Aerosol-generating article and aerosol-generating system

Abstract

An aerosol-generating article is disclosed. The aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment includes a medium segment containing a tobacco medium, a first segment disposed upstream of the medium segment, and a second segment disposed downstream of the medium segment, the first segment containing a humectant. Nicotine generated from the tobacco medium in the medium segment is transferred to and adsorbed by at least one of the first segment and the second segment. In a first state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article is equal to or lower than a set temperature, nicotine is transferred via the medium segment or the second segment. In a second state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article has reached the set temperature, nicotine is transferred via the first segment. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Hereinafter, the embodiments relate to an aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating system. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing demand for products that can replace traditional cigarettes. For example, there has been an increasing demand for devices that generate aerosols by electrically heating cigarette sticks (e.g., cigarette-type electronic cigarettes). Therefore, research is being conducted on electrically heated aerosol generators and cigarette sticks (or aerosol-generating products) that can be used with them.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0132823 discloses a non-combustion type flavor inhaler, a flavor-inhaling unit, and an atomization unit.

[0004] The above-mentioned background art was held or acquired by the inventors in the process of deriving the contents of the disclosure of this specification, and cannot necessarily be said to be publicly known art that was disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of this application. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is an object of one embodiment to provide an aerosol generating system that does not require a pre-heating waiting time.

[0006] An object of one embodiment is to provide an aerosol-generating article that improves smoking taste by transferring an aerosol even at low temperatures.

[0007] It is an object, in one embodiment, to provide an aerosol-generating article that produces free nicotine at low temperatures and nicotine salts at high temperatures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article includes a medium segment containing a tobacco medium, a first segment arranged upstream of the medium segment, and a second segment arranged downstream of the medium segment, wherein the first segment includes a humectant, and nicotine generated from the tobacco medium in the medium segment is transferred to and adsorbed by at least one of the first segment and the second segment, and in a first state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article is below a set temperature, nicotine is transferred via the medium segment or the second segment, and in a second state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article has reached the set temperature, nicotine is transferred via the first segment.

[0009] In one embodiment, the media segment can be pH treated to a pH in the range of 7.0 to 9.5.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first segment can include a filter portion and a hollow portion that includes a longitudinal hollow.

[0011] In one embodiment, the filter portion may further comprise an organic acid.

[0012] In one embodiment, the nicotine is transferred from the medium segment to the first segment, the nicotine is adsorbed by the humectant, and the nicotine adsorbed by the humectant reacts with the organic acid to produce a nicotine salt in the first segment.

[0013] In one embodiment, the filter portion may include a paper material.

[0014] In one embodiment, the second segment may include a cellulose acetate filter.

[0015] In one embodiment, the second segment may include a scent material.

[0016] An aerosol-generating system according to one embodiment includes an aerosol-generating article, a housing in which the aerosol-generating article is accommodated, a heater unit for heating the aerosol-generating article, a control unit including at least one processor, and an aerosol generating device including a vaporizer that heats an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol and releases the aerosol toward the aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating article includes a medium segment including a pH-treated tobacco medium, a first segment disposed upstream of the medium segment and including an organic acid, and a second segment disposed downstream of the medium segment, and nicotine generated from the tobacco medium in the medium segment can be transferred to and adsorbed by at least one of the first segment and the second segment.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first segment may include a humectant.

[0018] In one embodiment, the heater portion may be disposed outside the first segment.

[0019] In one embodiment, the control unit can include a first mode in which the aerosol transfers nicotine from the medium segment or the second segment, and a second mode in which the heater unit heats the first segment at a set temperature, and the nicotine transferred to the first segment reacts with the organic acid to produce a nicotine salt, which is atomized and transferred.

[0020] In one embodiment, the control unit may further include a third mode in which the aerosol transfers nicotine from the medium segment or the second segment, and nicotine salt is atomized and transferred from the first segment heated by the heater unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] The aerosol generating system according to one embodiment can generate aerosols even when the temperature is not high.

[0022] The aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment can improve user satisfaction with the use of the product without requiring waiting time.

[0023] The aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment can transfer aerosols even at low temperatures, which can improve the durability of the device.

