication network.

[0232] The control unit 1000 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 1. In one embodiment, the control unit 1000 also includes at least one processor. The processor is embodied by an array of multiple logic gates, or by a combination of a microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed by the microprocessor. It will be understood by those skilled in the art to which this embodiment pertains that the processor can also be embodied by other forms of hardware.

[0233] The control unit 1000 can control the temperature of the heater 5000 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 4000 to the heater 5000. For example, the control unit 1000 can control the power supply by controlling the switching of switching elements between the battery 4000 and the heater 5000. In another example, a heating direct circuit can control the power supply to the heater 5000 in response to a control command from the control unit 1000.

[0234] The control unit 1000 may analyze the results sensed by the sensing unit 2000 and control subsequent processing. For example, the control unit 1000 may control the power supplied to the heater 5000 so that the operation of the heater 5000 is started or stopped based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 2000. In another example, the control unit 1000 may control the amount of power supplied to the heater 5000 and the time for which the power is supplied so that the heater 5000 is heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 2000.

[0235] The control unit 1000 may control the output unit 3000 based on the result sensed by the sensing unit 2000. For example, if the number of puffs counted via the puff sensor 2300 reaches a preset number, the control unit 1000 may notify the user via at least one of the display unit 3100, the haptic unit 3200, and the audio output unit 3300 that the aerosol generating device 1 will soon be shut down.

[0236] An embodiment may also be embodied in the form of a recording medium containing computer-executable instructions, such as a program module executed by a computer. Computer-readable media are any available media that can be accessed by a computer, including both volatile and nonvolatile media, and both detachable and non-detachable media. Computer-readable media also include both computer recording media and communication media. Computer recording media include both volatile and non-volatile, detachable and non-detachable media embodied in any method or technology for storing information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Communication media typically include computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data in a modulated data signal, such as a program module, or other transmission mechanism, and include any information delivery media.

[0237] The above description of the embodiments is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention is defined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the content described in the claims should be construed as being included in the scope of protection defined by the claims.

[0238] Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be embodied in various modified forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed method should be considered from an illustrative rather than a restrictive perspective. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope of the claims should be construed as being within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. a storage section for storing the aerosol-generating material; a transfer unit that receives the aerosol-generating material from the storage unit and performs at least one of a function of filtering foreign matter from the aerosol-generating material and a function of adding an additive to the aerosol-generating material to change properties of the aerosol-generating material; a generating section that receives the aerosol-forming substance from the transmitting section and generates an aerosol.

2. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer unit is detachably coupled to at least one of the storage unit and the generation unit.

3. 2. The aerosol generator of claim 1, wherein the transfer unit includes a carbon structure including activated carbon that filters foreign matter of a certain size or larger from the aerosol generating material to prevent the foreign matter contained in the aerosol generating material from being transferred to the generation unit.

4. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission portion includes granular activated carbon containing a plurality of granules.

5. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission portion includes a carbon block made of a solid material containing carbon.

6. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer unit includes a mesh structure that filters out substances having a size greater than a certain size from the aerosol-generating substance, thereby preventing the substances from being transferred to the generation unit.

7. 2. The aerosol generator according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit includes a fibrous structure made of a fibrous material that filters substances above a certain size from the aerosol generating substance, thereby preventing them from being transmitted to the generation unit.

8. 2. The aerosol generator according to claim 1, wherein the transfer unit includes a ceramic structure made of a ceramic material that filters out substances above a certain size from the aerosol-generating substance, thereby preventing them from being transferred to the generation unit.

9. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer portion includes a flavoring substance that imparts a flavor to the aerosol generating substance.

10. The aerosol generator according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer portion includes a viscous material that adjusts the viscosity of the aerosol generating material.

11. An aerosol generator according to any one of claims 1 to 10; and a coupling portion to which the aerosol generator is coupled.

12. The aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , wherein the aerosol generator is detachably coupled to the coupling portion.

13. the transmitting unit is separably coupled to at least one of the storing unit and the generating unit; The aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , further comprising an output unit for outputting information related to the replacement of the transmitting unit when the replacement period of the transmitting unit has elapsed.

14. The aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , further comprising an opening configured to allow the aerosol generated by the aerosol generator to be released to the outside and pass through a medium.

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