[0024] The effects of the aerosol generating system and aerosol generating article according to one embodiment are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to various embodiments. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generation system according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the aerosol-generating article of FIG. 2. [Figure 4a] 3 shows a part of the aerosol generation system according to FIG. 2 and the aerosol flow path in a first state. [Figure 4b] 3 shows a part of the aerosol generation system according to FIG. 2 and the aerosol flow path in a second state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The terms used in the embodiments are generally used as widely as possible, taking into consideration the functions in the embodiments. However, these may change depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, legal precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention, rather than simply the names of the terms.

[0027] Throughout the specification, when any part "includes" any component, this does not exclude other components and means that other components may be further included unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the terms "module" and "unit" used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be realized in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Commonly used predefined terms should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined herein.

[0029] In addition, in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals regardless of the reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. In the description of the embodiments, if a detailed description of related known technology is determined to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiments, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0030] Furthermore, when describing components of an embodiment, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are used to distinguish the component from other components, and do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the components. When a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that there may also be another component "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" between the components.

[0031] Components having functions common to those included in any of the embodiments will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the description of one embodiment will be applied to the other embodiments, and detailed description will be omitted to the extent that they overlap.

[0032] In the following embodiments, the term "aerosol-generating article" refers to an article that contains a medium and through which an aerosol passes, transferring the medium. A typical example of an aerosol-generating article is a cigarette, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0033] In the following embodiments, "upstream" or "upstream direction" means a direction away from the mouth of a user (smoker), and "downstream" or "downstream direction" means a direction towards the mouth of a user. The terms upstream and downstream may be used to describe the relative positions of elements that make up an aerosol-generating article.

[0034] In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to the inhalation of a user, where inhalation refers to drawing in through the user's mouth or nose into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs.

[0035] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device may be a device that generates aerosol by electrically heating cigarettes contained within an interior space.

[0036] The aerosol generating device may include a heater. In one embodiment, the heater may be an electrically resistive heater. For example, the heater may include an electrically conductive track, and when an electric current is passed through the electrically conductive track, the heater heats up.

[0037] The heater may include a tube-type heating element, a plate-type heating element, a needle-type heating element, or a rod-type heating element, and may heat the interior or exterior of the cigarette depending on the shape of the heating element.

[0038] The cigarette may include a tobacco rod and a filter rod. The tobacco rod may be made of a sheet, a strand, or a tobacco sheet made of shredded tobacco. The tobacco rod may also be surrounded by a thermoelectric material. For example, the thermoelectric material may be, but is not limited to, a metal foil such as aluminum foil.

[0039] The filter rod may 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.

[0040] In other embodiments, the aerosol generating device may be a device that generates an aerosol using a vaporizer that contains an aerosol-forming substance.

[0041] The aerosol generating device includes a vaporizer that holds an aerosol-generating material and a body that supports the vaporizer. The vaporizer is detachably connected to the body, but is not limited to this. The vaporizer may be integrally formed or assembled with the body, or may be fixed so that it cannot be detached by a user. The vaporizer may be attached to the body with the aerosol-generating material stored therein. However, without being limited thereto, the aerosol-generating material may be injected into the vaporizer while the vaporizer is connected to the body.

[0042] In a further embodiment, the aerosol generating device heats the liquid phase composition to generate an aerosol, which can be transmitted to the user through the cigarette, i.e., the aerosol generated from the liquid phase composition travels along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device, which airflow passage can be configured to transmit the aerosol through the cigarette to the user.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. The present disclosure may be implemented in a form that can be realized in the aerosol generating devices of the various embodiments described above, or may be embodied in various different forms, and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0044] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0046] 1, the aerosol generating device 100 includes a control unit 110, a detection unit 120, an output unit 130, a battery 140, a heater 150, a user input unit 160, a memory 170, and a communication unit 180. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 100 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 1. That is, it will be understood by those skilled in the art of this embodiment that some of the components shown in Fig. 1 can be omitted or new components can be added depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 100.

[0047] The detection unit 120 can detect the state of the aerosol generating device 100 or the state around the aerosol generating device 100 and transmit the detected information to the control unit 110. Based on the detected information, the control unit 110 can control the aerosol generating device 100 to perform various functions such as controlling the operation of the heater 150, restricting smoking, determining whether an aerosol generating article (e.g., an aerosol generating article, a vaporizer, etc.) is inserted, displaying notifications, etc.

[0048] The detection unit 120 includes at least one of a temperature sensor 122, an insertion detection sensor 124, and a puff sensor 126, but is not limited to these.

[0049] The temperature sensor 122 can detect the temperature to which the heater 150 (or the aerosol-generating substance) is heated. The aerosol-generating device 100 may include a separate temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the heater 150, or the heater 150 itself may function as a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 122 may be disposed around the battery 140 to monitor the temperature of the battery 140.

[0050] The insertion detection sensor 124 detects the insertion and / or removal of an aerosol-generating article. For example, the insertion detection sensor 124 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 can detect a signal change due to the insertion and / or removal of an aerosol-generating article.

[0051] The puff sensor 126 detects a user's puff based on various physical changes in the airflow passage or channel, for example, the puff sensor 126 can detect a user's puff based on any of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

[0052] In addition to the above-described sensors 122 to 126, the detection unit 120 may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., GPS), a proximity sensor, and an RGB (illuminance) sensor. The function of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by a skilled artisan from its name, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0053] The output unit 130 outputs and provides to a user information regarding the status of the aerosol generating device 100. The output unit 130 includes, but is not limited to, at least one of a display unit 132, a haptic unit 134, and an audio output unit 136. When the display unit 132 and the touchpad form a layered structure to form a touch screen, the display unit 132 may be used as an input device in addition to an output device.

[0054] The display unit 132 visually provides a user with information about the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the information about the aerosol generating device 100 may include various information such as the charging / discharging status of the battery 140 of the aerosol generating device 100, the preheating status of the heater 150, the insertion / removal status of an aerosol-generating article, or a status in which use of the aerosol generating device 100 is restricted (e.g., detection of an abnormal article), and the display unit 132 can output the information to the outside. The display unit 132 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light-emitting display panel (OLED), or the like. The display unit 132 may also be in the form of an LED light-emitting element.

[0055] The haptic unit 134 converts an electrical signal into a mechanical or electrical stimulus to tactilely provide the user with information about the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the haptic unit 134 may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0056] The acoustic output unit 136 audibly provides the user with information relating to the aerosol generating device 100. For example, the acoustic output unit 136 can convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal and output it to the outside.

[0057] The battery 140 supplies power used to operate the aerosol generating device 100. The battery 140 can supply power to heat the heater 150. The battery 140 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components provided in the aerosol generating device 100 (e.g., the detection unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180). The battery 140 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery. For example, the battery 140 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery.

[0058] The heater 150 receives power from the battery 140 and heats the aerosol-generating material. Although not shown in Fig. 1, the aerosol-generating device 100 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a DC / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies it to the heater 150. Furthermore, when the aerosol-generating device 100 generates aerosol by an induction heating method, the aerosol-generating device 100 may further include a DC / AC converter that converts the DC power of the battery 140 into AC power.

[0059] The control unit 110, the detection unit 120, the output unit 130, the user input unit 160, the memory 170, and the communication unit 180 can function by receiving power from the battery 140. Although not shown in FIG. 1 , the device may further include a power conversion circuit, such as an LDO (low dropout) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, that converts the power of the battery 140 and supplies it to each component.

[0060] In one embodiment, the heater 150 can be formed from any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, suitable electrically resistive materials can be metals or metal alloys including, but not limited to, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, etc. Additionally, the heater 150 can be implemented as, but not limited to, a metal hot wire, a metal hot plate with an electrically conductive track disposed thereon, a ceramic heating element, etc.

[0061] In another embodiment, heater 150 may be an induction heater. For example, heater 150 may include a susceptor that generates heat through a magnetic field applied by a coil to heat the aerosol-generating material.

[0062] In one embodiment, heater 150 may include multiple heaters. For example, heater 150 may include a first heater for heating the aerosol-generating article and a second heater for heating the liquid phase.

[0063] The user input unit 160 may receive information input by a user and output information to a user. For example, the user input unit 160 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 detection 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. 1 , the aerosol generating device 100 may further include a connection interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and may connect to other external devices via the connection interface such as the USB interface to transmit and receive information or charge the battery 140.

[0064] The memory 170 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 100, and stores data that has been processed by the control unit 110 and data to be processed by the control unit 110. The memory 170 may include at least one type of storage medium selected from the group consisting of flash memory, hard disk, micro multimedia card, card-type memory (e.g., SD or 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 170 may store data related to the operating time of the aerosol generating device 100, the maximum number of puffs, the current number of puffs, at least one temperature profile, and the user's smoking pattern.

[0065] The communication unit 180 includes at least one component for communicating with other electronic devices, such as a short-range communication unit 182 and a wireless communication unit 184.

[0066] The short-range wireless communication unit 182 includes, 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 (Wi-Fi) 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, etc.

[0067] The wireless communication unit 184 includes, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN) communication unit, etc. The wireless communication unit 184 may use subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 100 within the communication network.

[0068] The control unit 110 controls the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 100. In one embodiment, the control unit 110 may include at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may also be implemented in other forms of hardware.

[0069] The control unit 110 controls the temperature of the heater 150 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 140 to the heater 150. For example, the control unit 110 can control the power supply by controlling the switching of a switching element between the battery 140 and the heater 150. As another example, a heating direct circuit may control the power supply to the heater 150 in response to a control command from the control unit 110.

[0070] The control unit 110 can analyze the results detected by the detection unit 120 and control subsequent processing. For example, the control unit 110 can control the power supplied to the heater 150 so that the operation of the heater 150 starts or ends based on the results detected by the detection unit 120. As another example, the control unit 110 can control the amount of power supplied to the heater 150 and the time for which the power is supplied based on the results detected by the detection unit 120 so that the heater 150 is heated to a predetermined temperature or maintained at an appropriate temperature.

[0071] The control unit 110 can control the output unit 130 based on the result detected by the detection unit 120. For example, when the number of puffs counted via the puff sensor 126 reaches a preset number, the control unit 110 notifies the user through at least one of the display unit 132, the haptic unit 134, and the audio output unit 136 that the aerosol generating device 100 will immediately shut down.

[0072] In one embodiment, the control unit 110 may control the time and / or amount of power supplied to the heater 150 depending on the state of the aerosol-generating article detected by the detection unit 120. For example, if the aerosol-generating article is in an overly humid state, the control unit 110 may control the time of power supply to the induction coil to increase the preheating time compared to when the aerosol-generating article is in a normal state.

[0073] An embodiment may also be realized in the form of a recording medium containing computer-executable instructions, such as a program module executed by a computer. A computer-readable recording medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer, including both volatile and nonvolatile media, and both detachable and non-detachable media. Furthermore, a computer-readable recording medium includes both computer storage media and communication media. A computer storage medium includes both volatile and non-volatile, detachable and non-detachable media embodied in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. A communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, data structures, other data in a modulated data signal, such as a program module, or other transmission mechanism, and includes any information delivery medium.

[0074] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol-generating system according to one embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the aerosol-generating article of FIG.

[0075] 2 and 3, an aerosol-generating system 200 according to one embodiment includes an aerosol-generating article 210 and an aerosol-generating device 220 in which the aerosol-generating article 210 is housed.

[0076] In one embodiment, the aerosol generation device 220 can generate an aerosol. For example, the aerosol generation device 220 can generate an aerosol by aerosolizing an aerosol-forming substrate stored in the vaporizer 225 by heating it. However, this is merely one example, and the aerosol generation device 220 can aerosolize the aerosol-forming substrate stored in the vaporizer 225 using various principles, such as the principle of surface acoustic waves. In one embodiment, the aerosol generation device 220 includes a housing 221, a heater unit 222, a battery 223, a control unit 224, and the vaporizer 225.

[0077] In one embodiment, the housing 221 can be configured to house various electronic / mechanical components, such as the heater section 222, the battery 223, the control section 224, the vaporizer 225, and at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article 210 described below, all housed within the housing 221 and safely protected from external stimuli (e.g., dust, impact, heat, etc.).

[0078] In one embodiment, the battery 223 can be disposed in the interior space of the housing 221. In one embodiment, the battery 223 can supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device 220. For example, the battery 223 can supply power to enable heating of the heater unit 222 and / or the vaporizer 225, and can also supply power necessary for operation of the control unit 224. The battery 223 can also supply power necessary for operation of a display, a sensor, a motor, etc., installed in the aerosol generating device 220.

[0079] In one embodiment, the control unit 224 can be disposed in the internal space of the housing 221. In one embodiment, the control unit 224 controls the operation of the aerosol generating device 220. The control unit 224 also checks the status of each component of the aerosol generating device 220 and determines whether the aerosol generating device 220 is in an operable state.

[0080] In one embodiment, the control unit 224 includes at least one processor. The processor may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executed by the microprocessor. Those skilled in the art will understand that the processor may also be implemented in other forms of hardware.

[0081] In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 may be disposed in the interior space of the housing 221. In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 stores at least one aerosol-forming substrate. For example, the aerosol-forming substrate may contain an aerosol-forming substance in any one of various states, such as a liquid state, a solid state, a gas state, or a gel state. The aerosol-forming substance may include a liquid-phase composition. For example, the liquid-phase composition may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance containing a volatile tobacco aroma component, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance. In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 is activated by an electrical signal, a wireless signal, or the like transmitted from the main body to convert the phase of the aerosol-forming substance inside the vaporizer 225 to a gas phase and generate an aerosol. The aerosol refers to a gaseous state in which vaporized particles generated from the aerosol-forming substance and air are mixed. In one embodiment, the aerosol-forming substrates stored in the vaporizer 225 may contain the same or different substances.

[0082] In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 may store a functional substance (not shown) that serves as an aerosol-forming base. In one embodiment, the functional substance may be stored inside the vaporizer 225 in at least one of a gas phase, a liquid phase, and a solid phase. In one embodiment, the functional substance may include nicotine, glycerin, propylene glycol, flavorings such as menthol, drugs for treating respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, aroma oils, caffeine, taurine, vaccines, etc. The functional substance is not limited to the examples described above and may include various substances. In one embodiment, the functional substances stored in the vaporizer 225 may be the same or different.

[0083] In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 can generate an aerosol by heating an aerosol-forming substrate stored inside the vaporizer 225. In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 emits the aerosol toward the aerosol-generating article 210. In one embodiment, the vaporizer 225 may include a heating element (not shown) for heating the aerosol-forming substrate and a wick (not shown) for guiding the aerosol-forming substrate to flow toward the aerosol-generating article 210.

[0084] The heater section 222 may be an electrical resistance heater. For example, the heater section 222 may include an electrically conductive track, and the heater section 222 may be heated by the flow of current through the electrically conductive track. However, the heater section 222 is not limited to the above example and may be any heater that can be heated to a set temperature. Here, the set temperature may be preset in the aerosol-generating device 220 or may be set to a desired temperature by the user. In one embodiment, the heater section 222 may be an induction heater. For example, the heater section 222 may include an electrically conductive coil for inductively heating cigarettes, and the aerosol-generating article 210 may include a susceptor (not shown) that can be heated by the induction heater. For example, the heater section 222 may include a tube-type heating element, a plate-type heating element, a needle-type heating element, or a rod-type heating element. Depending on the shape of the heating element, the inside or outside of the aerosol-generating article 210 may be heated.

[0085] In one embodiment, the heater section 222 may be disposed in the interior space of the housing 221. For example, the heater section 222 may be disposed in the interior space adjacent to at least a portion of the aerosol-generating article 210 housed in the housing 221. In one embodiment, the heater section 222 may be heated by power supplied from the battery 223. In one embodiment, the heater section 222 may heat the aerosol-generating article 210. For example, the heater section 222 may heat the aerosol-generating article 210 when the aerosol-generating article 210 is inserted into the aerosol generating device 220. In one embodiment, the heater section 222 can adjust the temperature of the aerosol-generating article 210 by heating all or part of the aerosol-generating article 210. In one embodiment, the heater section 222 may have a cylindrical or flat shape including a hollow portion, but is not limited thereto, and may have various shapes that can easily heat the aerosol-generating article 210.

[0086] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 210 can be disposed in an aerosol-generating device 220. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 210 can provide a flow path for transferring the aerosol from a vaporizer 225 of the aerosol-generating device 220 to the mouth of a user. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 210 includes a medium segment 211, a first segment 212, and a second segment 213.

[0087] In one embodiment, the medium segment 211 may include a cavity. In one embodiment, the cavity of the medium segment 211 is filled with a medium. The medium filled in the cavity may include at least one component of granulated tobacco (tobacco granules), reconstituted tobacco, and cut tobacco.

[0088] In one embodiment, the medium segment 211 may include an aerosol-generating substance such as glycerin. In one embodiment, the medium segment 211 may contain other additives such as flavoring agents, humectants, and / or organic acids. In one embodiment, the medium segment 211 may be added with flavoring liquid such as menthol and / or humectants from the first segment 212 and / or the second segment 213.

[0089] In one embodiment, the medium segment 211 may include a pH-treated tobacco medium. For example, the tobacco medium may be pH-treated with a pH adjuster to have a basic pH (e.g., a pH concentration in the range of 7.0 to 9.5). The pH adjuster may include at least one of potassium carbonate (K2CO3), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), and calcium oxide (CaO). However, the substances contained in the pH adjuster are not limited to the above examples, and any substance that generates less negative odor during smoking may be used. The basic pH adjuster can increase the pH of the tobacco medium in the medium segment 211. The pH-treated tobacco medium increases the amount of nicotine released when heated. Therefore, the pH-treated tobacco medium can achieve a sufficient nicotine yield even when the aerosol-generating article 210 is heated at a low temperature by the heater portion 222 of the aerosol-generating device 220.

[0090] In one embodiment, the medium segment 211 may include a slurry or sheet tobacco for papermaking, the pH of which is adjusted to a range of 7.0 to 9.5, or tobacco granules, the pH of which is adjusted to a range of 7.0 to 9.5. The tobacco medium may contain nicotine, and by pH-treating the tobacco medium, free nicotine (gas-state nicotine) can be transferred from the tobacco medium even under unheated or relatively low temperature conditions. That is, by adjusting the pH of the tobacco medium of the medium segment 211 to a range of 7.0 to 9.5, volatile free nicotine can be transferred under unheated conditions, achieving a sufficient level of smoking flavor intensity. In one embodiment, free nicotine generated in the medium segment 211 can be transferred to and adsorbed by at least one of the first segment 212 and the second segment 213.

[0091] In one embodiment, the first segment 212 may be disposed upstream of the media segment 211. In one embodiment, the first segment 212 includes a filter portion 2121 containing a filter material and a hollow portion 2122 having a hollow interior.

[0092] In one embodiment, the filter portion 2121 may include a paper material. The filter portion 2121 made of paper is heated by the heater portion 222 of the aerosol generating device 220. In one embodiment, the filter portion 2121 may include a humectant. The humectant in the filter portion 2121 adsorbs free nicotine transferred from the medium segment 211, thereby allowing the free nicotine to be contained in the filter portion 2121. In one embodiment, the filter portion 2121 may include an organic acid. The organic acid in the filter portion 2121 reacts with the free nicotine adsorbed to the filter portion 2121 to produce a nicotine salt. When the aerosol-generating article 210 according to one embodiment is heated by the heater portion 222 of the aerosol generating device 220, the nicotine salt is transferred along with the aerosol generated from the vaporizer 225.

[0093] In one embodiment, the hollow portion 2122 may be formed with a hollow interior. The hollow formed in the hollow portion 2122 is in communication with the vaporizer 225 of the aerosol generating device 220. In one embodiment, the hollow portion 2122 can provide a flow path that allows the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 225 to flow to the medium segment 211.

[0094] In one embodiment, the second segment 213 may be disposed downstream of the medium segment 211. In one embodiment, the second segment 213 may include a cellulose acetate filter. In one embodiment, the second segment 213 may include a fragrance material. The fragrance material may be, for example, a capsule filled with menthol particles or a capsule filled with fragrance particles. The second segment 213 may be a cellulose acetate filter or a paper filter into which at least one fragrance capsule is inserted.

[0095] In one embodiment, free nicotine may be transferred from the medium segment 211 and adsorbed onto the second segment 213. Unlike nicotine salts, which require heating, free nicotine is a volatile substance. Therefore, the free nicotine adsorbed onto the second segment 213 can be transferred together with the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 225 of the aerosol generating device 220 even when the aerosol-generating article 210 is not heated. This not only increases convenience for the user, but also provides a satisfying smoking experience by allowing sufficient nicotine to be transferred even in an unheated state.

[0096] The process by which the operation of the aerosol generating system 200 is controlled via the control unit 224 will be described below.

[0097] 4a is a diagram showing a part of the aerosol generation system according to FIG. 2 and the aerosol flow path in a first state, and FIG. 4b is a diagram showing a part of the aerosol generation system according to FIG. 2 and the aerosol flow path in a second state.

[0098] 4a and 4b, a control unit (e.g., the control unit 224 of FIG. 2) according to one embodiment can control the operation of an aerosol generation system (e.g., the aerosol generation system 200 of FIG. 2). In one embodiment, the control unit 224 includes at least one processor for controlling the operation of the aerosol generation system 200. For example, the control unit 224 can include multiple modes and can control the aerosol generation system 200 to operate differently in each mode. In one embodiment, the control unit 224 can include a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, and can control the aerosol generated by the vaporizer 225 to transition to at least one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

[0099] In the first mode according to one embodiment, the control unit 224 can control the heater unit (e.g., the heater unit 222 in FIG. 2) to heat the aerosol-generating article (e.g., the aerosol-generating article 210 in FIG. 2) to a temperature equal to or lower than a set temperature. The set temperature according to one embodiment refers to a temperature at which the nicotine salt generated in the first segment 212 is transferred together with the aerosol, for example, a temperature in the range of 150°C to 180°C. When the aerosol-generating article 210 according to one embodiment is at a temperature equal to or lower than the set temperature, free nicotine generated from the medium segment 211 and transferred to and adsorbed on the second segment 213 can be transferred together with the aerosol.

[0100] In one embodiment, in the second mode, the control unit 224 can control the heater unit 222 to heat the aerosol-generating article 210 to a set temperature. When the aerosol-generating article 210 according to one embodiment reaches the set temperature, the nicotine salt produced in the first segment 212 can be transported with the aerosol generated from the vaporizer 225.

[0101] In the third mode according to one embodiment, the control unit 224 causes the heater unit 222 to continuously heat the aerosol-generating article 210 so that the temperature of the aerosol-generating article 210 reaches a set temperature.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 4a, in a first state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article 210 is equal to or lower than a set temperature, the control unit 224 can control the aerosol to transfer free nicotine together with the aerosol as in the first mode.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 4b, in a second state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article 210 reaches the set temperature, the control unit 224 can control the nicotine salt to be transferred together with the aerosol as in the second mode.

[0104] The operating mechanism of the aerosol generating system 200 by the control unit 224 as described above can prevent or reduce a decrease in the durability of the aerosol generating device 220, and can increase the user's satisfaction with use by transferring free nicotine even when the aerosol generating article 210 is not sufficiently heated.

[0105] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and a person skilled in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based on the above. For example, the described techniques may be performed in an order different from that described, and / or the components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. may be combined or combined in a form different from that described, or may be substituted or replaced by other components or equivalents, and still achieve appropriate results.

[0106] Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is defined by the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating article, comprising: a medium segment comprising a tobacco medium; a first segment disposed upstream of the medium segment; a second segment disposed downstream of the medium segment; Including, the first segment comprises a moisturizer; Nicotine generated from the tobacco medium of the medium segment is transferred to and adsorbed by at least one of the first segment and the second segment; In a first state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article is equal to or lower than a set temperature, nicotine is transferred via the medium segment or the second segment, In a second state in which the temperature of the aerosol-generating article reaches a set temperature, nicotine is transferred in the first segment.

2. 2. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the medium segment is pH-treated to have a pH in the range of 7.0 to 9.

5.

3. The first segment is The filter part and 10. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, comprising a hollow portion comprising a longitudinal hollow.

4. The aerosol-generating article of claim 3 , wherein the filter portion further comprises an organic acid.

5. the nicotine is transferred from the medium segment to the first segment; The nicotine is adsorbed by the humectant, The aerosol-generating article of claim 4 , wherein the nicotine adsorbed by the humectant reacts with the organic acid to produce a nicotine salt in the first segment.

6. 4. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 3, wherein the filter portion comprises a paper material.

7. 2. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1, wherein the second segment comprises a cellulose acetate filter.

8. The aerosol-generating article of claim 1 , wherein the second segment comprises a scented material.

9. an aerosol-generating article; an aerosol generating device including a housing in which the aerosol-generating article is accommodated, a heater unit for heating the aerosol-generating article, a control unit including at least one processor, and a vaporizer that heats an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol and releases the aerosol toward the aerosol-generating article; Including, The aerosol-generating article comprises: a medium segment comprising a pH-treated tobacco medium; a first segment disposed upstream of the medium segment and including an organic acid; a second segment disposed downstream of the medium segment; An aerosol generating system, wherein nicotine generated from the tobacco medium of the medium segment is transferred to and adsorbed by at least one of the first segment and the second segment.

10. 10. The aerosol generating system of claim 9, wherein the first segment comprises a humectant.

11. The aerosol generating system of claim 9 , wherein the heater section is disposed outside the first segment.

12. The control unit a first mode in which the aerosol transfers nicotine from the medium segment or the second segment; The aerosol generating system of claim 11, including a second mode in which the heater unit heats the first segment at a set temperature, and the nicotine transferred to the first segment reacts with the organic acid to produce a nicotine salt that is atomized and transferred.

13. The aerosol generating system of claim 12, wherein the control unit further includes a third mode in which the aerosol transfers nicotine from the medium segment or the second segment, and nicotine salt is atomized and transferred from the first segment heated by the heater unit.

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